IF EVER there were a condiment that summed me up as a human, it’s got to be hot honey. It starts out with sweet intentions, it gets boiling and turns all fiesty and full of fire; it’s unexpected, it can be thrown together at the last minute, and most importantly: it’s a hot mess. I mean. C’mon. I even store it in a wide mouth jar. (Click here the optimal sized jars.)
But let’s get back to what we’re here to discuss: what is hot honey? Hot honey is just honey infused with hot peppers until it’s died and gone to condiment heaven. It took me 10 minutes to whip this up and longer to photograph it.
The above photo was before boiling it and infusing it. That rogue piece of parsley is making my eye twitch. I chop a lot of parsley and it turns up in some places it doesn’t belong when I’m cooking more than one thing at the same time. #BlessThatMess
Look at how the color got more caramelized after boiling. Also notice how the peppers shrank and withered. That is because they released all their oils and flavor. That honey is now full of sugar and spice and everything nice.
You must be thinking–interesting concept, but what can you do with it?
Crispy chicken of any sort begs to be drizzled with hot honey. Chicken wings? You bet your britches! Your mom’s delicious fried chicken? This steps it up a notch or 12. Chicken and waffles? Have mercy.
Cocktails. Replace regular honey with hot honey in any cocktail recipe that calls for a bit of honey.
Honey mustard or any sort of homemade salad dressings. WHOA BABY. Honey mustard salad dressing from the 90’s? Tired and played out. Hot honey mustard? Fresh and inventive.
Biscuits. Yes and amen. The way the Good Lord intended.
Replace regular honey with hot honey in any meat marinade. Hot honey mixed with some salt and acid (like red wine vinegar or citrus) on pork is simply divine.
Seafood. Shrimp tastes amazing with hot honey. My firecracker salmon (pictured below) makes you hot for your honey that cooked it for you. Drizzle it over some seared scallops and you’ll have a new drug of choice.
Click here for the firecracker salmon recipe.
I’m tempted to carry it around in my purse in case of emergencies to drizzle over a sad plate of boring restaurant chicken.
Hot Honey
Ingredients
- 2 habaneros roughly chopped
- 1 tsp crushed red pepper
- 12 oz honey preferably local
Instructions
- In a large saucepan, add in all ingredients and whisk together.
- Place pan over medium heat for 5 minutes, or until honey comes to a full rolling boil. Whisk frequently.
- Remove from heat, then cool.
- Pour into a glass jar through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth to remove peppers and chili flakes. Discard peppers.
- Serve warm or room temp.
- To store after 1 hour of cooling, cover with lid and keep in refrigerator for up to three weeks.
Notes
Nutrition
