Have you heard about the Heine Hurtin’ Sweet n Hot Sauce?  This is a cool twist on a traditional dipping sauce as it is similar to a spreadable jelly.  Some people do not care for a BBQ type sauce with the tomato base.  This sauce can be used in several different ways too and it is a pure and simple sauce that you may want to check out.

The Heine Hurtin’ Sweet n Hot Sauce is also known as Heine Hurtin’ Jelly or Heine Hurtin’ Hot Sauce, but whatever you call it, it comes in an 8oz jar that is simple to use.  It really is a Jelly that is made for meat so the name is a misnomer.  The taste is sweet with a mild Jalapeno heat. Continue Reading

As someone who religiously tops pizza with hot sauce and in turn dips the crust in barbeque sauce, Mad Dog’s Ghost BBQ Sauce and its promise to serve up an “intense BBQ experience” immediately intrigued me.  I’ve had a few run-ins with Mad Dog’s Original BBQ Sauce in my day, but I’ve also found myself toeing the line with the ghost pepper (or Bhut Jolokia) as of late, a pepper that has a history of providing a hefty dose of spice and has caused my eyes to tear up on more than one occasion.   Feelings about the ghost pep aside, Mad Dog has had my number for years, and it didn’t take a huge leap of faith for me to pour a generous amount of this new sauce on to my plate.  And “pour” is the optimal word here – after a good shake, the sauce flowed out from the bottle’s wide mouth with ease and pooled into a puddle next to my pizza.  There was nothing watery in the least about this sauce.  Continue Reading

Buddha Bill’s Tequila Lime Hot Sauce is a recent discovery and a favorite of mine. That’s why I was surprised and happy as hell to see Buddha Bill’s Peach Habanero Hot Sauce. I really love shaken’ those peaches, especially with my hot sauces, so I opened this one with a big grin on my face, ready to enjoy the fruit and heat combination. I didn’t expect the heat to be too intense, of course, since most of the peach and pepper combos I’ve had the pleasure of ingesting are usually quite mild. While Buddha Bill’s Peach Habanero Hot Sauce is by no means one of those sauces that will make you blow fire from the rear exit, it is quite a bit warmer than most other peach and pepper combinations I’ve had the pleasure of sampling. Peaches, orange habanero peppers, apple cider vinegar, orange juice, and brown sugar are the ingredients that come together in this beautifully crafted peach-colored sauce. Pour some on a spoon and take a taste to get the full effect before combining it with anything else. Continue Reading

Two of my favorite combinations are sweet and heat.Honey is one of the finest ingredients you can combine with peppers to give you this exquisite combination. Short of walking into a hive full of bees, Bee Sting Honey ‘n’ Habanero Hot Sauce is one of the best ways to get the taste of honey with the bite of a habanero pepper. My first impulse when I twist the cap off this stuff is to pour it on a spoon and take it straight. In fact, this sauce is excellent (not kidding here) for someone who has a cold. Forget the cough syrup. Bee Sting Honey ‘n’ Habanero soothes the throat and helps open the sinus cavities and it tastes a lot better than cough syrup. I wouldn’t lie to you. This isn’t something I could make up. There’s another way I use this sauce. I started by accident. It makes a great pancake syrup. The honey provides the sweetness you expect from a pancake syrup and the habaneros give your cakes a nice little kick. Continue Reading

Baron Blazing Hot Pepper Sauce is a useful piquant sauce. The pungent aroma helps enhance the sharp tang and the slight burn of the scotch bonnet peppers used to craft this sauce. Besides the scotch bonnets, this sauce contains nothing but vinegar, some salt, and a few spices. Many of these piquant sauces are made using cayenne or similar peppers, so I was happy to taste the scotch bonnets here.

In my book, the use of the scotch bonnets is what sets this sauce apart from other similar sauces. They give it a little better kick than most of the piquant classified sauces I’ve tasted, and I absolutely love the flavor of the scotch bonnet, so I find myself using this sauce frequently when I eat anything of the Mexican persuasion. The rich red color of this sauce is appealing and the flavor is smooth, providing a perfect complement to these foods. Continue Reading

I know a girl named Bethany and she rarely has the blues, so I knew this sauce wasn’t hers. Actually, it comes from Bethany Beach in Delaware. As far as beaches go, you don’t hear about Bethany Beach all that much, but you should hear about this grilling sauce because it’s quite nice. Flexible, too, since while it’s called a grilling sauce, on the side of the label it’s referred to as a “dipping sauce and marinade for grilled or smoked pork, beef, seafood, chicken or wild game.”

