Horseradish Cream Sauce
Sharp, creamy, and a classic steakhouse pairing for beef. Especially good with reverse sear or sous vide tri tip.
Horseradish cream is a steakhouse classic that pairs exceptionally well with precisely cooked tri tip, especially reverse sear and sous vide, where the meat stays evenly pink from edge to edge.
The appeal is all about contrast: cool, creamy sauce against warm, perfectly cooked beef. The horseradish brings a sharp, sinus-clearing bite that fades quickly, leaving a clean finish that pulls you back for another bite. It's a different experience than chimichurri or BBQ sauce - more refined, more restrained.
Use prepared horseradish from the refrigerated section, not the shelf-stable version in the condiment aisle. The fresh, refrigerated kind has real heat that the bottled stuff can't match. Make the sauce no more than a few hours before serving, since horseradish loses its punch over time.
This sauce is less effective with heavily smoked or heavily sauced preparations. It shines when the tri tip is clean and simply seasoned - an herb crust, SPG, or just salt and pepper.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 3 tablespoons prepared horseradish (drained)
- 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- Pinch of white pepper
Instructions
- 1
Combine sour cream, prepared horseradish, Dijon mustard, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Stir until smooth.
Use prepared horseradish from the refrigerated section, not horseradish sauce in the condiment aisle. The refrigerated stuff has real heat. If you want it sharper, add more. You can always mellow it with extra sour cream.
- 2
Taste and adjust the heat level. The sauce should have a sharp, sinus-clearing bite that fades quickly. If it doesn't hit you in the nose, add more horseradish.
Horseradish loses its punch over time. Make this no more than a few hours before serving. If you made it yesterday, taste it again - you'll probably need to add a fresh spoonful.
- 3
Refrigerate until ready to serve. Dollop onto sliced tri tip or serve in a ramekin on the side. Best with reverse sear or sous vide tri tip.
This is a steakhouse pairing, not a BBQ one. The cool cream against warm, pink, precisely-cooked beef is the whole appeal. It works less well with heavily smoked or sauced preparations.