Photo: Roberto Ferdman
It all started last week when Liz’s post on the charms of chili paste prompted an all out what’s-in-your-pantry comment war. Cooking Channel fans dauphin and JohnE O began by seeing who had more mustard containers, before moving on to types of miso, tricks for homemade ketchup and even a recipe for sweet hot chili garlic sauce.
All the sweet condiment banter got us thinking: what are Cooking Channel fans squeezing, spreading and dousing onto their favorite foods at home? So we called out to see what all your favorite condiments were. 150+ responses later, we liked what we saw. Did good ‘ol ketchup reign king this time? Did sambal oelek and nouc cham make the cut? You’ll have to read on to find out. But let’s just say condiments seem to be a pretty hot topic right now.
Sriracha is hot! but also pretty irresistible... Photo: Roberto Ferdman
The Condiment King: Sriracha
When it comes to hot sauce, word on the street says Sriracha is the coolest kid on the block. But it’s also pulling its weight in the greater condiment pool. Nearly a quarter of you listed the Vietnamese chili sauce as your favorite condiment, making it the most popular (and not by a slight margin, mind you).
Sriracha-Inspired Recipe Ideas:
Matt Armendariz’s Spicy Sriracha Pimento Cheese Dip
Chuck’s Crab Cakes with Spicy Sriracha Mayo
Mark Bittman’s Egg Noodles
Sharp as a knife, mustard adds an edge. Photo: Roberto Ferdman
Runner Up: Mustard
In a (somewhat) surprising second place finish, mustard out-muscled its main condiment counterparts ketchup and mayonnaise. Appearing on just over a sixth of your lists, the sharp and tangy yellow condiment is best known for its ability to spice up all sorts of sandwiches, but also works extremely well with pork, veggies and vinaigrettes.
Mustard-Inspired Recipe Ideas:
Braised Cabbage with Creamy Spicy Mustard Sauce
Cubano: Cuban Sandwich
Roast Pork with Warm Cabbage, Mustard and Champagne
Creamy and classic, use mayo to balance out sandwiches, burgers and french fries. Photo: Roberto Ferdman
Second Runner Up (A): Mayo
Mayonnaise may not have taken third place outright, but it still held its own considering the competition. Like mustard, mayo adds depth (and creaminess) to just about any sandwich. Whether you’re dipping french fries or crispy calamari, making your own mayo is the way to go.
Homemade Mayo Recipes:
Laura Calder’s Classic Mayonnaise
Emeril’s Jalapeño Mayonnaise
Chuck’s Horseradish Mayonnaise
Try making homemade ketchup for a change. Photo: Roberto Ferdman
Second Runner Up (B): Ketchup
It may not have finished first, but there’s still plenty of love for everyone’s favorite tomato-based condiment. When it comes to ketchup, (almost) anything goes. From french fries to pasta, and even white rice, we’ve heard all the extremes and everything in between. Add a fresher touch by making homemade ketchup. It’s far easier than you’d imagine, and you can spice it up however you like.
Homemade Ketchup Recipes:
Classic Tomato Ketchup
Jamie Oliver’s Homemade Tomato Ketchup
Emeril’s Roasted Pepper Ketchup
Spicy pepper sauce at its best. Photo: Roberto Ferdman
Honorable Mention (A): Tabasco
Back in the day, tabasco used to reign king among hot sauces. Still, plenty of Cooking Channel fans called out the beloved pepper sauce. After all, what better than a drop (or six) over oysters on the half shell?
Try Chuck’s Easy Oysters on the Half Shell
Wasabi pairs well with lots more than sushi. Photo: Roberto Ferdman
Honorable Mention (B): Wasabi
It may make your nose tingle a bit, but boy, is it worth it. When served alongside sushi, wasabi helps flavors pop. Try it with cooked fish, mashed potatoes or infused in cream cheese for a change.
Wasabi-Inspired Recipes:
Emeril’s Crispy Wasabi Potato Crusted Tuna
Smoked Salmon with Avocado and Wasabi Cream Cheese Finger Sandwiches
Nadia G.’s Pepper Crusted Tuna Steak with Teriyaki Sauce and Wasabi Mashed Potatoes
On the Cusp: Cholula, Nuoc Cham, Pesto.
Did your favorite condiment miss the cut? Call it out in the comments, and tell us why you love it!
When we were growing up, we were not allowed to use condiments. No ketchup on stuff, only use mayo not miracle whip. The only thing I remember my mother using catsup on was greens (collards, mustard, kale). She was a purist in the real sense of the word. I also can remember Mother making homemade mayonnaise. It was pretty good. My husband's favorite was Heinz 57. My kids got that from him. Now that I'm a grandmother, I have softened a lot.
Like daisym0m I grew up with limited condiments. We had soy sauce, French's yellow mustard, Miracle Whip, Heinz 57 ketchup, Pace salsa, Tabasco and Worcheshire sauce. Meats were to eaten unadorned with salt and pepper only. Vegetables with butter. The only foods that could be embellished were sandwiches, eggs, hamburgers and hot dogs. The rest was very plain. My parents would get upset if I used used Worcheshire on my meat. They said I was ruining the pure flavor and would wonder why I used "that bug juice". I would tell them it was for enhancement of the good flavor not to hide it. They never understood.
One food that we had variance on condiments was salad. We had several dressings to choose from. Italian, Vinaigrette, Catalina, Honey Mustard, 1000 Island, Blue Cheese, Green Goddess and Ranch. Not bad for the 70's.
BTW Mr. Ferdman, thanks for the shout out.
Cholula Is one of my favorites. I love the Rooster sauce though.
no!!!! nooo!!! cock sauce?!? really? no no no. i know im going to be crucified by the "pureists" but i dont care, i love A-1! i use it on every thing marinades, bloody marys, a drop in a balsamic vinagrette is awesome, seriously just try it, and yes on steak, any steak, every steak. and i make absolutely no appologies for it. let the anti-A1 tirade begin.
You like A-1 then by all means use it. It's about your taste not anyone else's. A-1 is an old fashioned "ketchup", tomato and fruit based sauce. It does now contain high fructose corn syrup though. While I like this sauce, I have found one that is fresher and not processed by a huge conglomerate. It can be made similar to a pesto in a food processor.
Chimichurri
(1) bunch of parsley
(2) Tbsp. oregano
(1) Tbsp. red pepper flakes
(3) cloves of garlic
Juice of (1) lemon
a few drops of red wine vinegar
Salt & pepper to taste
Olive oil
I use it on BBQ steaks and roasted pork or poultry.
There is another bottled sauce you may want to try. It is called Pickapeppa from Jamaica. Similar profile to A-1 but slightly different. I'm not trying to denigrate your choice of A-1 but there are many, many more flavors out in the world. To be so rigid in one choice means no opportunity to find some thing that you might like just as much or better. I'm not a A-1 hater just a food adventurer.
My favourite sauce that i use on pork,preferebly roasted pork is ginger sauce,it is good!-1 tsp. dark sesame oil,1 garlic clove minced,1 tbsp. minced ginger,1tbsp. rice wine vinegar,2tbsp of soy sauce,2 tsp.terriaki sauce,1 minced green onion-HEAT THE OIL IN A SMALL SAUCE PAN ON MEDIUM HEAT,SAUTE THE GARLIC&GINGER IN HOT OIL FOR 1 MINUTE,REMOVE FROM THE HEAT AND QUICKLY WHISK IN THE SOY SAUCE,RICE WINE VINEGAR,TERIAKI,AND MINCED ONION-SERVE HOT ON PORK.AND BUON APPETITO!
That sounds like a good dipping sauce for gyoza and dumplings too.