That sounds nearer to the target because Bethany Blues Papaya Grillin’ Sauce has very little in the way of viscosity going for it. In other words, it won’t coat a piece of meat on a grill the way a traditional barbecue sauce would. Continue Reading

I want you to know that I am writing this immediately – I mean, immediately – after sampling the product. In fact, my nose is still running from the peppery heat. I love hot wings and I make them often, but Uncle Dougie’s Chicago Style Wing Sauce proves that you can teach on old dougie – er, doggie – new tricks.

Dougie prints a recipe for the wings right on the label, and though it differed from I usually make wings, I decided to do it his way. Well, right now, his way is the only way as far as I’m concerned. These were some very tasty wings and while they weren’t deadly hot, they had a nice even spiciness that made my nose run, my brow sweat, and my mouth asking for more.
Continue Reading

There’s nothing like waking up to the sizzle of bacon in the frying pan, the aroma of the bacon wafting through the ear, complemented by fresh coffee and a couple of eggs over easy. Nothing like it, that is, unless you’ve got a bottle of Bacon Hot Sauce sitting on your breakfast table you can use to augment your breakfast cuisine.

This is one of the most unique combinations I’ve tasted in a long time — hot sauce with the taste of bacon. The combination is something completely different and quite tasty.

This is a hot sauce first and foremost, made with the cayenne peppers and New Mexico chiles. The combination of these two peppers, balanced with sugar and bacon flavor that offers up a mild taste treat designed to complement whatever dish you use it with. Bacon hot sauce does not have a sever burn. Continue Reading

I could make this review very short by simply stating that Blair’s Death Rain Cajun Seasoning is the best chile pepper-based seasoning I’ve ever tasted. But I’ll reveal more. It’s worth it.

First of all, if it says Blair on the label, you know two things: it’s going to be good and it’s going to be hot. And Death Rain is definitely good and hot – and this is the medium version, too, though the label still says “Warning!” This delightful, burnt-sienna-colored spice blend is composed of cayenne pepper, garlic, onion, paprika, salt, celery seed, rosemary, oregano, turmeric, and sage. Clearly, this mix is a foodie’s dream, delivering not just good heat but also a blend of delightful flavors that you’d probably want on your food anyway. Continue Reading

With a name like Arrogant Bastard Ale Jalapeno Heat, you know this sauce is going to be really tasty or simply overly bloated bravado in a bottle. The former is the case here. Arrogant Bastard Ale Jalapeno Heat is aptly named. This is a prime example of gourmet flavor in a bottle.

Go ahead, open yours, grab a spoon, and pour a liberal amount for sampling. You’ll find a mild burn backed by the smooth, delicious taste of the Arrogant Bastard Ale that plays such an important role in the flavor notes of this sauce. The smooth taste of the ale lingers on your tongue long after you’ve tasted the sauce.This is a thin, highly pourable sauce that is rounded out with tomato paste, vinegar, honey, lemon juice, evaporated cane juice, red peppers, jalapeno, some salt, and a little garlic. Continue Reading

I’m a guy who likes big flavors and frankly, while I love buffalo wings I rarely make them. That’s because I make buffalo drumsticks. Bigger, get it? So when I got my hands on a bottle of Defcon’s wing sauce, I immediately went out and bought some nice meaty drumsticks. I seasoned them, backed them for an hour, tossed them with butter, then poured on the Defcon. (Just as a side note, I’m not a big fan of either celery or bleu cheese dressing; I prefer a nice, vinegary cole slaw as a side to my drumsticks.)

And then I ate them. All of them. This stuff was awesome. And while it’s only the medium heat version, they were plenty spicy; spicy enough for most people except the freaks (like me) who like really, really, spicy wings. Continue Reading

Back in the 1960s, Jan and Dean sang, “You won’t come back from deadman’s curve,” and it proved prescient when Jan was in a car accident on the same road mentioned in the song and suffered brain damage that lasted until he died a few years ago. Today, we have Deadman Hot Sauce, sporting a label that has the name of the sauce printed on yellow police tape and a chalk outline of a body with a bottle of the sauce lying nearby. Does this mean you won’t survive this sauce?

