Fermented chili honey blends the American love of hot sauces with the ancient practice of honey fermentation, a technique used worldwide for preservation. In recent years, U.S. food culture has embraced spicy‑sweet condiments for everything from pizza to fried chicken, making this hybrid a modern staple.

In the South, hot honey often features cayenne or chipotle peppers and is drizzled over biscuits. West Coast versions may use local honey and milder chilies like jalapeño. The Bon Appétit version uses tropical habaneros for a floral heat, setting it apart from more common milder blends.

It is typically offered as a condiment alongside fried foods, pizza, biscuits, or used as a glaze for roasted vegetables. The Bon Appétit recipe highlights serving it over crispy fried chicken as a snack or dinner.

Spicy‑sweet honey is popular at backyard barbecues, game‑day gatherings, and holiday brunches where it adds a punch to fried chicken, biscuits, or cheese boards. Its bright flavor also makes it a fun addition to cocktail mixers for parties.

Authentic fermented chili honey relies on raw, unfiltered honey and fresh whole peppers (including seeds). Substitutes like processed honey or dried chili flakes can work, but they lack the complex fermentation flavors that raw honey and fresh chilies provide.

It pairs beautifully with fried chicken, biscuits, cornbread, roasted sweet potatoes, grilled shrimp, and even as a glaze for pork ribs. Drizzling it over a cheese platter or mixing it into a vinaigrette for a summer salad also works well.

Common errors include sealing the jar airtight (which traps gas), using pasteurized honey (which reduces fermentation activity), and storing the jar in a cold spot, which stalls the process. Also, handling habaneros without gloves can cause skin irritation.

Cheesecloth allows carbon dioxide produced by lacto‑fermentation to escape while keeping insects out. A sealed lid would build pressure and could cause the jar to crack or the honey to become overly acidic.

Yes, the honey can be prepared 1‑2 weeks in advance. Store the jar in a cool, dark place during fermentation, then refrigerate once it reaches the desired flavor. It will keep for several months in the fridge.

The honey should be a smooth, pourable liquid with tiny bubbles and a slightly cloudy appearance from the pepper pieces. The peppers will look wilted and softer, and the honey may have a faint amber tint from the garlic.

The YouTube channel Bon Appétit produces a wide range of cooking videos, from quick recipe demos to deep‑dive culinary experiments, often featuring professional chefs and a playful, approachable style.

Bon Appétit blends classic comfort‑food techniques with modern twists, such as fermenting sauces or using high‑quality ingredients, and presents them with a cinematic production value that emphasizes both flavor science and fun.