These are my top 3 favorite hot sauces that I always have in the house.
There’s nothing exotic or fancy here – just simple, good for everyday use hot sauces that I always keep on hand.
1. Tabasco – The Granddaddy of hot sauces
Tabasco has been around since 1868. Pages have been written about this trail-blazer sauce, the McIlhenny Family and their company. I may take some heat from readers for even mentioning Tabasco, but it’s hard to argue it’s popularity. And dammit, I like it. I love it on pizza, it keeps well needing no refrigeration, so I can carry it with me all the time.
For all you Tabasco fans out there, be sure to check out Tabasco’s History Tent and their Info Booth (FAQ’s).
By the way, the correct pronunciation of the family name “McIlhenny” is “mac-ull-henny”
Ingredients: distilled vinegar, red pepper, salt
2. Pickapeppa – Hot Red Pepper Sauce from Shooters Hill, Jamaica
My favorite imported hot sauce comes from the Pickapeppa Company Limited. Again, another old company that has been making it’s legendary Pickapeppa Sauce since 1921. This bright red sauce begins with a very unique sweetness due to the cane vinegar and sugar, but it also packs quite a bit of searing heat. I think it’s a very tasty hot sauce.
So much so, that it was the subject of the 2nd post here on HotSauceDaily way back in 2007.
If you can’t find it locally, (remarkably, I’m able to buy it at SuperFresh), you can purchase it online here from the Warbac Sales, the folks who import Pickapeppa products into the US via the Port of New Orleans.
Ingredients: hot peppers, cane vinegar, sugar, salt, and spices
3. Pyro-Mania – A chunky hot sauce from Garden Row Foods in St. Charles, Illinois
Even though its one of my top favorites, I do tend to reserve it’s use strictly for tacos, burritos and similar Mexican dishes. This is a very chunky sauce. Loaded with bits of peppers, onions and chives, it hits you with the vinegar and heat from the habaneros first, then some sweetness from the tomato paste and sugar. There’s the smokiness of the chipotle in there too.
I could eat this stuff with a spoon! Obviously, Pyro-Mania has the most complex recipe of this trio. It earns the third spot as my must have on hand sauces based on flavor and texture.
To purchase, Google “pyro-mania sauce” and you’ll get about 8,000 hits, but the best price I found was on EatHot.com, home of the manufacturer Garden Row.
Ingredients: distilled vinegar, habanero pepper, tomato paste, water, chipotle pepper, onion, salt, chives, sugar, garlic powder, black pepper
Bonus: If you’ve read this far, and you plan to buy the Pyro-Mania from EatHot.com, they are also home to the famous Sport Pepper that is a must have ingredient for Chicago Dogs. Drop a jar of these babies into your shopping cart while you are there!
In case you’re wondering, off the chart at Number 4 would have to be Sriracha sauce! Gotta keep that around too!
What would your top 3 must have on hand hot sauces be?
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{ 33 comments… read them below or add one }
I have too many to list. I couldn’t narrow it down to a top three.
But I must strongly disagree with your selection of Tabasco.;-) I’m not into pepper-colored vinegar.
Personally, my go tos would be Franks Redhot (I do put that @#$! on everything), Blair’s Original Death and Mike and Diane’s XX Hot Habanero, if I could do a fourth another common fave is Gringo Bandito.
-Jay
Hey Jay, nice choices! I’m a recent fan of Blair’s Original Death, and it’s pretty damn good.
And this is the second time in 2 days that I’ve run across someone touting Gringo Bandito. I have a few small sample bottles here that I’m going to have to open now.
I’m actually pretty new to the hot sauce craze but so far my top three go tos would be
Killer Cayenne – I put this on about everything
Oaxacan – go to sauce for tacos and burritos
Thai Monkey – this is my Chinese food go to sauce
I buy one or two of these just about every time I go to Jungle Jim’s.
I will have to check out Killer Cayenne and Oaxacan! I love the suggestions coming in. Thanks hudd.
just found out over the weekend Killer Cayenne is done! I picked up a couple extra bottles. May have to round up a few more.
Hudd, have you a link to share where we can buy some Killer Cayenne?
My first choice would be Sriracha sauce, then Frank’s Red Hot and Cholula. I also like any flavor of Tabasco.
Ah, Cholula… another great sauce to keep handy. Thanks Susie!
hmm can’t say I have a favorite hot sauce. there are so many out there and it all depends on what you are doing
Cholula of course is great with most anything
Tabasco if I just want a small something extra with soup
just got sent 4 hot sauces Desert Creatures, it has 4 different bottles two are hot the other two are more basic but all are good
Pecan hot sauce was amazing, has a sweeter taste def not the hottest but combine it with a salsa it would be awesome
Thanks Kelly! I’ll have to check out the Desert Creatures line of sauces. The Pecan sweet hot sauce sounds a lot like Georgia Peach in that it’s both sweet and hot.