Well, there are no guarantees in life so who’s to say? But I will guarantee that you won’t find many classic red hot sauces that are hotter or more flavorful than Deadman. This is a sauce worth dying for because unlike most classic red hot sauces that are made with aged cayenne peppers, Deadman Hot Sauce is made with…er, aged red peppers. Continue Reading

There are thousands and thousands of hot pepper sauce fans around the world and many of these hot pepper sauce fans will sample hundreds of sauces and then write reviews on what they thought about the sauce. You will find these hot sauce reviews published in newspapers, foodie and/or cooking magazines and on various web sites and right here on our blog.

It is important that when you are reading various hot pepper sauce reviews to remember that every taste tester has different taste buds and likes and dislikes. So just because one person likes such and such brand of … Continue Reading

When I think of key limes, I think of key lime pie. I didn’t expect this deep reddish-brown sauce to taste like key lime pie. But the other thing I generally use lime juice for are margaritas. And lo and behold, there really is tequila in Key West Key Lime BBQ Sauce! Which is not to say it tastes like a margarita because it doesn’t. But that’s OK, because I don’t want a barbecue sauce that tastes like a margarita. I want a  barbecue sauce with a rich, robust flavor and that’s exactly what this sauce delivers.

The ingredients are fairly standard for the most part: tomatoes, brown sugar, sugar, corn syrup, soy sauce, tequila, Worcestershire sauce, lime juice, New Mexico chiles (would love to know exactly what those are), garlic, onion, salt, spices, and natural mesquite flavor. Continue Reading

Hello fellow Chili Head’s!
 

Life is good in our family home as our fertile vegetable garden is maturing and the anticipation grows of this year’s annual family sauce production/barbeque approaches.  Northern California can be a tough place for chili peppers to grow outside. Too much water and not enough incinerating heat can really slow fruit production. Fortunately for me, I have friends back east that are growing the new “Butch T” Scorpion Pepper (The new world’s hottest) and some Bhut Jolokia Peppers (The Worlds second hottest) and shortly I will be placing my … Continue Reading

Wicked Cactus hand-crafts its sauces in small batches to ensure quality, freshness, and heat. They do not disappoint. Case in point: Head Hunter’s Paradise Hot Sauce, a fine concoction of pineapple, apple cider vinegar, smoked habanero, oranges, red bell pepper, salt, and spices.

With all that fruit, I doubted whether the habaneros would come through in force, and especially the unique smoked flavor. But as I said, it did not disappoint. Wonderfully thick and chunky, Head Hunter’s Paradise is both sweet and savory, hot and fruity, and decidedly smoky. Salsa-like in consistency, it had more the feel of a very spicy barbecue sauce than a table condiment. But frankly, it could serve just as well in either capacity. Continue Reading

Ass Kickin’ Steak Sauce – Some hot sauce brands are so distinctive and renown for their quality that you pretty much know what you’re going to get before you even taste it. Ass Kickin’ is one of those brands. Holding a bottle of Ass Kickin’ Steak Sauce in my hands, I pretty much knew what it would be like: rich in flavor, made with good, wholesome ingredients, and heat enough to kick my ass. Once again, Ass Kickin’ did not disappoint.

I will add that I enjoy a good steak sauce so I wasn’t going to be satisfied with just a hot raisin puree. Not to worry. Ass Kickin’ Steak Sauce is a real steak sauce, composed of water, tomato paste, vinegar, sugar, raisin paste, salt, soy sauce, lemon juice, molasses, onion, habanero peppers, spices, and garlic. Minus the habaneros, a pretty standard steak sauce, with the right blend of sweet and savory ingredients mixed into a nice thick sauce. Of course, the big difference is the key difference: the habaneros. Continue Reading

Captain Jack’s Authentic Caribbean Style Pepper Sauce – A couple of points of clarification are required at the outset. First, this incredibly thick and chunky concoction is actually more of a relish than a sauce. Second, I want to marry this stuff. I’m not kidding; if my wife treated me as well as this product does I wouldn’t be divorcing her. Instead, I’d be spreading her all over my food, like I am with Captain Jack’s.

