5 Ways You Probably Never Thought to Use Hot Sauce
Go ahead, spice things up.
Tara Donne, ©2016, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved
There’s no question about it: hot sauce is the #1 most-used condiment in my house. In fact, there’s an entire shelf in the door of my refrigerator dedicated to it. We’ve got green pepper Cholula for eggs, a handful of small-batch sauces from farm stands and local purveyors that we use for taco night, a friend’s homemade scorpion pepper-based Apple Fire hot sauce (which is absolutely amazing on pizza) and, of course, the entire Hot Ones lineup for wing night.
As much as I love the classic uses for hot sauce, I find that it’s my go-to ingredient for a lot more than just nachos and homemade chili these days. Yogurt dips, marinades, spicy hot cocoa: hot sauce has (quite literally) become the spice of life.
Now, just to be clear, I’m not recommending that you go all willy-nilly with any old hot sauce that you’ve got laying around. But, if you’ve got a bottle or two on hand, taste them, concentrate on their flavors and get creative. You won’t be disappointed. The one that’s really garlicky? You might want to add it to homemade burger patties or pasta sauce. Have another that’s smoky and almost chocolatey? That’s the one to add to your brownie batter. You get the idea.
Love the idea but don’t know where to start? Don’t worry. We’ve got 5 tried-and-true ways to spice things up.
In Caramel Sauce (pictured above)
Yep, you read that right. A little bit of Sriracha is the perfect addition to any homemade caramel sauce. Simply stir it in at the end, after your sugar has caramelized and you’ve added your cream. Whether you drizzle it over popcorn or use it as a topping for ice cream, this sweet-and-fiery sauce will completely change your mind about what a dessert should be!
Renee Comet, 2016, Television Food Network, G.P. All Rights Reserved
When you think “spicy chicken and waffles” you might assume that the hot sauce is added to the maple syrup (which, for the record, would be delicious as well) but, for this recipe, it’s the secret ingredient in the waffle batter. Genius!
There’s something truly magical about an ice-cold drink that’s laced with just a little bit of spicy heat. Choose a milder green hot sauce for this cocktail and you’ll have the perfect balance since Bobby incorporates some fresh Serrano chile pepper as well.
Caitlin Ochs
It’s not easy to improve on a classic like deviled eggs but you’ll find that the addition of a few dashes of hot sauce will make this version into your new favorite.
If you haven’t hopped on the hot honey bandwagon yet, this is your chance. Kardea shows you how easy it is to make your own from just honey, butter, hot sauce and some spices. You’ll find that this sauce is great for more than just fried chicken — make sure you try it with cheese, too.
