Browning Sauce

Browning sauce is requires only two ingredients but can provide complex flavor to a wide variety of dishes.

What Is Browning Sauce?

Browning Sauce has Jamaican origins and is made by caramelizing brown sugar and adding water. That’s all you need, although some like to add a pinch of salt as well. 

It’s used in small amounts in both sweet and savory dishes and has a smoky caramel flavor that can add complexity and depth to recipes. It’s not to be confused with brown sauce, which is common in the UK and is a thick, savory condiment.

What Does It Taste Like?

I’m obsessed with this stuff! It tastes a bit like a toasted marshmallow, but gone too far. For sweet dishes, it adds a toasted caramelized sugar flavor, even a tad smoky. But it’s savory dishes where it really shines.

I will admit that the first time I made it and saw and smelled that super-dark sugar, I thought it was going to make my food taste burnt. But this is a classic beloved sauce for a reason! When you add a little bit of this to any soup, stew, or anything, really, it makes it taste like roasted caramelized vegetables must have been added at some point in a slow-simmering process.

How To Use Browning Sauce

People who like their marshmallows well done could use this as a dessert sauce on ice cream. But, it’s actually meant to be used sparingly in both sweet and savory dishes. It can be used in fruity, spiced cakes like Black Cake to add richness. It’s often used for Jamaican oxtails and Caribbean brown stew chicken. You could definitely use small amounts in gravies and stews to deepen the flavor.

I suggest you make this sauce and then try the following: Warm up some chicken broth or stock. Then drizzle in the browning sauce, 1 teaspoon at a time. Taste it after each addition. You’ll know when to stop – it’s almost like there’s suddenly roasted carrots going on in there. It’s amazing! I bet once you try it, you’ll find all sorts of ways to use this simple sauce.

How To Make Browning Sauce

The key to making this is to really stir it the whole time. You need to be there monitoring it, making sure that the sugar is melting evenly but not burning, and not all on one side. 

Once it has melted, you’ll keep stirring it until it’s really dark brown and starting to boil but not smoke. Turn off the element and remove the pan from the heat if your element stays hot. And then, slowly drizzle in some water. Be careful because it wants to erupt at you. Stand back and just add a bit of the water at a time and keep stirring. 

The sugar is going to start clumping up into a soft candy or like taffy. Keep stirring and let the heat from the pan transfer to the water and melt the sugar. If it doesn’t fully melt, don’t worry, it will in the next step. 

Then return the pan to low heat and stir it until it has thickened enough that when you scrape the bottom of the pan, a trail is left and remains for a second. Then immediately transfer it to an airtight container to cool. You can store this homemade browning sauce in the refrigerator for up to six months, so you have it handy whenever you need it.