# What's the best, mildest, real yet useful hot sauce in the US? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [March 16, 2011, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-mildest-real-yet-useful-hot-sauce-in-the-us/574978 "2011-03-16T23:21:10Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**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:** [March 17, 2011, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-mildest-real-yet-useful-hot-sauce-in-the-us/574978/41 "2011-03-17T15:00:16Z")
> [@JKilez](#): > > The Red Rooster never disappoints; but, given the dearth of other respondents singing its praises, I am wondering if it is a West Coast thing. Love it, too. But, as said above, for a poster looking for the “best mildest” sauce? It might not be one of the hotter hot sauces, but it certainly ranks above mild. I’d go with Cholula or Valentina, myself, for the mild end of the spectrum. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2011, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-mildest-real-yet-useful-hot-sauce-in-the-us/574978/42 "2011-03-17T15:23:59Z")
> [@An\_Arky](#): > > No, the peppers are mashed up in that. This is a clear bottle with whole skinny light green peppers in white vinegar, basically. Like the stuff Shark Sandwich mentioned. [Link](http://www.texaspete.com/#page=texas-pete-pepper-sauce). [Trappey’s](http://mybrands.com/product/Trappey-Hot-Peppers-in-Vinegar-4-oz) **Walkabout** - I love Tiger Sauce. I add it to all sorts of things. But, like Pickapeppa, hot it ain’t. Very flavorful, but no heat. ---
**Author:** ![FordTaurusSHO94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f07891/32.png) [@FordTaurusSHO94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordTaurusSHO94)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2011, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-mildest-real-yet-useful-hot-sauce-in-the-us/574978/43 "2011-03-17T15:43:03Z")
Dat’l Do It is a great hot sauce that adds all kinds of flavor without much heat. It’s the same recipe the Firehouse Subs uses for their house sauce. ---
**Author:** ![filling\_pages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b9bd4f/32.png) [@filling\_pages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filling_pages)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2011, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-mildest-real-yet-useful-hot-sauce-in-the-us/574978/44 "2011-03-17T15:47:10Z")
> [@An\_Arky](#): > > Another option is that stuff that we use on beans and greens in the south that’s just a bunch of whole peppers soaked in vinegar…sorry, don’t know the brand(s) offhand. It’s just called pepper vinegar. A lot of people make their own, and just keep adding vinegar to the bottle and the level goes down. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2011, 3:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-mildest-real-yet-useful-hot-sauce-in-the-us/574978/45 "2011-03-17T15:48:39Z")
Tapatio is hot to most people seeking mild. Valentina is about as close to Tapatio (but on the cheap) as you can get. Tapatio is vinegar free, but Valentina has vinegar. Crystal and Franks are mild, but the vinegar kills it for me. Ergo, **Valentina** … it cheap, good and the vinegar takes it down a notch in heat from Tapatio. While I don’t prefer vinegar in my hot sauces, the mild ones all seem to have vinegar. Valentina manages it best. ---
**Author:** ![FordTaurusSHO94](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/f07891/32.png) [@FordTaurusSHO94](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordTaurusSHO94)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2011, 3:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-mildest-real-yet-useful-hot-sauce-in-the-us/574978/46 "2011-03-17T15:58:39Z")
Dat’l Do-It is also without vinegar. From their website: “Our hot sauce is a wonderful departure from the traditional vinegar based sauces. Dat’l Do-It is a tomato rich sauce that is not only mildly sweet but hot! Real clover honey combined with the fiery Datil pepper makes for a tempting barbeque sauce. Dat’l Do-It Hot Sauce was created in our restaurant, Barnacle Bills, to rule the seafood world. It is simply fantastic on shrimp, fish, oysters, crabs, lobster and clams. Try it!” ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2011, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-mildest-real-yet-useful-hot-sauce-in-the-us/574978/47 "2011-03-17T16:33:56Z")
I’m puzzled by the request for “mildest hot sauce”. Wouldn’t that be water? I mean, obviously the OP wants _some_ nonzero level of heat, or he wouldn’t have asked for “hot sauce” to begin with. But what’s the target level, and what’s too mild to be considered “hot sauce” any more? ---
**Author:** ![Walkabout](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/46a35a/32.png) [@Walkabout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walkabout)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2011, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-mildest-real-yet-useful-hot-sauce-in-the-us/574978/48 "2011-03-17T16:37:41Z")
> [@silenus](#): > > [Trappey’s](http://mybrands.com/product/Trappey-Hot-Peppers-in-Vinegar-4-oz) > > **Walkabout** - I love Tiger Sauce. I add it to all sorts of things. But, like Pickapeppa, hot it ain’t. Very flavorful, but no heat. Well it seems to me it fits into the request for the best “mildest” hot sauce. It does have a tiny bit of heat, at least to me. I probably wouldn’t touch most of the ones you guys are talking about. ---
**Author:** ![Gangster\_Octopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a8b319/32.png) [@Gangster\_Octopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gangster_Octopus)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2011, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-mildest-real-yet-useful-hot-sauce-in-the-us/574978/49 "2011-03-17T16:39:41Z")
I’ll chime in on the Tapatio as well, it adds just enough heat to anything, without being overwhelming. CHicken noodle soup, eggs, mac n cheese, etc. But all these so-called “mild” hot sauces can overwhelm any food if you add too much ---
