In domestic kitchens around the world, the phrase liquid gold is tossed around with respect. It’s the kind of title reserved for products that carry a sense of imperative with them culinary jewels so luxurious and complex they should be left on your shelves. But come on: there is more than one kind of liquid gold. Over the years, I’ve discovered several different versions, each born out of resourcefulness, creativity, and the refusal to waste a single drop of potential flavor. These humble, homemade liquids have elevated my cooking, saved me money, and turned even the simplest meals into something unforgettable.
A Happy Accident: Cowboy Candy Syrup Meets BBQ Sauce
My journey began with something sweet, spicy, and completely unexpected: Cowboy Candy. If you’ve never tried these candied jalapeños, you’re missing out. They’re fiery little gems balanced with just the right amount of sugar addictive on sandwiches, burgers, even straight from the jar.
But the real revelation wasn’t the jalapeños. It was what was leftover. After I’d eaten a batch, I’d be staring at this leftover syrup, a rich red pool that caught the light in the jar, wondering how in the world I could ever possibly throw away something that smelled that good.
That’s when I had an epiphany: barbecue sauce. By using that syrup to make it into a base, I discovered a form of liquid gold that my family now refuses to be without year-round. That honey-hot flavor is an ideal complement to basic BBQ ingredients tomato sauce for substance, molasses for richness, honey for sparkle, and a hint of liquid smoke to give it that campfire flavor. Toss in some garlic, onion powder, smoked paprika, and suddenly you’ve got a sauce so good people start asking if you’ve been secretly running a smokehouse on the side.
A batch produces dozens of jars, so it’s perfect for sharing. although I have to admit, I always think I wish I’d left some for myself. In our household, it doesn’t linger on the shelf. Burgers, pork chops, grilled chicken if it’s off the grill, chances are this sauce is going to be a topping.
Best Kansas City–Style Barbecue Sauce
Equipment
- 1 Saucepan (medium) For simmering the sauce
- 1 Whisk For smooth mixing
- 1 Measuring Cups and Spoons For accurate ingredient portions
- 1 Rubber Spatula For scraping and stirring
- 1 Fine-Mesh Sieve (optional) For straining a super smooth sauce
Ingredients
Main
- 10 3/4 ounces canned tomato purée such as Hunt’s
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 1/2 tablespoons liquid smoke
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt plus more to taste
- 1 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1 teaspoon ground smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper optional
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, combine the tomato purée, light brown sugar, apple cider vinegar, honey, and liquid smoke.
- Add the kosher salt, ground mustard, ground smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, ground black pepper, and cayenne pepper (if using).
- Whisk all ingredients thoroughly until well combined and smooth, ensuring no lumps of brown sugar remain.
- Place the saucepan over medium heat and bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally.
- Once simmering, reduce the heat to low and continue to cook for 10-15 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld and the sauce to thicken slightly.
- Stir regularly to prevent the bottom from scorching and ensure even cooking.
- Taste the sauce and adjust seasonings as needed, adding more salt, vinegar, or a pinch more sugar to balance.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the sauce cool slightly before serving or transferring.
- For an extra smooth consistency, pass the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing down on any solids.
- Store the finished Kansas City-style barbecue sauce in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Notes
The Quiet Hero: Crock Pot Chicken Stock
If BBQ sauce is liquid gold, hot stuff in a bottle, then chicken stock is its subtle, working-class twin never so much the star of the performance, but always, always required. I used to purchase it in cartons at the supermarket for years, using it to add soups, risottos, gravies, and stews. But since I’ve been making my own? Fuhgeddaboutit.
The great part: no extra equipment, just a crock pot and leftovers. I roast a whole chicken for family dinner each week. After dinner, instead of discarding the carcass, I put it into the slow cooker with carrots, celery, onion, garlic, and a sprinkle of herbs. Add water, turn it to low, and go to bed. By the morning my kitchen smells like heaven and I have jars of golden broth cooling on the counter.
The payoff is huge. A $10 chicken magically turns into four generous meals plus quarts of silky, nutrient-rich stock. And not like store-bought versions, mine never develops a flat or too-salty flavor. It’s flavor insurance, plain and simple, just sitting in the fridge or freezer for whenever the mood hits.
