So, I made a post about trying Valentina hot sauce based on a recommendation from another Redditor. They claimed that Valentina was hotter than my go-to hot sauce called El Yucateca. It was not hotter. Not by a long shot, and I told them, whoever they were, to turn in their tongue they no longer deserved it.
But everyone in the comments started screaming at me to get the Valentina with the black label not the yellow. If I did, I would see the light.
So, I was out this morning and on a whim decided to swing by a grocery store that I don’t usually go to. Low and behold I found the legendary black labeled Valentina!
Seeing that I am an impatient individual, I wanted to try it right away and decided to purchase one of the world’s saddest breakfast burritos from Carl’s Jr to test it.
The black label was better than the one with the yellow. It had a bit more flavor and a little bit more heat which I appreciate. But it was nowhere near as hot as Yuca and I still say whoever made that claim should turn in their tongue.
However, what I will say is that the ‘V’ in Valentina must stand for vinegar.
I have never had a hot sauce that has such a high vinegar profile. And I know in my last post I answered a comment and said it had so much vinegar it tasted like Selena’s douche. Understand I was upset about being misled, I have since atoned for my sins. Mea culpa.
I believe that Valentina is good with certain kinds of foods and that is popular for a reason. I also believe that I cannot use it like I would other hot sauces or salsa because I pour those on. With such a high vinegar profile, Valentina needs to be used sparingly.
That being said, I’m going to keep the one with the black label and throw out the one with the yellow, (or give it to someone I hate) it’s pretty much useless to me.
I’ll keep the black label as a backups-backup to my backups-backup for hot sauce.
Like I said in my last post, if society collapses I’ll need something to put on my zombie tacos.
by sometimes_stupid00
25 Comments
You have convinced me to try the yuca now, as a decade plus user of the V black label. I have high hopes
I love black label Valentina (I have the large size in my desk at work) but I agree the Yuca is hotter and overall a better sauce
Never had a higher vinegar profile? Wait until you hear about Tabasco
The most overrated sauce here for sure
Those really ain’t comparable sauces. Valentina goes in the vinegar category so it’s good with pizza and such.
You probably live close by to me. I have a Carl’s Jr right next to Fry’s here in Rita Ranch
Frank’s Red hot is way more vinegary IMO
It’s not just a heat thing. They’re totally different salsas for different foods.
The Victoria is a salsa roja, made with dried red peppers (guajilla mostly, I believe) from North Mexico. It’s made to go with beans, onions, tomatoes and pork, beef, chicken, mostly fire cooked to add smoke.
The Yucateca is a roast habanero sala. Traditionally made by roasting habs over open flame removing most of the skin, and cooking down with garlic and some other sauces. Yucatecan is much spicier and salsa are usually freshly made (so no vinegar as a preservative). It’s usually going to go with slow cooked underground roasted pork (cochinita pubil) or seafood with more squashes and fruit.
Here are 3 different yucatecan salsas, the Yucateca is mostly a combo of the 1st 2.
https://reddit.com/r/AsABlackMan/s/cBUy8fjcHR
https://mexicanmademeatless.com/roasted-habanero-peppers-salsa/
This last is hard to find in Mexico near tourists, because gringos think is regular old pico de Gallo and get lit the fuck up. But it’s SO good.
https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/chili-pepper-recipes/salsas/xni-pec-habanero-salsa/
I love the Yucateca, but all 3 made fresh are WAY better. When I. Yucatan, I’m throwing whatever hab salsas they have on everything in sight.
Valentina is good for breakfast foods
Im glad I live in a Mexican part in America, you can find all the good hot sauces and snacks here.
You’re all wrong and need to just buy Cholula and get over yourselves!
I think I mostly like valentia for nostalgic purposes.
Eat the Valentina with potato chips and lime it’s what I use it exclusively for. It’s also good with over medium eggs and avocado.
Anyone who says it’s hotter than Yuka is crazy, either way this sause isn’t meant to be extremely hot, just full of flavor
I prefer the Valentina to yuca, yuca is hotter though
Whoever said that Valentina is hotter than El Yucateco is out of their mind.
I like the yellow Valentina for lots of things – nachos , burger or sandwich. The black isn’t my favorite for something with more heat. I prefer El Yucateca for hotter things (tacos, burrito)
Whoever said Valentina is hotter than El Yucateco XXXTRA Hot is a certified loon. Valentina Extra Hot is one of my favorites, but the Yucateco is way hotter. The Valentina is more of a “mouth hot” while the Yucateco is a “stomach hot,” if that makes sense.
I like variety but there is no doubt for me, El Yucateco is king.
Valentina is a daily driver, like Cholula. I have the black and yellow label ones and I wouldn’t be able to tell which one was which blindfolded
Love dipping steak and pizza crusts in it though!
Tapateo > Valentina
Who in the hell thinks Valentina is hotter than Yucateco? No mames….
Valentina, even the black, is not a sauce for heat. Delicious on Mexican food, but it’s not very hot. Puyas are not a very hot pepper.
I’m meheecan and don’t care for Valentina hot sauce.
Valentina is on a lower rung in terms of hot sauces, it’s not even on hotter than hot team, it’s more add a spice to daily life or your eggs leval. I’ve been using Valentina for decades before all the newcomers even thought of entertaining the sauce game. But your absolutely correct it not on same playing field let alone same Hot leval.