'A fundamental shift in the Kiwi palate': One in four NZers put tomato sauce on steak

One in four Kiwis apparently like to put sauce on their steak. Photo / Supplied

More than one in four Kiwis allegedly prefer their steak with tomato sauce on it.

That's according to some unscientific research conducted by Hawke's Bay-based sauce company Wattie's, along with Beef + Lamb New Zealand.

More than 1000 of the 4000 participants in the poll (29 per cent) said they used sauce to enhance their steak experience.

The other 71 per cent said sauce on steak was something they side-stepped.

Rod Slater - head of steak, sauces and other meaty matters at Beef + Lamb New Zealand - said the results of the research were quite interesting.

"For a data junkie like myself, this research is absolutely fascinating.

"I always held the belief that New Zealand-grown, grass-fed beef was simply too tasty to require sauce. However, what we are seeing is a fundamental shift in the Kiwi palate," Slater said.

For Amy Vu, who oversaw marketing for Wattie's Tomato Sauce, the results were no surprise.

"Of course we know many New Zealanders love our tomato sauce on their steak – It's a Kiwi thing," Vu said.

Not everyone is as enthusiastic about the combination however, with comments from outraged steak lovers joining the debate on Beef + Lamb's Facebook page.

"If you put ketchup on steak, you're just as bad as Donald Trump"

"Maybe the world keeps omitting NZ from maps because you guys are putting ketchup on steaks"

"If it's steak in a pie - yeah."