Some like it hot

For heat and flavor, hot sauce is hard to beat

Move over, ketchup. Hot sauce is gaining ground as the world’s most popular condiment. But hot sauce, which gets its piquancy from chile peppers, is far from new. The ancient Aztecs used it in their cuisine, for medicinal purposes and even in warfare.

Hot sauce preference is personal. Just ask the fans of Cholula Hot Sauce, Frank’s RedHot, Sriracha sauce and Tabasco, who line up behind their favorites. “I always tell people to choose what speaks to them,” says Julia Skinner, founder of root-kitchens.com, where she teaches fermentation classes that include hot sauce production.

Sriracha sauce, which originated in Thailand, is fermented with garlic to achieve a spicy, slightly sour taste and thick consistency. Other sauces, such as Cholula, Frank’s RedHot and Tabasco, are produced by blending hot peppers and vinegar.

Hot sauces can be mild, medium or scorching, so, depending on your palate, you can find what suits you. There’s a technical measurement for heat, called the Scoville scale, explains Heather Suter, owner of Long Island’s Greenport Fire, a specialty gift and hot sauce store. The hottest peppers in the world are over 1.5 million Scoville heat units (SHUs), she says.

At 1,750 SHUs, Frank’s RedHot sauce occupies the other end of the spectrum; Sriracha sauce has around 2,500 SHUs, Cholula clocks in at 2,000 to 4,000 SHUs and Tabasco Original Red Pepper Sauce comes in at 2,500 to 5,000 SHUs.

Because hot sauces differ in heat content, texture and even sweetness, experiment by cooking with them. Mix them with other condiments, such as ketchup, mayo and salad dressing, or add them to marinades. Use Cholula to spice up cocktails, such as bloody marys and margaritas. Tabasco is great on eggs and fried fish, Sriracha sauce pairs well with Asian and Mexican cuisine, and try Frank’s RedHot on nuts and popcorn.

As Skinner adds, don’t be afraid to pick a favorite.