Chicken Noodle Soup Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Large Stockpot For preparing chicken stock and the soup base
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 Chef’s knife
- 1 Fine-Mesh Strainer For straining homemade chicken stock
- 1 Wooden Spoon or Ladle For stirring and serving
Ingredients
Main
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 medium onion chopped
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 2 medium carrots cut diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices
- 2 celery ribs halved lengthwise, and cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
- 4 fresh thyme sprigs
- 1 bay leaf
- 2 quarts chicken stock recipe follows
- 8 ounces dried wide egg noodles
- 1 1/2 cups shredded cooked chicken
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 handful fresh flat-leaf parsley finely chopped
- 1 whole free-range chicken about 3 1/2 pounds, rinsed, giblets discarded
- 2 carrots cut in large chunks
- 3 celery stalks cut in large chunks
- 2 large white onions quartered
- 1 head of garlic halved
- 1 turnip halved
- 1/4 bunch fresh thyme
- 2 bay leaves
- 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
Instructions
- Place a soup pot over medium heat and coat with the oil. Add the onion, garlic, carrots, celery, thyme and bay leaf. Cook and stir for about 6 minutes, until the vegetables are softened but not browned. Pour in the chicken stock and bring the liquid to a boil. Add the noodles and simmer for 5 minutes until tender. Fold in the chicken, and continue to simmer for another couple of minutes to heat through; season with salt and pepper. Sprinkle with chopped parsley before serving.
Notes
Why Homemade Stock Deserves the “Liquid Gold” Label
Call me dramatic, but there’s just something magical about ladling homemade broth into a soup pot. The color alone a warm, golden hue that practically glows signals richness. The taste? Deeper, more nuanced, and infinitely adaptable.
A few lessons I’ve learned along the way:
- Keep the simmer low and slow. Boiling too hard makes broth cloudy and less flavorful.
- Save the salt. Season later so you don’t overseason.
- Use what you have. Peels of vegetables, minced leftover herbs, even parmesan rinds can all be part of the party.
Beyond taste, chicken stock has been celebrated for centuries as a healing tonic, believed to boost immunity and soothe the soul. And whether you’re making a classic chicken noodle soup, a luxurious risotto, or a simple pan sauce, it’s the ingredient that quietly makes everything taste better.
Italian Wedding Soup
Equipment
- 1 Large Mixing Bowl For combining meatball ingredients
- 1 Sheet Pan For baking meatballs
- 1 Parchment Paper To line the sheet pan for easy cleanup and prevent sticking
- 1 Large heavy-bottomed soup pot Essential for even heat distribution and simmering the soup
- 1 Stirring spoon/ladle For sautéing and serving
Ingredients
Main
- 3/4 pound ground chicken
- 1/2 pound chicken sausage casings removed
- 2/3 cup fresh white bread crumbs
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic 2 cloves
- 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Pecorino Romano
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan plus extra for serving
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 1 extra-large egg lightly beaten
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 2 tablespoons good olive oil
- 1 cup minced yellow onion
- 1 cup diced carrots 3 carrots, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
- 3/4 cup diced celery 2 stalks, cut into 1/4 inch pieces
- 10 cups homemade chicken stock
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1 cup small pasta such as tubetini or stars
- 1/4 cup minced fresh dill
- 12 ounces baby spinach washed and trimmed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- For the meatballs, place the ground chicken, sausage, bread crumbs, garlic, parsley, Pecorino, Parmesan, milk, egg, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a bowl and combine gently with a fork. With a teaspoon, drop 1 to 1 1/4-inch meatballs onto a sheet pan lined with parchment paper. (You should have about 40 meatballs. They don’t have to be perfectly round.) Bake for 30 minutes, until cooked through and lightly browned. Set aside.
- In the meantime, for the soup, heat the olive oil over medium-low heat in a large heavy-bottomed soup pot. Add the onion, carrots, and celery and saute until softened, 5 to 6 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken stock and wine and bring to a boil. Add the pasta to the simmering broth and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until the pasta is tender. Add the fresh dill and then the meatballs to the soup and simmer for 1 minute. Taste for salt and pepper. Stir in the fresh spinach and cook for 1 minute, until the spinach is just wilted. Ladle into soup bowls and sprinkle each serving with extra grated Parmesan.
Notes
Busting the Store-Bought Myth
There’s a persistent myth that store-bought stock is “good enough.” And sure, in a pinch, it gets the job done. But once you’ve had homemade, you can’t go back. Package broths are flat and rely on salt to mask the absence of real flavor. Homemade gives you control over seasoning, over richness, and over quality of ingredients. And it turns scraps into treasure, so it’s one of the least expensive cooking routines you can adopt.
