My dinner tonight was rotisserie chicken, and I’ve always said it’s a perfect food for sampling a variety of hot sauces. I realized many choices are suitable, but my favorite one was El Yucateco. I decided to map out a few more of my (current) preferences for adding heat to food.
I realize I am not at all consistent here, culinarily speaking. I prefer Tabasco in my instant ramen, and Sriracha on mac and cheese. That might seem backwards, but I likes what I likes.
Also, yes I am from Maryland lol. We have this spread here that we call “hots”. Its proper name is “cherry pepper relish.” It is the bomb on sandwiches. If you have not tried it, I recommend finding some and slapping it on a sub immediately.
I’m also interested in tracking another aspect. There are some foods I feel MUST be spicy. For instance, tacos: whatever salsa or sauce is available will do. However, there are other foods that I think are made better with spice—but if my preferred hot sauce is not available, I’ll pass on the spice (even if other sauces are available). I’m thinking of an old coworker who put pepper flakes on EVERYTHING, no matter what it was. I don’t need every meal to have spice like that.
Hit me with some of your strongest hot takes on favorite food/sauce pairings—or roast me for my own.
by interstellarblues
31 Comments
Using Old Bay Hot Sauce in Gumbo and Tabasco in Ramen is the cross cultural eclecticism this world needs
Tabasco on ramen?
https://preview.redd.it/yzbyy0ih9zuf1.jpeg?width=4284&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=91bfda955f256e95c6dfa1c8b30d290324310ac1
This is divine. Promise.
Ramen should be chilli crunch or at least flake lol
Although I do not agree with some of these choices (to each their own), i can appreciate the documentation and categorization. 🙂
“Honey, what’s for dinner? I gotta check my spreadsheet!”
Tabasco on clam linguine is belligerent
Spreadsheet seems wild. Having tried hundreds of sauces, for me it’s not about repetition but exploration. I check my arsenal of 45ish open bottles and slather whatever I happen to be eating with whatever sauce happens to sound good atm haha
This lacks both “chuggin'” and “doin’ shots”
And I’m pretty sure “fried chicken” is “50% Franks, 50% melted butter” if it’s on-bone, and “Any Jamaican sauce whose first ingrédient is Scotch Bonnets” if it’s chicken nuggets/strips.
Chili crisp and cottage cheese. Try it
Sriracha is really good in mashed potatoes too. Glad to see it was the go-to for mac and cheese. Sriracha has that good texture for creamy foods.
Thank you for sharing your recommendations, I’m going to have to try some of these out. I appreciate the El Yucateco love, great sauces. Mac n Cheese is my go to comfort food and I almost always go with jalapanoes and hot buffalo sauce (weird combo but I love it).
I’m a Sriracha on everything typa guy
Wings bro wings
Ramen calls for Sambal Oelek at a minimum, just as easy to find as sriracha but better for soups. Also amazing in chicken noodle soup, especially if you’re feeling stuffy.
For ramen and chicken noodle soup, I use Sriracha, chili flakes, and cayenne pepper. Make that broth look like the 7th circle of hellfire!!
I could never be this regimented.
I just eat my meals with a Christmas cookie tin holding a rotating ~24 sauces at a time and just dab each bite with whichever ones I feel would go well with what I’m eating.
You have me almost entirely, except at pulled pork with Frank’s ??!! 🤔🤔🤔🤔
I feel like pulled pork needs to be pre seasoned with a chili salt, and if using sauce, maybe an extra hot honey somewhere? Idk, Frank’s ain’t it tho 😂
I like that you dont just use one sauce for EVERYTHING….a person of culture
Try sambal with your chicken soup next time.
Your lack of cholula is disturbing
Entry 25: Lasagna = Cholula Chipotle
Fried chicken is great with Louisiana hotspot or crystal hot sauce. Ramen should be Sriracha. All the others I can be onboard with. Just my 2¢.
I absolutely love this
Other than mac and cheese I agree with you.
I love red pepper flakes in sausage gravy. If I’m trying to add a little kick to my food red pepper flakes are usually the go to
nice! sambal oelek and gochujang would be great additions to your repertoire
No pizza spice?
(It’s probably here somewhere)
What is Hots?
Ramen and Tabasco? Tell me you’re American without telling me you’re American.