Hot, Hot, Hot Sauces!
Sriracha
Sriracha is probably one of the most popular hot sauces currently on the market. And it's one of the most recognizable, thanks to its now-ubiquitous red rooster label. Made by Huy Fong Foods Inc., this simple but supremely tasty sauce is made from only a few ingredients, like ripe red jalapeño chilies, vinegar, and garlic. Though it has been produced using the same recipe since the 1980s, Sriracha has achieved cult status in recent years, showing up in a multitude of other products and on restaurant menus. It even has two cookbooks dedicated to it.
Meat-Flavored Sauces
Bacon is in everything these days, from candy and desserts to beverages like coffee and beer. Like bacon, hot sauce seems to make everything taste a little better. So why not combine the two in a bacon-flavored hot sauce? That was the revelation the three creators of Bacon Hot Sauce had one Sunday morning. Since then the product's fan base has been steadily growing. Try it in your favorite meaty foods, like burgers, in a bloody mary, or, of course, on top of any breakfast dish.
Chipotle Sauces
For a distinctly smoky flavor in addition to some heat, try a chipotle-based sauce, like Mo Hotta Mo Betta's Chipotle Adobo Hot Sauce. One of the most popular flavors the company produces (and it produces a lot!), this chipotle sauce packs plenty of the sweet and smoky chilies (smoked and dried jalapeños) in a spicy tomato base.
Cocktail-Inspired Sauces
You might, on occasion, enjoy a deliciously spicy dish alongside a refreshing margarita. But if you're looking to get that same flavor combination into your food minus the alcohol, it's easy to do thanks to Mo Hotta Mo Betta's Key Lime Margarita Hot Sauce. Inspired by a longtime love for the Caribbean Islands, this sauce is loaded with citrus — real key lime and lemon juice — and green jalapeños to create a fresh and mildly spicy sauce that's perfect for using on just about anything during the hot summer months. If you do drink, the company recommends mixing the sauce with a little tequila for a truly authentic margarita flavor.
Beer-Infused Sauces
Oskar Blues, based in Longmont, CO, essentially has a food and drink empire — with multiple brick and mortar restaurants, a food truck, a brewery, a farm, and even a bike company (really!), the crew at Oskar Blues is getting involved in every aspect of the industry. But their hot sauces, which are made with the company's own beer, really sets Oskar Blues apart. Deviant Dale's Mega Hot Meleguta Sauce is made from the meleguta pepper (an African variety) and Deviant Dale's IPA, so this sauce packs plenty of heat, as well as a subtle hoppy taste. Although its powerful, the combination reportedly still allows the consumer to enjoy the taste of other foods and beverages. Other beer-infused sauces made by Oskar Blues include a pale ale wing sauce, a honey-Sriracha sauce, and 3 Chili Chipotle.
Beer-Infused Sauces
The California-based Stone Brewing Co., maker of Arrogant Bastard Ales, sells a trio of hot sauces made with their brews. Sold together, you get Arrogant Bastard Ale Jalapeño Heat Sauce, OAKED Arrogant Bastard Ale Chipotle Hot Sauce (the oak wood used is said to give this sauce the flavors and aromas of vanilla and molasses), and Double Bastard Double Burn Habanero for $20.
Barrel-Aged Sauces
At Vesta Dipping Grill in Denver, CO, Executive Chef Brandon Foster and Sous Chef Steven Cox are whipping up something pretty spectacular — their very own house-made hot sauces. Not only are these Hudson Barrel sauces made from scratch on site, they're also both aged for a minimum of 4 to 6 weeks in whiskey-rinsed (for the red sauce) or tequila-rinsed (for the green sauce) barrels, giving them a robust and truly unique flavor. The red sauce is made from Red Fresno chilies as well as super hot habanero peppers, vinegar, garlic, and other seasonings, while the green sauce is made primarily from Serrano and jalapeño peppers. Both sauces can be purchased at the restaurant for heat-loving patrons to take home.
Distillery-Made Sauces
A. Smith Bowman is not the only company making a barrel-aged hot sauce, but it is one of the only companies that is also primarily a distillery and spikes the sauce with its own bourbon. Locally made in Virginia, it's a smoky chipotle chili sauce combined with the company's superb bourbon whiskey and aged in the same type of barrels used to age the spirit.
