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HFC vs Honey

13 years ago

Many years ago I developed a recipe for BBQ sauce that used HFCS (high fructose Corn Syrup)and it is fabulous. Given all the bad stuff we read, and the current demonization of HFCS, I want to substitute the HFCS for something else. Can I use Honey, or if not, what else would you suggest? Or should I just leave the HFCS in the recipe? It is partially about mouth-feel and partially nutritional. TYI

Steve

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Comments (21)

sushipup1
13 years ago
Honey or real Karo syrup.. read the label carefully, tho!
Chi
13 years ago
I would try agave syrup. Similar consistency but it's healthier than corn syrup (low glycemic). I think honey would overwhelm the flavor as a substitute since corn syrup is more about sweet than actual flavor, and I find agave to be similar. Maybe try half a batch with honey and half with agave? :)
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nancyofnc
13 years ago
How about making simple syrup from sugar and water? I think you'd get the same mouth feel and the sweetening that you got with HFCS.

Nancy
sally2_gw
13 years ago
I don't typically shop the syrup aisles, so I'm not even aware of what they contain, but I'm surprised that HGCS is even available in grocery stores. I thought it was more of an industrial product for mass market "food" producers.

Sally
grainlady_ks
13 years ago
Other options:
--Lyle's Golden Syrup, which is cane sugar syrup

--Steen's 100% Pure Cane Syrup, dark and rich flavor, although not as strong as molasses

--Homemade Corn Syrup
2 c. white sugar
3/4 c. water
1/4 t. cream of tartar
dash of salt
Combine all ingredients. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to simmer and put cover on for 3-minutes to get sugar crystals off side of pan. Uncover and cook to softball stage - 235-degrees F. Stir often.

Cool and store in a covered container at room temperature. It keeps about 2-months. Yield: almost 2-cups.

-Grainlady
annie1992
13 years ago
Real grade B maple syrup? Sorry, I just like maple, LOL.

Actually, I think maple or honey would give a distinctive taste that you may not want. I'd go with the homemade corn syrup/simple syrup suggested by nancedar and grainlady.

Well, I wouldn't, I'd go with maple. (grin) If the flavor isn't an issue, there's sorghum too.

Annie
skeip
Original Author
13 years ago
OK, I think I just gave my ignorance a big ol' public airing!! I assumed that the Corn Syrup (Karo brand) that I used and HFCS were the same thing. After going to the Karo web site I realize it's not. I do appreciate the suggestions and the recipe for home-made Corn Syrup. Annie, I like the Maple syrup idea too! Thanks everyone.

Steve, who is continually humbled by his own ignorance
foodonastump
13 years ago
Ok, so now that we've got that cleared up, I'm guessing I'm not alone in being curious about the fabulous recipe? (Hint, hint!)
bunnyman
13 years ago
Tis a wise man that understands he does not understand everything. Probably why wise men don't talk much.

Annie may not be far off with her maple syrup. Maple will add a distinct flavor note but I think it fits in with a BBQ flavor. Orange juice concentrate makes an interesting sweetner.

I blend catsup in with my BBQ sauce to mellow the flavor... and it thins it out a bit. The only use I have for catsup as I mostly don't care for the flavor.

: )
lyra
annie1992
13 years ago
Oooh, yeah, Lyra, maple and orange juice, that would be good. Or maple and pineapple...

And the only real use I have for catsup is Heinz with french fries. Other than that, I make and can my own catsup, which kind of tastes like steak sauce, really.

Now that we've been ever-so-helpful to you, we need a recipe! (grin)

Annie
Lars
13 years ago
I would leave it out entirely. Most BBQ sauce is way too sweet for my taste. I do not understand why people put any kind of sweetener in it. If you haven't tried it without sweetener, you might discover that you like it better.

Lars
foodonastump
13 years ago
Lars, I believe that BBQ sauce by definition has a sweet component.
sally2_gw
13 years ago
You're not alone in getting the two confused. DH slightly freaks when he sees corn syrup in an ingredient list or recipe, and I remind him it's not the same thing.

Sally
skeip
Original Author
13 years ago
A good point Lars as there is a significant amount of Brown Sugar in the recipe. When I developed the recipe, I went from the ingredients list on a jar of my favorite boughten BBQ sauce, and there is was, so I added it. Since it isn't a significant component, and I usually cut the final product with additional vinegar, it may be worth skipping entirely.

I have thought long and hard about posting the recipe, it's the only one of many that I have never given to anyone in almost 25 years. But everyone on this site has always shared their favorites, so what the heck. Here it is, Nick was my cat at the time, and I needed a name for the sauce.

