Nope. Check out the consistency of the cholula. That stickiness you see there is the xanthan gum, which is not present in Tabasco. Also, the colors are a giveaway: cholula is much lighter in color than Tab.
@@O2life you're wrong. There is no nuance to Tobasco like there is with Cholula. Also the colors of the sauce in the bottles and the two dishes do not match.
Mrbink01 No nuance in tabasco? That’s madness. Its peppers are aged for 3 years in barrels. If you can’t taste the difference between fermented peppers in vinegar with fresh, then you have no business commenting on the “nuance” of anything food related 🙄
Nope. Check out the consistency of the cholula. That stickiness you see there is the xanthan gum, which is not present in Tabasco. Also, the colors are a giveaway: cholula is much lighter in color than Tab.
@Log Splitta _Sorry dude, you just like crap._ That's really rude. We each have different tastes, and we each like different things. From my viewpoint (and yes, I recognize it is _my_ viewpoint), some people experience a vinegar-forward taste as "tangy," while some of us experience it as "vinegary," which we don't like. It's OK not to like the same things-that's why there are 84 flavors of hot sauce.
Yep, they had the Tabasco and the Cholula switched; you can definitely tell by the color, the consistency and the "garlicky" comment - which Cholula has (garlic powder), whereas Tabasco has no garlic! Plus, Julia's comment about "hot" on the first taste. Tabasco is hot vinegar, plain and simple. Cholula has a more complex flavor from a mix of peppers, not just one pepper like Tabasco, which is good on eggs. Cholula is good on everything Mexican. Franks is good on wings.
The lovely thing about hot sauce is that many of them are situational in use. I wouldn't use franks red hot on my scrambled eggs, but i will use tabasco. Just like i wouldnt use tabasco on my wings.
Same here. I think Eggs and hashbrowns is the only good use for Tabasco as it adds a nice acidic kick with a little bit of heat. For more versatile use, Franks is much better. Although i prefer the extra heat and flavor of habanero hot sauces myself.
Having most of the hot sauces in my home right now I can tell, just by looking at the color and consistency, that you guys mixed up the Cholula and Tabasco.
Nope. Check out the consistency of the Cholula. That stickiness you see there is the xanthan gum, which is not present in Tabasco. Also, the colors are a giveaway: Cholula is much lighter in color than Tab.
@@O2life You're correct about the "stickiness" of Cholula, but incorrect about the lighter color. The high vinegar content of Tabasco gives it a much more diluted and lighter color. Trust me, I literally have 4 of those sauces in my kitchen right now and grew up with Cholula, as it was created in my hometown of Chapala, Mexico.
@@SimonVelazquez But look at the two in the bottles on the table. Cholula is lighter because it isn't aged, so it doesn't darken with aging the way Tabasco does.
@@O2life I don't know what else to tell you...Tabasco, the actual sauce, is not dark at all. It also doesn't make sense that she would react the way she did when trying what she believed to be Cholula. They're obviously mixed up. Period.
I agree, if there's nothing else it swims in a puddle of Texas Pete. It goes great in a Bloody Mary / Red Snapper. I tend to prefer Chulola or Tapatio on eggs, though. And Tabasco is put into the garbage. Heat without flavor.
@@The2bdkid I see my local store has it, 3 types. It's on my shopping list. I don't eat out often, I mainly cook my own food or a neighbor will share some of what they cooked. I'm in Cali and usually buy my green sauce at the Mexican deli where they make it.
I've tried every sauce on the list and dozens more. I make my own as well. This "test" is nonsensical. Different hot sauces pair with different foods. I wouldn't use Frank's, Cholula or Valentina on Cajun food, for example. I wouldn't use Franks on Mexican food. Each one has a different flavor profile for different food. Unless you just want to sit around and drink hot sauce, a test like this is silly. Pair the sauces with different foods. Hot sauces are supposed to enhance the flavor of food. Also, they most definitely mixed up Tabasco and Cholula. Tabasco is watery. Cholula is not. The first sauce is watery. Look how the first sauce just spills out of the little bowl when she moves the spoon. Tabasco sauce is made from vinegar, chiles, and salt. The third sauce is thicker because of the xanthan gum. I just went and compared the consistency and tastes of Cholula and Tabasco from my bottles to confirm, and it's obvious this test mixed them up. Cholula sauce does not splash around like the first sauce. Cholula also has a milder flavor. Tabasco has a much sharper, harsher flavor than Cholula. This makes sense because Tabasco is primarily vinegar.
Yes! They did a similar thing before when comparing soy sauces, without acknowledging that different sauces work in different situations. I hope they see your feedback and consider it!
I here by bestow upon you the honorary title of James the Fire Priest. You are able to administer potent mixtures to cure ills and improve our quality of life. All Hail the Fire Priest with his knowledge and wisdom.
The real hero is this guy. Literally tobasco only goes good on oysters. Cholula is the preferred sauce for beans and rice. Tapatio is for chicken. Louisiana is great in gumbo and etoufe
An important distinction (that I can't believe they didn't mention) is that Cholula uses Piquin peppers as its base. That gives it an entirely different flavor profile.
