“Hurts So Good” Pepper Sauce is a complex sauce that is very rich in flavor. These sauces take pride in both their taste and all natural status. After receiving my first bottles and exploring the flavors within for nearly a week, it is now time to share my review. Enjoy, and thanks for reading!
The two flavors I want to tell you about are “Medium Heat” and “Habanero Hot”. Upon opening the bottles, the presence of vinegar is immediately detected. It’s a strong smell, with slightly weaker notes flowing with the aroma of peppers and garlic. The Medium Heat flavor, smells amazing.
With such a powerful vinegar scent, it’s no surprise that a bitter flavor is tasted in the sauce. However, I was shocked to find out that three different types of vinegar go into this sauce. Distilled white vinegar, apple cider vinegar and balsamic vinegar, all accompany the other ingredients. Now in the wrong hands, this is a disaster waiting to happen, but the maker of “Hurts So Good” really pulled it off using all three vinegars. Quite impressive! I personally enjoyed the distinctive taste of the balsamic vinegar in both sauces, this is a rare component for most common hot sauces.
Aside from the vinegar, I would like to also draw attention to a couple of other tastes you will discover. Cilantro is the first. My loyal readers know that this soapy tasting herb is one of my favorites, and it does well in this sauce. Honey is the other ingredient that deserves recognition. Not because it’s in the sauce, but because it is actually noticeable and provides a pleasant aftertaste and faint sweetness. It also gives a healthy balance to the sauce
Now let’s touch on the heat factor of these sauces. The Habanero Hot flavor is quite pungent and very spicy. Red habaneros will scorch your taste buds in an addictive sort of way. Other peppers are used as well; serranos, anaheims and cayennes are all in the mix. But nevertheless, the habanero is the most distinctive pepper tasted. As for the Medium Heat flavor, most of the fiery taste is extinguished. Fairly mild, and much better suited for a rookie hot sauce explorer.
High Points
I combined the Medium Heat flavor with a dash of grapeseed oil, then used it as a salad dressing. The chunky, yet runny consistency, along with the overall fresh taste of the hot sauce made this combo the perfect vinaigrette.
The Habanero Heat flavor was enjoyed with several meat dishes. The fattier the meat, the more this sauce harmonizes flavor.
Both are great on cheese dishes.
Low Points
I have no taste quarrels. My issue is that this sauce is quite hard to find. But the only way to fix that is by buying a bottle for yourself! For my fellow Georgians, you can find this sauce in the meat department of Buford Highway Farmers Market near Atlanta. You can also order it at www.hurtssogood.org.
Overall
This is a complex treat that any Caribbean style hot sauce fan will enjoy!
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