The not so hot, hot sauce thread.

mtn said:

Random thing I noticed two nights ago while using some of the Tobasco Chipotle sauce... Anybody ever experience times when they're awfully sensitive to capsaicin? It happens to me occasionally that the Tobasco Chipotle sauce makes me sweat and reach for the milk. It is not at all spicy, honestly. I can handle hot stuff easily - I go to Thai restaurants and convince them to make it Thai spicy for me, and love it. But every once in a blue moon, the mild Tobasco Chipotle sauce will have me tearing up. Why? 

did you get it on your hootus?

One of my coworkers in Tampa turned me on to this stuff:

Gator Hammock Gator Sauce

It's a little vinegary but has lots of flavor. It has some heat but it's not "hot". I haven't been able to find it since we moved to New Mexico.

Marjorie Suddard said:

Discovered this stuff in Costa Rica. Not hot at all, but essential to make gallo pinto (beans and rice) like a Tico. Also uhmazing on eggs.

 

Came here to say this. Lizano for the win.  I just ran out so I have to order more.  It's as if Ketchup, Franks Red Hot, and A1 had a foursome with Cumin, and Lizano is their love child.

I'm also a big fan of Franks Red Hot.  It's such good flavor without being super hot.  Probably half as hot as Tabasco.

Tabasco also has a Chipotle version that is less spicy and very delicious.

Has Preach marketed his sauces yet?  He sent me a bottle and it was (not exaggerating) the absolute BEST hot sauce I've ever put in my mouth.  Genuinely delicious, and not too hot.

In reply to Toyman! :

I just watched an episode of Max Miller 's Tasting History on the history of barbecue.
 

He makes a vinegar based sauce that came from the book Housekeeping in Old Virginia, 1879. It's neither a hot sauce, nor a barbecue sauce, but it may be something you'd be interested in. To me, it looks like a thin relish.

If you don't want to watch the whole episode, fast forward to the 16:25 mark. 
 

Max Miller Tasting History

Here's a screenshot:

A local Mexican restaurant did a Chamucos tequila tasting (and chocolate pairing) night, and it included a bottle of this for everybody. We've really enjoyed it.

In reply to Woody (Forum Supportum) :

My preferred BBQ sauce is vinegar. It is the best by far to me. I have made it before, I'll have to give that one a try. Thanks!

Ah my people are here.  I love hot sauce, got addicted in the Navy when everything was so bland and tasteless.  Moved to New Orleans for awhile, that obviously helped.

My go-to is still regular old Frank's in the big bottle.  There are a few clones that taste essentially the same (Durkee was one if I remember).  I have a few bottles of assorted flavors people have gifted me in the cupboard but I always end up reaching for Frank's goodness.

I want to be able to eat more than one hot wing.  I don't see the point of dick measuring to see who can make the hottest/billion-ist Scoville heat units when it likely tastes like crap.  I want flavor too.

There was a booth at the Red Barn Flea Market here locally that had lots of variety, I did find something that I really liked and wish I could find again.  Cajun somethingorother that was slightly orange, had some heat but really good flavor too.

In reply to Duke :

The Herdez Salsa Verde is fantastic. 

I make Strawberry Salsa for eggs in the morning.

• 1 lb. strawberries (1 pint), stems removed & finely chopped
• 2–4 Tablespoons finely minced red onion
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 1–2 Tbsp. finely minced jalapeño*
• Zest & juice of 1 lime
• 1/2–1 Tbsp. honey or agave 
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/8–1/4 tsp. pepper

vwcorvette (Forum Supporter) said:

What about longevity? How long can a bottle last? I don't sauce everything, and my wife is part of the banana is spicy crowd like JG so I don't go through it very fast. I think I tossed half a bottle of Cholula that had a best buy date of 6 months ago. Was that wrong?

Thankfully I managed to overcome my boiled white food upbringing and embrace the heat.

Although over the last couple years I've developed a real strong hiccup response to anything that's like ghost pepper/scorpion pepper level or hotter. Not that it keeps me away from that stuff, just that I know my diaphragm is going to be spasming while I strip the last few wings.

