Unforgettable Burgers Start With A Drizzle Of This Trendy Condiment

Burgers are one of those classic American foods that can be dressed up or down in a variety of ways. While there's certainly nothing wrong with enjoying a juicy cheeseburger with the usual mustard and ketchup, there is another condiment worth trying for a more complex, flavor-loaded upgrade: hot honey. When you want to enhance the taste of traditional burgers, hot honey's sweet and spicy flavors easily give this iconic dish a more distinct bite.

At its most basic, hot honey is regular honey infused with a bit of vinegar and dried chilis or fresh peppers like jalapeños and habaneros. This sweet, piquant condiment has been trending since the early 2020s, and fans have come up with all sorts of ways to use it to elevate classic dishes, including burgers. The best part? There are many different ways to add spicy honey to these craveworthy foods.

If you want to use hot honey to your burgers during preparation, add it toward the end of the cooking process. For instance, prepare classic smash burgers and brush both sides with hot honey right before serving. This ensures that the sugar in either homemade hot honey or store-bought varieties won't burn on the surface of your meat during the cooking process. Since sugar caramelizes at 320 degrees Fahrenheit, using this popular condiment as either a last-minute addition or a flavorful topping is the best way to go.

If you're looking to add hot honey to your favorite burger toppings, you also have a lot of options to consider. Next to drizzling some hot honey directly on your burger patties after cooking, you can also use this sticky condiment to upgrade a few worthwhile extras. For example, make hot honey-infused caramelized onions. Simply fry sliced raw onions in some oil, and once they become soft and turn slightly brown, add some hot honey to the pan and cook the onions on low for an additional 15 minutes.

For a protein-rich topping, you can also make hot honey bacon. Prepare some bacon on the stove, and during the last few minutes of cooking, add a small amount of hot honey. During this time, flip each piece of bacon once or twice while the hot honey caramelizes onto each piece.

If you prefer a no-cook topping, make a hot honey aioli by combining hot honey and mayonnaise. You can also upgrade this mixture with extra dried chili flakes or a dash of your favorite hot sauce for some extra spice. Then, when it comes to dressing your burgers, you can use other savory toppings like pepper jack cheese and candied jalapeños for even more heat. Among the many creative ways to use hot honey, adding it to burgers is a delicious way to incorporate some unexpected flavor.