Our Top Rated Hot Sauce

Tasting expert Jack Bishop challenges host Julia Collin Davison to a tasting of hot sauce.

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[Semiam]

Frank’s is good but its a one trick pony. I don’t want all of my food to taste like buffalo wings.

[jongardner]

There is not a doubt in my mind; Cholula and tabasco were switched.

[mermeridian]

Would love to see a taste-testing with Crystal and Louisiana Hot Sauces in with the top two winners of this one.

[jamesaroeuett]

I've tried every sauce on the list and dozens more. I make my own as well. This "test" is nonsensical. Different hot sauces pair with different foods. I wouldn't use Frank's, Cholula or Valentina on Cajun food, for example. I wouldn't use Franks on Mexican food. Each one has a different flavor profile for different food. Unless you just want to sit around and drink hot sauce, a test like this is silly. Pair the sauces with different foods. Hot sauces are supposed to enhance the flavor of food.

Also, they most definitely mixed up Tabasco and Cholula. Tabasco is watery. Cholula is not. The first sauce is watery. Look how the first sauce just spills out of the little bowl when she moves the spoon. Tabasco sauce is made from vinegar, chiles, and salt. The third sauce is thicker because of the xanthan gum. I just went and compared the consistency and tastes of Cholula and Tabasco from my bottles to confirm, and it's obvious this test mixed them up. Cholula sauce does not splash around like the first sauce. Cholula also has a milder flavor. Tabasco has a much sharper, harsher flavor than Cholula. This makes sense because Tabasco is primarily vinegar.

[pwcorgi]

Cholula is probably my favorite of the three. I'm pretty certain that they got it mixed up with Tabasco.

[halthou]

Valentina is so good on burritos! I use it almost every day.

[Katy]

Crystal hot sauce, anyone? An old friend raised in the country in the south turned me on to it.

[tcmr]

The lovely thing about hot sauce is that many of them are situational in use. I wouldn't use franks red hot on my scrambled eggs, but i will use tabasco. Just like i wouldnt use tabasco on my wings.

[hydnumrepandum]

Yep, they had the Tabasco and the Cholula switched; you can definitely tell by the color, the consistency and the "garlicky" comment - which Cholula has (garlic powder), whereas Tabasco has no garlic! Plus, Julia's comment about "hot" on the first taste. Tabasco is hot vinegar, plain and simple. Cholula has a more complex flavor from a mix of peppers, not just one pepper like Tabasco, which is good on eggs. Cholula is good on everything Mexican. Franks is good on wings.

[SimonVelazquez]

Having most of the hot sauces in my home right now I can tell, just by looking at the color and consistency, that you guys mixed up the Cholula and Tabasco.

[CAsaidit]

Something has definitely gone wrong here. Pretty sure they confused the Chaloula with Tabasco, therefore giving a completely inaccurate review.

[cmquinn]

Tapatio! It doesn't add a vinegar punch. It is a staple on the tables at restaurants in Southern California.

[nkcjulie]

An important distinction (that I can't believe they didn't mention) is that Cholula uses Piquin peppers as its base. That gives it an entirely different flavor profile.

[romanaxle]

When I was in the military I put Texas Pete on everything. Of the hot sauces listed, that is my winner.

[kekzinj]

I’m sorry, but Tabasco and Cholulu are so distinct color, texture, and taste wise that I’m not sure how she didn’t recognize them

[NessaRossini...]

I love green hot sauces...maybe a show on that one?

[guntertollhausen]

Why are they comparing two different categories of hot sauce in the same test? Cholula/Valentino are a different style, with different uses and history than the Tabasco/franks style. They are not interchangeable and not directly comparable. Also no crystals???

[ShaneA]

Louisiana has always been my favorite.

[Cujucuyo]

Tabasco Chipotle is amazing, the smoky and tart flavour make it wonderful specially paired with greasy foods.

[GeorgeSawtooth]

Tobasco after trying ALL of them is still the best and the one I always go back to using. Second best is Rooster sauce Siracha.