After making smoked chimichurri and smoked butter, I had to do the next logical thing: keeping expanding our sauce horizons with hot honey butter. This spicy honey butter hits all the right notes, as it’s sweet, spicy and smoky from the coals. Call it a trifecta of flavor! Trust me, it’s a 10/10, a so freakin’ delicious recipe that you’ll want to make over and over again.
Why You’ll Love Hot Honey Butter
I know I don’t need to sell you on the merits of butter, but here goes. Hot honey butter combines the sweetness of honey, a healthy spice kick from red pepper flakes and FYR Red Hot Sauce, fresh and dried herbs and smoke flavor to round it out. This perfect balance is fantastic with beef and seafood, so it makes the perfect topping for surf and turf. But really, you can use this honey butter sauce on any dish, like chicken wings or even spicy salami pizza.
For more steak recipes that would be perfect with this hot honey butter, check out The Best Grilled Steak Recipes.
Hot Honey Butter Ingredients
The biggest thing here is you want high-quality natural charcoal from your grill to drop into the jar. ***Please note, you should not make this recipe with a briquette!*** The natural, lump charcoal plays a very important role in taking this spicy butter to the next level. Here’s what goes in the rest of the jar:
- Clarified, Melted Butter: Don’t stress, I’ve got a recipe tip for you for clarified butter below! Alternatively, you can also find it at most major grocery stores.
- Local Honey: Obviously.
- Pantry Ingredients: My FYR Red Hot Sauce, kosher salt, smoked paprika, black pepper, onion powder, dried oregano, dried thyme, cayenne pepper and red chili flakes bring the heat to this butter.
- Fresh Ingredients: We add freshness with minced garlic, chopped parsley and lemon juice.
How to Make Clarified Butter
Clarified butter has a higher smoke point than regular butter, making it perfect for high-heat cooking and grilling. It’s worth the extra time to get this recipe right for the hot honey butter!
First, grab your unsalted butter — you’ll want about four sticks. Melt the blocks of butter slowly over direct heat (low setting) in a small saucepan. The goal is to let the butter melt gradually and completely without boiling it. As it melts, you’ll notice the milk solids start to separate from the butter “oil”. Next, pour the liquified butter into a clear glass container and let cool for two minutes. As it cools, the milk solids will sink to the bottom of the jar.
Then, pour the top portion of the butter into a new jar. That is the golden, pure yellow portion of the butter, aka the clarified butter. Try to keep any of the white, milk solids from getting poured into the new jar. That’s all there is to it! Now, you have your very own clarified butter.
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How to Make Hot Honey Butter
Super easy, super flavorful. The effort to results ratio doesn’t get much better than this. Whisk butter and all your ingredients in a mason jar, then add a smoldering coal (not a briquette, real charcoal only) from your grill fire. Ideally, you want this coal to be white hot. So, use tongs to grab one! Cover the jar quickly to capture the smoke, then set to the side to marinate for 20-30 minutes.
If you want to adjust the amount of smoke flavor in the hot honey butter, then just reduce or increase up the amount of time the coal sits in the butter. I found the 20-30 minute time range to be the sweet spot, but figure out what works best for your taste buds.
What to Serve with Hot Honey Butter
Oh man. The better questions is what NOT to serve with hot honey butter. This little miracle takes steaks, seafood, burgers and other meats to the next level. I also think it’s a great dipping sauce for cornbread or a slice of hearty sourdough. Let me know how you use it in the comments!
Another favorite sauce of mine is chimichurri. If you want another sauce to add to your meals that’s fresh and herby, then make sure to check out my Best Chimichurri Recipes!
Storing and Reheating
Once you’ve made your hot honey butter, let it cool to room temperature (no longer than a couple of hours) before placing it in the fridge for up to two weeks. You can also freeze the butter in ice cube trays for up to six months.
For More Butter Flavor
FAQs
Clarified butter is definitely better in high-heat cooking and grilling recipes because of its higher smoke point. You can use regular butter for the hot honey butter recipe, but just keep in mind that the milk solids and water in regular butter can burn during smoking, which leaves you with some odd flavors.
If you’ve been here a while, you know I think Cowboy Charcoal is the best thing. The coals get super hot and burn really clean, which is ideal here.
You tell me! I think this charcoal method can work in a variety of settings, so I’d love to hear your ideas. Smoked pesto butter over grilled chicken seems like a solid possibility…
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Hot Honey Butter
Ingredients
- 1.5 cup Unsalted Butter clarified & melted
- 2.5 tbsp Local Honey
- 2 tbsp Minced Garlic
- 2 tbsp Chopped Parsley
- 1.5 tbsp FYR RED Hot Sauce
- 2.5 tsp of Kosher Salt
- 2.5 tsp of Smoked Paprika
- 1 tsp of Black Pepper
- 1 tsp of Onion Powder
- 1 tsp of Dried Oregano
- 1 tsp of Dried Thyme
- 1 tsp of Cayenne Powder
- 1 tsp Red Chili Flakes
- 1 small Lemon juiced
Instructions
- Add all the ingredients for the butter to the mason jar and mix.
- Then add a smoldering coal from the fire (ideally white hot) to the mason jar. Cover quickly to encapsulate the smoke. Then set to the side to marinate for 20-30 minutes.
- Remove coal from mason jar before stirring the butter one more time and serving with your meal of choice.
This butter is sensational!