How to Make Browning Sauce

Deborah Olayiwola
Deborah Olayiwola
Deborah is a content marketing specialist, with a passion for the food niche, she writes engaging content that celebrates the joy of food and its power to bring people together. Having worked on different projects. Her curiosity and creativity shines through in her writing.
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Browning sauce is the hidden gem of Caribbean cuisine. This rich, dark sauce adds incredible depth of flavor and color to stews, curries, gravies, and even baked goods. Once you learn how to make browning sauce at home, you’ll never buy the store-bought bottles again!

Key Takeaways:

  • Browning sauce is a rich, dark syrup made by caramelizing brown sugar and adding hot water. It’s a key ingredient in Caribbean cuisine.
  • With just brown sugar and water, you can easily make homemade browning sauce in about 10 minutes.
  • Cook the brown sugar on medium heat until it reaches a very dark brown or black color.
  • Let the sauce cool fully before storing it in the fridge for months.
  • Use browning sauce sparingly at first – a little goes a long way. Start with 1-2 teaspoons per dish.

BROWNING SAUCE

What Is Browning Made Of?

Browning sauce, also called “browning”, is a key ingredient in Jamaican, Trinidadian, and other West Indian cuisines. It’s a thick, syrupy sauce made by caramelizing brown sugar to a deep brown or even black color. Boiling water is then added to turn the caramelized sugar into a liquid sauce.

The result is an ultra-concentrated sauce with a rich toasted flavor and striking dark color. Just a teaspoon of browning sauce can transform the look and taste of stews, curries, barbecue sauces, gravies, and more. Some home cooks even add it to baked goods like gingerbread and fruit cakes.

Compared to store-bought brands, homemade browning sauce has a fresher, more balanced flavor. It’s also more economical and lets you control exactly what goes into your food. Once you try real homemade browning, you’ll ask yourself why you didn’t make it sooner!

Browning Sauce Ingredients

Browning sauce only requires two ingredients:

  • Brown sugar: This provides the distinctive molasses-like flavor and dark color. Dark brown sugar or muscovado sugar works best, but you can also use light brown sugar in a pinch.
  • Water: Hot water dissolves the caramelized brown sugar into liquid form. For best results, use boiling water.

That’s it! For optional extra flavor, you can add a pinch of salt or a teaspoon of vanilla extract. But the basic formula is simply brown sugar plus hot water.

How to Make Browning Sauce

Step-By-Step Instructions

Making browning sauce takes about 10 minutes of active time. Here’s exactly how to do it:

1. Cook the brown sugar.

Add 1 cup of brown sugar to a saucepan over medium heat. As the sugar starts to melt, stir constantly with a wooden spoon to prevent burning.

After 5-7 minutes, the sugar will be fully dissolved into a thick, bubbling syrup.

2. Continue cooking until very dark.

Keep cooking for another 2-3 minutes, stirring often. The sugar syrup will caramelize into an extremely dark brown color. It should register between 350-370°F on a candy thermometer.

Tip: If the sugar starts smoking too much before darkening, lower the heat. You want the sugar to caramelize slowly.

3. Remove pan from heat and slowly stir in 1 cup boiling water.

Once the syrup has reached a dark chocolate brown or nearly black color, immediately take it off the heat. Very slowly and carefully pour in 1 cup of boiling water, stirring constantly.

The bubbling caramel will rapidly seize up and then dissolve into liquid sauce. Be very careful, as the hot sugar syrup may splatter when the water is added.

4. Allow to cool completely before use or storage.

Let the finished browning sauce cool to room temperature, at least 30 minutes. It will thicken up as it cools. Then transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate until needed.

And that’s it – you just made homemade browning sauce! It keeps for months in the fridge.

Browning Sauce Cooking Tips

Follow these tips for perfect browning sauce every time:

  • Use a heavy-bottomed saucepan so the sugar doesn’t burn easily. Nonstick is ideal.
  • Stir constantly with a heat-proof spatula or wooden spoon.
  • Cook over medium heat to prevent scorching.
  • Allow the sugar to caramelize slowly for maximum flavor.
  • Have the boiling water ready before taking the pan off the heat.
  • Add the water very slowly and carefully to prevent splattering.
  • Make sure the sauce cools fully before bottling.