Slow Cooker Bone Broth
Equipment
- 1 Slow Cooker
- 1 Baking Sheet
- 1 Fine-Mesh Strainer
- 1 Large Bowl (heatproof)
Ingredients
Main
- 3 pounds beef bones or more to taste
- 3 carrots chopped
- 2 stalks celery chopped
- 1 onion chopped
- 5 cloves garlic smashed
- 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- 2 bay leaves
- 8 cups cold water or as needed to cover
- 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
- kosher salt to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil; spread beef bones out onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Roast bones in the preheated oven until browned, 25 to 30 minutes.
- Place carrots, celery, onion, garlic, peppercorns, and bay leaves into a slow cooker. Place roasted bones over vegetables, then pour in enough cold water to cover bones. Add apple cider vinegar and kosher salt.
- Cover and cook on Low for 8 hours. Pour broth through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl and discard any strained solids.
Notes
Gravy: The Holiday Showstopper
While silent liquid gold is the term used for stock, gravy is the dramatic, grand kind the silky glide that turns any meal from good to legendary. It’s the unobtrusive hero of Thanksgiving, the turkey-rescuer when it is a little too dry, and the secret ingredient that makes leftover sandwiches taste mythical.
But let’s be honest: gravy intimidates people. I’ve lost count of how many friends and family members have whispered, “Mine never turns out” while handing me the whisk at holiday dinners. Truthfully, it’s not nearly as tricky as it seems.
The secret? Start with the drippings. Those crispy, caramelized bits in your bottom of the roasting pan are flavor gold. Deglaze them with broth or water, skim off the fat, and use them to make a roux equal parts flour and fat, cooked until golden and nutty. From there, slowly whisk in your liquid, simmer until thickened, and season generously. That’s it. No magic required.
Giblet Gravy
Equipment
- 1 2-quart saucepan
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 Chef’s knife
- 1 Small Bowl
- 1 Whisk or Spoon
Ingredients
Main
- 1 quart water
- giblets from a turkey
- ¼ medium yellow onion
- 1 stalk celery cut in half
- 1 cube chicken bouillon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 14.5 ounce cans chicken broth
- 4 large hard-cooked eggs chopped
- ½ cup milk
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
Instructions
- Gather all ingredients. Allrecipes/Nelly Cuanalo
- Simmer water, giblets, onion, celery, bouillon, salt, and pepper in a 2-quart saucepan for 40 to 50 minutes. Allrecipes/Nelly Cuanalo
- Transfer liver and neck to a cutting board; chop meat and set aside. Discard celery, onion, neck muscle, and any other giblets. Allrecipes/Nelly Cuanalo
- Return chopped liver and neck meat to the saucepan; add chicken broth and chopped eggs and set over medium heat. Allrecipes/Nelly Cuanalo
- Mix milk and cornstarch together in a small bowl; slowly add to the saucepan. Allrecipes/Nelly Cuanalo
- Reduce heat to low; cook and stir until gravy has thickened, 3 to 5 minutes. Allrecipes/Nelly Cuanalo
- Serve hot and enjoy! Nelly Cuanalo/Allrecipes
Notes
The Make-Ahead Gravy Philosophy
This is a trick I swear by: make your gravy ahead of time. Instead of fighting with it during the holiday cooking chaos, I start days (sometimes weeks) in advance by roasting turkey or chicken bones and vegetables, then simmering them into a rich stock. This is the base of a silky gravy that waits patiently in the refrigerator until the big day.
The icing on the cake? You can add some spice at the last moment with brandy, cream, sautéed mushrooms, or herbs. It’s gravy with all the flavor and none of the stress.
Bourbon and Molasses-Glazed Turkey Breast
Equipment
- 1 Roasting pan With a rack for even cooking and air circulation.
- 1 Small Saucepan For preparing the bourbon-molasses glaze.
- 1 Whisk To combine glaze ingredients smoothly.
- 1 Basting Brush Heat-resistant, for applying glaze during roasting.
- 1 Meat Thermometer Essential for ensuring the turkey is cooked safely and to perfect doneness.