Jeff, the God of Biscuits Pretty sure you know exactly what I’m talking about. Take a seat and stop complaining about the spelling of a hot sauce on the internet.
@Jeff, the God of Biscuits the thing about language is that if you can communicate, you have successfully used language. being a spelling/grammar nazi is not clever nor is it endearing.
Nope. Double check the consistency of the cholula. That stickiness you see there is the xanthan gum, which is not present in Tabasco. Also, the colors are a giveaway: cholula is much lighter in color than Tab.
I agree. Even her comments for those two were consistent with a switch. I use different sauces for different things. I like Red Hot for oven treatments like wings, Tapatio for basic tacos, and Valentina for fruit with lemon & salt. I just keep the versatile Tapatio as my go-to. It's been many years since I gave up on Tabasco. I used to throw it in Pale Ale, but I gave up drinking for Lent once and never went back.
Why are they comparing two different categories of hot sauce in the same test? Cholula/Valentino are a different style, with different uses and history than the Tabasco/franks style. They are not interchangeable and not directly comparable. Also no crystals???
It is funny but I have seen crystals mentioned repeatedly here, but I have never seen it. Virtually every other sauce I have seen mentioned I have seen (tried most of them) but not crystals.
They chose to rate the seven top-selling nationally available North American hot sauces based on sales data from IRI, a Chicago-based market research firm. Crystal is not available nationwide.
@@ZanHecht Just checking, but you do realize that those two statements contradict each other? "Crystal is not available nationwide." "nationally available North American"
I like it on eggs instead of tabasco (which I onlt use for cooking). My niece (9) and nephew (6) have started on their hot sauce journey with Cholula (added to ketchup).
Anyone remember when Frank's was called Durkey's? My mom made buffalo wings with it long before they were so well known in Canada. They did cholula wrong in this clip.
There’s a lot of debate in the Latino community on the best hot sauce. I would’ve loved to see how Tapatio, Valentina, Cholula, and Tobasco measure up to each other.
@@IAmKyleBrown They do try them all in the grand taste test, but sadly they only publish those results behind their ATK paywall. They linked it in the description, but here is the link again: www.cookscountry.com/taste_tests/1881-hot-sauce?extcode=NSAKI7YT&
@@O2life "Sadly"? Paying subscribers like me are what allow them to operate. I've "happily" been paying for a multi-site subscription for more than a decade, and consider it money well spent to get any-time access to equipment reviews, taste tests, recipes, and even complete episodes of the TV shows.
I completely agree. For years we used Tobasco and Buffalo red Jalapeno as our two main hot sauces. I got a coupon for a free Frank's Red Hot and everyone loved it. It's especially good as a "table" sauce. Since, I've probably bought 4-5 bottles of the Frank's Red Hot in the last year, but we haven't even finished the same Tobasco that we already had. So Frank's is the clear winner in our household.
It's Tapatio then the rest of the field for myself. Everything else packs too much of a cheap vinegary punch. Unless of course, your going for that classic "buffalo wing" taste. Tapatio is the only one in the test that doesn't use vinegar (citric acid is its main ingredient). Tabasco and Frank's is quite frankly, too overwhelming. The vinegar taste is too strong! Asides for buffalo wings, I really wouldn't choose the winners if I were eating Mexican food or any other food TBH. Unless of course you really love that vinegary hit. Just my bias...
I love Tapatio, but I like tangy hot sauce, too. I'm really enjoying some that I made without vinegar, just fermenting chilies with garlic and onion for a few days, and then blending and straining them. It's nice and sour without that vinegar taste. Mexico's favorite cheap hot sauce that's on everyone's table at every single meal is Valentina. It's pretty sour.
Just buy local brand hot sauce from the farmer's market or a store, personally I feel it tastes better than the large commercial brands. The only name-brand sauces I buy are Louisiana Red Rooster and Crystal
I actually prefer Cajun Chef out of the Louisiana sauces. It has the perfect vinegar and salt proportion for dipping and dressing. For seasoning while cooking, Tabasco is great - it's too sharp and overwhelming for finishing, but it punches through nicely in soups, stews, braises, and sauces.
The vinegar is an acid, which drops the Ph of the liquid. Ditto when you add lime juice, tomatoes or tomatillos to some pico or salsa. The fat in the milk also helps to neutralize the heat, which is why hot sauces, salsa, pico are served w chips. Ditto the fat in both flour and corn tortillas for tacos, enchiladas, fajitas, chimichangas, quesadillas, etc. The fat.
Nope. Check out the consistency of the cholula. That stickiness you see there is the xanthan gum, which is not present in Tabasco. Also, the colors are a giveaway: cholula is much lighter in color than Tab.
Came here to complain that Cholula and Tabasco were definitely switched, encouraged to discover that I was not the only one. Cholula is my favorite mild brand and I particularly like their Green (poblano) and Chipotle varieties.