OK, I know that all sounds weird, but all you need to do it look at a jar of this pepper sauce and you’ll know what I’m talking about. You can see how thick and chunky it is, you can tell there are no artificial colors or flavors added. What you see if what you get, and you see a lot and get a lot. And then you unscrew the lid and take a whiff. Oh, man! Continue Reading

It’s The Cure/Burn All!
Back in the 1800’s, whole communities used to look forward to attending the “traveling road shows” for not only the interesting and unusual entertainment, but for the exotic products that could only be found and purchased there.  Some might gather to see some colorful and dangerous animals from far away countries, while others may take a moment to gawk at some misshapen human that is portraying a strange skill or talent. But once you wade through all of that, one might see a huge crowd that has formed nearby. Pushing aside the spectators, you approach, only to see a man standing on top of his wagon preaching at a fevered pitch. “It’s the Elixir of the gods!” says the man. “It will cure all and best of all, I guarantee it!”  People are franticly trying to purchase his product. The promise of looking good, smelling good, tasting good, and most importantly, feeling good, is just to much for most people to pass up even 200 plus years later.

This is “Atomic Eh?” and I have found yet another product that I would like to share with you. The sale of “snake oil” or medicines of the eighteen hundreds have always fascinated me, and over the years I have collected quite a few of these bottles from the past. What was once contained in these bottles is not something I would highly recommend trying, but I have a spicy “atomic” product that I came across that I want to tell you about. Continue Reading

Hello Chili Heads!

Today is a great day for some heat. Springtime is here in California and were all talking about what were going to plant for this year’s harvest.  Fortunately, there are many things for the family chili head to obsess on. Not only are vendors constantly creating new sauces to tantalize our taste buds but, there are many people out there trying to break the world record for the hottest chili. Currently the Bhut Jolokia holds the record, but when I spoke to Sue Hard, who is the co owner of Cajohn’s Fiery Foods, she said that … Continue Reading

Sense incinerating, all consuming, tongue blistering, brain boiling and growing in degree; Flesh devouring, sinus draining, eye ducts tearing, and worst of all…It only comes in a 5 oz bottle!

Hey fellow Chili Heads!
This is “Atomic Eh?” giving you a chance to “experience” some of the “atomic heat” baby! (And I am not talking about what you get from your local tax auditor!) As the “heat” of our tax season is coming to a close, many of us are breathing a sigh of relief, as we file our taxes, and hope that we won’t hear about them ever, ever … Continue Reading

Hello Fellow Spice Addicts!
Life is good on the west coast! For just a moment, the sun was shinning and the temperature was inching up-FINALLY! Spring was on the horizon. But alas, winter reared its ugly head and the cold, damp rain is back with a vengeance.  So I was passing through a cold, damp Sunday afternoon, when something outside my window caught my eye.  Our family cat had decided to convey to me in not too many words, that if I was not going to put the grill into action then she was. For those that are animal lovers out … Continue Reading

Mango Peach Tango Baby!
Rock n roll has been around for a long time and spicy food has been developed and consumed with a passion for a lot longer. Both of these are important to my family and me. Everywhere I go, it seems like there is music and great food is to be appreciated. While some choose to agonize over politics or global warming, I, on the other hand, have a desire to spend my time on the more comforting things in life like family, food, and good ole rock n roll. When I can combine all these, … Continue Reading

Rock ‘n Roll my Barbeque…if you dare!

Hey to all you chili heads out there and Barbeque addicts. As I continue my quest in hunting, acquiring, and best of all, consuming some of the finest, tastiest, and hottest sauces out there, I must take just a moment to tell you about,

Mad Anthony’s Barbeque Sauce. Continue Reading

Hello Chili Heads! It’s a new year and Zest Fest is right around the corner. Those of us that are truly dedicated to all things spicy are now wondering what “atomic” sauces are going to be presented at the show. In a few short weeks, we will know and I bet you can find all those new sauces right here at Insanechicken.com! I found a new sauce to try and I want to tell you about it.
Gringo Bandito Hot Sauce.

For those of you that love rock ‘n roll and hot sauce, this sauce review should be … Continue Reading