The Hot Sauce Thread - a running list of our favorites & why we love them

[CzechCzar]

I recently was thinking about one of my favorite food accoutrements - hot sauce! I don't think we have a running thread on hot sauces on B&B. We ought to start one!!

My only ground rule would be keep it respectful. Some people like commonly-available hot sauces, some people like boutique. Some people like mild, some like it scorching. All opinions are welcome! The more the merrier. If possible, post why you like a particular sauce, a heat level (using plain old Tabasco as a baseline 5/10), and what it goes best on!!

I'll submit the first review soon. Hopefully we can get a running thread going to share and compare!

 

[Lightcs1776]

My favorite is Texas Pete’s, closely followed by Cholula. Texas Pete’s has a special place because it was the hot sauce available when I was deployed with the US Army. Good and not so good times. I also like green hot sauce, but in small quantities on scrambled eggs.

 

[silverlifter]

I spent several years in Thailand in the mid-late 1970s, and have fond memories of Sriracha. Unfortunately, what is sold in supermarkets now bears little resemblance to that sauce.

My current favourite is this Kiwi icon:

 

[NorthernSoul]

I like to keep a big liter bottle of Valentina around. The black label (hotter version) is a favorite, but the standard one is also good and that's what you'll often see at Hispanic restaurants around here.

 

[Hairy Callahan]

Tabasco.

 

[Tirvine]

My wife likes Cholula. My go to is Melinda's Bhut Jolokia. The Melinda's sauces can pack heat, but mainly they pack flavor.

 

[rudygu]

I can’t take the super hot stuff like I used to, but I enjoy all kinds. Sriracha is a favorite and we are never without Frank’s in the house.

 

[Tirvine]

I can’t take the super hot stuff like I used to, but I enjoy all kinds. Sriracha is a favorite and we are never without Frank’s in the house.

We always have Sriracha in the house to squirt, liberally, into the Mornay when making macaroni and cheese (actually orecchiette and cheese) or cheese soufflés.

 

[Alex Jr]

I tried Frank’s last week for the first time but there’s no burn. Good flavor but I thought it was going to be stronger stuff.

How does it compare to Cholula?

 

[rudygu]

I tried Frank’s last week for the first time but there’s no burn. Good flavor but I thought it was going to be stronger stuff.

How does it compare to Cholula?

I think the level of burn is pretty comparable between the two, which as you say is not much. We keep the big bottle of Frank’s because both my wife and I like it and she uses it in recipes. For more heat I tend to buy smaller bottles that catch my eye when I’m out and about. My wife just picked up a couple of sample bottles somewhere that I‘ll be trying out soon.

 

[Eric_75]

The Melinda's sauces can pack heat, but mainly they pack flavor.

I'm a big fan of Melinda's sauces. I always have several different ones on hand. I save some of the bottles and use them for Bootlegger's blends.

 

[DesertIguana]

Please I use to eatMexican Food, before it became inconsistent had a HOT PASTE owner used small amount of in some of his sauces.

Made from Ghost, Carolina reaper, and Scorpion P{pepper, had tine bit on e nd of tooth pick. It was hot, then build more heat, the good part was it released flavors also. Jones the Owner about freaked out when I put the entire sample in mouth, it was size of like #6 Bird Shot.

I said it is hot, it has flavor, not just heat, but was interesting experience.

 

[Tirvine]

For breakfast I had a fried egg with about six or seven drops of Bhut Jolokia and some salt. Perfection to me.

 

[Tirvine]

BTW, if you like vinegar on your French fries, try it with Cholula or any of the mild vinegary sauces.

 

[Multum in parvo]

I spent several years in Thailand in the mid-late 1970s, and have fond memories of Sriracha. Unfortunately, what is sold in supermarkets now bears little resemblance to that sauce.

My current favourite is this Kiwi icon:

View attachment 1889832

I mostly switched over to McIlhenny so you might give it a try if’s it’s locally available to you.

 

[Claudel Xerxes]

I was having some tacos in the LA area a few days ago and had some Elijah's Xtreme Regret. I thought it was excellent. I used to love building up my heat tolerance, but haven't done so in over a decade. This was hot, but completely tolerable for me. It was not nearly as hot as I expected. From what I remember, it was rich and earthy and maybe slightly smoky as well. I just remember commenting a few times to the guy who suggested it about how nice the flavor complimented the tacos.

 

[Eric_75]

I was having some tacos in the LA area a few days ago and had some Elijah's Xtreme Regret. I thought it was excellent. I used to love building up my heat tolerance, but haven't done so in over a decade. This was hot, but completely tolerable for me. It was not nearly as hot as I expected. From what I remember, it was rich and earthy and maybe slightly smoky as well. I just remember commenting a few times to the guy who suggested it about how nice the flavor complimented the tacos.

View attachment 1890180

I haven't tried that one yet, Erik. I've thought about ordering some a few times.

 

[CzechCzar]

you guys are giving me a lot of sauces I need to try!!

 

[CzechCzar]

I recently was thinking about one of my favorite food accoutrements - hot sauce! I don't think we have a running thread on hot sauces on B&B. We ought to start one!!

My only ground rule would be keep it respectful. Some people like commonly-available hot sauces, some people like boutique. Some people like mild, some like it scorching. All opinions are welcome! The more the merrier. If possible, post why you like a particular sauce, a heat level (using plain old Tabasco as a baseline 5/10), and what it goes best on!!

I'll submit the first review soon. Hopefully we can get a running thread going to share and compare!

Maybe it will not be the first review!

My first review will be of Frank's Red Hot. This is the sauce that got me into hot sauces.

I would put it at a heat level of 3/10. In college I would apply liberally - 30+ seconds worth of shaking - to nearly everything. It made the boring cafeteria food much more enjoyable. It goes wonderfully on just about anything, but is especially well-suited to wings. (The original buffalo wings were made with Frank's.)

It is a classic for a reason. If you have not tried this, you owe it to yourself to go get a bottle!

 

[CzechCzar]

I tried Frank’s last week for the first time but there’s no burn. Good flavor but I thought it was going to be stronger stuff.

How does it compare to Cholula?

Frank's is very similar to Cholula. I would say it has a brighter flavor.

I think the level of burn is pretty comparable between the two, which as you say is not much. We keep the big bottle of Frank’s because both my wife and I like it and she uses it in recipes. For more heat I tend to buy smaller bottles that catch my eye when I’m out and about. My wife just picked up a couple of sample bottles somewhere that I‘ll be trying out soon.View attachment 1890005

Now I need to try Lola's!

I mostly switched over to McIlhenny so you might give it a try if’s it’s locally available to you.

View attachment 1890174

I have been hearing about how good this is for years. Need to finally get some.

I was having some tacos in the LA area a few days ago and had some Elijah's Xtreme Regret. I thought it was excellent. I used to love building up my heat tolerance, but haven't done so in over a decade. This was hot, but completely tolerable for me. It was not nearly as hot as I expected. From what I remember, it was rich and earthy and maybe slightly smoky as well. I just remember commenting a few times to the guy who suggested it about how nice the flavor complimented the tacos.

View attachment 1890180

I think that would burn my socks off. 800,000 Scoville units - yikes.