johnb

What’s the best kind of chilli sauce? Free chilli sauce! A sauce hand made and gifted by a friend! This one was produced from garden grown chillis from that well known source of Scoville rated heat, Leicester.

I liked this one (not just saying that either). Uncomplicated, punch of heat, acidic tail. One might use the phrase “does what it says on the tin” except that it neither arrived in a tin, or even had any writing on it.

Really good partner for a hash brown or to pep up a stir fry. A valiant effort by the sauce but it didn’t last 2 weeks.

10/10 – please sir, can I have some more?

Most of the hot sauces I use are red, so this one caught my eye as being something a bit different. It’s pretty tasty; the tomatilos, lime and coriander combine nicely to give it that zesty verde taste. I was a little disappointed though. I realise that everyone’s perfect heat level is different, but I was really struggling to find any ‘hot’ in this at all. The ingredients list jalapeño, serrano, habanero and jolikia. I can only guess that the person crafting my batch had run out.

6/10 – Pleasant but won’t rush to buy again. Thought it a bit on the expensive side for what it was.

Behold, the wizard of chilli sauces

I came across this sauce completely by chance; a relative asked what to get me for Christmas and I said “some interesting chilli sauces”. What I unwrapped was a selection on Psycho Juice 70%-ers and it’s safe to say that this one was the run-away favourite.

It’s a reasonably hot sauce, but like most of my favoured condiments, not overpowering. It’s pretty “up front” about it’s business and punchy. Not one of those sauces which gradually creeps up on you. Pretty flexible, too. Great with breakfast eggs, good on chips, excellent for pepping up some noodles or a sandwich. While there’s a bit of sweetness, garlic and citrus in there, this is one of those that does a really good job of putting the chilli front and centre and letting it speak for itself.

10/10 – Don’t think, get some.

Ah, a supermarket own brand, eh?

Despite saying “Extra Hot” this one isn’t going to challenge any chilli-heads out there at 14% habanero mash. It’s a good sauce for the price, however my main beef with it is the sweetness. Tesco have used a glucose/fructose syrup as the base and the sweetness really drives through. I prefer my sauces more on the savoury side. Still, not bad for a supermarket effort!

5/10.

Another one from Captain Foods! Not quite as full bodied as the previous Habanero Heat, but another good sauce

It’s not quite on a par with the habanero heat; not quite punchy enough, but fundamentally another flavoursome sauce that you don’t have to be scared of and can use liberally.

7/10 – Would buy again

I didn’t have very high expectations of this one, but I have to admit that I was really impressed. It’s not complicated, but it’s a tasty, slightly on the sweet side “just ladel it on” sauce. Not particularly hot, but awesome with nachos, prepping up a sandwich, etc.

8/10 – I’ve tried to find this sauce in the UK but I’ve come up blank and that makes me sad.

Got to say I’m very taken by this one. It’s quite hot but very flavoursome. Very savoury, good punch of heat and spice/garlic up front, nice tapered lingering after-burn.

8/10 – Have already bought again.

Had high hopes for this one, but it underwhelmed. Heat was OK – robust upfront, prolonged after-burn, but I think it’s the spicing on this one that I’m not a fan of; overall I just found the flavour a but muddily overwhelming. It didn’t really seem to compliment anything I tried it with, just slapped it around and overpowered it.

4/10 – wouldn’t avoid but don’t plan to buy again.