Ingredients
Main
- 1 cup bourbon whiskey such as Maker’s Mark®
- 1/2 cup blackstrap molasses
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon hot pepper sauce such as Tabasco®
- 1 2 pound bone-in turkey breast
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325°F (160°C).
- In a small saucepan, combine the bourbon, blackstrap molasses, brown sugar, kosher salt, and hot pepper sauce.
- Bring the glaze mixture to a simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves; then remove from heat and let cool slightly.
- Place the bone-in turkey breast in a roasting pan, ideally on a rack.
- Brush the turkey breast generously with the prepared glaze.
- Roast the turkey for approximately 1.5 to 2 hours, basting every 15-20 minutes with the remaining glaze.
- Continue roasting until a meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the breast registers 165°F (74°C).
- If the turkey skin begins to brown too quickly, tent it loosely with aluminum foil to prevent burning.
- Once cooked, remove the turkey from the oven, cover loosely with foil, and let it rest for 10-15 minutes before carving.
- Carve the rested turkey breast and serve warm with any desired pan drippings.
Notes
Giblet Gravy: A Southern Gem
Of all the gravies, giblet gravy is perhaps my top choice. It’s heavy, heaving, and unapologetically old-fashioned. The giblets heart, gizzard, neck simmer into a broth that’s so rich it’s almost a humming sound. Chopped and seared in butter, then whisked into a roux, they create a sauce that’s both rustic and luxurious.
Add a splash of milk for creaminess, season to taste, and suddenly you’ve got a gravy that begs to be poured over everything turkey, mashed potatoes, biscuits, even fries for an impromptu poutine. It freezes beautifully too, making it a gift that keeps on giving long after the holiday dishes are cleared.
A Few Pro Gravy Tips
- Whisk, whisk, whisk. Constant stirring keeps lumps away.
- Don’t panic if it’s too thick. Add a splash of milk or broth and it will thin out.
- Make umami richer. A dash of Worcestershire, soy sauce, or even miso will put flavors in harmony.
- Strainers are your best friend. If there are lumps, just strain them out no one will know the difference.
Butternut Squash Noodle Soup with Turkey
Equipment
- 1 Large stockpot or Dutch oven For simmering the soup
- 1 Cutting Board
- 1 Chef’s knife For chopping vegetables and preparing squash
- 1 Vegetable Peeler Essential for peeling butternut squash
- 1 Spiralizer or Julienne Peeler For creating uniform butternut squash noodles; a sharp knife can also be used for careful julienning
Ingredients
Main
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken broth
- 3 ribs celery chopped
- 0.5 white onion chopped
- 1 teaspoon chopped garlic
- 0.75 teaspoon Mexican oregano
- 0.25 teaspoon ground chipotle chile pepper or to taste
- 0.75 butternut squash peeled and cut into noodle shapes
- 2 cups diced cooked turkey
- 1 teaspoon chopped fresh cilantro or more to taste
Instructions
- Peel and chop the celery and white onion. Mince the garlic. Peel the butternut squash and carefully cut it into thin noodle shapes using a spiralizer, julienne peeler, or a sharp knife.
- In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, combine the low-sodium chicken broth, chopped celery, chopped white onion, minced garlic, Mexican oregano, and ground chipotle chile pepper.
- Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat.
- Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low, then add the prepared butternut squash noodles to the pot.
- Continue to simmer gently for about 8-10 minutes, or until the butternut squash noodles are tender-crisp, being careful not to overcook them to maintain their integrity.
- Stir in the diced cooked turkey and allow it to heat through completely, which should take just a few minutes.
- Stir in the fresh cilantro. Taste the soup and adjust seasonings as needed, adding more chipotle for heat or salt to preference.
- Ladle the hot soup into individual serving bowls.
- Garnish with additional fresh cilantro if desired before serving warm.
Notes
Why Homemade “Liquid Gold” Matters
Whether it’s BBQ sauce, chicken broth, or gravy, all these forms of liquid gold share the same genetic makeup: they are frugal, tasty, and enchanting. They make what could otherwise be left over, drippings, or scraps become something that elevates every meal to another level.
And here’s the catch creating them isn’t all about taste. It’s about connection. About slowing down, working with what you have, and sharing something richly nourishing with the people at your table.
So the next time you’re tempted to toss that chicken carcass, pour out that syrup, or skip the drippings, stop. That’s not waste that’s the start of your next jar of liquid gold. And trust me, once you’ve tasted it, you’ll never go back.