Celeb Chef Sauces
Many famous chefs have come out with their own lines of branded products, like cookware and other kitchen goods. But the new trend in chef-inspired preparations seems to be hot sauces — Emeril Lagasse, one of the Food Network's biggest names, created several hot sauces that sport his familiar face, including a red pepper blend. Made with the traditional flavors of Emeril's home state of Louisiana in mind, the cayenne-based Kick It Up Red sauce also contains vinegar, salt, and garlic for an extra kick. If cayenne isn't your favorite flavor, go for the chef's slightly milder green pepper sauce, which has a jalapeño base.
Unusually Flavored Sauces
Dave's Gourmet is a brand known for making some really "out there" sauce flavors and food products. The company is probably best known for its Super Hot Insanity Sauce, but for those who can't quite stomach such an intense level of heat, Dave's makes a variety of other creative flavors, including the sweet and spicy Ginger Peach Hot Sauce (pictured). Dave's Gourmet recommends trying it over vanilla ice cream with a little caramel as well (yum!), but we think it'd also be delicious on grilled fish, tender pork, or tacos.
Gochujang (Korean Hot Sauce)
Many traditional sauces from various world cuisines are getting more attention amongst hot sauce lovers and others in the food community. Korean hot sauce, or gochujang, is one of those now in the spotlight. There is an enormous selection of gochujang sauces out there, but a popular brand like Annie Chun's should be widely available at many large grocers and retailers, as well as at local Asian markets and online. Made with a Korean red pepper powder, cultured soybeans, fresh garlic, and other ingredients, gochujang is a complexly flavored condiment that is extremely versatile and can be used as a marinade, dipping sauce, or dressing. Try it with everything from burgers to grilled chicken to noodle salads, or just to add a kick to your other favorite condiments, like barbecue sauce or ketchup.
Sambals
Sambals are a type of chili-based sauce popular throughout Asia in countries like Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, and Sri Lanka. There are a many different versions of sambal, and the type of chilies and other ingredients used can vary greatly from place to place. Generally, though, they have a thick, chunky texture, and are often made by hand in a mortar and pestle (though you can also use a food processor to make them at home, if you prefer). Other ingredients commonly used in sambals are fish sauce, vinegars, shrimp paste, garlic, and ginger. The sambal pictured is an andaliman sambal (andaliman is the type of pepper used and is in the same family as the Sichuan pepper).
Peri-Peri Sauces
Named after the pepper that creates its spicy heat, peri-peri hot sauces are used in cuisines throughout several regions of Africa. Made with the peri-peri pepper (otherwise known as the African bird's eye chili), this sauce, which also contains vinegar and tomatoes, packs more heat than a jalapeño-based variety, but is not as intensely fiery as sauces made with habaneros or Ghost Peppers.
Fruity Sauces
From a family-run business in Maine comes the Deer Camp line of hot sauces. Though the company makes a wide range of sauces with varying flavor profiles and heat levels, some of their fruity hot sauces are real standouts. The Buckshot Blueberry sauce (pictured) uses local Maine blueberries, as well as a blend of agave, red savina habanero peppers, and other ingredients for a lovely, sweet-and-spicy concoction. Every sauce is made in small batches with fresh ingredients, a minimal amount of salt, and no preservatives, so you can feel good enjoying them as often as you like. Deer Camp hot sauces are available at Whole Foods Stores in New England, New York, and New Jersey, as well as online.
Sweet and Spicy Sauces
Adding a little sweetness to your spice can create a truly balanced flavor profile and give a distinctive taste to any kind of dish. That's something the folks at Couture's Maple Shop have clearly figured out, as they've created a deliciously sweet and spicy maple syrup-infused sauce. Made with Grade B maple syrup, which is darker in color and has a more robust flavor, Maple-Fire Hot Sauce is made with only five ingredients at Couture's Maple Shop's Westfield, Vermont, farm and bed and breakfast.
Dessert Sauces
Crazy Uncle Jester’s® is a company you may not have heard of before, but the Native American-owned specialty food manufacturer (which is currently making an effort to go totally green and leave no carbon footprint) is making products that are all-natural and use no artificial colors, flavors, or preservatives — and which, of course, are also totally delicious. The company's addictively sweet and hot Afterburner Sauce is a hot fudge infused with the fiery heat of habanero peppers, giving the sweet and creamy dessert topping a surprisingly spicy kick. This sauce won a Scovie Award in 2009 and the Golden Chile Award at the National Fiery Food Challenge in 2010, so the combination is clearly working for a growing base of fans.
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