Why You Need A Strainer For Copycat McDonald's Szechuan Sauce

Your choice of dipping sauce plays a pivotal role in the experience of eating McDonald's. Whether you opt for ketchup or a different condiment, there's no denying that fries — and nuggets, really — serve as a vehicle for flavorful sauce. McDonald's Szechuan sauce is a unique choice for fried food, but customers love it. If you think it's delicious on McNuggets, just think of its potential applications beyond the McDonald's menu.

The untold truth of McDonald's Szechuan sauce is that to make it at home, you'll need to use a strainer twice to get it done. Mashed recipe developer Miriam Hahn uses a long list of ingredients for their copycat recipe of this condiment, and some of them will need to be strained out to achieve a smooth texture. Szechuan peppercorns, ginger, and garlic each play a part in generating the complex flavors of the sauce, but they ultimately get removed from the sauce for a silky finish.

McDonald's Szechuan sauce is a popular dipping sauce choice, but it's not consistently offered on the menu. This is distressing for customers, but all hope is not lost. This is what you do if you're seriously missing McDonald's Szechuan Sauce. Try making Mashed recipe developer Miriam Hahn's copycat version. Then you'll have it in your fridge at the ready whenever you choose. "This sauce is great with egg rolls or lettuce wraps too!" Hahn said.

This recipe lists 14 ingredients that go into the sauce, and it's not as simple as mixing them all together. You'll need to strain your ingredients twice during this process. To begin with, you must grind your Szechuan peppercorns and sift them through a strainer to eliminate any big pieces. Then, cook the peppercorns in soy sauce, along with ginger and other flavorful spices. Once those ingredients have simmered for 10 minutes, you'll need to strain out all the pieces suspended in the sauce. This copycat McDonald's Szechuan sauce recipe doesn't end there, but you're on your way to some intensely delicious flavor coupled with a smooth texture.