The hot sauce I use depends on what I'm using it on. I make my own and mix it with other things for different dishes. For store bought on tacos I prefer Pico Pica but Valentina is very good and Crystal is good when I want a more vinegar taste.
I'm a fan of Pico Pica since I was a kid in L.A. California leans heavily towards Mexican hot sauces and the tasters are east coast. I like a variety depending on the foods it accompanies. Hot sauce fan😊
I'm a fan of Pico Pica since I was a kid in L.A. California leans heavily towards Mexican hot sauces and the tasters are east coast. I like a variety depending on the foods it accompanies. Hot sauce fan😊
I'm surprised by all the "hate" for Tabasco. I am definitely not a connoisseur of hot sauces -- I prefer cooking with the peppers themselves -- but Tabasco is my go-to when I want to add a little extra heat to soups, stews, and chili. The one thing I definitely agree with the consensus here is it makes a difference on how the hot sauce is being used. Different sauces for different foods.
I agree. Tobasco is a great all-rounder with no sugar which makes it so great in the kitchen. And as for the hated "vinegar" levels? That has to be linked to the US addiction to sugar (generalisation alert!); any keen cook knows that one of the magic staples in the kitchen is vinegar.
Agreed, Tabasco is a go to. Cholula to me tastes perhaps like a generic ketchup next to Heinz ketchup. In a restaurant that serves fries, if they have generic ketchup on the table I won’t order fries
Personally I like Valentina hot sauce. For my money and taste, it is the best by far. I have many of these in my home. My wife likes Frank's which is good but not better than Valentina. Tabasco is probably one of my least favorite brands. Just too watery and very much a vinegar heavy flavor with decent heat. Valentina is subtle and catches you by surprise. It has a nice texture and smooth taste. Very pleasing compared to some of the others. Chalula is good and so is Tapatio. Frank's is good on wings.
ATK, you guys blew it on this one. Got Cholula and Tabasco bottles switched bass-ackwards. Personally I love Cholula, can't stand Tabasco, way too much vinegar. Never heard of Frank's, we don't get that in Oklahoma, must be regional.
It's definitely personal preference on hot sauce, I've been using Frank's red hot for over forty years, when it was called Durkee red hot. It's definitely limited on its uses. One thing I do like it has no preservatives except for salt of course. Definitely my favorite.
I recently tried “Melinda’s creamy style ghost pepper wing sauce” and absolutely love it. It is definitely on the hot side but the flavors are amazing.
Yes! I havent been able to find it lately. I got a bottle of it a while ago and it really grew on me, i started putting it on everything. Its not as spicy as the name would suggest. And i was a little unsure about the ingredients list with all the artificial additives (a little unusual for Melinda's) but damn it is tasty!
One of my favorite ways to give El Yucateco some lovin': 1 - Hard-boil some eggs and peel them. 2 - Grip hard-boiled egg in one hand. 3 - Apply green spot to egg 4 - Bite into and consume part of egg with green spot on it. 5 - Repeat steps 3 and 4 until egg is gone. 6 - Obtain another hard-boiled egg and return to step 2. If Paul Newman's character in "Cool Hand Luke" had had a bottle of El Yucateco verde, those 50 eggs would have gone down a lot smoother.
My wife and I own a hot sauce store with over 400 selections. They are many that are absolutely wonderful depending on what you want to put them on. Tabasco is 99% vinegar and taste like it. Don’t know how they sell the stuff.
I've eaten pork rinds with Frank's hot sauce most of my life (67 yo). I'm just happy that I can buy it overseas in most of the countries I periodically reside in. Chao from Colombia.
I also enjoy Louisiana Hot Sauce, but my favorite in that style is Schlotzsky's brand hot sauce. Very similar, but I like the secondary spices in it a bit more. Both are in my pantry.
I like hot sauce that the flavor of the pepper itself shines. Spur Tree Jamaican Crushed Scotoch Bonnet Pepper Sauce is my favourite. I could drink that stuff....lol.
Cholula is definitive a real Mexican representant. I must agree Tabasco is quite a good challenger, basically, the only US decent spicy sauce. Although I saw Valentina sauce, I would had loved to know your opinion on that cheap-snack classic!
Sadly, I have to wonder if Tabasco paid for the "win"? The difference between Tabasco and Cholula is so noticeable that, either the taster AND the man don't know what they're talking about (and can't SEE the difference), or the test was rigged. I am very disappointed with America's Test Kitchen, in either case.
@@womanofsubstance8735 I was thinking the same thing. They could really save themselves a lot of integrity if they revisited this taste test and acknowledged all of the doubt in this comments section.
It's equal to Tabasco in my book. Milder and less assertive, so I prefer Crystal over more delicate stuff. But in something hearty like a gumbo, then Tabasco.
I live in California and when you ask for a hot sauce at a restaurant, they will always have Tabasco (which I hate), Tapatio or Cholula (which I like) However, at home I use Crystal hot sauce which has a more vinegary taste.
