The Best Sauce For Punching Up The Umami In Meatloaf In An Instant

Many meatloaf recipes call for covering the top with ketchup before baking, which makes for a sweet-tasting topping. Other, more unexpected meatloaf sauces and glazes such as barbecue sauce, jam, or maple syrup, double down on the sweetness, but if you're more into savory flavors, you might want to try fish sauce, a condiment far too versatile to be reserved for stir-frys. This tip comes courtesy of Erica Blaire Roby, who is Food Network's "Master of Cue" Champion and also the founder, owner, and champion pitmaster at Blue Smoke Blaire BBQ.

Roby assured us that a small quantity of fish sauce won't overwhelm the meatloaf's beefy nature. As she explained, "A teaspoon won't taste fishy but will quietly add a lot of umami." She did, however, caution not to overdo it, since at a certain point, you probably will start to taste the fermented fish. What's more, too much fish sauce, like too much of any salty ingredient (including salt), can throw off the balance of a dish.

If you don't have or care for fish sauce, there are numerous other ingredients you can use that will also punch up the savory flavor of your meatloaf. One of the closest substitutes for fish sauce might be minced anchovies or anchovy paste, although these can also be combined with soy sauce to more closely mimic the fermented flavor. Oyster sauce will also work if you're not seafood-averse (true to its name, it is made using broth that oysters are cooked in), although clam juice makes a terrible fish sauce substitute as it's really not all that savory. Worcestershire sauce is a pretty decent one, though. Just like fish sauce, it contains anchovies, but is also made with numerous other ingredients including tamarind, vinegar, and molasses.

What if you're vegetarian, though, or allergic to fish? Soy sauce is a simple fish sauce substitute even vegans can use, as are tamari, coconut aminos, dried seaweed, and mushrooms. For a less subtle flavor boost, you can also go with a powdered soup or salad dressing mix. As Erica Blaire Roby confessed, "I use french onion powder mix and/or ranch dressing powder as my secret umami ingredient."