The 5-Minute, 5-Ingredient Sauce That Will Instantly Upgrade Your Steak

This year we’ll be spending Valentine’s Day at our well-worn kitchen tables, but that doesn’t mean the romance of sharing a candlelit dinner has to go. Clear all of the stuff off the table (laptop, schoolwork, economy-size bottle of hand sanitizer), find the cloth napkins, and whip up this homemade steak sauce.

The sweet, tangy sauce is an easy way to turn a simple pan-seared or grilled steak into a fancy steakhouse-style dinner. It requires just four pantry ingredients (plus water) and no cooking at all. If you love the flavor of A.1, you’ll be surprised at how easy it is to re-create the savory flavors at home. Here’s how to do it.

Read more: The Best Steak to Cook for Valentine’s Day

This simple sauce is packed with umami, thanks to common condiments like Worcestershire sauce, which lends its signature savory flavor and peppery spice, and balsamic vinegar, which adds a fruity acidity. But the key ingredient isn’t a condiment — it’s raisins! The dried fruit adds a mellow sweetness and, when broken down in the food processor, their jammy texture thickens the sauce so it perfectly coats each slice of steak.

You can use whatever type of raisins you have on hand — regular or golden. The only difference is that the golden raisins will give the sauce a slightly lighter hue.

Making the sauce couldn’t be easier: Just blend the ketchup, Worcestershire sauce, balsamic vinegar, and raisins in a food processor (full-size or mini) or blender until smooth and pourable. Be sure to add the liquid ingredients first so that the raisins don’t stick to the blade.

Make the sauce a few hours in advance so the flavors have time to mellow. Leftovers will keep for up to a month in the fridge, giving you an excuse to serve steak again next week.

Read more: Easy 3-Ingredient Steak Sauces