Say Goodbye to Hot Honey and Hello to Spicy Ketchup.
I ate it with hot honey. He’s been on the scene for years, but I really started to notice him around 2018. Despite how many times I tried it (a lot) and the huge variety of foods I added it to (several), it never showed up. hot enough . Not even close. And while I love the combination of sweet and spicy (please don’t make me call it “spicy”), it rarely matches the flavor profile of what I eat. I would suggest you leave it hot. honey, and instead try a condiment that adds flavor, heat and a little sweetness: spicy ketchup.
To clarify, I’m not a spice fanatic . This is not coming from someone who uses habaneros as a snack. I like heat to complement the flavor of a dish and often use hot sauce or add chili to my food. However, the slightest spice distracts me from the pleasure, it’s too much. I know everyone’s tolerance is different, but the reality is that hot honey is not effective at providing long-lasting heat. It’s not honey’s fault.
Why honey can’t transfer heat
Honey is a special gift, but it will never make you feel the heat like other sauces. Honey mainly consists of carbohydrates in the form of sugar and a small amount of water. Sugar can actually alleviate the effects of capsaicin (the hot oil found in hot peppers) , acting as a pain reliever . This means that honey will actually make the hot peppers less spicy to the pain receptors in your mouth. Hot honey is an oxymoron.
If you want hot honey, look for brands that actually have the pepper puree you see. When you eat it with food, you’ll probably crack one of these pieces while chewing and get a burst of fire. I recommend Melinda’s Ghost Pepper hot honey . The heat is brief but intense, and if you’re okay with that, you’ll love it.
Hot ketchup is better
Luckily, hot ketchup is here to help. This was my favorite seasoning in these early days of summer. I use Rao’s Arrabbiata ketchup, which has a surprisingly strong effect. Hot ketchup transfers heat much better because it sticks to the food, the flavor is more flexible, and it doesn’t have enough sugar to dull the heat. Honey has little texture so it drips off food easily, while ketchup spreads easily and mostly stays in place. The taste of ketchup is much less controversial. I know a few people who hate the combination of sweet and spicy, but ketchup tastes less like candy and still scratches the itch.
Now that it’s outdoor grilling season, I think spicy ketchup has to be the best condiment of the summer. Apply it to all the things with which you tried to enjoy hot honey. Add it to a barbecue sauce recipe, use it as a marinade, spread it on pizza and, obviously, hot sandwiches. If you’re wondering how you’ll ever make your blueberry pie spicy again (all you spicy dessert lovers), maybe just grab some hot sauce.