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Substitute for Tabasco

#26
I'm not a big fan of either vinegar or garlic in my hot sauce, so I end up with more chili paste sort of things. But these can get pretty warm. (One that I buy at my local Mexican market got the guy behind me in line to say, "You eat that stuff? Gringo, you're as crazy as the Mexicans. I'm from Guatemala and we can't handle that!" :D:D)

But as I'm thinking about a heat level that might be easier for your family to bear, I wonder about dry chili / spice mixes. Friends have a Cajun mix/rub that they enjoy, and it's pleasantly flavored without being overwhelming.
 
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#29
The family isn't big on super hot so I've done the same and found some really good alternatives.
This one is adds lots of flavor but not heat (even though they call it hot sauce) :thumbsup:
mex-grocer_2272_169796854.jpg
 
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#31
I am now going against the spirit of the OP, and suggesting my favorite spice. It is not just HOT. It is outrageously hot. It is dangerously hot. It is so darned yummy, I use it on just about anything. I was dating a lady from Nigeria and we used it for Pepper Soup, but I find it appropriate for everything.
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#33
ThudThudThud said:
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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This ^^^ almost word for word...:thumbsup:
 
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#35
blastoff99 said:
I'm not a big fan of either vinegar or garlic in my hot sauce, so I end up with more chili paste sort of things. But these can get pretty warm. (One that I buy at my local Mexican market got the guy behind me in line to say, "You eat that stuff? Gringo, you're as crazy as the Mexicans. I'm from Guatemala and we can't handle that!" :D:D)

But as I'm thinking about a heat level that might be easier for your family to bear, I wonder about dry chili / spice mixes. Friends have a Cajun mix/rub that they enjoy, and it's pleasantly flavored without being overwhelming.
Click to expand...
My wife is English, and grew up eating food that was boiled to death. When we met, we had a bit of a spice tolerance discrepancy. Over the years, she has come to enjoy hotter and hotter peppers, to the point that she can sail right along eating things that damage mere mortals. My sister in law is Ecuadorian. She thinks garlic is really hot. I didn't realize that Mexican and Caribbean spicy stops at Central America until recently.

For what its worth, if you have handled really hot peppers, or worse, pepper extract, and then you handle contacts, you are in for pain. Hand washing doesn't make a difference. Likewise, taking a leak results in unpleasantness. I found that out. My wife thought it was hilarious. Being a comical crash test dummy is a calling.
 
#36
Kriegs said:
The family isn't big on super hot so I've done the same and found some really good alternatives.
This one is adds lots of flavor but not heat (even though they call it hot sauce) :thumbsup:
View attachment 3238583
Click to expand...

Cholula is pretty great. I'm also okay with Frank's, it does the trick. The stuff I tend to use is pretty hot though, sometimes I'll mince up some Scotch bonnets with a couple cloves of garlic, and just put that into a reduction of beer and cider vinegar with some salt and pepper. Works for me, but I'm not picky.
 
#39
BassmanPaul said:
Try the Tobasco in the green bottle. :)
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Tabasco in the 'green' bottle is Jalepeño, which is a much less hot sauce than Tabasco itself (if you can believe it can have any less heat - LOL). It's actually really nice on chicken! Another lightweight, but flavorful Tabasco is the Chipotle. It's not too hot for youngin's or people who don't want too much heat.
 
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