NICK'S FAMOUS BBQ SAUCE

1-6 Ounce Can Tomato Paste
1/2 Cup Light Corn Syrup
1 Cup Brown Sugar
8 Tablespoons Liquid Smoke
3 Tablespoons Mrs. Dash Seasoning
1 Tablespoon Dried Minced Garlic
1 One Medium Onion, Finely Minced
1/4 Cup White Vinegar
1 Tablespoon Morton's Nature's Seasoning
1 Tablespoon Lawry's Seasoned Salt

Combine all ingredients, tasting to adjust as necessary. Cover and store in refrigerator overnight to allow flavors to combine. Pour in clean jar and store in refrigerator. Allow to stand overnight for flavors to develop. Makes one quart.

Steve
ci_lantro
13 years ago
Molasses is the flavor component in brown sugar. I'm thinking you could sub molasses for the corn syrup and then sub white sugar for the brown.

1 cup white sugar : 1/4 cup molasses = Dark Brown Sugar

1 cup white sugar : 1 1/2 T. molasses = Light Brown Sugar
foodonastump
13 years ago
Thanks for sharing, Steve! Could you confirm the amounts - in particular I'm questioning the liquid smoke. That's more than a bottle, the way I buy it. But I'll take your word for it if you say it's right!
annie1992
13 years ago
FOAS, I've never even bought liquid smoke, but I thought it was kind of a lot too.

I'll wait for Steve to tell me it's right.

I like sweet BBQ sauces, and sweet baked beans too, so I'm all good with the 1 cup of brown sugar, LOL.

Annie
skeip
Original Author
13 years ago
Good catch Annie and FOAS. I double checked the original recipe and the gallon recipe calls for 2 3.7 ounce bottles, which would make the 1 quart recipe I posted only 4 TBN, or roughly half of the 3.7 ounce bottle, more or less to taste, but it is pretty potent stuff. The other quantities are correct.

Annie, I also use this BBQ sauce in baked beans and it adds a nice flavor.
Lars
13 years ago
You can make BBQ sauce without sugar and therefore it is not sweet by definition but rather by region. My favorite BBQ sauce was made in central Texas and it was not sweet. Here are some examples of recipes of non-sweet BBQ sauce, for comparison:

Low Carb BBQ Sauce Recipes

Sugar-Free Barbeque Sauce Recipe #1

The Nick's recipe will be fine (improved IMO) if the syrup is left out. One cup of brown sugar will be plenty of sweetener, and I would keep the vinegar!

Lars
cooksnsews
13 years ago
The barbecue sauce I make is based on the one in the Silver Palate cookbook I got for a wedding present almost 30 yrs ago. It has very little sugar in it, and I like it that way. I like my sauce to cook in, not burn on.

I found this recipe online, and it looks like the same one.

Here is a link that might be useful: Silver Palate Barbecue sauce
lpinkmountain
13 years ago
Just wanted to add that I so rarely use corn syrup that I usually don't have any on had, so I have tried to sub other things for it in recipes, including maple syrup and honey. I think this was mostly for granola-bar type things. Anyway, not a good substitution, honey is a tricky thing to cook with, (albeit delicious, but it burns very easily) and maple syrup is too thin to sub for corn syrup. Corn syrup has a certain light texture and does not add a lot of taste. I would hazard a guess that corn syrup is to make the stuff glop on the meat and stay on better, since corn syrup seems more congealed to me than honey or maple syrup. The great thing about corn syrup is that it keeps forever and a day so if you don't use it all up right away it's no big deal. That's why they add it to everything. I have subbed Lyle's golden syrup for corn syrup with good results. Lyle's is a sugar cane based syrup. I have just gotten into agave so don't have much experience with it, but Grainlady does so I would take her advice and give it a try. I have to say, I'm not a huge fan of the taste or texture of corn syrup, (even the non-HFCS kind, let alone the other glop) which is why I have always avoided it, even before all this health concern over HFCS. But I wouldn't worry about it in small quantities in a sweet and sour barbecue sauce/condiment. It's not like you're putting it in the soup! :) And it may be the "secret ingredient" that makes your recipe so delicious. But like Lars, I'm not a huge fan of very sweet things, so I might experiment. You might find you like it just as well without the corn syrup. I am always trying to cut down sugar in a recipe to just that perfect amount. Many recipes, especially older ones, have more sugar than is needed to contribute to the flavor and quality of the dish.

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