How to Use Browning Sauce

A little browning sauce goes a long way. Start by adding just a teaspoon or two to your dish, taste, and add more as desired. Here are some of the many ways to use browning sauce:

In stews and curries: Add 1-2 tsp browning sauce to curries, stews, chili, oxtail, etc. It adds rich color and depth.

As a marinade: Mix 2-3 tbsp browning sauce into a marinade for chicken, pork, or beef. Grilled meats will caramelize beautifully.

For gravy: Whisk in 1-2 tsp browning sauce to thicken up pan gravies, drippings, and sauces.

In barbecue sauce: Mix in 2-3 tsp browning sauce for a scrumptious hint of molasses flavor.

For baked beans: Stir in 1-2 tbsp browning sauce for delicious homemade baked beans.

In baked goods: Add 1-2 tbsp browning sauce to gingerbread, fruit cake, or cookies for rich flavor.

As a glaze: Brush meat or vegetables with a mixture of 1-2 tbsp browning sauce and honey for glazing.

Let your imagination run wild with this versatile sauce! It complements both sweet and savory dishes beautifully.

What Can I Use Instead of Browning?

  • Molasses – Molasses has a very similar dark color and sweet, robust flavor as browning sauce. Use an equal amount of molasses in place of browning.
  • Soy sauce – For savory dishes, soy sauce adds nice umami depth and darkens the color similarly to browning sauce. Use about half as much soy sauce as you would browning.
  • Balsamic vinegar – The rich, concentrated flavor of balsamic vinegar can mimic some of the complexity of browning sauce. Use approximately 1 teaspoon balsamic for every 1 tablespoon browning called for.

BROWNING SAUCE 2

FAQs About Browning Sauce

What’s the difference between browning sauce and gravy browning?

Gravy browning is a weaker sauce made with caramel color rather than caramelized sugar. It doesn’t have the same full-bodied flavor of real browning sauce. Always make your browning from scratch for the best flavor.

Can I use white sugar instead of brown sugar?

Yes, you can substitute white sugar, but the flavor won’t be as complex. The brown sugar’s molasses notes make traditional browning sauce unique.

What about coconut sugar or sucanat?

Feel free to experiment with coconut sugar, sucanat, muscovado, or other brown sugars. Just note that sweetness and cooking times may vary.

Is Browning Sauce the same as Kitchen Bouquet?

Kitchen Bouquet is similar but contains more thickeners and preservatives. It’s mass-produced rather than homemade. Nothing beats real homemade browning!

How long does it last in the fridge?

Properly stored browning sauce keeps for 6-12 months in the fridge. The flavor may start to fade after that.

Can I freeze browning sauce?

Yes, browning freezes very well for longer term storage. Let it cool completely before freezing in a sealed container.

More Browning Sauce Tips

  • If your finished browning sauce comes out grainy, try heating it up again gently to dissolve the grains.
  • Leftover sauce may crystallize in the fridge. Reheat slowly to dissolve.
  • For safety, throw away browning sauce if you see any mold. Don’t take chances.
  • To make vegan browning, simply use coconut sugar in place of brown sugar.
  • For gluten-free browning, be sure to use a brand of brown sugar that is certified gluten-free.
  • For thicker browning, dissolve 2 teaspoons cornstarch in the water before adding it.
  • For thinner browning, add a touch more hot water until it reaches the desired consistency.
  • Glass bottles make excellent long-term storage containers for browning sauce.
  • To mellow the flavor, add a pinch of cinnamon, allspice, or vanilla extract.
  • For spicy browning, add a few dashes of hot sauce along with the water.

Now you know how quick and easy it is to make delicious homemade browning sauce!

So go on – make a fresh batch today.

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Deborah Olayiwola
Deborah Olayiwola
Deborah is a content marketing specialist, with a passion for the food niche, she writes engaging content that celebrates the joy of food and its power to bring people together. Having worked on different projects. Her curiosity and creativity shines through in her writing.
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