# Hot sauce **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 17, 2013, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-sauce/674123 "2013-11-17T16:23:53Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 18\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2013, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-sauce/674123/21 "2013-11-18T02:45:13Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Well, we’re both in the PNW. I think we’re expected to heat our haut dogs with a knife and fork. A seven course meal is a sixpack and a hot dog in my neck of the woods. ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2013, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-sauce/674123/22 "2013-11-18T03:33:29Z")
Texas Pete brightens up anything. I don’t like stuff so hot it fries the tastebuds. ---
**Author:** ![FordTaurusSHO94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f07891/32.png) [@FordTaurusSHO94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordTaurusSHO94)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2013, 4:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-sauce/674123/23 "2013-11-18T04:29:20Z")
Datil Do It goes on everything. It’s not really even hot, it just tastes great. It’s the same stuff that Firehouse Subs uses as their house sauce. I’ve used it on sandwiches, chips, grilled chicken, and anything else I could think of. ---
**Author:** ![sisu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/df705f/32.png) [@sisu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sisu)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2013, 4:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-sauce/674123/24 "2013-11-18T04:38:36Z")
From an Aussie, Tabasco is the go to sauce for every day use, Sriracha for stir fry etc, Thai Sweet Chilli Sauce mmmmmmm on chicken etc. Also grow my own Thai Chillies so lots of them get used. ---
**Author:** ![August\_West](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/august_west/32/18069_2.png) [@August\_West](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/August_West)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2013, 4:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-sauce/674123/25 "2013-11-18T16:19:16Z")
I use Sriracha on Asian foods, popcorn, pizza, and as the default. El Yucateco red for Mexican foods and chile con carne. (Do the red and green actually taste different?) Tapatio is great for wings and eggs. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2013, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-sauce/674123/26 "2013-11-18T16:34:44Z")
**Valentina, Topatio, or Cholula** - for Mexican food. I don’t really want to play favorites here but, if I must, I _think_ Cholula is going to win out. **Tabasco** - Cajun/Creole food. I have a bottle of Crystal as well, but I don’t like it as much **Frank’s** - Chicken wings. That’s it. I don’t like this hot sauce in any other application. **El Yucateco Kutbil-ik** - for when I want that habanero hot. **Dave’s Insanity Sauce** - the only extract sauce I find worth eating **Sriracha** (Huy Fong) - a good, everyday kind of hot sauce. Not too hot, good amount of salt and sweetness. **Sriraja Panich** - When I want more of a sweet & sour kind of sriracha experience. **Nando’s Piri-piri (medium)** - for chicken when I’m in that piri-piri kind of mood. Surprisingly, I don’t like their extra hot version as much. **Sambal Oelek** or **Erõs Pista** - Not hot sauces, but these are the ones I probably use the most. Just a paste of red peppers and salt. ---
**Author:** ![snowthx](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowthx/32/10660_2.png) [@snowthx](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snowthx)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2013, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-sauce/674123/27 "2013-11-18T21:49:52Z")
Tapatio, Cholula, or Valentina’s for Mexican, generally. Also good on chili. Tabasco also for chili, soup, and eggs. The Chipotle variety of Tabasco is also good here. I have had the Yucateco brand while in Mexico and it was really hot, but I have not had it around the house. Sriracha for most asian dishes, kabobs, as noted above hot dogs and sausages. Also, Sriracha is good mixed with pizza sauce on home-made pizza. Works well in red pasta sauce, too. Sriracha ketchup was mentioned, but don’t forget Sriracha mayo. _Is this sauce going to take over the world_? ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [November 18, 2013, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-sauce/674123/28 "2013-11-18T22:02:57Z")
Tabasco’s my standby. When in doubt, Tabasco. Sriracha is making inroads, though–it’s damned good on pizza, for example. I’ve got some El Yucateca green that I like on eggs. ---
**Author:** ![River\_Hippie](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/river_hippie/32/26_2.png) [@River\_Hippie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/River_Hippie)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-sauce/674123/29 "2013-11-19T01:30:22Z")
Huy Fong’s Chile Garlic Sauce is my favorite for just about any application. Great on pizza. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Bravo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_bravo/32/493_2.png) [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 1:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-sauce/674123/30 "2013-11-19T01:34:01Z")
