Published May 1, 2012. From Cook's Illustrated.
Of course a good hot sauce should pack some heat. But a great hot sauce should also enhance the flavor of your food.
Twenty-one Cook’s Illustrated staff members tasted nine hot sauces selected from a list of top-selling national brands compiled by the Chicago-based market research firm SymphonyIRI Group. We sampled the sauces over white rice and on Buffalo chicken tenders, rating them on heat level, flavor, and texture. Results were averaged and hot sauces appear below in order of preference. Information about chile type was taken from the label or gathered from the manufacturer (two companies refused to disclose their chile varietals). All were purchased at Boston-area supermarkets.
Huy Fong Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce
Despite its unconventionally thick consistency and sweeter profile, this squeeze-bottle condiment (which we threw into the mix as a ringer) impressed tasters with its “full,” “rich,” “bright” heat.
