Browning Sauce
Source: https://www.africanbites.com/browning-sauce/
Browning Sauce
Browning Sauce is a 3-ingredient Jamaican sauce that provides a game-changer for your usual stews, soups, barbecues, and even cakes. The complexity, with its lovely combination of sweet and salty, also creates a beautiful color. This homemade sauce is sure to be your new favorite condiment alongside Worcestershire and oyster sauce.
I used to buy jars of Grace browning sauce until a friend taught me how to make it from scratch. How simple this famous Caribbean seasoning is to make will surprise you. I bet you’ll never buy another jar after you see how. 😉
What Is Browning Sauce?
Caribbeans use this condiment in many recipes. Simple water, sugar, and salt create an exceptional color when added to main dishes. The sugar’s caramelization produces a richer, deeper color than just plain sugar. And while the flavor it adds isn’t noticeable, it does act as an enhancer.
Homemade Jamaican Browning Sauce
While burnt sugar might mean disaster for most recipes, it gives this sauce its robust, smoky goodness. A teaspoon or two of homemade browning sauce in savory dishes like soups and stews is enough to boost the flavor. However, a little goes a long way. Too much will make your finished dish a little bitter.
Store-bought browning sauce is available on Amazon, but honestly, the list of ingredients can be rather scary. Grace and Gravy Master have the best rating if you have to buy it. However, they all have additives. So, if you’re avoiding sodium benzoate and caramel coloring, making your own is the way to go.
Ingredient List
All you need are three pantry staples and about 15 minutes for a cheaper sauce with no unnecessary additives.
Brown Sugar – Caramelizing sugar is so fun. Just a touch balances flavors while adding exciting flavor. White sugar will work, but the color and taste won’t be as intense.
Boiling Water works best because it keeps the melting sugar from seizing up.
Salt – A pinch will balance the sweetness and reduce bitterness.
How to Make Browning Sauce
Caramelize Sugar – Heat a small pot over low heat. Add brown sugar and stir until it melts. (Photos 1-3)
Boiling Water – When the sugar starts to become frothy and turns from light brown to dark brown, carefully add boiling water a little at a time while stirring. Please don’t let the sugar turn too black, as it will become bitter. Note: Please be very careful when adding the hot water, as the sugar may sputter and burn you. (Photos 4)
Cook – Keep stirring for about 5 minutes, add salt, and cook until your sauce is ready. (Photos 5-6)
Cool – Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Use immediately or bottle it and store it in the fridge.
Recipe Notes
Keep the heat low while caramelizing the browning sauce to avoid burning the sugar quickly.
Please leave the window open and keep the fan on to reduce the smoke filling up your kitchen and the house.
Add the hot water carefully to prevent the sugar from splattering. Melted sugar on your skin is excruciating (I know from experience). You could do it in the kitchen sink to avoid messy spills and accidents.
If it begins to smoke as it melts before it gets dark enough, lower the heat or remove it from the heat for a bit.
If possible, use a nonstick saucepan for easy cleanup.
Storage Instructions
Having a jar of browning sauce on hand makes it super easy to add a little to stewed meat. And surprisingly, this slightly sweet sauce adds deliciousness to cakes, too.
And since sugar and salt are natural preservatives, the sauce will last 6 months in the refrigerator.
How to Use Browning Sauce
Many mouthwatering Jamaican recipes enjoy a bit of browning sauce. The key is to add it toward the end of the cooking time for a rich, dark color.
Jamaican Brown Beef Short Ribs Stew
Slow Cooker Jamaican Brown Stew Chicken
Jamaican Oxtail Stew
Caribbean Black Cake
Jamaican Easter Spiced Bun
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Browning Sauce
This 3-ingredient sauce recipe is a game-changer to your usual stews, soups, barbecues, and even cakes. It adds a wonderful deep flavor with its lovely combination of sweet and salty and gives your dish a beautiful color. This homemade sauce will surely be your new favorite condiment alongside Worcestershire and oyster sauce.
Makes 1 cup
Prep: 2minutes mins
Cook: 10minutes mins
Total: 12minutes mins
Cuisine: Caribbean, Jamaican
Ingredients
▢1 cup (200g) brown sugar
▢¾ cup (6oz) boiling water
▢½ teaspoon (3g) salt (optional)
Instructions
Heat a small pot over low heat.
Add the brown sugar and stir until the sugar melts.
When the sugar becomes frothy and turns from light brown to dark brown, carefully add boiling water a little at a time while stirring. Do not let the sugar turn too black, as you will end up with bitter-tasting browning sauce. Note: Be very careful when adding the hot water as the sugar may sputter and rise up.
Keep stirring for about 5 minutes until your sauce is ready.
Remove from the heat and set aside to cool.
Use immediately or bottle and store in the fridge.
Tips & Notes:
Keep the heat on low while cooking our browning sauce to avoid burning the sugar quickly.
Please leave the window open and keep the fan on to reduce the accumulation of smoke throughout the house.
Add the hot water carefully as the sugar mix may rise and splatter. You may do this in the kitchen sink to avoid messy spills and accidents.
If it begins to smoke as it melts before it gets dark enough, lower the heat or remove it from the heat for a bit.
If possible, use a nonstick saucepan for easy clean-up.
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on the products used in the recipe.
Nutrition Information:
Serving: 10g| Calories: 30kcal (2%)| Carbohydrates: 8g (3%)| Sugar: 6g (7%)
Author: Imma
Course: Condiment, sauce
Cuisine: Caribbean, Jamaican
Diet:Gluten Free