Description
A rich, spicy finishing sauce with garlic, smoky seasonings, honey, and a tangy pepper-sauce base.
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 10–15 minutes
Total: 20–25 minutes
Yield: Roughly 1½–1¾ cups
Servings: 12
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 8 garlic cloves, minced
- 2 tablespoons hot sauce
- 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper sauce
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- Up to ½ teaspoon cayenne
- Up to ½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- Up to ½ teaspoon kosher salt, to taste
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 tablespoons chopped parsley
- Chopped chives, to taste
Instructions
- Melt butter over medium-low heat without browning.
- Add garlic and cook gently for 2–3 minutes, stirring, until fragrant and softened.
- Whisk in hot sauces, Worcestershire, honey, sugar, vinegar, and Dijon.
- Add dried spices and black pepper. Hold salt until tasting.
- Cook over low heat for 5–7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Avoid a hard boil.
- Remove from heat and add parsley and chives. Taste a cooled spoonful and adjust salt or heat gradually.
- Whisk and serve warm with cooked food. Reserve clean sauce separately from raw-meat basting portions.
Storage: Refrigerate promptly at 40°F or below and use within 4 days as a conservative limit. Freeze up to 2 months for quality. Reheat gently and whisk. Not for pantry storage or canning.
Estimated calories: Approximately 150–170 per portion when divided into 12, before optional additions.
Little tip: Control the garlic heat before adjusting the pepper heat. Pale, gently softened garlic gives the sauce a better foundation than dark garlic hidden beneath extra sugar and spice.