While some people will insist that hot sauce goes well with just about any food you can imagine, there are definitely some foods out there that were just made to be eaten with hot sauce. Whether you’re new to hot sauce, or if you’ve been eating it for years, there’s bound to be something new to try on this list.
South and Central American Food
Hot sauce is made with chili peppers, and in America a lot of the hot sauce that we’re familiar with comes from the tropical regions of our continent. That means that the entire palate of cuisine from South and Central America tends to pair really well with hot sauce. After all, people who are indigenous to this area have been consuming chili peppers along with their other native foods for hundreds of years. It only makes sense that these foods will taste great together.
While tacos and burritos seem like obvious choices, don’t stop there. Hot sauce will go well with just about any dish from this region.
South and Central Asian Cuisine
Similarly, chili peppers also grow in the tropical regions of South and Central Asian. The peppers from these areas are different than the ones that most Americans are familiar with, but they make some unique and truly flavorful hot sauces, some of which can be found at this hot sauce shop. Try hot sauce on everything from pho to fried rice. Hot sauce can really liven up basic noodle and rice dishes and add an extra flavor component to more complicated ones.
Soul Food
Collard greens, chicken fried steak, and many other traditional dishes from the South are all well-complimented with hot sauce. To do it right, pick a sauce that has a lot of flavor, and avoid sauces that pack a lot of heat. Soul food has traditionally been meant to be enjoyed with a bottle of hot sauce on the table, but these have historically been vinegar based sauces that are relatively mild compared to many of the sauces available today.
Burgers and Meatloaf
Anything made from ground beef can taste rather bland on its own, but hot sauce can go a long way towards adding some flavor. In the case of burgers and meatloaf, consider mixing a teaspoon or tablespoon of hot sauce into a pound of raw ground beef. As the meat cooks, the flavor of the hot sauce will spread throughout the meat. In some cases, it may reduce some of the heat of the sauce, so experiment a bit to see what you like.
Steak
While steak is technically another beef dish, more people think about eating it with steak sauce than with hot sauce. Hot sauce can add a lot of zing to a bland steak, however. It’s also a go-to condiment in the event that a steak has become overcooked; it can hide a lot of cooking errors.
Fried Chicken
Chicken wings and hot sauce have gone together since the invention of buffalo wings, but the sauce can also be used on a variety of other types of fried chicken. Try it as a dipping sauce with chicken tenders, or if you’re feeling less adventurous, simply add a few drops to one of your favorite barbecue sauces.
If you make your own fried chicken, mix a spoonful of hot sauce in with an egg. Then, dip your chicken into the egg mixture before coating it with corn or bread crumbs. This will add some extra spice to your fried chicken, but you can still keep using the recipe you know and love.
Condiments
Even though hot sauce is already a condiment, it can be blended with a loaf of your other favorite condiments to create some truly unique flavors. Start by adding a tablespoon of hot sauce to your ketchup. It will add some extra spiciness that will go great with burgers, meatloaves, and French fries.
You may also want to experiment with adding hot sauce to honey mustard, ranch dressing, or even mayonnaise. All of these will give a unique flavor profile to your favorite condiment. As you experiment, be sure to let your friends know about your favorite combinations or leave a note down below in the comments.
Potatoes
While plenty of people known about dipping their extra crispy French fries in hot sauce, there are other ways to use hot sauce with potatoes. Add a few drops to the inside of a baked potato. If you’re feeling really adventurous, add a spoonful of hot sauce to your milk when making mashed potatoes. Another favorite recipe is to use hot sauce on home fries.
Grilled or Sautéed Vegetables
Grilling or sauteing vegetables can really help to bring out the vegetables’ natural sugar. When a few drops of hot sauce are added, the flavor can be really intense. The trick to doing this is to be careful not to drench the vegetables in hot sauce; the flavor of the sauce can easily overwhelm a single serving of vegetables.
Hot sauce is a great way to add extra flavor or completely change the flavor profile of your favorite foods. Don’t just stop with the suggestions on this list, go try your favorite hot sauce on your favorite dishes.
Leave a Reply