Brian, I buy my Killer Cayenne at Jungle Jim’s in Fairfield Ohio. However over the weekend I bought a couple bottles direct from CaJohn’s shop in the North Market in Columbus Ohio. I was told when I bought mine Saturday that they weren’t making it anymore. http://www.cajohns.com and 888-703-FIRE is the phone number. Not sure how much they have left so get in touch with them and order some.
Redrum Golden BBQ (batch 1)
Mike and Diane’s Ring of Fire (garden)
Defcon wing sauce (2)
And Mild to Wild original habanero finishing sauce
I realize that’s 4 but I just had to….
That’s cool… 3, 4, 6 … everyone’s got their “list”. Thanks for weighing in.
I not saying any new ones that anyone else hasn’t all ready said. The ones I use the most are identical to Parker’s.
For bbq- Mild to Wild Pepper & Herb Company’s Fiery Hot Habanero is my favorite.
For egg omelets- Mike & Diane’s Ring of Fire XX Habanero, there is not another hot sauce that will do it justice.
For Anything Mexican- Oaxacan
Wing Sauce- Defcon 1 or 2
Dessert Sauce- Crazy Uncle Jester’s Afterburner Sauce- Chocolatey fudgey and oh so good with ice cream.
On Swiss Cheese- Yes sounds weird, but a slice of Sargento Swiss cheese and Zane & Zack’s Too Hot for Tina’s Habanero is just the right snacktoid.
Snack- B’More Nutz Nuclear Nutterz is both addictive and the perfect party snack with beer or at least I been told via feedback. It is good with my foo-foo drinks too. Their bacon cheddar flavor while not spicy is awesome.
Hey, Buddah… nice list of “must haves” on hand. Thanks for your eclectic list! Some great ideas there.
Although I seem to have a different favotite sauce every month, I find myself going back to the same few after the “Sauce of the day” facination wears off
My 3 favorites (not including RedRum Sauces which would of course would capture all 3 spots!)
First…must mention:
Number 1 (A) Sauce Emeritus – Inner Beauty, sadly no longer available
now the top 3 not neccasarily in order of preference:
1. Marie Sharps Fiery Hot – a classic!
2. Cheech Garlic – not too hot but it keeps me coming back again and again – great on pizza!
3. Defcon 2 – Makes great Jerky too!
Hey Eddie, you jacking my Defcon jerky recipe? lol I need to make some more, Start m a pile with 2 bottles of Defcon 2 will ya?
Hey Parker and Ed,
I’d love to see the recipe for jerky with Defcon sauces. Where can I find it?
Brian,
I don’t think there is any particular recipe other than their own. They all make their own jerky using that sauce. I know my friend Eric loves Bill & Sandi’s Defcon jerky version as well.
Buddah, can you point me to a recipe somewhere?
Brian, like I said, there isn’t a recipe to go look for. I am guessing all the amateur jerky makers are marinating their meat in Defcon wing sauce and dehydrating it. I will ask Parker or Sandi the specifics, but I am guessing that is all it is.
Oh ok. Very cool… I think I can figure it out. Thanks Buddah!
Brian..I have had much success making Defcon jerky. It took a while to get it down pat because it is a different type of sauce..get a hold of me if you want the “recipe”. It’s just a matter of the meat, marinating and way of dehydrating..but the method we’ve found does work for Defcon sauces.
Hey Sandi, I will get in touch with you. I’d love to know how to make some jerky with Defcon sauces! Thanks!
I wish I would have gotten on this earlier..top 3 sauces..hard to think of..
Oaxacan a must..use that more than any other sauce.
Thai Monkey..works great with anything Asian tasting..
And the last..I hat to say it is Tiger Sauce..it just works on anything.
EDIT!! Not top 3 sauces..but sauces I keep on hand!
I’m happy to see so many jerky makers using our stuff!
I thought that you had tried some at WOF O8..we had brought some for everyone to try..Turned out great! Have had some requests for Defcon jerky.
If someone could email me a recipe (I don’t know the first thing about making jerky), I’ll be more than happy to post it on the website.
Waddy Spice Traders Devil Dust
It’s not a sauce, it’s a dry blend of very finely ground peppers and it is HOT!!!
1. El Yucateco Green.
2. Sambal Oelek
3. Dave’s Insanity (The only acceptable hot sauce that uses extracts, IMHO.)
Thanks Jack for chiming in on this older thread. I agree 100% that Dave’s Insanity is a must have sauce too. And don’t think I didn’t catch your “mandate” that it’s the only one with extract worth eating. Extract additives can be so harsh… now that’s not to say there are others out there that merit mentioning.
It was my first ultra-hot sauce, and still a big favorite!
As to your other 2 “must haves”… El Yucateco makes a great Chipotle that I like. I can’t comment on the Green version. And Sambal Oelek… well, who shouldn’t have a sweet/hot chili paste on hand? Eh? Thanks again. ~brian