Browning sauce is a condiment made from a perfect blend of brown sugar and water. This sauce adds bitter-sweet caramel flavor and an exotic hue to your meal. Easy and fast to make, adding excellent flavoring to soups, stews, barbecues, and cakes.
Jamaican Browning Sauce
Jamaican Browning Sauce is a classic condiment for dishes like brown chicken stew, jerk chicken, oxtail, pork chops, peas and rice, stew beef, shrimp, fried fish, and even black cake.
Sugar and water are the only two ingredients you need to make browning sauce. Although, you can buy it in a bottle. However, making it is just as easy; it is much cheaper and has no preservatives.
Can something so simple add so much goodness to so many dishes? You’re right, and I understand your doubts. I thought the same thing at first. But it’s true – this sauce is something special. And once you try it, you’ll be hooked – just like me!
What is browning sauce?
Browning sauce combines brown sugar and hot boiling water to form a syrup-like sauce commonly used to enhance the flavor of stews, barbecues, gravies, and cakes.
This sauce is a versatile condiment found in almost all Caribbean homes and used in food like Jamaican oxtails and Jamaican brown stew chicken. While boiling the brown sugar, it caramelizes and forms a brown syrup which you then add water to for consistency.
A Homemade Luxury
The truth is that adding browning sauce to any meal takes the taste from zero to a hundred. Asides from enhancing food flavor, this sauce gives food a rich and exotic brown color. It is one of the ultimate secrets of food like pot roast.
You will find ready-made browning sauce in stores, but I love to make it at home for the following reasons;
I have found that this homemade version is cheaper than the store-bought ones.
It is pretty much easy to make and better.
Furthermore, this homemade sauce is healthier than store-bought ones because it has no preservatives or additives.
Ingredients for making browning sauce
Making the sauce is easy, fast, and pocket-friendly. This version of this browning sauce is made with just two pantry staple ingredients.
Brown Sugar: this is the main ingredient in this recipe. It caramelizes and adds sweet molasses flavor to any dish.
Water: You need hot boiling water to dissolve the brown sugar. I don’t recommend cold water because the sugar can get hard or clumps up.
Salt: optional
How to make browning sauce
Heat the sugar: Add the brown sugar to a medium saucepan and heat over medium-low heat.
Melt the sugar into syrup: Stir with a wooden spoon until the brown sugar melts and becomes a dark syrup. Note: Decrease the heat if the liquid begins to smoke before it turns dark.
Add boiling water: Once the color changes from amber to black, remove it from the stove and slowly add the boiling water, a little at a time. Be aware that the sauce will splatter at this point, so protect your hands.
Let it rest, store or use: Allow the sauce to cool to room temperature, and pour into an airtight container. Use as needed or store in the refrigerator. The sauce will last for up to 6 months in the fridge.
Stage A – shows when the sugar was placed over heat
Stage B – The sugar is all melted but not yet caramelized. Don’t add the water yet. keep cooking.
Stage C – This is the dark color needed to be achieved before adding the hot water.
Substitutes
While there is no perfect substitute for this recipe, here are some that you can try but bare in mind that these substitutes are all-purpose, so choose in accordance with the dish you are making.
Gravy powder
Dark molasses
Steak Sauce
Barbeque Sauce
Soy Sauce
Tips for making Browning Sauce
Cook the sugar on medium to low heat to prevent the sugar from burning.
Ensure that the kitchen is adequately ventilated in case there’s an accumulation of smoke from the process. Open the window or on the fan extractor to reduce smoke.
If the smoke is getting too much, remember to lower the heat or remove it from heat for a while.
I recommend using a non-stick saucepan so that the stirring process is smooth and less messy. It is also easy to clean up a non-stick saucepan.
Also, use a large saucepan to reduce the risk of accidents when the sugar splutters or rises.
How to store the sauce
This browning sauce has a long shelf life. Just store it in a dry airtight container or bottle and keep it in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.
FAQS on Browning Sauce
What does browning sauce taste like? – This sauce features smoky, slightly bitter, and sweet tastes that caramelize pleasantly in your mouth. It adds a distinct sweet molasses flavor to your dish. Ensure that you add the sauce moderately to avoid a bitter taste.
What is the difference between browning sauce and Worcestershire sauce? – These sauces are similar in consistency and color, but they are different. The main ingredients for browning sauce are water and brown sugar, while Worcestershire is vinegar and spices. They also taste differently.
Are there any substitutes for these ingredients? – The combination of brown sugar and water is perfect. But feel free to swap the water for vegetable or chicken broth if you prefer that. You can also switch the brown sugar to white sugar, but the taste will differ.
Can I add salt to this recipe? – This version doesn’t have salt, but you can add a pinch of salt if you won’t be using the sauce on the cake.
How to use browning sauce
This sauce is added to almost any meal directly. It can be added to cake or to glaze chicken, beef, and more. You can add this browning sauce to the following:
Browning sauce is a condiment made from a perfect blend of brown sugar and water. This sauce adds sweet caramel flavor and an exotic hue to your meal. Easy and fast to make, adding excellent flavoring to soups, stews, barbecues, and cakes.
Heat the sugar: Add the brown sugar to a medium saucepan and heat over medium-low heat.
Melt the sugar into syrup: Stir with a wooden spoon until the brown sugar melts and becomes a dark syrup. Note: Decrease the heat if the liquid begins to smoke before it turns dark.
Add boiling water: Once the color changes from amber to black, remove it from the stove and slowly add the boiling water, a little at a time. Be aware that the sauce will splatter at this point, so protect your hands.
Let it rest, store or use: Allow the sauce to cool to room temperature, and pour into an airtight container. Use as needed or store in the refrigerator. The sauce will last for up to 6 months in the fridge.
Notes
Cook the sugar on medium to low heat to prevent the sugar from burning.
Ensure that the kitchen is adequately ventilated in case there’s an accumulation of smoke from the process. Open the window or on the fan extractor to reduce smoke.
If the smoke is getting too much, remember to lower the heat or remove it from heat for a while.
I recommend using a non-stick saucepan so that the stirring process is smooth and less messy. It is also easy to clean up a non-stick saucepan.
Also, use a large saucepan to reduce the risk of accidents when the sugar splutters or rises.
Let’s Connect! You can find me on Facebook, and Instagram. I love keeping in touch with all of you! If you make this recipe, I’d love to see pictures of your creations on Instagram or Facebook. #cheflolaskitchen
Carol
Friday 12th of January 2024
Should I measure the brown sugar packed into the cup or just level off? Thanks! I want to try this soon. Sounds great for Jamaican chicken.
Lola Osinkolu
Tuesday 30th of January 2024
Hi Carol, it should be packed. I have also included it in the recipe to reflect that. Thanks for bringing it up.