While looking for additional brands of hot sauce to evaluate, I discovered this notably hot-flavored Tabasco Brand Red Pepper Sauce at Walmart. This product has been around since I can remember, and I’ve used it from time to time. However, until now, I’ve not stocked it in my kitchen. But I’ll start now, as I’ve discovered that this hot sauce is a much-lower sodium example of pepper sauce than any of the other hot sauces I’ve reviewed so far. It’s simple too, built with only three ingredients. But more on that below.
Anyway, I decided to bring home a 5-ounce bottle of this original Tabasco sauce for review. Indeed, I liked the overall sharp taste, thinner consistency, glass bottling, and low price of this product from McIlhenny Company of Avery Park, LA. Indeed, many companies make hot sauce in the here and now, due to its versatile spicy flavor. Apparently many folks like me, enjoy that strong Tabasco pepper kick, as this sauce is a favorite alongside hamburgers, fish, and chicken dishes.
I’ve applied Tabasco red pepper sauce to fish dishes now and again for decades. Tabasco brand is among the hottest pepper sauces I’ve ever shaken onto ribs. It has a mean bite that will numb your tongue if you spread it too liberally on your food. Not a bad thing. Just a fact of this particular pepper sauce. Sometimes, it’s too hot to use on fish. I have to be in the right mood for it. But when that mood strikes, Tabasco on seafood is delicious.
Note however that while you may correctly refer to this product as a hot sauce, it has a distinctly different flavor than the brands that dub themselves as Louisiana hot sauce. However, the Tabasco aroma closely resembles many of those other hot sauces.
Here are my over all positive thoughts on this hot sauce.
Benefits, Pros, Advantages, and Features
- The curiously hot flavor of Tabasco strongly accents the taste of so many fish- and poultry-based entrees. It’s so strong that it can hide the “fishiness” of fish and the “fowlness” of chicken near-completely if desired. But don’t over-apply it, as it will indeed give your tong taste fatigue, and the burning sensation will last for ten minutes or more. Also, have plenty of your favorite beverage nearby to douse the heat.
- It’s a thinner sauce, which is quickly absorbed into the bread coatings of fish and chicken patties. It’s natural.
- The box they include with this sauce offers several simple suggestions of foods that Tabasco sauce goes well with, including eggs, pizza, and salad dressings.
- This shockingly sizzling flavor offers a loud, peppery hotness.
- The best-used-by date is two years out from the purchase date. So this fiery hot sauce will keep a long time in the your recreational foods chest.
- This product need not be refrigerated after opening. Just store it in a cool, dry, and dark place for maximum original-flavor preservation.
- This sauce adds plenty of heat flavor to any dish but virtually no calories or carbs. I prefer it most on fish fillets and pork.
- I’d describe this hot sauce as quite hot; I’ve tasted very few other hotter sauces. So I’d avoid party recipes that call for lots of this hot sauce, as people may steer clear of them due to the extreme spice.
- I love the glass bottle; better than plastic containers for best flavor preservation.
- This product has no added food colors or preservatives. Yet it stores well for at least two years.
- The sodium in this product is way low, at just 35 milligrams per teaspoon.
- Further, Tabasco contains almost no calories, carbs, fat, or added sugars. Hypertensive folks can consume this product and worry way less that it will raise blood pressures.
- There’s absolutely no sweet taste to become addicted to here, which is spectacular. Even if there was a small amount of sweetness, I’m sure that the peppery heat would mask it quite well.
- This hot sauce is quite easy to find in most any grocery store or convenience shop.
Disadvantages, Cons, Problems, and Concerns
- How about some recipes printed right on the bottle?
- Once this Tabasco sauce sets your mouth ablaze, you can’t just drink one, two, or even five swigs of water to quench it. Oft time, you must wait for the flames in your mouth to die down on their own.
- People sensitive to this high level of flavor should avoid this product, in my view.
- I think, given the apparent strength of the glass bottle, that they could do away with the box in order to reduce the cost of this Tabasco sauce.
Ingredients
Distilled vinegar, red pepper, and salt.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving size: 1 teaspoon (5 milliliters). Servings per 5-ounce container: about 30.
- Calories: 0.
- Total fat: 0 grams, 0% DV.
- Saturated fat: 0 grams, 0 DV.
- Trans fat: 0 grams.
- Sodium: 35 milligrams, 1% DV.
- Total carb: 0 grams, 0% DV.
- Protein: 0 grams, 0% DV.
Product Rating
All-in-all, this muscular-flavored red pepper sauce is a seasoned cook’s friend for amping up foods with seriously spicy flavor. Some will like it. Many however, will not. So know your guests preferences before serving foods that include lots of Tabasco in their recipes. In moderation, Tabasco hot sauce a highly healthy flavoring, as it contains no added sugars or fats, and it’s low sodium too. So I highly recommend it be included any any chef’s kitchen. I’d rate Tabasco Brand Pepper Sauce at 99 out of 100. It’s a near-perfect food.
Where To Buy Tabasco Brand Red Pepper Sauce
Look for this pepper sauce in the clear glass bottle (that displays the orange-red hot sauce inside) with the white, red, and green, label at just about all grocery stores big or small. It comes in 5-ounce and 12-ounce sizes, and is sometimes packaged in a bright orange box.
References
- Hot Sauce on Wikipedia
- Tabasco Sauce Website
- Tabasco Sauce Wikipedia
- Where To Buy Tabasco Brand Red Pepper Sauce
Revision History
- 2015-02-22: Adjusted category and tag assignments, fixed typos, and added whitespace.
- 2012-05-20: Originally published.