What food should you pair your hot sauce with?
Sweet, fermented, smoky or spicy… what type of hot sauce goes best with different foods?
Have you ever watched a cooking show where they make food and then bring on an 'expert' that tells you what bottle of wine goes best with it?
Now here at Bauce Brothers, our knowledge of wine doesn't really go beyond red, white and the occasional rosé when we're feeling a bit fancy.
Why is Pinot Grigio white and Pinot Noir red?! This kinda stuff blows our minds on a daily basis.
However, what we do know is hot sauce. With this in mind, we've put together a blog about what type of sauce goes best with different types of grub.
We've also put in some of our favourite dishes to try. We do like to spoil you.
Fruity hot sauce
Feeling a little fruity? Fruit is often used in hot sauces to give them delicious sweetness alongside the traditional spicy kick. Mangoes, papaya, peaches, pineapple… anything goes!
Fruity hot sauces go amazingly with fish and seafood. Whether you're prepping a prawn skewer or a succulent tuna steak, it's an impressive flavour combo. Heck, when you go to the chippy, ditch the ketchup or HP sauce and give a fruit hot sauce a try on your battered haddock instead!
Want to go true 'inception' on your hot sauce? Try a fruity hot sauce on a fruit salad for a delicious blend of sugar and spice.
We don't think that's how the movie's plot went, but we'd still watch it anyway.
Looking for recipes to road test your shiny new bottle of fruity hot sauce on? Try our spicy tikka pitta
Fermented hot sauce
Fermented hot sauces are ones that are brined and pickled in airtight jars before they're eaten. They're generally not as hot as their unfermented brethren, but they do have a vinegary, tongue-puckering sourness that you can't beat!
Plus, fermented sauces are chock-full of friendly bacteria that give your digestive system a bit of a boost… win-win!
Fermented sauces are great with mild foods like lentils and cheese, to add an extra element of tanginess. They also go amazingly with Asian and Indian dishes (like this creamy lentil dhal), adding intensity and acidity to your meal.
Smoky hot sauce
A smoky hot sauce gets its flavour from smoke-dried chillies, usually a chipotle.
Fun fact for you: Did you know that a chipotle is a dried jalapeno? This is what gives chipotle sauces their sweet and earthy taste.
Smoky sauce goes so, so good with Mexican food. A crunchy taco, an ice-cold Mexican beer and a good old serving of a smoky chipotle sauce… Best meal ever!
If you've got more of a sweet tooth, smoky hot sauce goes great with chocolate too. Don't ask us; we're not scientists, but the smokiness of the sauce adds extra richness to the chocolate.
So, what are you waiting for? Add hot sauce to your fudge, brownies, mousse and cookies today! The people at the next bake sale you go to will thank you.
Spicy hot sauce
Yes, we know that all types of hot sauces are hot. Clues in the name, innit?
However, some sauces are infinitely spicier than others, with super-hot ingredients like the Scotch Bonnet, Carolina Reaper and Bhut Jolokia. We're getting into a hot sweat just thinking about them!
Spicy sauces go best with mild and creamy scran like eggs, tofu and mushrooms. The hot undertones of the sauce really complement the food and make it pop in your mouth!
Why not try some stuffed shrooms or braised aubergine with your spicy hot sauce?
Don't forget though that when it comes to rules for hot sauce and food pairings… there aren't any rules! So, enjoy your food with any hot sauce you like.
Does this mean that we didn't have to write this article!? Eh, probably. But we had a fun time anyway, and we hope you did too!
