The habanero and carrot hot sauce that sits on nearly every table in Belize, made at Stann Creek since 1981. Carrot gives it body and sweetness, so it lands rounder than a straight chilli sauce despite the heat.
It is a commercial recipe still owned and made by the company that invented it, so a home version would be a guess dressed up as the real thing.
What goes into it
- red habanero peppers
- carrot
- onion
- vinegar
- lime juice
- garlic
- salt
How it is made
Habaneros grown on the company’s own farm at Melinda are washed, blended with cooked carrot, onion and garlic, acidified with vinegar and lime, cooked to a set consistency, then hot-filled into bottles. The ratio of carrot to habanero is what separates the Mild, Hot and Beware ranges, and it belongs to the producer.
How long it takes: minutes once the peppers reach the factory
How it is eaten
A few drops on rice and beans, stew chicken, fry jacks or eggs; Belizeans carry bottles abroad.
History
Marie Sharp began bottling habaneros from her Stann Creek farm in 1981; the sauce became Belize’s best known export brand.
Frequently asked questions
What is Marie Sharp’s?
Marie Sharp’s is a sauce & condiment from Belize: habanero and carrot hot sauce set on nearly every Belizean table. Marie Sharp began bottling habaneros from her Stann Creek farm in 1981; the sauce became Belize’s best known export brand.
How is Marie Sharp’s made?
Habaneros grown on the company’s own farm at Melinda are washed, blended with cooked carrot, onion and garlic, acidified with vinegar and lime, cooked to a set consistency, then hot-filled into bottles. The ratio of carrot to habanero is what separates the Mild, Hot and Beware ranges, and it belongs to the producer. It takes minutes once the peppers reach the factory.
Can I make Marie Sharp’s at home?
No, and the atlas gives no method for it. It is a commercial recipe still owned and made by the company that invented it, so a home version would be a guess dressed up as the real thing.
What goes into Marie Sharp’s?
Red habanero peppers, carrot, onion, vinegar, lime juice, garlic, salt.
How is Marie Sharp’s eaten?
A few drops on rice and beans, stew chicken, fry jacks or eggs; Belizeans carry bottles abroad.
