Hot Honey
Published May 8, 2024
- Total Time
- 20 minutes, plus cooling
- Prep Time
- 5 minutes
- Cook Time
- 15 minutes, plus cooling
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
Yield:½ cup
- 5 to 10fresh whole red bird’s-eye or other small hot chiles
- 2tablespoons white wine or distilled white vinegar
- ½cup clover or other mild honey
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
160 calories; 0 grams fat; 0 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 0 grams monounsaturated fat; 0 grams polyunsaturated fat; 41 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 38 grams sugars; 1 gram protein; 8 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Powered byPreparation
- Step 1
Use as many chiles as you want: five for a warm tingle, up to 10 for more burn. Using the tip of a sharp knife, cut little slits in the chiles.
- Step 2
Bring the chiles and vinegar to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high. Boil until the vinegar reduces by half, about 1 minute. Stir in the honey and reduce the heat to low. Simmer gently for 10 minutes.
- Step 3
Pour into a jar, then cool to room temperature. Pluck out and discard the chiles. Refrigerate the hot honey for up to 2 weeks.
Private Notes
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Cooking Notes
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Kate
Has anyone tried this with dried birds eye/Thai chilies? I have a bunch I need to use up!
Portez
Can someone please tell me why one must "be sure" to wash the chilis before using?
Rebecca
I did this with jalapenos instead of red chiles and it was absolutely delicious! So good on cornbread or fried chicken. I'm looking forward to trying it with other chiles.
Betsy
This sounds as if it would be a great gift. I wonder if it could be canned safely, or if there's insufficient vinegar left to make it safe. Thoughts anyone?
Scott
Honey is very shelf stable and bacteria resistant, adding a bit of chili flavored vinegar shouldn't change that.
Judy R.
I followed the directions and wound up with a slab of hard-as-rock flavored honey that had to be dug out and thrown away. Good idea but disappointing at best.
The Meshugana Gadfly
How do you boil 2T of vinegar & reduce by half? Does it really need refrigeration? Why only 2 weeks shelf life?
Agamemnon
I used 7 Thai chiles. On first tasing, there was no heat, only sweet. Then it hit the back of my mouth and my throat closed up and I couldn’t breathe for about 10 seconds. Good stuff! :-)
Name pamela
If you didn’t want to cook the honey, could you blend the chiles and vinegar after they cooked and add to the raw honey? Or infuse them whole for a few days?
Sridhar
I was thinking exactly the same thing! Don't understand why the honey should be simmered. If at all, heat it to a gentle 90F and then mix everything.
Patti
Be aware that this simmering of the honey will take out all of the health benefits from your honey.
Peggy Carey
I think people are overcautious with chiles. But honey is a preservative and an antibiotic so I wouldn't worry about it. If you are concerned at all, just strain out the chiles, the flavor will be a bit milder but should still be good.
Alex
I used Mike's hot honey instead of a mild honey as a base and had amazing results. If you have a high spice tolerance give it a go!
Allen Facemire
Why the fridge for storage?
T. wrecks
Might be helpful to simmer the chiles on a back burner with the fan on "very high" ...
lynne
Curious - has anyone made this recipe with maple syrup or silan? Vegan here.
Ace Weems
I don't understand, how is honey not vegan? It's made from the nectar of blossoms. Where's the killing involved in making honey? With maple syrup you tap into a maple tree and drain its lifeblood, the syrup from it, and that's vegan?? BTW. I'm a beekeeper with over 100 hives.
Mark H
I’m also vegan but let honey “go.” I know it’s the by-product of animals (well, insects) but I don’t consider honey “non vegan.” (And, I know, there’s a huge community that disagrees with me). A substitute would be very light maple syrup, but that’s going to “flavor” this condiment more than honey would.
Pretzel
@Ace Weems: It's not vegan because it's produced by animals. Milk and eggs are also not vegan, even though they don't require killing. I think the idea is that we shouldn't exploit animals in any way. (I'm not vegan myself, but I don't want to go into a philosophical discourse here.)
johnrf
Why two weeks? Chiles in vinegar last forever. And honey of course is found in the pyramids, it lasts forever. I guess the times is worried about being sued. But be serious. I keep my honey in the pantry. During the summer, as I harvest chiles and put them in a bullet blender jar with vinegar, salt, pepper and whatever spices I desire, usually garlic powder. I keep it in the fridge, adding chiles until fall. I use if for months. I don't see how it could go bad.
Jake
I was wondering the exact same thing! Thanks for posting!
Dumont
Probably because when you cook the honey it loses it's antibacterial nature. The real question is why cook the honey at all? Make an infusion of hot vinegar and add it to the honmey once it's cool.
Rae
Immediately went out and bought the chilies (10 BTW), simmered as instructed, and drizzled it on four very thick wagu burger patties on the backyard grille. Extra points if you place a 1/4" slice of sweet onion on top and scoop the remnants on top of just before you flip the burger. It's beyond words.
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