Hot sauce is a condiment made from chili peppers and other ingredients such as vinegar, salt, and spices. It is used to add flavour and heat to a variety of dishes. It comes in all shapes, sizes, colours, and most importantly, flavours.

The origins of hot sauce go way back to the Aztecs, who would mix chilli peppers and water to create a basic form of the condiment.

Modern hot sauces date back to 1868, with Tobasco hot sauce being the first major brand to hit the market in America.

These days there is a hot sauce to satisfy every type of taste bud. Whether you’re looking for something mild and delicious to add to your recipes, or you want to hunt down the hottest sauces to truly test yourself.

How To Make Hot Sauce Hotter

To make hot sauce hotter, you can add more chili peppers or increase the amount of pepper extract used in the recipe. You can also try using a hotter variety of chili pepper, such as habanero or ghost pepper.

The hotter the chilli you add, the hotter the sauce is going to become. We would always recommend tasting when adding extra chilli to your hot sauce, as you don’t want to make it too hot to handle! Check out our article on the spiciest sauces if you're looking for a real challenge!

What To Put Hot Sauce On

Hot sauce can be used on a variety of dishes, including eggs, pizza, sandwiches, and soups. It is also a popular topping for tacos and other Mexican dishes. Some people even use it as a marinade for meat or as a dipping sauce for chicken wings. Experiment with different dishes and find what you like best.

Some of the most popular dishes to put hot sauce on include

• Wings: Mix hot sauce with butter to create a spicy wing sauce.
• Burgers: Add a few drops of hot sauce to your hamburger patty or on top of the burger for an extra kick.
• Nachos: A drizzle of hot sauce can add a lot of flavour to nachos.
• Soups and chilis: A few drops of hot sauce can add heat and flavour to soups and chilis, especially if you want to make it spicy.
• Eggs: Add a few drops to your scrambled eggs for a spicy breakfast.
• Sandwiches: Add a few drops of hot sauce to your sandwich for an extra kick.
• Seafood: Try it on fish, shrimp, or crab cakes.

Keep in mind that some hot sauce is a lot spicier than others, so use them sparingly. Start with a small amount and add more to taste until you get the perfect amount of heat to complement your dish.

Feeling adventurous? Why not try pairing your sauce with a dessert or something sweet? We’re not averse to trying our sauces with different dishes you might not expect it to pair with, it is far more common than you may think! 

What Helps A Burning Mouth From Hot Sauce?

Drinking milk or eating yogurt can help to cool a burning mouth caused by hot sauce.

The fat in dairy products can help to neutralize capsaicin, the compound that causes the burn. Additionally, drinking water or eating something sweet can also help to alleviate the burn, but milk is the best option.

It's also important to note that if your burning sensation persists or becomes severe, you should seek medical attention.

If you’re truly testing your taste buds with some of the hottest sauces out there, then we always recommend having a glass of milk, or two on standby!

Can You Freeze Hot Sauce?

Yes, you can freeze hot sauce. It is made mostly of vinegar and peppers, both of which are safe to freeze. The texture of the sauce may change slightly after being frozen and thawed, but it should still be safe to use.

To freeze hot sauce, transfer it to an airtight container or freezer bag, leaving some headspace for expansion. Just freezing it in the bottle can cause the bottle to shatter as it expands, which is something you will want to avoid.

You can freeze it for up to 6 months. When you're ready to use it, let it thaw in the refrigerator.

How Long Do Hot Sauces Last?

Hot sauces last different lengths of time depending on how they are kept:

Unopened: An unopened or sealed bottle should last for 1 to 2 years if stored correctly.

Opened: An opened bottle will keep its flavour and freshness for roughly 6 months if it is kept at room temperature.

Refrigerated: If the hot sauce is open and refrigerated it will last for 1 to 2 years.

We always recommend looking at the ingredients of your hot sauce when deciding how to store them. For maximum freshness and longevity, keeping them refrigerated is the way to go!