Hi everyone! Today we are researching whether or not Worcestershire sauce is gluten free. Worcestershire sauce (it’s a mouthful of a name, but easy to say if you remember how the British pronounce the region of the same name – Woo-ster-sher. At least that’s as close as I can get, and please feel free to correct me if I’ve got it wrong!) is a common ingredient in recipes such as burgers, meatloaf and sometimes even soups and stews. It adds this almost indefinable umami flavor and is deliciously distinctive. But, is it gluten free? That’s what we need to find out.
Gluten free Worcestershire – Is Lea and Perrins gluten free?
Regarding Lea and Perrins, it all depends on where the Worcestershire sauce was made. Some of their sauce is made in the US and uses distilled vinegar, in which case it IS gluten free! But, if your sauce is made elsewhere – such as in Canada or the UK – then it will contain malt vinegar instead of white vinegar and it is NOT gluten free! So, please check the labels carefully to see whether your Worcestershire contains malt vinegar. If it does, it is not safe to eat if you need to avoid gluten because of being Celiac or having a gluten allergy. This is because malt vinegar is derived from barley, and barley is not gluten free.
Confusing, I know. But please be very careful before assuming that the sauce is safe to use.
Are there any gluten free brands of Worcestershire?
Thankfully, yes! There are gluten free varieties of Worcestershire! Hooray! That distinctive bite and flavor of Worcestershire sauce is not entirely gone forever. Here are a few brands we found that don’t use malt (barley) vinegar in their sauce recipe:
- French’s Worcestershire sauce – Gluten free AND kosher. Nice. This one is entirely safe, and we can recommend it wholeheartedly.
- Lea and Perrin’s Original Worcestershire Sauce – Made in the US Only. Please be very careful to check the ingredients label to ensure that white (distilled) vinegar has been used and not malt vinegar. If you purchase sauce made somewhere besides the US it will not be gluten free.
Is Worcestershire sauce vegan?
No, a traditional Worcestershire sauce is not vegan, since it contains anchovies. You can search for vegan worcestershire sauce, however, and find alternatives that taste very similar, but do not contain anchovy. Or, you can also search Google for ‘vegan worcestershire sauce recipes’ to come up with a homemade alternative that will give a similar flavor component to your recipes.
Is Worcestershire sauce gluten free – Conclusion
Worcestershire sauce is an important component of flavor for many popular recipes. But, you’ll have to choose which brand of sauce you cook with carefully. If the sauce contains malt vinegar – it is derived from barley, and therefore contains gluten. Some other types of sauce might contain regular soy sauce, which contains gluten. Yikes! On the other hand, there are brands and types of Worcestershire sauce available that don’t contain gluten. So, be careful when shopping for this kind of sauce, and we know you’ll end up happy and with delicious recipes that are safe to eat. Happy cooking everyone!
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Well that was eye opening 😳 I’ve learned something new today. Thanks as always!