Hot Sauce: Respect
One of the biggest mistakes I have taken with hot sauce is not respecting it.
“Oh - how hot can this be??” “I can handle this”
Every time I have thought or said that, I have regretted it in one way or another.
When I have hot sauce now, this is my playbook:
- Always pour the hot sauce over the side of the meal.
- Always start with a small amount.
- Have a knife or similar utensil to “slice off” a reasonable amount.
- Slowly mix in hot sauce to your food while sampling it.
- Have paper towels nearby, just in case of: 😅.
Respect the hot sauce and you will have a good time. Don’t respect the hot sauce and it will teach you something new.
Observations
- In general, the hotter the sauce, the thicker it is (hence the knife to cut the right amount.) Any sauce that is low viscocity or “runny” are generally less spicy.
- Hot sauces that are just opened are more potent than they are later. So, a bottle of a new hot sauce may be hotter than the one you just finished.
- Hot sauces that are capsaicin extract are hot, even with low scoville rating.
Treat the hot sauce with respect and you will have a good time.