Sauce

It’s just as tasty without booze but only as good as the chocolate you use, so shop accordingly.

Chef Cassie Piuma of Sarma, in Somerville, MA, makes big batches of this bright North African sauce to minimize at-home chopping, then uses it all week.

This vinegary hot sauce will mellow with time; make it the day before for a little less spice.

Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q in Decatur, Alabama, is credited with introducing this mayo-based barbecue sauce to the world. Our recipe is loosely based on the version chef Sean Brock serves at his restaurant Husk in Charleston, South Carolina.

Miso and hot pepper paste are at the root of every ssam sauce, but no two household’s are the same. This version comes from Mott St’s Edward Kim; tweak it to your liking.

Edward Kim, of Mott St. in Chicago, delivers a final hit of seasoning with this condiment. Solar salt is coarse and crunchy and keeps its shape; Asian markets stock it, but kosher salt is fine, too.

Jiyeon Lee’s sauce calls for minty sweet perilla (a.k.a. sesame leaf); seek it out at Asian markets.

Where a chutney and mustard sauce overlap. Choose a very ripe—even very bruised—peach for easy peeling.

This revelatory sauce starts with a dry caramel, meaning no water is added to the sugar. It will take on color quickly and is less likely to crystallize.

This ubiquitous and essential Vietnamese condiment is a bright and spicy mix of sweet, sour, salty, and bitter flavors.

“I love peppery radishes with cooling yogurt—so good on grilled chicken or fish.” –Dawn Perry, senior food editor

A blend of chiles, arugula, mint, and lime, this dressing brightens up everything from salads and grains to fish and meat

A Thai restaurant classic, this peanut dressing makes an equally great dipping sauce for dumplings and summer rolls.

Adding Guinness to a mustard recipe? Brilliance. Bring on the pretzels.

Ask anybody’s nonna: Making Sunday sauce is not an exact science. You can use other meats—like thick pork chops or short ribs—in place of or in addition to the ones listed here.

Most of these ingredients can be found at Asian markets or in the Asian section of the supermarket.

Raclette is the most mild tasting of these three cheeses, while Comté and Gruyère deliver some sharpness. For a crowd-pleasing mix, try 3 parts raclette to 1 part Comté and/or Gruyère.

A steak sauce good enough to rival the most popular brand makes this steak (or any, really) even more delicious.

This deceptively simple condiment is as addictive as pesto and as transformative as a squeeze of lemon. Spoon it onto fish, chicken, steak, roasted vegetables, or even pasta.

A spoonful of this sweet, earthy condiment perks up eggs, grain dishes, and simply prepared proteins.

If you leave this on the thicker side, it’s a great crudités dip. Or, thin it and pour onto salad.

Breakfast is just the beginning. Use this teriyaki sauce in stir-fries, to marinate tofu, or to glaze chicken as it roasts.

Use this syrup in vinaigrettes, to glaze meats, and in place of grenadine in cocktails.