If you can find it, I recommend Salsa Huichol. It's a hot sauce from Nayarit, México. Its similar to Cholula but is made with chilies native to the state.
Tabasco I think is basic Hot sauce for the US. I think it is that way, because they use to supply to the military. Tapatio is the local brand. Cholula, I think the wooden cap helps market it. I think I like it the least. I use Tapatio, but it's because it's the second cheapest. Valentina is the cheapest, but I use it in hopes to scare off Gophers. Never put the stuff on my food, so have no idea how it taste.
Yeah, gotta get the green top. So far, I haven't found a better one to my taste. That stuff is good on everything from eggs to pizza and spaghetti and mixes well with mayo for a great sandwich or burger spread. It's also great to spice up soups and stews,etc. Very versatile.
Yes hot sauce has different uses you need at least four in the fridge. It's nice to make your own sometimes, but you have to cook it so it last longer.
No way she did Cholula like that. One of the best out there. The thing about hot sauce is some taste better on certain foods. For instance pizza and eggs, I’ll use the green Tobasco. Cholula and Valentina I use for everything else.
Tabasco is my favorite store bought hot sauce. Just pure spice and vinegar. But I can say good bye to it for a while because my ghost chilis and Carolina reapers are fruiting and we've already made one batch of hot sauce. We also added store bought jalapenos and habaneros to tone it down a bit. We have about 20 to 30 ripe peppers we need to use up and more growing, so it's time to get more vinegar. I think we'll try aging the next batch
After watching this some years ago, I finally tried Frank's Red Hot, and I can see why it won. I keep some in my kitchnen now, and use it on a lot of dishes. I like the others also, for their appropriate uses. Frank's Red Hot is very versatile overrall.
My favorite is Crystal and interesting that when I was in New Orleans back in the early 2000s I saw it around in restaurants more than Tabasco, which I am not a fan of. However I do like the Tobasco Chipotle sauce very much.
The Tabasco got their lowest score, and earned a "Not Recommended" rating, the only one of the seven tested that didn't get at least "Recommended With Reservations."
I know my hot sauces bc I can tell the brands by sight. I buzz a can of chipotle into a quart of Valentina. Sometimes I add in a quarter cup of Old Bay. Tapatio is also good. Haven't bought Franks in over ten years.
"I buzz a can of chipotle into a quart of Valentina", then you need a bottle of "Buffalo", the old recipe, not the new one which is very watery (vinegar). The old recipe is quite difficult to get out of the bottle, how do you guys call this? Slow Good !!!
In New Orleans we KNOW hot sauce. We use Crystal. Hands down best. No competition. It’s available other places and online. You can actually cook with it. Complex flavor and the tight amount of heat. ⚜️
I buy Cholula and I can not believe the results from this challenge. To me, Franks is just hot peppers, while Cholula is awesome. Franks must have paid for the test
The bowls for Cholula and Tabasco were switched. Either accidentally, or on purpose to protect Tabasco. Here's proof: Look at the consistency of the sauces in the bowls at 0:47 and at 1:29. If you've had these before (and I have), you know that Tabasco is very thin, while Cholula is thicker. The bowl on the left, which is supposed to be Cholula is thin, while the bowl on the right, which supposed to be Tabasco is thicker. You can even tell by the color. She even says she was surprised at the Cholula sauce because she has that at home, and she likes it. But her description of it was that it was horrible. In the end, it's all a matter of taste and preference. Use what you like.
Gotta disagree. I love cholula. Then crystal, then Tabasco green, which I use on seafood like crawfish or crabcakes. Frank's is only for wings, imo, and is a different category. You lost some of my respect on this one.
They agreed with you. It was the only hot sauce they rated as "Not Recommended": "As one taster said, the “spice punches you in the face, and you can't taste anything but heat.” Tastes “like a shot of vinegar,” said another. And while our tasting panel found the “one dimensional,” “overpowering heat” of this sauce overly aggressive when tasted plain, with grits, and in wing sauce, we realize the “distinctive, sharp flavor” holds appeal for those who grew up with this style of hot sauce."
There is not a doubt in my mind; Cholula and tabasco were switched.
Nope. Check out the consistency of the cholula. That stickiness you see there is the xanthan gum, which is not present in Tabasco. Also, the colors are a giveaway: cholula is much lighter in color than Tab.
I agree
Tabasco has the lighter fluid taste, I’ve never gotten that from cholula
@@O2life you're wrong. There is no nuance to Tobasco like there is with Cholula. Also the colors of the sauce in the bottles and the two dishes do not match.
Mrbink01 No nuance in tabasco? That’s madness. Its peppers are aged for 3 years in barrels. If you can’t taste the difference between fermented peppers in vinegar with fresh, then you have no business commenting on the “nuance” of anything food related 🙄
Crystal hot sauce, anyone? An old friend raised in the country in the south turned me on to it.
Yes! It’s my favorite and they don’t sell it around here. I found a gallon at a local discount store for $9.99 and now we are in heaven!
Absolutely! Texas Pete's too. Not too spicy, and that vinegar to brighten the food. Fried chicken's BFF.
