Sauces and Accompaniments for Grilled and Broiled Meats

Many kinds of sauces and accompaniments are appropriate for grilled meats, including compound butters; butter sauces such as béarnaise; brown sauce variations such as Bercy, mushroom, and bordelaise; tomato sauce variations; and salsas and relishes. For other examples, see the recipes in this section. Note that, unlike pan sauces made by deglazing sauté pans, all these sauces are prepared in advance because broiling or grilling does not give you the opportunity to deglaze a pan.

Part of the appeal of broiled and grilled meats is their brown, crisp surface. For this reason, it is best not to cover the item with the sauce. Also, less sauce is usually served with grilled items than with sautéed items. Serve the sauce on the side or around the meat or, at most, in a thin ribbon across only part of the meat.