Who doesn’t love dipping chicken nuggets and fries in McDonald’s sweet and sour sauce?
You would probably agree that dipping fried food tastes more flavorful when dipped in a correctly blended sauce.
If you can’t get enough dipping sauces each time you eat something fried, you must learn how to create a homemade sweet and sour sauce.
Luckily, it’s unnecessary to go to McDonald’s every time you want to taste their dipping sauce because you can instantly make the copycat version.
Are you ready to get started? Continue exploring the post below for detailed instructions.
What is McDonald’s Sweet N Sour Sauce?
This uniquely formulated dipping sauce contains blended flavors of peach and apricot that are intensified with some savory spices, leaving a slight lingering heat when tasted.
It’s probably one of the reasons why we get so hooked on dipping chicken nuggets, fried chicken, and fries in it.
It’s the kind of sauce you crave when you feel like eating something sweet with a slight heat.
Knowing that one serving of this sauce contains 50 calories is essential to keep an eye on your diet.
What Ingredients Should I Prepare When Making McDonald’s Sweet N Sour Sauce?
Here are the ingredients required to make the perfect homemade McDonald’s sweet and sour sauce:
Apricot Jam
Above all, the key is to purchase high-quality apricot jam, sometimes called peach puree concentrate or apricot puree concentrate.
Meanwhile, if you don’t want to purchase a ready-to-use version, you can always make a homemade one.
When making a homemade apricot jam version, you’ll need fresh apricots (must be thoroughly peeled, pitted, and crushed), lemon juice, and white sugar.
It’s vital to combine all these ingredients and boil the apricot mixture for about twenty-five minutes until it thickens.
Garlic
McDonald’s sweet and sour recipe initially uses garlic powder; however, you can also use fresh garlic for a more natural and intense flavor.
The best thing about fresh garlic is that they’re tastier and adept at producing strong flavor, making the dipping sauce tastes better.
On the other hand, garlic powder tends to become lumpy and hard when you store it in the panty for an extended period.
Mustard
We strongly recommend using medium mustard because using hot or Dijon mustard to create a sweet n sour recipe might produce a slightly different taste, which isn’t similar to that of McDonald’s.
Vinegar
Apple vinegar is the best type of vinegar to make your homemade McDonald’s sweet and sour sauce.
Several reports have shown that using white wine vinegar doesn’t produce a satisfying result, making the dipping sauce acidic and not palatable.
There you have it! All the ingredients needed are easy to find, and some might be already stored in your pantry.
The other ingredients to prepare are soy sauce, Worcestershire, light corn syrup, salt, water, and cornstarch.
Important Reminder: The amount of ingredients to use largely depends on how much sweet and sour sauce you intend to make.
Hence, you can adjust the portions according to your taste and preference.
Step-by-Step Methods to Make McDonald’s Sweet and Sour Sauce
Here are the easy-to-follow instructions to make the perfect dipping sauce that tastes like the one you get at McDonald’s:
1. Except for the water, start by adding all the ingredients to a small pan. Make sure to blend all the ingredients right away with a hand blender.
2. After that, you may add the water and turn on the stove. Simmer the mixture on medium-low heat for approximately five minutes.
Please note that it’s essential to stir the mixture now and then to keep it from getting lumpy.
Similarly, it would help if you scraped the bottom section of the pan when you stirred the mixture.
3. At this time, the sweet and sour sauce starts to alter in color. In particular, it becomes darker and thicker as you cook it more.
4. Lastly, when the cooking time is finished, turn off the heat and allow the dipping sauce to cool.
5. Stir the sweet and sour sauce before serving, and enjoy!
What Should I Do With the Leftovers?
Inevitably, even when you make a small batch of this sweet and sour sauce, you end up dealing with some leftovers.
Fortunately, you can always store the leftover in the fridge. So long as the sauce is tightly sealed and stored correctly, it can last for roughly a week inside the refrigerator.
Mix your homemade McDonald’s sweet and sour sauce with yogurt dressing, as this mixture pairs perfectly with sandwiches or salads.
Alternatively, you can use this dipping sauce as a topping to roasted meat recipes or pastries.
Interestingly, since we have different tastes and preferences, you can use this sauce for any dish, snack, meal, salad, or dessert to suit and satisfy your demanding palate.
How Long Does the McDonald’s Sweet and Sour Sauce Last?
Generally speaking, McDonald’s sweet n sour sauce lasts two to three months. Still and all, it’s best to consume the packet within their best-before-date to ensure that they’re suitable for consumption.
Do I Need to Store the McDonald’s Sweet and Sour Sauce Packet in the Refrigerator?
No. It’s unnecessary to refrigerate sweet and sour sauce packets; nonetheless, this doesn’t imply that they don’t go bad.
Sweet and sour sauce packets are purposely for temporary use, which means they’re not designed to last for a long time in your cupboard.
Final Thoughts
To sum up, you can enjoy your fries, chicken nuggets, and fried chicken even more if you dip them in the McDonald’s sweet and sour sauce.
Yes, there’s no denying that you can instantly get this dipping sauce at McDonald’s, but learning how to create a homemade version sounds more delicious and homey.
The ingredients required and the steps to make your sweet and sour dipping sauce version are not complicated; most of the ingredients are already available in your cupboard.
Hopefully, this post provided practical guides on making a homemade sauce that perfectly fits your taste and preference.
If you find this article worth reading, please give it a like, or feel free to share your thoughts in the comment section below.
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