Trappeys is good to. I love hot sauce thanks to the US Army. Valentina is good too and cheap.
Me too, and texas pete
I have had that, it isn’t too bad
Cholula is probably my favorite of the three. I'm pretty certain that they got it mixed up with Tabasco.
Nope. Check out the consistency of the cholula. That stickiness you see there is the xanthan gum, which is not present in Tabasco. Also, the colors are a giveaway: cholula is much lighter in color than Tab.
If you like Cholula you may want to try a new hot sauce that just came out. Fontecchio's Italian Hot Sauce.
@Log Splitta _Sorry dude, you just like crap._
That's really rude. We each have different tastes, and we each like different things.
From my viewpoint (and yes, I recognize it is _my_ viewpoint), some people experience a vinegar-forward taste as "tangy," while some of us experience it as "vinegary," which we don't like.
It's OK not to like the same things-that's why there are 84 flavors of hot sauce.
I agree with you
I agree!
Yep, they had the Tabasco and the Cholula switched; you can definitely tell by the color, the consistency and the "garlicky" comment - which Cholula has (garlic powder), whereas Tabasco has no garlic! Plus, Julia's comment about "hot" on the first taste. Tabasco is hot vinegar, plain and simple. Cholula has a more complex flavor from a mix of peppers, not just one pepper like Tabasco, which is good on eggs. Cholula is good on everything Mexican. Franks is good on wings.
I noticed that too, although I don’t use hot sauce but my husband does and he never mentioned any garlic flavor.
Which would be better on pizza?
Would love to see a taste-testing with Crystal and Louisiana Hot Sauces in with the top two winners of this one.
Yes! Crystal's is so good. Is it a regional thing?
@@gabs1224crystals is trash and known for being sold in gas stations
@@gabs1224 I live in the other "LA," Los Angeles, and I am never without the stuff!
The lovely thing about hot sauce is that many of them are situational in use. I wouldn't use franks red hot on my scrambled eggs, but i will use tabasco. Just like i wouldnt use tabasco on my wings.
Right!
Completely agree.
Frank’s is my favorite.
Same here. I think Eggs and hashbrowns is the only good use for Tabasco as it adds a nice acidic kick with a little bit of heat. For more versatile use, Franks is much better. Although i prefer the extra heat and flavor of habanero hot sauces myself.
With eggs, I use cholula. It's my favorite breakfast hot sauce.
Having most of the hot sauces in my home right now I can tell, just by looking at the color and consistency, that you guys mixed up the Cholula and Tabasco.
Nope. Check out the consistency of the Cholula. That stickiness you see there is the xanthan gum, which is not present in Tabasco. Also, the colors are a giveaway: Cholula is much lighter in color than Tab.
@@O2life You're correct about the "stickiness" of Cholula, but incorrect about the lighter color. The high vinegar content of Tabasco gives it a much more diluted and lighter color. Trust me, I literally have 4 of those sauces in my kitchen right now and grew up with Cholula, as it was created in my hometown of Chapala, Mexico.
@@SimonVelazquez But look at the two in the bottles on the table. Cholula is lighter because it isn't aged, so it doesn't darken with aging the way Tabasco does.
@@O2life I don't know what else to tell you...Tabasco, the actual sauce, is not dark at all. It also doesn't make sense that she would react the way she did when trying what she believed to be Cholula. They're obviously mixed up. Period.
@@SimonVelazquez We can agree to disagree. I'm just looking at both sauces on the screen and on the table in front of me.
Frank’s is good but its a one trick pony. I don’t want all of my food to taste like buffalo wings.
Good assessment 😂 i can eat it by the spoonful for all its salty goodness. But i have other stuff I'd rather put on my tacos lol
@@antman674 100% agree w/ @Jim Tomilson.
I like it on an egg McMuffin type sandwich.
When I was in the military I put Texas Pete on everything. Of the hot sauces listed, that is my winner.
I agree, if there's nothing else it swims in a puddle of Texas Pete. It goes great in a Bloody Mary / Red Snapper. I tend to prefer Chulola or Tapatio on eggs, though. And Tabasco is put into the garbage. Heat without flavor.
Yes you and 10 million North Carolinians!
I love green hot sauces...maybe a show on that one?
Have you tried El Yucateco? Its pretty good, but is far more potent than anything they tried here.
Machinist 72 - I was just going to say El Yucateco! Their green sauce is the BOMB!!!
@@machinist7230 Never heard of that one, I'll be on the look out for it.
@@NessaRossini... That sauce has been on the table in every Mexican restaurant I've ever been to. Maybe it's regional idk
@@The2bdkid I see my local store has it, 3 types. It's on my shopping list. I don't eat out often, I mainly cook my own food or a neighbor will share some of what they cooked. I'm in Cali and usually buy my green sauce at the Mexican deli where they make it.