**Author:** ![Snickers](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/5daacb/32.png) [@Snickers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snickers)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2011, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-mildest-real-yet-useful-hot-sauce-in-the-us/574978/50 "2011-03-17T16:48:22Z")
mmmmm, Tapatio. I like it a lot - the lack of vinegar is a real plus. Tabasco Chipotle is also nice. It’s smoky, so it doesn’t go on everything, but it’s a nice sauce that is pretty mild. ---
**Author:** ![missred](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/missred/32/14096_2.png) [@missred](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/missred)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2011, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-mildest-real-yet-useful-hot-sauce-in-the-us/574978/51 "2011-03-17T17:07:16Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > This should also be over in the What’s For Dinner thread. And it will be one of these evenings when it’s on the table. 🙂 ---
**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:** [March 17, 2011, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-mildest-real-yet-useful-hot-sauce-in-the-us/574978/52 "2011-03-17T17:48:29Z")
I have to agree with those who say Pickapeppa isn’t a ‘hot sauce’. Good sauce (try it with deep-fried alligator chunks!), but not a ‘hot sauce’. ---
**Author:** ![Philster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/13edae/32.png) [@Philster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Philster)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2011, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-mildest-real-yet-useful-hot-sauce-in-the-us/574978/53 "2011-03-17T18:36:20Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I’m puzzled by the request for “mildest hot sauce”. Wouldn’t that be water? > > I mean, obviously the OP wants _some_ nonzero level of heat, or he wouldn’t have asked for “hot sauce” to begin with. But what’s the target level, and what’s too mild to be considered “hot sauce” any more? The fun is figuring that out. I think the Dopers are honing in on the issue. In the process, you’ll learn something (yes, YOU, Chronos) about nuances and intangibles and things like that. We could talk Scoville units, make it all fact based and then get bored and go look at interwebs pron. We are talking piquance, baby! Deal with it! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/left_hand_of_dorkness/32/7156_2.png) [@Left\_Hand\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Left_Hand_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2011, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-mildest-real-yet-useful-hot-sauce-in-the-us/574978/54 "2011-03-17T19:16:37Z")
> [@Philster](#): > > We could talk Scoville units [Great idea](http://www.chilliworld.com/FactFile/Scoville_Scale.asp)! According to this site, TABASCO® brand SWEET & Spicy Pepper Sauce has 100-600 Scoville units; FRANK’S® REDHOT® Original has 450. These are probably in contention for the mildest. Texas Pete is at 747; it amazes me that Frank’s (which I don’t think I’ve ever tried) is even milder than Texas Pete. My vote for best mildest hot sauce that I often use is Sriracha mixed with mayonnaise. The dilution makes it a lot milder, and it’s freakin’ delicious on a turkey-and-vegetable sandwich. ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2011, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-mildest-real-yet-useful-hot-sauce-in-the-us/574978/55 "2011-03-17T19:25:25Z")
I grew up calling salsa hot sauce, so I would have picked Pace’s very mild as the best, mildest one I’ve had that you can buy in a store. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2011, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-mildest-real-yet-useful-hot-sauce-in-the-us/574978/56 "2011-03-17T19:52:03Z")
Just a peeve. Crystal Hot Sauce. “Just a drop will do ya” Or some such motto. Sure, its a nice flavor all its own. But a drop will do ya? No fracking way. That stuffs mild. Maybe if you put a drop on each bite/spoonfull right before you put it in your mouth. Hot sauce motto rant over. ---
**Author:** ![filling\_pages](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/b9bd4f/32.png) [@filling\_pages](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/filling_pages)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2011, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-mildest-real-yet-useful-hot-sauce-in-the-us/574978/57 "2011-03-17T20:15:22Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > Just a peeve. > > Crystal Hot Sauce. “Just a drop will do ya” Or some such motto. Sure, its a nice flavor all its own. But a drop will do ya? No fracking way. That stuffs mild. Maybe if you put a drop on each bite/spoonfull right before you put it in your mouth. > > Hot sauce motto rant over. Are you sure that’s Crystal? I recall that motto, but I practically drink Crystal and it’s not on the label now. ---
**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2011, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-mildest-real-yet-useful-hot-sauce-in-the-us/574978/58 "2011-03-17T20:53:49Z")
50 posts in this thread, and _damn,_ I sure am hungry. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2011, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-mildest-real-yet-useful-hot-sauce-in-the-us/574978/59 "2011-03-17T20:57:46Z")
That’s the motto for Louisiana Hot Sauce. ---
**Author:** ![billfish678](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/7bcc69/32.png) [@billfish678](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/billfish678)\ **Post date:** [March 17, 2011, 10:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-mildest-real-yet-useful-hot-sauce-in-the-us/574978/60 "2011-03-17T22:18:50Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > That’s the motto for Louisiana Hot Sauce. Yeah, thats probably it. But the point still stands. Its pretty darn weak (though nice). I’ve certainly never seen someone use one drop. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-mildest-real-yet-useful-hot-sauce-in-the-us/574978.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/whats-the-best-mildest-real-yet-useful-hot-sauce-in-the-us/574978.md?page=4)