Pepperika 7 Pepper Hot Taco Seasoning Review

We really enjoyed writing our review of Pepperika 7 Pepper Hot Sauce. When we ordered the hot sauce, owner/creator Brian Westerfield included a nice surprise – 2 packs of his new Pepperika 7 Pepper Hot Taco Seasoning for review.
I jokingly told him it would have to stand up to my own Mega’s Taco Seasoning recipe.

True to the name, there are in fact 7 peppers listed in the ingredients of this little packet of taco seasoning.

Pepperika 7 Pepper Hot Taco Seasoning

Ingredients: tomato powder (tomato, less than 2% silicone dioxide to prevent caking), onions, garlic, mixed bell peppers red/green, crushed red pepper, cumin, chili powder (chili pepper, spices, salt, garlic), jalapeno powder, serrano powder, new mexico chile powder, cayenne pepper, spices

In addition to this being a taco seasoning, the envelope suggests that it can be an “all purpose seasoning that can be used as popcorn seasoning, in Sloppy Joe’s, Chili, Eggs of any kind, or as a dry rub for beef, pork or chicken”. I would suggest and hope that Pepperika will offer this spice blend in larger quantities for rub purposes – say a 5 – 6 ounce shaker, or even a 1 pound bag.

If you’re going to play with the big dogs of rub and competition BBQ, you need to offer larger quantities. And while I’m on the subject of bigger quantities, we routinely make 3 pounds of taco meat each time, so I personally would appreciate a larger size package.

For the purposes of this review, we followed the recipe exactly for 1 pound of meat and 1 packet of Pepperika 7 Pepper Hot Taco Seasoning:

• In a skillet brown 1 lb. of ground beef
• Drain ground beef & put back in skillet
• Blend Pepperika Taco Seasoning & 1/2 cup water
• Bring to a boil, reduce heat to simmer 10 minutes

We added another 1/2 cup water, and simmered the meat a good 30 minutes. This really help bring together the flavors and made for a better mixture. It was too gloppy with only the 1/2 cup of water.

First Impressions:

Brian: I like the chunky bits of dried peppers in the mix. There’s quite a bit of heat in the mixture. It’s very spicy with a “Southwest” flavor.
Marilyn: I’m really cautious about seeing such large bits of dried peppers in the mix. I’m afraid the bits of dried peppers will be too hot after they get hydrated. Turns out they mellowed a bit, especially with the leftovers.

Texture & Appearance:

Brian: The overall mix is a fine blend of seasonings, with large bits of dried pepper flakes. Nice color.
Marilyn: A larger grain of spices than you usually see in a taco seasoning mix – but the dried peppers are disproportionally large.

Taste:

Brian: Hot. Spicy hot. Very good, with a strong pepper flavor from the blend of 7 peppers. You usually have one, maybe 2 peppers in a commercial taco seasoning. This elevates this taco mix to a higher level.
Marilyn: When I first tasted the meat with the recommended 1/2 cup of water, I got a lot of the tomato powder flavor. It was extremely thick, and the flavors couldn’t marry well. So we added another 1/2 cup of water to smooth things out – it simmered 30 minutes and I think it was quite an improvement.

Heat Level:

Brian: – When we first tasted the mixture, it was a “3”, but the next day, the leftovers were slightly milder: More down to a 2 1/2 out of 5. I agree with Marilyn, the leftovers were even better the next day.
Marilyn: – I rated the leftovers at 3 1/2, which was very pleasing to me. I think the meat absorbed a lot of the heat. Typically, the leftovers are better – such as chile, tacos, spaghetti sauce… when the flavors have a chance to marry.

Label/Graphics:

Brian: – Nice black foil lined plastic envelope. True to Pepperika’s logo with a nice pic of a taco. I’ve already stated I’d like to see it offered in larger quantities.
Marilyn: – I love how they outlined the label in peppers, and the picture and overall label is a great graphic presentation.

Overall Rating:

Brian: – Really delicious, spicy, hot taco seasoning. It differs quite a bit from my favorite homemade mix, but for a package it is light years ahead of what you typically find on the shelves. I recommend you try this yourself and see how a handcrafted taco seasoning is so much better than the stuff in stores.
Marilyn: – If you like a little more heat and pepper flavor in your taco seasoning, this is a great purchase. The sweetness of the Pepperika 7 Pepper Sauce is a great match with this seasoning on tacos.

Bottom Line:

It’s all natural, preservative free and low sodium with a fresh taste that has a bite. Get 2 packs, not just one, so you’ll have leftovers.
This taco seasoning as well as their 7 Pepper Hot Sauce is available at Pepperika.com.
Tell them HotSauceDaily sent you!

Disclaimer: We received this product courtesy of the manufacturer for review.