Hot honey

What's with the hot honey everywhere?

Hot honey is deservedly trending: it’s more exciting than sweet chilli sauce, albeit that’s what it actually is, of sorts.

It takes about five minutes to make, even if you do it the proper way like in the recipe below: fresh, whole chillies, a little vinegar to add a tang and cooking it all together briefly.

But I won’t blame you if you use chilli flakes instead of fresh ones, and stir them into warmed up honey to steep. The only thing that matters is to make your own honey as hot as you like – it doesn’t matter much how you get there.

What to use my hot honey on?

It is marvellous on roast meats, big and small, pork, chicken or lamb. I’ve not tried it on beef but who knows? And a drizzle into a breakfast bacon sandwich transforms it into a gourmand’s repast.

Cheese, too, enjoys a bit of hot and a bit of sweet. Try baking a whole halloumi or feta, then splashing lots of hot honey over it. It’s a variation of the Greek feta filo parcel, without the hassle and carbs of the pastry.

You can of course also use it in dressings and marinades like you would ordinary honey, giving the finished product a subtle kick.

What type of chillies should I use?

I think that you should go the full hog and choose the tiny, red birds eyes, devilishly hot. But then you can adjust the heat by using fewer, for a tolerable burst of heat, or more if you, like some, like it hot.

But I’ve seen favourable opinions of jalapeños in hot honey, so pick whatever you feel right.

Small, fierce chillies should be left whole with small slits cut into them, for the heat to escape into honey.

Jalapeños are significantly larger so I’d cut them into strips and deseed or the condiment will be messy.

What kind of honey is the best?

I am fortunate to be able to buy locally produced, raw and unfiltered honey made by the bees that probably swarm around me on a summer stroll in the village. There is a downside to it though: good raw honey tends to thicken and set when it’s cooked with the chillies.

So if you don’t mind that, simply decant the ready product into an ordinary jar so it’s easily spoonable, or prepare to zap the jar (with the lid off) for ten seconds in the microwave before using, to melt it. My dainty little bottle is only for show, and photographs.

You can also remove the chillies before decanting.

How to make hot honey?

It’s so easy: chillies are simmered for a minute in a small quantity of good vinegar to release the capsaicin.

Then the honey is added and it likely will foam up and start to bubble straight away. So turn the heat down and let it bubble gently for a few minutes, to infuse.

Cool it down and make sure you taste it before packing away. If not hot enough, you can either add a chilli or a pinch of chilli flakes. If it’s infernal, dilute it with more honey.

It will keep forever: honey has been found in ancient tombs, 3000 years old and perfectly edible.

A shortcut

It’s not quite as good, but if you want quick-and-ready hot honey, stir 2 teaspoons of sriracha hot sauce into a squeezy bottle of honey. Taste and add more if you wish.

Ready in a blink and in a perfect dispenser too.

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