I’m gonna share one of my secrets with you guys! (Don’t tell…on second thought, do! Share it everywhere!) It’s this Honey Chipotle Glaze. If you cook (and I’m guessing you do or you wouldn’t be here!) you gotta know how we all have those recipes that people remember and ask about? This simple little sauce (glaze sounds better) is one of those.
Juicy Lucyfer Sliders with Honey Chipotle Glaze
I’m calling it a secret because it’s kind of like a secret weapon…it’s so transformative and so versatile and can be used so many ways. I figured this simple little sauce finally deserved to shine with its own place on my site. This is one of those things I’ve been making/using for years and every time I make it I’m doing a happy dance!
About Honey Chipotle Glaze:
I know I’m talking it up because I’m a little afraid of what you’ll think when you get to the ingredients!! The recipe IS kinda crazy. I first started making it when I came across a recipe from Della Flemming of Sak’s Catering in New York. I’m guessing it must have been one of those write-in requests that used to be in Gourmet Magazine or maybe Bon Appetit. All I know is I wrote the name down on my recipe card, don’t know if I have it right and this woman deserves to be famous for this glaze alone!
This recipe is like a complex blend of fresh, sweet, tangy, salty, smoky deliciousness. And it’s super easy, minutes to make literally, like two or three. The glaze has (obvs) Honey and smoky, spicy Chipotle Peppers (from a can of Chipolte Peppers in Adobo sauce) which doesn’t sound too odd, so far. But then you add in Dijon mustard, some Hoisin sauce (a rich, salty Asian condiment) lime and garlic and I get that you might wonder a bit!
Hoisin sauce and Chipotle Peppers were kinda darlings of the cooking world for a while once they were “discovered” by more mainstream Chefs back around the turn the century. (Yeah, I’m getting pretty old, lol). For Della to toss them together and come up with this sauce is really nothing short of genius! If you’re not familiar with them, here they are. You can find them both in a well-stocked supermarket these days and I use both often.
Using Honey Chipotle Glaze:
This sauce is really versatile and I find myself turning to it every summer. I mean yeah, I use it different times of the year, too, but it reminds me of almost a very complex smoky barbecue sauce. I’ve served it as a dipping sauce for dumplings, and it’s fabulous for something like cream cheese wonton. I can’t tell you how many sandwiches and burgers and ribs I’ve slathered with it over the years.
On my site, here, I have the OG recipe for Grilled Steak with Honey Chipotle Glaze. The pics are pretty bad…next time I think steak is in my budget, they’re up for a redo, but it’s so good. I also use this glaze on my Juicy Lucyfer Sliders. Those burgers are filled with pepper jack cheese, brushed with this glaze, and topped with Hot Pepper Jelly Bacon. Another favorite is my Mexican Meatloaf with Honey Chipotle Glaze.
So if you’re in the mood for a stand-out condiment, maybe something a little different, a little smoky with a bit of heat, whip up a batch of this. Make one of the above recipes or just make a batch to slather/drizzle on anything that strikes your fancy. And then sit back and wait for the compliments to start rolling in.
Mexican Meatloaf with Honey Chipotle Glaze
Making Honey Chipotle Glaze:
As far as making this recipe, there is nothing to it whatsoever. Just mix it up. It’s fine right away, a little time makes it even better.
I doubled the recipe in this post because on just about every recipe I use it for, I double it. Store any leftover in the fridge but know it will get thick as the honey gets cold. You can bring it out a little ahead of serving or pop it in the microwave for just seconds to warm it back up to room temperature.
Grilled Steak with Honey Chipotle Glaze
Saving Money on Honey Chipotle Glaze:
There’s no doubt the best pricing for any Asian or Mexican/Latin American ingredient is usually at their respective markets. You’ll also find great pricing on Asian ingredients, not always advertised, around the Lunar New Year and for Mexican items, usually, lows are going to be around Cinco de Mayo. I don’t expect anyone to be running to different markets for these ingredients, but they are stock up items (stock up items: items I use regularly so I buy them in multiples when the price is great) for my pantry, I use them so often. You can see my post on Cinco de Mayo – It Makes Cents to Save.
Chipotle peppers come in a can with around seven or eight or so depending on size. Most recipes, unless you’re an insane heat lover call for one or two. Freeze the rest in a Ziploc. They don’t freeze super hard and it’s easy to break off one or two when needed. It’s actually easier to dice them when they’re frozen anyway. Hoisin keeps in the fridge, literally, for months.
In season in the winter months, here, limes might go on sale now and then but are more often found at a discount bagged, The bagged may not be the best quality and sometimes are in bags that have a greenish tint, making them look better than they are. Check carefully and compare before buying. Ignore slight color variations but avoid brown/dry looking rind and weigh several in your hand, then choose the heaviest. They’ll have the most juice. To get the most out of your lime, grate and freeze or dry the rind if not using, then roll the lime on the counter, pressing heavily or microwave for about 30 seconds (or both) to get the most juice. Aldi usually has great prices.
Honey can be pretty pricey and probably will not be getting lower with our diminishing bee population. Aldi has great prices for basic honey and surprise, so do your local pharmacies if you live in a city, watch for in-ad coupons. If your honey is crystallized, don’t toss. Gently heat in the microwave or on the stovetop in a pan of water. Be careful if it’s in plastic. If it is, you’ll want to just melt it enough to pour out into another container, preferably glass, and then keep gently heating it. Pour it into a clean, dry container to store.
Honey Chipotle Glaze
Honey Chipotle Glaze
- Total Time: 3 minutes
- Yield: about 1/2 cup 1x
- Category: Condiments
- Cuisine: Mexican or Southwestern
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup honey
- 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons Hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice
- 1 large Chipotle chili from a can of Chipotle chile in adobo sauce
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
Instructions
For the glaze, mix all ingredients. I usually double or triple. Divide a portion to use on the steak as it’s cooking, but keep a portion aside to use for drizzling and passing with the meal after the steak is finished. May be made a day or two ahead.
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I’ll be sharing this week at Fiesta Friday #334, where I’ll be co-hosting. If you’d like to see a collection of the week’s best posts by other bloggers, stop by!
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