Hickory Chili Crisp

Description

Our Hickory Chili Crisp is the Texas answer to the Sichuan original. Crispy garlic and shallot, gently fried in batches of small-press peanut oil that’s been infused with hickory-smoked chiles, finished with a healthy pull of smoked Sicilian sea salt and a tiny amount of sugar to balance the heat.

It is somewhere between a condiment and a topping. Spoon it over fried eggs, ramen, grilled vegetables, white rice, dumplings, scrambled tofu, a wedge of soft cheese, plain yogurt, ice cream (yes, really), a baked potato, popcorn, avocado toast, or — our favorite — directly on top of a thick-cut tomato slice with flaky salt and good olive oil.

The crisp keeps its texture for months because the garlic and shallot are fried to the exact moment the moisture leaves but before the sugars caramelize. The oil tastes deeply of slow hickory smoke without being acrid — we use real wood, not liquid smoke.

What’s in the jar

Peanut oil (small-press), hickory-smoked Texas chiles (a blend of guajillo and ancho), garlic, shallot, smoked sea salt, cane sugar (small amount), toasted sesame seeds. No MSG, no preservatives, no anti-caking agents.

How long it lasts

Stored at room temperature, unopened: 9 months. Refrigerated after opening: 6 months. The oil may solidify slightly in a cold fridge — let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before spooning. Always use a clean dry spoon. The crisp lasts indefinitely if water never touches it.

Heat level: 4/10

Gentle compared to our hot sauces — the heat is the supporting actor, not the lead. Most people end up using more than they expect on the first jar.

6oz wide-mouth glass jar. Hand-fried in 4-batch lots.