I've tried every sauce on the list and dozens more. I make my own as well. This "test" is nonsensical. Different hot sauces pair with different foods. I wouldn't use Frank's, Cholula or Valentina on Cajun food, for example. I wouldn't use Franks on Mexican food. Each one has a different flavor profile for different food. Unless you just want to sit around and drink hot sauce, a test like this is silly. Pair the sauces with different foods. Hot sauces are supposed to enhance the flavor of food.
Also, they most definitely mixed up Tabasco and Cholula. Tabasco is watery. Cholula is not. The first sauce is watery. Look how the first sauce just spills out of the little bowl when she moves the spoon. Tabasco sauce is made from vinegar, chiles, and salt. The third sauce is thicker because of the xanthan gum. I just went and compared the consistency and tastes of Cholula and Tabasco from my bottles to confirm, and it's obvious this test mixed them up. Cholula sauce does not splash around like the first sauce. Cholula also has a milder flavor. Tabasco has a much sharper, harsher flavor than Cholula. This makes sense because Tabasco is primarily vinegar.
Yes! They did a similar thing before when comparing soy sauces, without acknowledging that different sauces work in different situations. I hope they see your feedback and consider it!
Agreed, each hot sauce has it's own flavor profile and suits different to foods, it's not just the heat that should be considered.
Maybe but on the foods I prefer hot sauce Franks is my main go to, but I will try others on a narrow few choices of food
I here by bestow upon you the honorary title of James the Fire Priest. You are able to administer potent mixtures to cure ills and improve our quality of life. All Hail the Fire Priest with his knowledge and wisdom.
The real hero is this guy. Literally tobasco only goes good on oysters. Cholula is the preferred sauce for beans and rice. Tapatio is for chicken. Louisiana is great in gumbo and etoufe
Louisiana has always been my favorite.
An important distinction (that I can't believe they didn't mention) is that Cholula uses Piquin peppers as its base. That gives it an entirely different flavor profile.
I’m sorry, but Tabasco and Cholulu are so distinct color, texture, and taste wise that I’m not sure how she didn’t recognize them
LIkely because she is used to having it on stuff. Eating sauce on it's own is inappropriate in my opinion.
Something has definitely gone wrong here. Pretty sure they confused the Chaloula with Tabasco, therefore giving a completely inaccurate review.
Jeff, the God of Biscuits Pretty sure you know exactly what I’m talking about. Take a seat and stop complaining about the spelling of a hot sauce on the internet.
@Jeff, the God of Biscuits Here lies the gatekeeper of strong opinions
@Jeff, the God of Biscuits the thing about language is that if you can communicate, you have successfully used language. being a spelling/grammar nazi is not clever nor is it endearing.
Pshht! Tobasco owns.
@Jeff, the God of Biscuits I like how you think you're funny, when really it's you thinking you're funny that's funny.
Valentina is so good on burritos! I use it almost every day.
You show Cholula some damnrespect.
Ps- can tell by color and consistency the Tabasco and Cholula were switched
Nope. Double check the consistency of the cholula. That stickiness you see there is the xanthan gum, which is not present in Tabasco. Also, the colors are a giveaway: cholula is much lighter in color than Tab.
I agree. Even her comments for those two were consistent with a switch. I use different sauces for different things. I like Red Hot for oven treatments like wings, Tapatio for basic tacos, and Valentina for fruit with lemon & salt. I just keep the versatile Tapatio as my go-to. It's been many years since I gave up on Tabasco. I used to throw it in Pale Ale, but I gave up drinking for Lent once and never went back.
They absolutely were switched.
@@rosev.4463 It's funny you say that because I correctly guessed which they were based on how they look and her comments about them.
I’d pay money to see them drag Chris Kimble back for this test!
the show is 100% better with out him.
Why are they comparing two different categories of hot sauce in the same test? Cholula/Valentino are a different style, with different uses and history than the Tabasco/franks style. They are not interchangeable and not directly comparable. Also no crystals???
Yes, they are so different!
It is funny but I have seen crystals mentioned repeatedly here, but I have never seen it. Virtually every other sauce I have seen mentioned I have seen (tried most of them) but not crystals.
I’ve seen other programs doing the same thing. It makes no sense to compare a wing style sauce with a Mexican style sauce.
They chose to rate the seven top-selling nationally available North American hot sauces based on sales data from IRI, a Chicago-based market research firm. Crystal is not available nationwide.
@@ZanHecht Just checking, but you do realize that those two statements contradict each other? "Crystal is not available nationwide." "nationally available North American"
Pass on Frank's, give me the louisiana
Right? There's something off about the texture. It's like it has corn syrup or a thickening agent or something
Louisiana is my choice as well.
I like them both
In the full review on their website, Louisiana was the runner up.
I know it's vinegar, but Frank's tastes like lemon to me.
Tabasco Chipotle is amazing, the smoky and tart flavour make it wonderful specially paired with greasy foods.
Cholula isn't bad, but it's definitely not terribly versatile. I use it almost exclusively on Tex-Mex, and I think it really shines there.
Have you tried the green Cholula sauce? It is my favorite by far.
