Point/Counterpoint: Is Tabasco the ideal hot sauce?

Hot sauce an invaluable condiment for peppering up food that needs a splash of acid or heat, whether it’s soup, dip, or fried chicken. Hot sauce is also a good option if whatever you’re eating is boring or terrible. The culinary world features an entire rainbow of hot sauce, but one of the most divisive is Tabasco. It seems like either you’re a fan, or you hate it. No room for ambivalence here. So, what do you think? Are you a hater or a lover of Tabasco hot sauce? We present both arguments below.

Tabasco is good For a while, I decided I was not a fan of Tabasco sauce. It was mostly because everyone around me said how much they hated it, so I went with the flow. Peer pressure is real. But recently I got to thinking about how much I missed going to a diner for things like a late breakfast. When I go to a diner, I’m not really a pancake or waffle person, I’m more of an egg breakfast person. Omelets, eggs Benedict, skillets, you name it—I prefer that kind of stuff. And it all gets me reminiscing about things like those possibly ancient stacks of single-serve jellies and hot sauce caddies on the table.

While I like Cholula, which is usually in those caddies, the more I think about it, the more I realize that I almost always reach for Tabasco sauce. I really like some form of acid in my food, otherwise it feels kind of plain to me. And that’s why I like Tabasco. The acid thing seems to be the main complaint (that and the fact that it’s kinda watery).

I would consider Hot. Siracha is my favorite, I keep two pints in my cupboard, and a small one for the restaurant

It isn't very hard to make your own and, since it's your own, you can decide what peppers to use and control the heat. I've made my Sriracha with Tabascos, Thai peppers and a special one I call Sriracha of Death because I use Death Spirals to make it.

Here is a recipe that doesn't require fermentation:

Sriracha Recipe from Foolproof Preserving - America's Test Kitchen

Prep: 15 Minutes
Cook: 45 Minutes
Age: 1 Day
Yield: 2 Cups

Why this recipe works: Sriracha is a fiery-red Thai-American hot sauce fondly known
by its loyal followers as rooster sauce. Traditionally, Sriracha is made from a
fermented chile mash, which is a process that can take over a week. We wanted a
simple, streamlined version of rooster sauce we could make at home without the wait.

Our first test consisted of processing chiles, vinegar, water and garlic, along
with a bit of sugar and salt. We cooked the mixture down to a ketchup-like
consistency, which resulted in more of a chili-garlic paste than Sriracha. By
adjusting the ratio of liquid to chiles and garlic, we were on track to a pourable
hot sauce. We also swapped out white sugar in favor of brown; tasters preferred the
richer, deeper notes of the dark brown sugar. We were getting closer to a more
balanced hot sauce; however, we were missing the fermented flavor of the original.

To achieve the unique flavor, we whisked 2 tablespoons of fish sauce into the chile
mixture along with the sugar and salt. A quick simmer on the stovetop thickened the
Sriracha and allowed the flavors to meld. Passing the finished product through a
fine-mesh strainer gave us a smooth sauce.

Finally, we found it crucial to let the sauce sit for a day to develop its flavor
before serving. Although it's tempting to store this sauce in plastic squeeze
bottles, we found it better to store it in glass; the plastic can add off-flavors to
the sauce as it sits. This Sriracha cannot be processed for long term storage.

1 1/2 pounds red jalapeno or Fresno chiles, stemmed
1 1/4 cups distilled white vinegar
1/4 cup water
8 garlic cloves, peeled
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
5 teaspoons salt

1. Working in 2 batches, process jalapenos, vinegar, water and garlic in blender
until smooth, about 2 minutes. Transfer mixture to medium saucepan and whisk in fish
sauce, sugar and salt.

2. Bring mixture to a boil over high heat, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer,
skimming any surface foam, until thickened, 18 to 20 minutes. Remove pan from heat
and let cool for 5 minutes.

3. Process mixture in blender until smooth, about 1 minute. Strain Sriracha through
fine-mesh strainer set over bowl, pressing on solids to extract as much sauce as
possible.

4. Using funnel and ladle, portion Sriracha into 2-cup glass bottle. Let sauce cool
to room temperature. Cover, refrigerate and let flavors mature for at least 1 day
before serving. Sriracha can be refrigerated for up to 6 months; flavor will mature
over time.

Tabasco is only made from 3 ingredients: peppers, vinegar and salt. Cholula is made from water, peppers, salt, spices(whatever that means) and Xanthan gum, which is a thickener you can buy online. They could make it thicker by increasing the ratio of peppers to water and vinegar but they probably need to keep it at a certain ratio to keep the Ph in balance, plus Xanthan gum is a lot cheaper than peppers.

Since Tabasco pepper plants are sold in most places that sell Bonnie plants it's easy to make your own with whatever amount of vinegar you prefer. When I make my Tabasco sauce I actually soak my peppers in vinegar for several weeks to as long as I need them until I have to make more. The vinegar softens the peppers so that when I put them into a smoothie maker they vaporize, seeds and all. Then I just add more vinegar, some salt, mix it up and I'm done. Super easy to make. McIlhenny goes the extra step of aging them in oak barrels they buy from Jack Daniels so you can't replicate that flavor but you can make it taste pretty darn good.

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