What Is HP Sauce? A Guide to Britain's Favourite Brown Sauce (and 10 Ways to Use It)

What Is HP Sauce? A Guide to Britain's Favourite Brown Sauce (and 10 Ways to Use It)

There are two kinds of people in this world: those who reach for the tomato sauce, and those who know better. Ask any Brit, and they'll tell you the bacon sandwich debate was settled long ago. The answer is brown sauce, and the brown sauce is HP.

If you've spotted the famous bottle with the Houses of Parliament on the label and wondered what the fuss is about, this guide is for you.

What is HP Sauce?

HP Sauce The Original is a classic British brown sauce. It was created by a Nottingham grocer in the late 1800s and takes its name from the Houses of Parliament, which is why the iconic building still appears on every bottle. Generations later, it remains a fixture on British breakfast tables, café counters and pub menus.

What's in HP Sauce?

The magic is in the traditional recipe: tomatoes, dates, tamarind and specially selected spices in a malt-vinegar base. Each ingredient does a job:

• Malt vinegar brings the signature tang
• Tomatoes give it body and a familiar savoury base
• Dates add a rich, fruity sweetness
• Tamarind delivers a sour, slightly exotic edge
• Spices bring gentle warmth and a peppery finish

Note: HP Sauce contains malt vinegar from barley and rye flour, so it isn't suitable for gluten-free diets.

What does HP Sauce taste like?

Think of it as tomato sauce's more interesting older cousin. HP is tangy, fruity, slightly sweet and gently spiced, with more depth than tomato sauce and none of the heat of chilli sauce. Some people compare it to steak sauce, but it's smoother and less sharp. The best description? It tastes like a proper British breakfast.

Brown sauce vs tomato sauce: what's the difference?

Tomato sauce is sweet and simple. Brown sauce is tangy and complex. Tomato sauce plays it safe; brown sauce has opinions. Where tomato sauce suits chips and hot dogs, brown sauce shines with rich, salty and fatty foods like bacon, sausages, steak and pies, cutting through the richness with its vinegar tang.

10 ways to use HP Sauce

1. The bacon butty. Crispy bacon, buttered white bread, a generous squeeze of HP. This is the dish HP was born for.

2. The full English breakfast. Eggs, sausages, beans, mushrooms, black pudding. A dollop of brown sauce on the side ties it all together.

3. The Aussie meat pie. Here's where Australia and Britain meet in the middle. Swap your usual tomato sauce for HP on a hot beef pie and you may never go back. Try it with our frozen pies and sausage rolls.

4. Sausage rolls. The tang of HP cuts through buttery pastry beautifully. Party platter sorted.

5. Snags off the barbie. Sausage in bread, onions on top, brown sauce instead of tomato. Bunnings will never be the same.

6. Richer gravy. Stir a tablespoon of HP into your gravy for instant depth and a gentle tang. A chef's trick for Sunday roasts.

7. Shepherd's pie and cottage pie. Add a spoonful to the mince as it simmers. It deepens the flavour and brings everything together.

8. Beef stews and casseroles. HP works like a shortcut to slow-cooked flavour, thanks to the dates, tamarind and vinegar.

9. Burger and steak marinade. Mix HP with a little olive oil, garlic and Worcestershire sauce for a quick marinade that caramelises beautifully on the grill.

10. Cheese toasties. Spread a thin layer of HP inside a cheddar toastie. Trust us on this one.

Tips for chefs and food bloggers

For professional kitchens, HP is a consistent, recognisable brown sauce that British customers look for on breakfast and pub menus. It also makes a great base for house-made sauces: blend it with caramelised onions for a brown onion relish, or reduce it with a splash of stock for a glossy glaze on ribs and pork belly.

For food bloggers, HP is a natural hero ingredient for nostalgic British recipes, pub classics and "brown sauce vs tomato sauce" taste tests your readers will love to argue about in the comments.

Frequently asked questions

Is HP Sauce the same as Worcestershire sauce?
No. Worcestershire sauce is thin and pungent and used in small amounts. HP is thick, fruity and tangy, made to be used as a condiment.

Does HP Sauce need to be refrigerated?
Store it in a cool, dry place and refrigerate after opening.

Is HP Sauce gluten-free?
No. It contains malt vinegar from barley and rye flour.

What does HP stand for?
HP stands for Houses of Parliament.

Where to buy HP Sauce in Australia

Whether you're a British expat missing home, a chef stocking a breakfast menu, or a curious home cook ready to settle the sauce debate, you can buy HP Sauce The Original 390mL from Petits Trésors. We ship Australia-wide from the Mornington Peninsula.

Shop HP Sauce The Original

And while you're there, grab a few of our frozen pies and sausage rolls. They've been waiting for this sauce their whole lives.