Hot stuff!

[jellywerker]

Another vote for Tabasco here, not too spicy, but good flavor. When it comes to flavoring big pots of food I usually just go for chilis themselves though, sometimes I'll make my own crude sauce by blending the peppers I have chosen with some other spices and liquids, and sometimes condensing this, but mostly, Tabasco does the trick.

One reason I tend to shy away from hot sauces in cooking though is that unless you have a region specific hot sauce, it often throws off the flavor of regional foods, for example, Tabasco gives a bit of a Mexican flavor to my dishes when I cook chinese.

 

[rickw]

Tabasco has a nice Chapulti. I also like Eros Pista, a hot Hungarian paprika.

 

[SmoovD]

I am a Lousiana Hoy Sauce guy- used more for flavor than for burn.

 

[BigRich]

Chohula Mexican Hot Sauce

 

[merkurguy]

I think it is called XXX habanero sauce. Sweet and hot at the same time. MMMMMM.

 

[daveesq]

My preferences:

Tabasco: Original, Habanero, and Chipotle are all good, the first two on eggs and the last when you just want just a little heat on a taco. Cholula (or Tapatio) for Mexican usually. Sriracha on southeast asian. Frank's on jambalaya. Melinda's occasionally (usually on Mexican). Pickapeppa (not really a hot sauce) when I want a steak sauce.

I know there are others.

 

[soulshine]

There is a gent locally who makes hot sauces under the name "MBF or Man's Best Friend" hot sauces. I noticed this morning his site is down but I usually purchase a box of his stuff every 6 months or so. I put it on just about everything....chicken, shrimp, snicker's bar, a phonebook.....

s~s

 

[langod]

I collect hot sauces too -- must have 30 of them in a cabinet reserved for the purpose.
I'll add another vote for Marie Sharp's. one of my Fave's.
Also like Siracha (Rooster Sauce).

One that surprised me for flavor was a clear sauce I picked up. I can't remember the name of it, but it comes in a normal hot sauce size bottle and it's a clear liquid -- until you shake it. It's got some oil/extract floating on top of it that mixes in and turned the whole sauce red for a few minutes, till it separates out again. It's got a nice peppery flavor and it's not mind-blowingly hot.

Endorphin Rush is a nice ultra hot sauce -- packs a hell of a wallop, but it's got flavor too.

I also have a bottle of Pure Cap -- but I'm afraid to open it. It's pure capsaicin -- the chemical that makes peppers hot -- I believe it's in excess of a few million Scovilles.

 

[Baloosh]

I also have a bottle of Pure Cap -- but I'm afraid to open it. It's pure capsaicin -- the chemical that makes peppers hot -- I believe it's in excess of a few million Scovilles.

Actually, Pure Cap clocks in at 1/2 a million:

http://www.hotsauceworld.com/purecap.html

I have a bottle as well (or should I say an eye dropper). I use it to dare people to eat a tortilla chip with a drop or two on it.

 

[MotoMike]

Crystal get's my vote. not killer hot, so you can slather it on and enjoy the flavor. made in new orleans

 

[frogman1821]

I'm a Frank's Red Hot guy, but Melinda's is pretty good.

 

[ouch]

I'm a Frank's Red Hot guy, but Melinda's is pretty good.

It may not be the best, but it's the classic choice for Buffalo wings.

 

[_JP_]

Flavor-wise I pick Tabasco Jalapeno. Not a lot of heat, but great flavor.

+1

Taste is where it's at. And I greatly prefer hot sauces that are not vinegar based.

 

[_JP_]

It may not be the best, but it's the classic choice for Buffalo wings.

It's part of the original recipe for Buffalo Wings. Mix equal parts of Franks and butter, with some lemon juice added. Toss the fried wings with it until well coated and serve with some bleu cheese dressing and celery sticks.

 

[Khay]

I'm a fan of Dave's Total Insanity sauce.

+1

It's really hot, but still, you can feel it's taste, it's not overpowered by the "heat".

The one that redefined "HOT" for me though was Ground Zero - The Bomb. I think that little jar will last me a lifetime

If you consider Tabasco to be a hot sauce, please, make sure you try just a little (like a toothpick tip) on the side before you actually put them on food - these are not your "regular" supermarket hot sauces !

 

[Jim]

This topic has some history- here

 

[Sticky]

Tabasco original and El Yucateco Chile Habanero XXXtra hot.

 

[Baloosh]

This topic has some history- here

Nice find, Jim. That's the thread that got me started on Marie Sharp's!

 

[-Devil-]

http://www.panolapepper.com/

Panola is about the only brand i use ... its nice to be able to stop by their factory and pick up some from time to time while i am cruising around

 

[langod]

Actually, Pure Cap clocks in at 1/2 a million:

http://www.hotsauceworld.com/purecap.html

I have a bottle as well (or should I say an eye dropper). I use it to dare people to eat a tortilla chip with a drop or two on it.

Yes, you're right. I looked at the bottle again -- it's actually the "Mad Dog's Revenge" version of pure Capsaicin which clocks in at a cool (hot?) Million Scovilles.
http://www.hotsauceworld.com/maddogrevhab.html
Still scared of it.....

Oh -- and the "clear" sauce I mentioned above is called "Magma"
http://www.hotsauceworld.com/hsw1139mg.html
It's a basic vinegar sauce (clear) with a float of 1 million scoville extract. Shake it and the float turns the sauce red. Put it down, and the extract works it's way back up to the top like a lava lamp. It looks cool, and tastes good. Pretty hot, but not death-defying. (just dont try it without shaking it!) I like it best on Pulled Pork sandwiches.