The hot sauce market is on fire and the competition is fierce! There are now literally thousands of zippy hot sauces, bottled and sold in America. The hype is real, and the descriptions read more like a fine wine than a good ol' taco-topper.
Phrases like barrel-aged, sun-ripened, hand-crafted, and full-bodied…are bantered about. In fact, the new breed of hot sauces goes far beyond chiles with inventive flavor profiles that include lemon drop melon, radishes, tangy citrus, and black truffle. Some are sweet, some are vinegar forward, all bring the heat, at one level or another, with the variety of pepper used in the sauce influencing the spice level.
Many of these hot sauces enjoy a cult following of loyal fans but in the end, the title of best hot sauce around, comes down to personal preference and the taste buds of one, you.
And while it’s challenging to narrow down the fiery playing field, the Metropolitan Market Test Kitchen has come up with 16, legit contenders and I have been asked to weigh in. My mission, to taste through the whole bunch of them, share my findings and humbly offer up pairing suggestions.
Let’s be clear, I like hot sauce. I have been a big pepper fan, since my childhood, pepper picking days in the fields of Yakima. However, sampling all 16 hot sauces in one sitting, is a bit daunting! I’m playing it cool though, armed with a pint of Greek yogurt, and a family size bowl of white rice, in case I need to chill out.
So, here it goes, lets taco about the flavor and heat profiles of all 16 brands and offer some saucy suggestions on how you might use them.
Sambal Oelek Ground Fresh Chili Paste (CA)
PROFILE: Smoky, herby, garlicky, salty, tomato, rich, thick
HEAT SOURCE: Chili peppers
HEAT LEVEL: High
SERVING SUGGESTIONS: Stir fry, beef, gyoza, eggs, fried rice, Thai dishes, dim sum, nachos
Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce (CA)
PROFILE: Sweet, smoky, rich, vinegary, tangy, hint of garlic
HEAT SOURCE: Sun ripened chiles
HEAT LEVEL: Medium high
SERVING SUGGESTIONS: Veggie stir-fry, noodle or rice bowl, pizza, breakfast hash.
Tiger Sauce Original (NOLA)
PROFILE: Light, sweet, smoky, tangy, spicy, malty, hints of garlic, cumin
HEAT SOURCE: Cayenne peppers
HEAT LEVEL: Medium
SERVING SUGGESTIONS: Shellfish, apple pie, ribs, noodles, rice, egg rolls, pizza, tacos
Frank’s Red-Hot Original (New Iberia, LO)
PROFILE: Smoky, sweet, peppery, buttery, rich, citrus, packed with flavor, notes of paprika
HEAT SOURCE: Cayenne pepper
HEAT LEVEL: Medium
SERVING SUGGESTIONS: Wings, fried cauliflower, hash browns, ribs
Louisiana’s Pure Crystal Hot Sauce (Metairie, LA)
PROFILE: Sweet, sour, citrusy, vinegary, tangy
HEAT SOURCE: Cayenne peppers
HEAT LEVEL: Medium
SERVING SUGGESTIONS: Wings, hot cocoa, pizza, gumbo, chili
Tabasco Pepper Sauce (Avery Island, LA)
PROFILE: Vinegar forward, sweet, sour, fruity, oaky
HEAT SOURCE: Red pepper
HEAT LEVEL: Medium high
SERVING SUGGESTIONS: Wings, eggs, potatoes, oysters, chowder, pasta, rice dishes, bisque
Hot Winter Sauce (Cottage Grove, OR)
PROFILE: Sweet, smoky, tangy, floral, bold, tomato and seedy with a thick texture.
HEAT SOURCE: Bulgarian Carrot Pepper
HEAT LEVEL: High
SERVING SUGGESTIONS: Mac and Cheese, spring rolls, fried chicken, Tofu, smoked meats
Bonache Socorro (Ballard, wa)
PROFILE: Sweet, smooth, smoky, tart, with notes of lemon, white wine vinegar and radish.
HEAT SOURCE: Dried Chiles
HEAT LEVEL: Mild
SERVING SUGGESTIONS: Grilled prawns, grilled halibut, tacos, enchiladas, pizza, scrambled eggs
Habitual Cactus Chaos Hot Sauce (Kirkland, WA)
PROFILE: Limey, light, sweet, fruity with notes of citrus and melon plus the zing of ginger
HEAT SOURCE: Jalapeño
HEAT LEVEL: Mild
SERVING SUGGESTIONS: Melon and prosciutto salad, tacos, dumplings, naan, seafood dishes
Secret Aardvark (Portland, OR)
PROFILE: notes of basil, mint and cilantro, hints of apple, vinegar, onion and zesty lime
HEAT SOURCE: Serrano and habanero peppers
HEAT LEVEL: Medium
SERVING SUGGESTIONS: Pasta, avocado toast, grilled chicken, chicken flautas, eggs,
RADS Pepper Sauce (Bellingham, WA)
PROFILE: Sweet, tangy, fruity, herby, oily, apple forward, flavorful
HEAT SOURCE: Jalapeño
HEAT LEVEL: Mild
SERVING SUGGESTIONS: Coleslaw, apple pie and ice cream, grilled fish, pizza, rice dishes, tacos
Cholula Hot Sauce (Jalisco, Mexico)
PROFILE: Smoky, grassy, tart, fruity, vinegary, caramelized onions, tamarind
HEAT SOURCE: Arbol and Piquin peppers
HEAT LEVEL: Medium
SERVING SUGGESTIONS: Grilled steak, grilled eggplant, BBQ pork, guacamole, eggs
Valentina Salsa Picante (Guadalajara, Mexico)
PROFILE: Vinegary, smoky, tangy, buttery, creamy, notes of tomato
HEAT SOURCE: Chili peppers
HEAT LEVEL: Medium
SERVING SUGGESTIONS: Kettle Chips, crudités, tacos, burritos, enchiladas, brisket, shellfish
Tapatio Salsa Picante Hot Sauce (Vernon, CA)
PROFILE: Peppery, smoky, tangy, vinegar, and garlic
HEAT SOURCE: Red peppers
HEAT LEVEL: High
SERVING SUGGESTIONS: Taco salad, eggs over easy, oyster shooters, nachos
Brooklyn Delhi Hot Sauce (Brooklyn, NY)
PROFILE: Smoky, tomatoey, earthy, smooth, sweet, sour, herbal
HEAT SOURCE: South India Chili peppers
HEAT LEVEL: Medium
SERVING SUGGESTIONS: Hummus, bloody mary, Indian cuisine, pork, pho, wings
Truff Hot Sauce (CA)
PROFILE: Sweet, smooth, smoky, rich, truffle forward
HEAT SOURCE: Chili pepper
HEAT LEVEL: Medium
SERVING SUGGESTIONS: Mushrooms, eggs, truffle fries, popcorn, shrimp, papaya, roasted veggies