Browning Sauce – Homemade Recipe

If you’ve never heard of browning sauce, you’re really missing out. Browning sauce originated in Jamaica but is commonly used in places around the world. This sauce is made of simplistic ingredients and can be found sold at most supermarkets. What most people don’t know, however, is that this same sauce can easily be made at home. Interested in learning how? Join me as I delve deep into the wonderful world of homemade browning sauce! 

Table of Contents

• What Is Jamaican Browning Sauce?
• What Is Browning Sauce Made Of?
• What Does Browning Sauce Look Like?
• What Does Browning Sauce Do?
• What Does Browning Sauce Taste Like?
  • Is Browning Sauce Bitter?
• Browning Sauce Recipe
  • Ingredients
  • Instructions
• How to Use Browning Sauce
  • How Much Browning Sauce to Use?
• Browning Sauce: A Very Versatile Kitchen Must-Have!
• FAQ

What Is Jamaican Browning Sauce?

Jamaican browning sauce is a brown liquid that adds color and flavor to a variety of foods. It can be used in stews and soups, on meat, and even in cakes. Like other famous Jamaican dishes (such as Jamaican boiled dumplings), browning sauce has gained popularity in the United States.

Browning sauces are also often used around the holidays, as it makes the perfect addition to gravy. Because of its color profile, it can give gravy a deep rich hue while also imparting flavor.

The same is true of adding browning sauce to meat. Many cooks like to simmer or slow-cook certain meats before placing browning sauce on them as a finishing touch. This gives the allure of having more color.

No matter what you use it for, browning sauce can prove to be a versatile and very useful addition to any kitchen arsenal.

What Is Browning Sauce Made Of?

If you’re wondering what is in browning sauce, you may be surprised to learn that it isn’t much!

Browning sauce is made up of only a few simple ingredients. If store-bought, you can expect browning sauce ingredients to contain caramel coloring or caramelized sugar, vegetable concentrate, and several seasonings.

When made at home, however, it usually only contains brown sugar and water.

Sometimes, however, you may find browning sauce recipes made at home requiring more than simply brown sugar and water. On occasion, people may add beef broth or bouillon to the mix, along with salt. If you choose to add these ingredients to your browning sauce, know that it may no longer be useful in desserts like cake. However, it will likely taste great in savory dishes such as gravy or over meat.

What Does Browning Sauce Look Like?

Browning sauce is usually very dark brown. The color will look similar to that of Worchestershire sauce or molasses. In fact, both of these products can be used as a replacement for browning sauce– in some cases.

It is the deep brown hue of browning sauce that enables it to add color to dishes. Still, you’ll want to be careful of how much browning sauce you use. Otherwise, you may end up with too bitter of a flavor!

What Does Browning Sauce Do?

Browning sauce serves a variety of purposes. As previously mentioned, it adds depth of color to anything it’s added to. But it also can add flavor. It is for this reason that people really enjoy adding browning sauce to gravies, stews, and soups. Some even like to add it to rice. 

Remember that if you are going to add browning sauce to a dessert, you’ll likely want to try it only with a homemade variety. Many browning sauces in the store may contain salt and vegetable concentrate which may impart an unwanted flavor to the dessert.

To know for sure, taste the browning sauce ahead of time. If it tastes sweet like molasses, you should be okay to use it in a dessert. If, however, it tastes a bit saltier or savory, you’ll want to be careful using it in a dessert recipe. 

What Does Browning Sauce Taste Like?

Browning sauce is often likened to tasting sweet and smoky at the same time. Many people liken it to the flavor of molasses. It is for this reason that it can work in something like a cake just as well as it could work over meat.

In this way, browning sauce is a very versatile kitchen ingredient that you can use for a variety of purposes. Use it along with other flavorful additions like cajun butter sauce when making a particular dish, and you’ll have people begging for more!

Is Browning Sauce Bitter?

Browning sauce usually isn’t bitter when used properly. Nevertheless, if you use too much, you can expect whatever you are cooking to become very bitter.

For this reason, it is usually recommended that you use the less is more approach when cooking with a browning sauce. Use only ½ tsp to 1 tsp of it at a time to ensure you aren’t going overboard. 

Browning Sauce Recipe

Looking for an easy browning sauce recipe? Try this one on for size!

Ingredients

• ½ cup Brown Sugar
• ¼ cup boiling Water
• Salt (optional – to taste)

Instructions

1. Place brown sugar in a saucepan and stir over medium-low heat.
2. Continue stirring as the sugar begins to melt and turn a dark color and thick consistency.
3. Once the sugar is completely melted and resembles a dark color, remove the saucepan from the stove.
4. Add boiling hot water slowly and a little at a time. Continue to stir (be careful of steam).
5. Allow the mixture to cool. Store in an airtight container for up to 6 months in the refrigerator.

How to Use Browning Sauce

Now that you’ve got your homemade browning sauce made, you may be wondering, “What is browning sauce used for?”

The answer is that browning sauce can be used on virtually anything you cook that requires extra flavor and/or color. It is often added to make oxtails, rice, jerk chicken, black cake, and other Jamaican favorites. 

How Much Browning Sauce to Use?

Remember that less is more when it comes to browning sauce. Use only ½ to 1 teaspoon at a time when cooking to avoid causing the dish to taste too bitter.

Browning Sauce: A Very Versatile Kitchen Must-Have!

As you can see, browning sauce is a very useful and versatile ingredient to keep in your kitchen. It can be used for a variety of purposes including adding color to meats, adding depth of flavor to gravies, and so much more.

Try it for yourself and see what you think!

FAQ