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Substitute for Tabasco

buldog5151bass

Kibble, milkbones, and P Basses. And redheads.
Oct 22, 2003
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Connecticut
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I gotta admit, I love it. Just hot enough for a kick (without scaring off my wife), and the vinegar base compliments a lot of dishes.

I've experimented with others, and love heat, but need things of a reasonable heat level for others in the family. Suggestions? Recommendations?
 
I'm generally repulsed by Tabasco sauce- it registers with my tastebuds and spicy (and disgusting) vinegar, and I don't really like vinegar to begin with. I'm also a real softy when it comes to spicy foods- a robust mild sauce on my wings will have my forehead adequately moist.

However, I will definitely get down with some Sri Racha, or this other hot/pepper sauce by the name of Tapatio which is pretty common; way less vinegary and has flavor that, to me, is worth enduring the mild heat.
 
I find Frank's RedHot sauce to be piquant enough to make those who "don't do spicy" think they they are doing very spicy, but isn't going to hurt anyone. Ready available, cheap as chips.
Have you tried the green Tabasco? May work for a change up.

For me, few other sauces share the taste profile of Tabasco peppers. I like 'Encona' (West Indian Scotch Bonnet pepper sauce - not for the faint of heart) because of the flavour. The heat is just a bonus. Similar flavour.
Dave's Cool Cayenne might get you there. Texas Pete's, perhaps?

I'm not a huge fan of Cholula sauce, Pepper Plant, or similar. There's a taste in there I just can't get on with. Similarly with some Chipotle based sauces.

Having sensitive souls on the receiving end of my cooking I have found that using flavours to hint at spice will go a long way. I then add some cayenne pepper to my own meal for actual heat.
Using proportionately more paprika/cumin than cayenne/chili can give you a chili flavour (with other spices too) without heat. For some Indian food I use ground cardamom/cumin/ginger/white pepper to give the right flavour profile without heat (and again, I add my own heat later).

In England there's a dish with meat pies, mashed potatoes, and a parsley sauce (and stewed eels for those who would). Traditionally "Pie & Mash" is served with malt vinegar that's had pickled chili peppers steeped in there. Not sure which pepper, but it's a good way to add a different flavour note.
 
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I have been using a lot of Melinda's hot sauce lately. I go for the multiple X hot version, but I'm sure there are milder if you want them. It isn't vinegary, though. For vinegar and pepper, it's pretty much Tabasco or nothing. I was getting through hot sauce that had pepper extract in it for a while, and then decided the endless pursuit of an endorphin rush was getting absurd. So, Melinda is my current go-to and that's it.

I'm an awful person to ask if something is spicy. The answer is always nope, not really, and has been since I was about ten years old.
 
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'Grace' Hot Pepper Sauce is my alt to Tabasco. Close as it doesn't impart any strong specific flavor but pepper. A habanero or scotch bonnet based sauce typically adds a more 'distinct' flavor that may or may not be desired depending on what the hell you're eating.
 
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Panola and Crystal (incl. Tabasco) are the NoLA preferred sauces.

Frank's is garbage and is meant for medium chicken wings, way too much vinegar with no real flavor to speak of.
 
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I like the sauces from Yellowbird. They have a few to pick from. I'd recommend the variety pack for $20 so you can try them all first.
Cholula and Tapatio are popular around here.
I'm like @Gaolee and prefer my sauces hot. Much hotter than the scoville range we're talking here.

-Mike
 
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I like Red Devil as a good 'general application' hot sauce. I like the flavor of the Cayenne a little more than standard Tabasco, might be worth a try. It's cheap too.

It isn't very hot or anything, I'd say it is around the same heat level of Tabasco (mild, IMO)

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I like the sauces from Yellowbird. They have a few to pick from. I'd recommend the variety pack for $20 so you can try them all first.
Cholula and Tapatio are popular around here.
I'm like @Gaolee and prefer my sauces hot. Much hotter than the scoville range we're talking here.

-Mike


I agree and prefer the hot as well (I typically grow and eat reapers, ghost and scorpions) but with consideration for others always have a selection from hot to hotter.
 
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I agree and prefer the hot as well (I typically grow and eat reapers, ghost and scorpions) but with consideration for others always have a selection from hot to hotter.

Would you be interested in a swap of peppers for coffee?
I buy green coffee beans and roast them myself. I'm down to my last reaper and ghost. I dehydrate some of them so they last longer.

-Mike
 
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Would you be interested in a swap of peppers for coffee?
I buy green coffee beans and roast them myself. I'm down to my last reaper and ghost. I dehydrate some of them so they last longer.

-Mike

unfortunately they're all gone, I ate the last one this week (a mash is being cemented for hot sauce). This years crop was so/so and I did not get as many as I wanted. LOL Dehydration is something I need to do but my wife won't let me get more kitchen stuff (I'm the coo in the household). Coffee is a passion too but alas, I have a friend who does the same, roasts 'em himself. So friggin' good.
 
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My suggestion is salsa Valentina, very common here in the us-mex border. You may order it from Amazon if not available in your area. There's a black label edition that's canned fire. True story, I've heard it's used for polishing tarnished monument statues and it works way better than most polishing compounds. Go figure