Boom! Done! Your XO Sauce is ready to serve. This is such a delicious and decadent condiment. How are you going to use yours? One such relatively newer creation is the wonderful XO sauce. This sauce is an amazingly unique mixture of flavors of the sea. In the past, before technology of modern cooling units or refrigerators, chefs had to come up with ways to preserve the meats that had been caught in excess. The meat that was preserved does not lose it taste but also become more intensified and concentrated in nature. With seafood, it adds a salty quality to the meat and inspires chefs to create different recipes with it. One such recipe is XO sauce and it has been passed down from generation to generation. Despite such a long culinary history, XO sauce is a fairly newer recipe, created in the 1980s in Hong Kong. “The name"XO” means “Extra Old”, which refers to expensive cognac, though cognac is not a recipe ingredient. The main ingredients of this sauce are dried prawns and dried scallops. There is also a considerable amount of fresh vegetables added to the mix, including chili peppers. Traditionally, this sauce was cooked in the winters to provide some hearty fish meat flavors to the cuisine. Interestingly, the term “XO” is synonymous with high quality or opulence in China, making XO sauce more of a luxury item to cook with. Here is the list of ingredients needed to prepare a fresh batch of XO sauce:
Dried Seafood. Use dried scallops and dried shrimp or dried prawns. Jinhua Ham. Or use Cured Pork, country ham, or prosciutto, roughly chopped. Aromatics. Use Onion or Shallots, Thai Peppers (Or use bird’s eye peppers, or milder peppers for less heat), Garlic, Ginger, Green onion. Liquids. Shaoxing Wine (or use dry sherry), Oyster Sauce, Dark Soy Sauce, Vegetable Oil (Or use any neutral oil), Chicken Stock. Seasonings. Chili Flakes (Chinese chili flakes preferred) Brown Sugar, Salt. You can use MSG.
Other popular ingredients in xo sauce include fish sauce, fish stock, salted fish, shrimp roe, and mushrooms.
How to Make XO Sauce - the Recipe Method
Rehydrate the Dried Seafood. Rinse then add the dried scallops and shrimp to a heatproof bowl. Cover with very hot water and soak for at least 2 hours. Soaking overnight is good. Drain the scallops and shrimp, but reserve 1/4 cup of the soaking liquid. Finely mince the shrimp and scallops with a knife, or use a food processor to pulse until finely shredded. Set aside. Cook the Vegetables. Add the finely chopped shallots, garlic, ginger and chili peppers and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often, or until the vegetables crisp up and turn golden brown. Finish the XO Sauce. When the consistency of the xo sauce reaches a moderately thick paste, turn off the heat and preserve the sauce in a glass container in the refrigerator. It will last 1 month or longer.
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Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H. You can also freeze XO sauce for up to 3 months. Consider a mix of oyster sauce, chili oil, and fish paste. While these substitutes may not be exactly the same as XO sauce, they can help you achieve a similar flavor profile in your dishes. NOTE: This recipe was updated on 4/3/23 to include new information and photos. It was originally published on 5/11/21.
