Ingredients: Jalapeno, Pineapple, Orange Juice, Distilled White Vinegar, Onion, Lime Juice, Garlic, Scorpion Pepper, Salt, Black Pepper
While I’ve enjoyed the majority of Torchbearer sauces that I’ve tried thus far, the sticking point for me with them has been their verde style sauces. Both the Danny Wood’s Jalapeno Cilantro and the Danny Wood’s Guac Sizzle were misses for me, the latter being borderline inedible. Still, I’ve had luck with the rest of their line so I had high hopes that Goblin Sauce (a collaboration between Torchbearer and the heavy metal band Nekrogoblikon) would be the “third time’s a charm” for the Torchbearer verde style sauces.
I call this a verde sauce even though the color sits between green and brown because the ingredients mostly support it. With a base of green jalapenos this also features lime juice, garlic, and onion, things often found in verde sauces. Things do take a bit if a turn with the inclusion of pineapple and orange juice. I typically avoid pineapple hot sauces because I find them too be too sweet and syrupy but I’d somehow missed that when I ordered this (though I’m glad I did). Orange juice is a pretty common ingredient throughout the Torchbearer line and does add a nice bit of citrusy goodness along with a touch of sweetness. The other thing that stands out on this one is the inclusion of scorpion peppers. They’re fairly far down the list of ingredients, but as strong of a pepper as they are, you don’t need a lot for an impact.
When you open the bottle it smells fresh though there is that unmistakable aroma of superhot chile sitting beneath the citrus. Goblin Sauce is medium in texture and pours well, there are some pepper bits inside but it’s not a super chunky sauce. The flavor is very fresh and citrus-forward as well. I initially didn’t realize there was pineapple in the sauce until looking at the label again, though if I really search for it I feel like I can taste it. The orange and lime juices are more dominant flavors as well as some nice grassy notes from the green jalapenos. This s a sauce where I feel like the scorpion peppers also work very well. The more hot sauces I try the more I realize that a little scorpion goes a long way due to their rather strong floral and astringent flavor. Here not only do they add a considerable punch of heat to what would otherwise be a super mild sauce, those floral flavors play very well with the citrus and that bitterness is a great counterpoint to the sweetness of the juices and pineapple.
Torchbearer Goblin Sauce is great on tacos, especially fish and shrimp tacos. The citrus elements are excellent with seafood. I also loved this on turkey and ham melts and with eggs, it’s a nice fresh bright sauce with good acidity so it stands up to meaty and cheesy foods yet has the freshness to make it excellent with breakfast. I even enjoyed this sauce with some buttery shrimp scampi over linguine, the citrus being more orange forward than the lemon I’d traditionally use, but it still totally worked.
I’m happy to recommend Torchbearer’s Goblin Sauce. I’m happy I’ve finally found a verde style sauce from the company that’s delicious and that packs that big fresh flavor that I always look for in that style. There’s a nice amount of heat here as well without ever being overbearing. This sauce is also all natural with no artificial preservatives, flavors, colors, or thickeners.
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Salty: ⭐⭐✰✰✰
Sour/Tangy: ⭐⭐⭐⭐✰
Sweet: ⭐⭐✰✰✰
Umami: ⭐✰✰✰✰
Heat: ⭐⭐⭐⭐✰✰✰✰✰✰
Quick Flavor Notes: Fresh, citrusy, tangy
Texture: Medium some pepper and vegetable bits
Recommended: Yes
Ingredients: Jalapeno, Pineapple, Orange Juice, Distilled White Vinegar, Onion, Lime Juice, Garlic, Scorpion Pepper, Salt, Black Pepper
While I’ve enjoyed the majority of Torchbearer sauces that I’ve tried thus far, the sticking point for me with them has been their verde style sauces. Both the Danny Wood’s Jalapeno Cilantro and the Danny Wood’s Guac Sizzle were misses for me, the latter being borderline inedible. Still, I’ve had luck with the rest of their line so I had high hopes that Goblin Sauce (a collaboration between Torchbearer and the heavy metal band Nekrogoblikon) would be the “third time’s a charm” for the Torchbearer verde style sauces.
I call this a verde sauce even though the color sits between green and brown because the ingredients mostly support it. With a base of green jalapenos this also features lime juice, garlic, and onion, things often found in verde sauces. Things do take a bit if a turn with the inclusion of pineapple and orange juice. I typically avoid pineapple hot sauces because I find them too be too sweet and syrupy but I’d somehow missed that when I ordered this (though I’m glad I did). Orange juice is a pretty common ingredient throughout the Torchbearer line and does add a nice bit of citrusy goodness along with a touch of sweetness. The other thing that stands out on this one is the inclusion of scorpion peppers. They’re fairly far down the list of ingredients, but as strong of a pepper as they are, you don’t need a lot for an impact.
When you open the bottle it smells fresh though there is that unmistakable aroma of superhot chile sitting beneath the citrus. Goblin Sauce is medium in texture and pours well, there are some pepper bits inside but it’s not a super chunky sauce. The flavor is very fresh and citrus-forward as well. I initially didn’t realize there was pineapple in the sauce until looking at the label again, though if I really search for it I feel like I can taste it. The orange and lime juices are more dominant flavors as well as some nice grassy notes from the green jalapenos. This s a sauce where I feel like the scorpion peppers also work very well. The more hot sauces I try the more I realize that a little scorpion goes a long way due to their rather strong floral and astringent flavor. Here not only do they add a considerable punch of heat to what would otherwise be a super mild sauce, those floral flavors play very well with the citrus and that bitterness is a great counterpoint to the sweetness of the juices and pineapple.
Torchbearer Goblin Sauce is great on tacos, especially fish and shrimp tacos. The citrus elements are excellent with seafood. I also loved this on turkey and ham melts and with eggs, it’s a nice fresh bright sauce with good acidity so it stands up to meaty and cheesy foods yet has the freshness to make it excellent with breakfast. I even enjoyed this sauce with some buttery shrimp scampi over linguine, the citrus being more orange forward than the lemon I’d traditionally use, but it still totally worked.
I’m happy to recommend Torchbearer’s Goblin Sauce. I’m happy I’ve finally found a verde style sauce from the company that’s delicious and that packs that big fresh flavor that I always look for in that style. There’s a nice amount of heat here as well without ever being overbearing. This sauce is also all natural with no artificial preservatives, flavors, colors, or thickeners.