What is tartar sauce and where does it come from? In the vaulted halls of the Sauce Hall of Fame, it’s often in the shadow of the massive might of mustard and the behemoth BBQ sauce. But don’t let this slippery sauce pass you by—it’s a great catch.
The Origin of Tartar Sauce
Tartar sauce, of course, comes from the Land of a Thousand Sauces—France. And while it doesn’t achieve the status of bechamel, hollandaise, or the other Mother Sauces, it is a respectable Second-Cousin-Once Removed Sauce thanks to its ubiquitous presence on every fried seafood platter.
Tartar sauce is first mentioned in French cookbooks from the 19th century as an accompaniment to beef tartare. Historians believe that the word “tartar” has an etymological origin with the Tatars, a group of people from Western Russia and Turkey. Legend has it, they ate roughly shredded meat in order to make the tough protein more palatable. This treatment of meat could be the origins of the more refined French classic. The name tartar sauce also bears a resemblance to tarator sauce, a nut or tahini-based sauce that is popular in many Middle Eastern cuisines and, while it has quite a different flavor, it is also used to dress fish and other meats, among other things.
Our modern perception of tartar sauce that evolved from the original French sauce tartare became commercially available in the 1920s once Hellman’s introduced their jarred version to shelves. Today, tartar sauce is a mainstay of the condiment aisle.
What’s in Tartar Sauce?
Tartar sauce is a sauce for the people because it is so easy to make. At its core, tartar sauce is made out of mayonnaise mixed with pickle relish. All recipes and versions of tartar sauce are simple variations on this main theme.
Deciding a pickle relish route is the first choice: Are you a dill or a sweet? Both have their benefits, and both offer a totally different taste. If you want to push that salty pickled taste even further beyond dill relish, you can use capers instead. Capers are immature flower buds that are dried out and pickled, offering a complex flavor profile that you don’t get from other pickled items. But why stop there? Try any kind of pickled vegetable of your choice—jalapeños, roasted red peppers, onions. Even hard-boiled eggs have been known to make an appearance in tartar sauce every now and again.
You can also play around with the mayonnaise base. Instead of opting for traditional mayo, you can try chipotle mayo, horseradish mayo, avocado oil mayo, vegan mayo—the world is your fried oyster. The best thing about mayonnaise is its versatility, and you can achieve so many complex flavors in its creamy base with just a few spices from your spice rack. Adding tarragon, dill, and a little lemon juice to traditional mayo adds a host of flavors that perfectly complement fried fish.
With all these different options, you may be left wondering, when does tartar sauce stop being tartar sauce and turn into something else? Listen, all God’s critters got a place in the choir, some sing lower and some sing higher. If you’ve got a favorite tartar sauce variation, it’s just as valid as all the rest.
When to Use Tartar Sauce
As the official sauce of sailors and seamen (as declared by me), tartar sauce is an absolute must for every fried seafood dish. No fish and chips basket is complete without it. Tartar sauce, in conjunction with co*cktail sauce, is also a great accompaniment to fried oysters, shrimp, and calamari.
Tartar sauce also is perfectly at home on a hamburger bun. If you’re already putting mayonnaise and pickles on a burger, two completely respectable burger toppings, then why wouldn’t tartar sauce also make sense? Or, you can replace the sour cream and chives with tartar sauce on your baked potato for a completely mind-opening experience.
So, the next time National Tartar Sauce Day rolls around, fry up some cod and celebrate the right way. You’ll be glad you did.
Now that you know all about tartar sauce, find out about the best tartar sauce. Click to see the results of our tartar sauce taste test (say that five times fast).
History. Tartar sauce is named for steak tartare, with which it was commonly served in 19th century France. Recipes for tartar sauce have been found in English-language cookbooks dating to the mid-19th century, including a recipe in Modern Cookery for Private Families in 1860.
Wondering what's in tartar sauce? It's typically made with mayonnaise, chopped pickles or relish, lemon juice, and herbs (like tarragon and dill). There are also a handful of optional ingredients you can add that take the tartar sauce's flavor to the next level. For example, this recipe includes yellow mustard.
Tartar sauce is traditionally paired with fish and other types of seafood, as the tangy condiment adds a bit of brightness to the often-rich flavors of fish, particularly breaded varieties.
Here are a few of our favorite ways to enjoy it: With crispy baked (or air fried) veggies. I'd take crispy veggies over fish sticks any day! I love serving my air fryer cauliflower, air fryer French fries, and baked zucchini chips with homemade tartar sauce for dipping.
Citing French cookbooks from the 19th century, Julia Child contended that the sauce-happy French likely invented it to go with their beloved steak tartare. Others believe that the French merely modified an existing recipe.
The classic seafood condiment tartar sauce continues the trend that creamy sauces belong toward the bottom of the list. But, it has less than half the calories per tablespoon as ranch and one-quarter the fat content of mayonnaise.
Instead of tartar sauce, use a garlicky aioli with or without a little dill or chopped pickle. Another good sauce option that goes well with seafood is a tomato-based co*cktail sauce. Hummus, which is also slightly acidic with lemon juice, can also make a nice dip for seafood.
This is how fish and chips are eaten around the world: In Australia they like tartar sauce. In England it's customary to use malt vinegar. In Belgium they prefer mayonnaise.
But if you aren't a tartar sauce fan, you can serve the fish sticks with ketchup, BBQ sauce, a little drizzle of malted vinegar, or even tzatziki sauce. If you want to serve a few dishes on the side, here are a few suggestions: French fries or Garlic Parmesan Potato Wedges.
Mushy Peas - In England, a portion of mushy peas is a popular side dish, as are a range of pickles that typically include gherkins, onions and eggs. Tartar Sauce - In the UK, tartar sauce is commonly served with fish and chips, but usually at restaurants and not fish and chip shops.
"Steak à la tartare" (literally meaning "served with tartar sauce") was later shortened to "steak tartare" Over time, the distinction between steak à l'Americaine and its tartar-sauce variant disappeared.
Tartar sauce is relatively high in fat—especially when compared to other condiments served with fish, such as ketchup or vinegar. There are 4.7 grams of fat in a serving of tartar sauce. About 0.9 grams is saturated fat. About 1 gram is monounsaturated fat and 2.5 grams are polyunsaturated fat.
Tartar sauce is first mentioned in French cookbooks from the 19th century as an accompaniment to beef tartare. Historians believe that the word “tartar” has an etymological origin with the Tatars, a group of people from Western Russia and Turkey.
Tatar, any member of several Turkic-speaking peoples that collectively numbered more than 5 million in the late 20th century and lived mainly in west-central Russia along the central course of the Volga River and its tributary, the Kama, and thence east to the Ural Mountains.
Mushy Peas - In England, a portion of mushy peas is a popular side dish, as are a range of pickles that typically include gherkins, onions and eggs. Tartar Sauce - In the UK, tartar sauce is commonly served with fish and chips, but usually at restaurants and not fish and chip shops.
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