Guides: Steak De Burgo
Des Moines' Signature Sauce
My last meal would be steak de Burgo and chai. Sides are irrelevant because I’d gorge on both of those. While I’ve already discussed chai here and in the Des Moines Register, I haven’t discussed steak de Burgo at all.
It was invented in Des Moines. Very few folks outside of DSM have heard of it, but when you explain it, people are like, “Soooo, garlic butter?” Nah, it’s more than that. It’s butter, garlic, AND spices damnit! Sometimes, there’s cream!
Local experts like CityView’s Jim Duncan and chef George Formaro say de Burgo sauce does not have cream in it. On their radio show Kitchen Insider, Duncan insisted that, if you want to put cream in de Burgo, call it something else.
There’s also debate about who originated the sauce. Duncan has done deep dives into the origins and history, but I prefer former Iowan Aaron Calvin’s take.
I dislike rigidity about what foods are “authentic” and “original.” Sometimes, I get caught up in that argument, but who gives a shit? If it tastes good, eat it. Food is an art, a science, and a skill. If you can get creative with it, who are any of us to say you’re wrong? As long as you aren’t putting literal shit in your food, go for it!
To the dismay of so-called purists, my preferred de Burgo is cream-based. I adored the de Burgo at Mezzodi’s, which closed several years back. I was told you can still get it at Christopher’s, but when I tried it, the sauce wasn’t as good. (Someone sent me a link to Christopher’s recipe. Note the lack of cream.)
Alas, I haven’t found anything that compares to Mezzodi’s steak de Burgo, but oh darn. I get to keep trying places to find my new fave.
I get an even bigger kick watching purists lose their minds when chefs put de Burgo on anything beyond steak. Chicken de Burgo. The DeBurger. de Burgo bites. de Burgo Benny. de Burgo mashed potatoes. de Burgo poutine, which made my eyes light up. Admittedly, it wasn’t well executed, but I’d give it another try. Because it’s de Burgo and fucking poutine. How could anyone mind that combination?
I recently saw an eatery advertise pork de Burgo, which is a new one to me.
I’m here for all of it. Why deny anyone garlic and butter on, well, anything savory?
Of course, garlic ruins me, so this is a treat I only get a couple of times a year. That’s why I haven’t tried most steak de Burgos. Desmoinians swear by Simon’s, Skip’s, and Johnny’s. Those are all fine, but I lean toward Tumea and Sons. I also like the steak de Burgo at The Big Steer because their beef is consistently good.
So, let’s discuss the Guide to Steak de Burgo. It’s not even close to comprehensive. After the pandemic, a lot of places stopped offering it because beef is expensive. My guide only includes steak, not the variations. And I absolutely did not discriminate between traditional or cream sauce.
If you have additions or want a variations list, let me know!