Hot sauce

WHAT IS HOT SAUCE?

Hot sauce is a bottled condiment with chili as the main ingredient. It's an easy way to add extra flavor, depth, and character to food, and it works on just about anything. Many people use hot sauce on pizza, burgers, and tacos, but it also elevates vegetables, meat, fish, soups, and marinades.

All hot sauces have chili as their base, but the flavors can vary enormously. Some are mild and fruity, others smoky and deep, and a few are so strong that they truly challenge the senses. Producers around the world are playing with fermentation, fruit, herbs, citrus, coffee, honey, and many other ingredients, so you can experience chili in new and unexpected ways.

Traditions vary from country to country and region to region. In Mexico, chili is part of the culture and is used in classic sauces with, for example, Piquin or Árbol chili. In the USA, the Louisiana style has a long history of fermented chilies aged in oak barrels. In Southern Europe, fresh, local ingredients are often emphasized. And here in the Nordic countries, a newer tradition has emerged where fermentation, acidity and pure, local flavors play the main role in the hot sauce.

Historically, hot sauce dates back a long way. Already in ancient Mexico, chilies were mashed and mixed with water to flavor meals. The first commercial hot sauce was produced in 1868, Tabasco, which still exists today.

Today, hot sauce is part of a global food revolution, with small producers and enthusiasts constantly pushing the boundaries. The result is a wealth of bottled flavor experiences that can be both an everyday favorite and a gastronomic surprise.

In short, hot sauce is not just spicy food. It is culture, tradition and innovation all rolled into one bottle and a shortcut to more flavor and character in your kitchen.

HOT SAUCE TRADITIONAL

A classic bottle is brewed from pureed chilies that can be smoked, roasted or fermented. In addition, the chilies are often mixed with other ingredients such as lemon, orange, tomato, olives, cocoa, coffee, grilled peppers or red wine vinegar. Traditional hot sauce is produced all over the globe. From Stavanger to New York, and from Eindhoven to Parma.

Try e.g. Hot Sauce No. 1 from Chili Klaus
Or try Los Calientes from Hot Ones

LOUISIANA STYLE

Also a classic. The style has roots in the American state of Louisiana and is relatively simple; chilies, vinegar and salt. Maybe it's aged in oak barrels, and the taste is... wow ! Tabasco is in the Louisiana family. The consistency is always thin and fine.

Try, for example, Poirier's Louisiana Style from Heartbeat

MEXICAN STYLE

The base is either Piquin, Arbol or Mexican chipotle chilies. Chipotle are typically smoked jalapeño or morita chilies. The consistency is very similar to the Louisiana style, thin and fine. Also a classic.

Try e.g. Morita Mesquite from Queen Majesty
Or try Hot One's Los Calientes Rojo

SRIRACHA

Sriracha has a base of fermented chilies and tastes fermented, but also a bit sweet. The style has roots in Asian cuisine.

Try e.g. Puckerbutts, Reaper Racha

SALSA

Salsa is a type of sauce that has a base of tomato and spices such as cilantro, basil, salt, onion and chili. Salsa can be both fresh and cooked, depending on whether you get it in Mexican street food or served on Italian bruschetta .

ENCHILADA SALSA

Close to the Danish sauce . Made with oil and flour flavored with classic spices from Mexican cuisine such as coriander, onion and chili.

BBQ

Maybe you've tasted bbq, and surprise , bbq is a sauce on a base of tomato with spices, brown sugar and chili. Great for grilling! Sweet, strong and sugar-burnt! The tradition has roots in the Caribbean, but Americans are also proud of the bbq .
Try Chili Klaus' BBQ for example.

HARISSA

From Arabic cuisine you get harissa . Harissa is a paste (puree) of chili and piquillo, and you can read a guide to making harissa here.

CHILI OIL

The classic chili oil is also a condiment. A must have for pizza, pita, meze or as a dip for some delicious sourdough bread. You can read about making a chili oil a la Chili Klaus here.

How to get the most out of your hot sauce

Hot sauce is not just about strength, but about flavor, balance and timing.
Here are some simple ways to use it to get the best out of your food:

1. Use small amounts.
A few drops are often enough to enhance the flavor without overpowering it.

2. Try it instead of salt.
Hot sauce adds flavor and freshness, so you can reduce the salt a bit.

3. Add it last.
Once the sauce has cooked, many of the flavors will disappear. Add it towards the end or directly on the plate.

4. Use it in dressings and marinades.
A spoonful of hot sauce mixed with oil, lemon or honey gives new life to meat, vegetables and fish.

5. Match the strength with the dish.
Mild dishes require mild sauce – strong dishes can tolerate more heat.

6. Combine several types.
As with wine: different sauces go with different dishes.

7. Remember to shake the bottle.
That way you get the whole flavor – not just the top or the bottom.

Sources_Chili Klaus book, Tabasco