I agree. Cholula is divine on cheese enchiladas with the typical red sauce in a Tex-Mex restaurant. The flavor profile is perfect for that.
I like it on eggs instead of tabasco (which I onlt use for cooking). My niece (9) and nephew (6) have started on their hot sauce journey with Cholula (added to ketchup).
I eat cholula on nearly everything, including eggs, avocado toast, fish, soup, etc. So I am surprised you think it's not versatile. To each their own.
@@cptpoppinfresh , it is SO good!!
Anyone remember when Frank's was called Durkey's?
My mom made buffalo wings with it long before they were so well known in Canada.
They did cholula wrong in this clip.
Yes. That was a Long Time Ago.
@@augustrob1 about 30 years ago 🌶🍗
"Durkee"
I remember. I used to buy it when I went grocery shopping in the US back in the 1960s. Yep.They got the two bottles switched.
There’s a lot of debate in the Latino community on the best hot sauce. I would’ve loved to see how Tapatio, Valentina, Cholula, and Tobasco measure up to each other.
I'm with you on this one
Absolutely. They should at least try more than 3 hot sauces. There had to be at least 10 nationally available brands and the country.
@@IAmKyleBrown They do try them all in the grand taste test, but sadly they only publish those results behind their ATK paywall. They linked it in the description, but here is the link again: www.cookscountry.com/taste_tests/1881-hot-sauce?extcode=NSAKI7YT&
@@O2life "Sadly"? Paying subscribers like me are what allow them to operate. I've "happily" been paying for a multi-site subscription for more than a decade, and consider it money well spent to get any-time access to equipment reviews, taste tests, recipes, and even complete episodes of the TV shows.
@@seikibrian8641 True. Sadly for me.
Cholula for Mexican, Crystal for Cajun.
I completely agree. For years we used Tobasco and Buffalo red Jalapeno as our two main hot sauces. I got a coupon for a free Frank's Red Hot and everyone loved it. It's especially good as a "table" sauce. Since, I've probably bought 4-5 bottles of the Frank's Red Hot in the last year, but we haven't even finished the same Tobasco that we already had. So Frank's is the clear winner in our household.
Tabasco sauce is so very distinct in flavor and I'm very surprised that she didn't know the difference. Frank's is easy and Cholula as well.
It's Tapatio then the rest of the field for myself. Everything else packs too much of a cheap vinegary punch. Unless of course, your going for that classic "buffalo wing" taste. Tapatio is the only one in the test that doesn't use vinegar (citric acid is its main ingredient).
Tabasco and Frank's is quite frankly, too overwhelming. The vinegar taste is too strong!
Asides for buffalo wings, I really wouldn't choose the winners if I were eating Mexican food or any other food TBH. Unless of course you really love that vinegary hit.
Just my bias...
I totally agree! I hate how vinegary the other ones are
Tapatio too for me and both my sons. Nice chili powder and dark chili flavor.
I love Tapatio, but I like tangy hot sauce, too. I'm really enjoying some that I made without vinegar, just fermenting chilies with garlic and onion for a few days, and then blending and straining them. It's nice and sour without that vinegar taste. Mexico's favorite cheap hot sauce that's on everyone's table at every single meal is Valentina. It's pretty sour.
Agree 100%. However, Tabasco chipotle is very good. I prefer it on my pot roast.
TAPATIO= IS,CHEAP MASS GROWN! VERY WATERY! SEPARATES A LOT 😣😤😤😥
Just buy local brand hot sauce from the farmer's market or a store, personally I feel it tastes better than the large commercial brands. The only name-brand sauces I buy are Louisiana Red Rooster and Crystal
In the full review on their website, Louisiana was the runner up.
Really surprised crystal wasn’t mentioned here.
My three favorite are the louisiana hot sauces
1crystal
2tabasco
3Louisiana
I actually prefer Cajun Chef out of the Louisiana sauces. It has the perfect vinegar and salt proportion for dipping and dressing. For seasoning while cooking, Tabasco is great - it's too sharp and overwhelming for finishing, but it punches through nicely in soups, stews, braises, and sauces.
Crystal ftw! Although I like a good Mexican sauce like El yucateco or Yellowbird
The vinegar is an acid, which drops the Ph of the liquid. Ditto when you add lime juice, tomatoes or tomatillos to some pico or salsa.
The fat in the milk also helps to neutralize the heat, which is why hot sauces, salsa, pico are served w chips.
Ditto the fat in both flour and corn tortillas for tacos, enchiladas, fajitas, chimichangas, quesadillas, etc. The fat.
I thought bread helps with the heat milk is a myth?
Tabasco is my favorite, it's simple with just the right amount of heat
That is not Cholula in 1st bowl, wrong color, consistency and heat.
No way. 1st bowl is Tabasco and 3rd is Cholula.
Nope. Check out the consistency of the cholula. That stickiness you see there is the xanthan gum, which is not present in Tabasco. Also, the colors are a giveaway: cholula is much lighter in color than Tab.
