3 Great Ways to Add Heat to a Dish

Are what used to be your favorite dishes not bringing a smile to your face quite like they used to? Even if your favorites are getting a little dull, you might love them for more than their flavor. The meals that mean the most to us often have a sentimental attachment that adds to comfort to the meal as well. If that is the case and your favorites aren’t making you happy like they used to, you might not feel like completely ditching them is the right direction.

A little heat from the right spices might be what you need to feel like you are having them for the first time. What’s important to remember is that there’s always more than one path to adding heat, so here’s a few ways that could be just the ticket to reviving your love for those classic favorites of yours.

A Pepper Jelly Glaze

Some of us might only know spicy jelly and cream cheese on crackers and others might not have heard of it at all. If either of those sound like you, you’ll gain plenty of options by keeping a few jars in the cupboard. If meats are what you typically build meals around, and especially if that’s the part feeling dull, adding a glaze with some kick might be the perfect thing you were looking for.

Thankfully, jellies are not one size fits all and which one you like best might depend which meats you are using and where you are looking to land on the scale or sweet to spicy. For those looking for somewhere to start, most kinds of pepper jelly are going to be right at home on chicken breasts and meatballs alike.

Red Pepper Flakes

Everyone has seen these sitting on the table at restaurants next to the salt and pepper shakers and they are the perfect step for those who aren’t sure heat is the right thing for them. There’s a few reasons why red pepper flakes are the perfect way to dip your toes and the most important being that they are everywhere and even if you are buying them, they are extremely cheap. Next time you are out to eat and see the container on the table, give it a spin.

If you aren’t eating something that you would normally make at home, you’ll still get an idea of how hot they can be compared to how many you added to your bite of food. If you like what you’ve tasted, stop and grab some yourself on the way home.

Sriracha

It’s been popularized through its Asian roots and while it’s great on any dish under that umbrella, don’t think it’s that or nothing. If you do love yourself some Asian classics, you might have already tried this or at least considered something where sriracha is part of the dish. For those who aren’t familiar, a major ingredient is red pepper so if you like one you’ll probably like the other.

If you aren’t interested in the typical Asian fare, don’t count sriracha out. It’s a wonderful way to breathe new life into anything you might throw on the grill, burgers and chicken alike.