I use Rooster Sauce almost any time I want heat, but there’s one particular latin place near my job that has Tapatio, and that stuff is damned good. I don’t like sauces that are mostly vinegar. I want to taste chili. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-sauce/674123/31 "2013-11-19T21:16:31Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > I use a table knife and smear a goodly amount directly on the hot meat, which will render it melty by the time you eat it. Top it with the hot sauce to the extent you can stand the heat. Done. Just tried it. Not bad, not great. FWIW, I used a Hebrew National hot dog and Skippy creamy peanut butter. ---
**Author:** ![AHunter3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ahunter3/32/368_2.png) [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-sauce/674123/32 "2013-11-19T23:55:46Z")
Mild and vinegary: Tabasco. Good on vegetables, general use when I want a tinge of warm instead of straight vinegar; a good dash in marinara sauce before dipping calamari for example Mild, when I want less vinegary: Cholula, good in hot soups and stews where the food-heat works to increase the spice-heat and you don’t want nuclear levels of hot, just nice warms Medium: El Yucateco red habanero, really nice on tuna fish melt sandwiches, turkey sandwiches Quite Hot: Blair’s MegaDeath, this is my everyday morning blast, on my bacon egg and cheddar cheese on english muffin ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 12:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-sauce/674123/33 "2013-11-20T00:21:00Z")
> [@AHunter3](#): > > Medium: El Yucateco red habanero, really nice on tuna fish melt sandwiches I never think to put hot sauce on tuna sandwiches. I just throw on some jalapeños. They would probably be good with sriracha. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-sauce/674123/34 "2013-11-20T00:39:00Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Just tried it. Not bad, not great. FWIW, I used a Hebrew National hot dog and Skippy creamy peanut butter. Mess with the ratio until it’s right. ---
**Author:** ![Chefguy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chefguy/32/138_2.png) [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 2:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-sauce/674123/35 "2013-11-20T14:56:58Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#): > > Just tried it. Not bad, not great. FWIW, I used a Hebrew National hot dog and Skippy creamy peanut butter. I have to ask how you prepared the dog. It should be fried in a bit of oil rather than boiled or grilled. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 3:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-sauce/674123/36 "2013-11-20T15:04:44Z")
I appreciate Johnny’s list in the OP. I’ve found I have a lot of fun playing with different brands of hot sauce, and finding a place for each. Tabasco: I’ve actually stopped using this much. I think that the green jalepeno sauce is really tasty, and the chipotle is great for burritos and rice dishes. Sriracha: I also use this for asian dishes, pizza and popcorn. Frank’s Red Hot: This is my standard go-to for hot sauce. I love the dominant vinegar taste that it has, and use it liberally in beans and rice dishes. Louisiana: When I need a very large kick in the pants, as well as for recipes. Pickapeppa: I just use this for a cream cheese dip I was introduced to in the south. Cholula: mexican dishes when I want a break from Tobasco Chipotle Also, there’s a cajun restaurant in town that usually has a wide variety of options, with a garlic hot sauce that I really like. Don’t have the fridge space for it, though. ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2013, 3:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-sauce/674123/37 "2013-11-21T03:34:49Z")
> [@Chefguy](#): > > I have to ask how you prepared the dog. It should be fried in a bit of oil rather than boiled or grilled. Nuked, of course! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![SerafinaPekala](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecae2f/32.png) [@SerafinaPekala](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SerafinaPekala)\ **Post date:** [November 21, 2013, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-sauce/674123/38 "2013-11-21T20:54:08Z")
**Texas Champagne** is my favorite. Lots more body than Tabasco and perfect ratio of vinegar:heat. Not too hot tho, not like MegaDeath! [http://www.jardinefoods.com/store#ecwid:category=2511804&mode=product&product=11065090](http://www.jardinefoods.com/store#ecwid:category=2511804&mode=product&product=11065090) I find it on sale at TJMaxx for like $2.99/bottle sometimes and stock up. If you ever are in the area take a tour of the Tabasco factory in New Iberia, LA. The Tabasco ice cream is … interesting! (not the jalapeño tho) Worth the trip! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/hot-sauce/674123.md?page=1)