The Mexican Condiment Andrew Zimmern Adds To Everything
You may know renowned chef Andrew Zimmern from his legendary Travel Channel days at the host of Bizarre Foods, but nowadays, he's cooking up some everyday eats that we would be happy to take a bite out of (not that we were against bizarre foods like the fermented shark ... but we'll happily leave that to the pro himself and stick with his latest spin on chicken wings instead).
After decades in the industry, it's important for a chef like Zimmern to continue to stay inspired. Perhaps one of the greatest sources of that inspiration, though, is the time he spent traveling Mexico. In a recent tweet, the chef harkened back to what led him to one of his most often-used tricks in the kitchen. He detailed his time enjoying a refreshing paleta (popsicle), snacking on some local papaya, or sipping on an ice cold drink. And what did they all have in common? Chamoy.
Chamoy is an incredibly diverse Mexican condiment that can be found in many forms: It can be a liquid, a paste, a syrup, a seasoning, or even a candy. According to Eater, the delicacy is most typically found as a thick sauce made from "a pickled sour fruit ... that's spiked with chiles."
In Zimmern's own words, chamoy is the "intersection of salty, sour, sweet, and spicy," which he more than brings to the table with his homemade spin on the condiment (via YouTube).
Andrew Zimmern kicks up any food's flavor profile with this sticky, sweet sauce
While chamoy is traditionally found drizzled on fruit because of its sweet base, Zimmern emphasizes its versatility beyond just spicing up melons. After remembering how tasty the spicy glaze was during his traveling days, the chef reinvented it on his own terms and experimented with it on different meats like lamb, shrimp, and pork.
In the YouTube video he shared with his Twitter followers, Andrew Zimmern takes the average at-home chef through elevating a batch of bone-in wings. You'll want to season your wings as normal — lots of garlic is key! — and then dive into your homemade chamoy.
Zimmern's ingredient list is a hefty one, full of bold flavors that'll be sure to make a memorable chamoy. You'll need brown sugar, apple juice, lime juice, seedless hot red chilis, raspberry preserves, apricot (or peach) preserves, toasted arbol chilis, and a whole lot of salt. Blend the mixture until it's syrupy, smooth, and clump-free. Once your meat is fully cooked, toss it in the sauce (or lightly drizzle it over top, if you can't handle the heat).
The chef recommends making more of the chamoy sauce than needed and refrigerate it (it can last a few months). That way, you can glaze any bland dish with it for a burst of flavor.