"The Sweet 'N Sour sauce is one of the most iconic and beloved McDonald's dipping sauces. It's the classic companion to chicken nuggets, goes really well with fries, and has a perfectly balanced flavor that we crave over and over again. Who hasn't attempted to stock up on the sauce packets? But instead of eternally chasing those packets, it's a better idea to chase the flavor - Ken's Steak House Sweet N' Sour Sauce happens to be the near-identical grocery store copycat"
"The sourness in the sauce comes from vinegar in both brands, and the signature sweetness comes from apricots - or in the case of McDonald's sauce, apricots and/or peaches. This source of sweetness is the key flavor note that makes the two sauces so alike. Copycat recipes online commonly use ketchup (like our homemade sweet and sour sauce recipe) or pineapple juice, because those two ingredients are more convenient and easily accessible for the average home cook."
Both McDonald's Sweet 'N Sour sauce and Ken's Steak House Sweet & Sour Sauce list high fructose corn syrup first and water second. Both use vinegar for acidity and apricot (or apricot and/or peach) concentrates for the signature fruity sweetness. Home copycat recipes often substitute ketchup or pineapple juice for apricot or peach concentrate due to convenience. Ken's contains less than 2% apricot concentrate and lists it later in its ingredient order, while McDonald's lists apricots/peaches higher. McDonald's uses sherry wine for sharpness and adds caramel for color; Ken's uses mustard flour and paprika for color.
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