Part of the fun of summer vacations and camping is often the joy of culinary. Join John Golf and WDW Pro as they explore the love of everything spicy.
John Golf:
I got a phone call from my lovely mother-in-law yesterday morning. She was so excited to share the good news that the cayenne pepper plants have blooms. There is actually a pepper already developed. I don’t know how we missed that on Sunday when we were checking all of the plants, but there it is.
Why am I excited about this? I have acquired a taste for heat with just about everything that deals with food. This was not something I enjoyed as a youngster. As I have matured over the years, others would probably argue with this statement, my taste buds have also.
Cayenne Pepper
My love for cayenne pepper became a staple when I make homemade chili. Eventually, I started adding it to everyday meals. When I would cook my eggs, whether fried or scrambled, I would add salt, pepper and cayenne pepper. It gave my taste palette a nice little kick in the morning. The love for this heat over the years initiated a new passion for finding an even better kick with a better taste. This passion has now led me to the direction of sauces and marinades with heat.
Hot Sauces
Paste Magazine did an article in March of this year ranking the top 10 hot sauces. A few of mine were on the list. I’ll include their description of each sauce and the ranking for each
# 5: The McIlhenney Co. Tabasco Sauce is probably the sauce that most people have come to know as hot sauce. From McIlhenney Co. Tabasco Sauce website:
TABASCO® Brand products are made by McIlhenny Company, founded by Edmund McIlhenny in 1868 on Avery Island, Louisiana. It was here that he developed the recipe for TABASCO® Original Red Pepper Sauce that’s been passed down from generation to generation. To this day, the company is still family-owned and -operated on that very same island.
It was the first one for me. What makes it stand out according to the ranking by Paste Magazine?
Tabasco is a classic we all know and love. The original red pepper sauce is a winner for so many reasons. First of all, and most importantly, it’s actually spicy. It’s not so spicy that those with a strong aversion to spice won’t be able to manage it, but it definitely offers a significant amount of heat.
That means you don’t have to absolutely coat your food in it to pick up on the flavor: A little bit truly goes a long way with this brand.
It also has an ideal balance of vinegar, so it’s not just adding heat to your dish but also providing an intense burst of flavor. It could be a bit less watery, but I don’t even mind the strange consistency considering how good the flavor is. Tabasco is a staple in my kitchen and probably always will be.
#8: Texas Pete has become my go-to sauce. It’s a little low on the ratings for my taste. According to Paste Magazine:
Here’s another one that tastes great but just can’t bring the level of heat we’re looking for: Texas Pete. This brand’s original hot sauce is the kind of stuff you would drizzle on every bite of a burrito, hoping to imbue the tortilla and fillings with more flavor. The best part of the sauce is the acidity, which can brighten up even the fattiest, most carb-heavy dishes.
But similarly to the other sauces addressed so far on this list, it offers minimal heat. Really, it’s more about the vinegar than anything. That means you can put a lot on your food, so there’s a good chance you’ll use up the bottle relatively quickly if you like the taste. Pair it with some chili flakes if you want to up the heat factor.
# 4: My overnight stays at Hampton Inn introduced me to this one. Hampton Inn offers Frank’s RedHot Sauce as the only option at breakfast. I have enjoyed the taste of Frank’s RedHot Sauce and love their commercials where folks put that ….stuff…on everything.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O03Je_fuLxM
From Paste Magazine:
I know that not all fans of spice love Frank’s RedHot because it is quite mild. However, this hot sauce provides such a punch of flavor to anything you put on it that it has earned its distinguished position in this ranking. It’s definitely good on its own, but it’s even better when it’s used as a marinade or added to dips. The sauce is relatively thin and runny, which makes it perfect for mixing with other ingredients.
What I like most about Frank’s RedHot is the distinctive flavor of garlic, which is what sets it apart from other hot sauces you might find at the grocery store. Add it to a dish with even more garlic, and you’ll see what all the hype is about.
My Newly Found Favorite
Other sauces on this list are okay in my book. I see that it is missing one that I just recently discovered. Tiger Sauce. Their advertisement on the bottle says “Unleash The Sweet Heat.” Talk about combining 2 things I love!!! I really do put this stuff on just about everything. I use it daily on my scrambled eggs. A bottle or 2 will make the trip out to Yellowstone with me.
If you have a particular spice or hot sauce that you think I should try, please feel free to share it in the comments. The hottest sauce I’ve tried to date was at a meal with WDW Pro. He broke out a ghost pepper sauce that was tasty and very hot. Thank the Lord that he had milk to help remedy the heat.
WDW Pro:
Ghost Peppers, indeed! Let me just tell you about the hot and spicy stuff that I go with. As a lover of all foods not named papaya, I’m here to tell you that my list of sauces looks a little bit different. Here’s what I go with:
When it comes to hot sauce that doesn’t roast the wimps out there, I go with Crystal Hot Sauce. The “Louisiana Pure” version is the go-to for me whenever I’m cooking anything that needs just a little bit of kick. Word of warning, however: if you apply this instant-winner to your food early in the cooking process, it goes up in heat level fast. Whereas it’s nothing as a sauce added to your food on the table, if you put this on chicken going in a four-hour smoker, it’s going to heat up somehow. It’s like magic.
As for the real deal hot stuff, I don’t go to the grocery store. No, no. I go to an Amish market. And at that Amish market, I make sure to buy fresh Ghost Peppers, while wearing gloves, when they’re in season. That’s August usually for you ghost pepper Amazoners. Then, I finely chop the ghost pepper, being careful not to include seeds. I blend that ghost pepper with an entire block of cream cheese and add one table spoon of liquid smoke, one teaspoon of smoked paprika, a splash of LaChoy brand soy sauce, and a pinch of fresh ground peppercorn. I guarantee you if you try that recipe, and if you can handle the heat, you’re about to head to flavor-fun heaven. I guarantee.
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And as for John Golf:
You can also find me on Twitter @JohnGolf61 , on Truth Social @Patriot1967 and on Facebook as John Rolf. I look forward to seeing you there too.
Be blessed and safe, heated eats!!!
