I am a hot sauce aficionado. But for me, the Scoville heat rating is just one facet in a complex union of flavors.
I am of the opinion that the concentration of capsaicin affects the sensitivity of our taste buds, making them even more receptive to the accompanying components in each sauce.
Here's my favorites for everyday use.
Frank's Original Red Hot
Popularized from Buffalo Chicken Wings, Frank's Original is medium on the Scoville Scale. The ingredients are aged red cayenne peppers, vinegar, salt and garlic. The simple formula allows the peppers themselves to shine through and the salt makes it a bit addictive.
Nando's Peri-Peri Sauce
A South African style sauce that is ideal for grilled chicken, is medium on the Scoville Scale. Nando's has a complex flavor profile coming from a mix of supporting ingredients, vinegar, lemon and onion purees, cayenne and African Bird's Eye peppers, green chili and garlic. One of the greats!
Cholula
A medium sauce that is just so perfect for Mexican dishes, due to the combination of 3 dried peppers, arbol, cayenne, and pequin. Vinegar serves as the carrier here and salt brings up the taste. Newer versions incorporate lime, chipotle, habanero, and garlic. This is a pantry necessity, good enough to drink by the spoonful.
Huy Fong Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce
Made from coastal California sun ripened fresh red peppers in Irwindale, CA, this extremely popular sriracha presents some nice heat on the front of the tongue. The addition of sugar as well as salt and vinegar makes this a standout sauce that truly goes with almost any food. Price is right, keep a bottle in the fridge and you will thank me.
Marie Sharp's Habanero Pepper Sauce
High on the Scoville scale, Marie's is my personal favorite. Full blown fruity habanero flavor combined with carrots, onion, lime juice, and garlic, this is a unstrained masterpiece with both pulp and seeds. Made in Belize, this work of culinary art is World Class. My number 1 recommendation