In reply to 914Driver :

My FIL does a similar watermelon salsa. It actually tastes great, although the diced watermelon looking shockingly like tomatoes can make for a bit of a surprise.

I picked this up in Wallyworld a few years ago and it has been my go-to mild condiment since. 

mtn said:

Random thing I noticed two nights ago while using some of the Tobasco Chipotle sauce... Anybody ever experience times when they're awfully sensitive to capsaicin? It happens to me occasionally that the Tobasco Chipotle sauce makes me sweat and reach for the milk. It is not at all spicy, honestly. I can handle hot stuff easily - I go to Thai restaurants and convince them to make it Thai spicy for me, and love it. But every once in a blue moon, the mild Tobasco Chipotle sauce will have me tearing up. Why? 

knowing that you don't live far from me, what is your goto Thai?  Megan and I like thipi thai in glen ellyn.

ClearWaterMS said:

cholula chili garlic is the goto in our house...  

I came here to post this one. All sorts of good flavor without the obscene heat. I like hot sauces, but I like flavor more. This one is great. 

In reply to Tony Sestito :

I like hot sauces, but I like flavor more.

Same, but there are big differences between what people consider hot.  I once read here that somebody considered Sriracha to be pure heat with no flavour. I find it to be very flavourful, and not all that hot.

Old_Town said:

I picked this up in Wallyworld a few years ago and it has been my go-to mild condiment since. 

 

All the " Melinda's " sauces I've tried are amazing !  This Chipotle one is my favorite:

ClearWaterMS said:

mtn said:

Random thing I noticed two nights ago while using some of the Tobasco Chipotle sauce... Anybody ever experience times when they're awfully sensitive to capsaicin? It happens to me occasionally that the Tobasco Chipotle sauce makes me sweat and reach for the milk. It is not at all spicy, honestly. I can handle hot stuff easily - I go to Thai restaurants and convince them to make it Thai spicy for me, and love it. But every once in a blue moon, the mild Tobasco Chipotle sauce will have me tearing up. Why? 

knowing that you don't live far from me, what is your goto Thai?  Megan and I like thipi thai in glen ellyn.

I don't have one nearby that I can recommend. There was one I really enjoyed when I lived in Bloomington/Normal, and one I liked in the Loop that has since closed. We go to Bambu Thai in Elmhurst, but that is because my in-laws like it. It is really "generic white-people Asian food" more than Thai food. 

ShawnG said:

Flavour > Heat.

Tabasco is awful and so is Frank's.

Sriracha is my go-to but someone bought me a bottle of bourbon hot sauce for Christmas which is very good.

I'm glad someone else thinks Franks is terrible. I like the Tabasco green sauce, but thats mainly for the vinegar bite, it has no heat. 

msmnd, I don't remember his exact screen name, sent me a bottle from a place in Florida years ago. Tasty but even too hot for me. My better half and I love hot sauce. I think we have maybe 40 or so different types in the fridge at the moment. But my usual go to is Sriracha. It's just been so inconsistent the last few years. Some bottles are super mild, some are the heat level I want. 

If you like hot sauce, the show hot ones, puts out a sampler every year of the ones featured on the show. 

CooperTired turned me onto Truff.  It's a truffle flavored hot sauce that is huge on umami with a touch of spice.  Amazeballs.

I've tried two or three of these, one was quite hot.  (don't remember which)  That one I mixed with some boring BBQ and all was well.

It's ribs tonight, I'm going to try my hand a General Tso Sauce from scratch.

In reply to Indy - Guy :

I bought myself a Melinda's sampler box for Christmas and I've been putting the Red Savina sauce on everything. Habaneroish heat but the flavor is amazing. 

In reply to 84FSP :

I like it as well. 

Smoke Tabasco was the first to come to mind, but some of the Peri-Peri sauces fit the bill. Nando's or African Rhino are two brands to try there.

Cheech Martin marketed a mango habanero sauce that was a lot more mango than habanero.