@@O2life ☝️ she is correct i have a bottle of cholula with me right now
@@O2life Seriously, you need to go buy a bottle! You couldn't be more wrong! I have one too and went to look at it to make sure. This review is BS.
When She said Garlicky, I thought it was Cholula or maybe Tapatio. When she said Umami, I went for Tabasco.
@@O2life I agree with you and also...I am in love with you! The way you stick to your guns, your passion, your sexiness! I LOVE YOU!!!
I subscribed to this channel on a whim but this channel makes videos I consistently want to watch even though I'm not into cooking/food.
Me, too! And I don't even live in the US!
Me too.
@@sandrah7512 that must be why "Ask the Test Cooks" and "What's Eating Dan" are so boring.
Came here to complain that Cholula and Tabasco were definitely switched, encouraged to discover that I was not the only one. Cholula is my favorite mild brand and I particularly like their Green (poblano) and Chipotle varieties.
You’re in denial that Cholula sucks lmao
Tapatio! It doesn't add a vinegar punch. It is a staple on the tables at restaurants in Southern California.
The hot sauce I use depends on what I'm using it on. I make my own and mix it with other things for different dishes. For store bought on tacos I prefer Pico Pica but Valentina is very good and Crystal is good when I want a more vinegar taste.
What do you put in your sauces? We started making our own on and off about a year ago and we're still figuring it out
Today we're tasting carbonated beverages. Here's Beer, Coke, and Champagne.
@@msjkramey I use dried guajillos and morita or chipotle( smoked jalapenos), garlic, tomato,oregano,clove, salt and vinegar.
I'm a fan of Pico Pica since I was a kid in L.A. California leans heavily towards Mexican hot sauces and the tasters are east coast. I like a variety depending on the foods it accompanies. Hot sauce fan😊
I'm a fan of Pico Pica since I was a kid in L.A. California leans heavily towards Mexican hot sauces and the tasters are east coast. I like a variety depending on the foods it accompanies. Hot sauce fan😊
No doubt in my mind they mixed up Cholula and Tobasco.
I'm surprised by all the "hate" for Tabasco. I am definitely not a connoisseur of hot sauces -- I prefer cooking with the peppers themselves -- but Tabasco is my go-to when I want to add a little extra heat to soups, stews, and chili. The one thing I definitely agree with the consensus here is it makes a difference on how the hot sauce is being used. Different sauces for different foods.
I agree. Tobasco is a great all-rounder with no sugar which makes it so great in the kitchen. And as for the hated "vinegar" levels? That has to be linked to the US addiction to sugar (generalisation alert!); any keen cook knows that one of the magic staples in the kitchen is vinegar.
Agreed, Tabasco is a go to. Cholula to me tastes perhaps like a generic ketchup next to Heinz ketchup.
In a restaurant that serves fries, if they have generic ketchup on the table I won’t order fries
Personally I like Valentina hot sauce. For my money and taste, it is the best by far. I have many of these in my home. My wife likes Frank's which is good but not better than Valentina. Tabasco is probably one of my least favorite brands. Just too watery and very much a vinegar heavy flavor with decent heat. Valentina is subtle and catches you by surprise. It has a nice texture and smooth taste. Very pleasing compared to some of the others. Chalula is good and so is Tapatio. Frank's is good on wings.
Agree. You can get a huge bottle for a few bucks and it's actually tasty. Get the black label for more heat.
ATK, you guys blew it on this one. Got Cholula and Tabasco bottles switched bass-ackwards. Personally I love Cholula, can't stand Tabasco, way too much vinegar. Never heard of Frank's, we don't get that in Oklahoma, must be regional.
I'm not putting Frank's on tacos. What the hell, is not even the same category as cholula or tapatio
Franks Red Hot....I put that S*** on everything!🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
It's definitely personal preference on hot sauce, I've been using Frank's red hot for over forty years, when it was called Durkee red hot. It's definitely limited on its uses. One thing I do like it has no preservatives except for salt of course. Definitely my favorite.
I recently tried “Melinda’s creamy style ghost pepper wing sauce” and absolutely love it. It is definitely on the hot side but the flavors are amazing.
Yes! I havent been able to find it lately. I got a bottle of it a while ago and it really grew on me, i started putting it on everything. Its not as spicy as the name would suggest. And i was a little unsure about the ingredients list with all the artificial additives (a little unusual for Melinda's) but damn it is tasty!
I grew up on Texas Pete, being from Virginia, and it’s still my go to sauce. I also have Old Bay Hot Sauce for my seafood needs.
el yucateco never gets enough love
Love it, hidden gem. Let’s keep it that way.
Yeah but it's not like these types.
I love every hot sauce they make, especially the black label, chipotle, and jalapeño. Use it 5 times/week at least.
One of my favorite ways to give El Yucateco some lovin':
1 - Hard-boil some eggs and peel them.
2 - Grip hard-boiled egg in one hand.
3 - Apply green spot to egg
4 - Bite into and consume part of egg with green spot on it.
5 - Repeat steps 3 and 4 until egg is gone.
6 - Obtain another hard-boiled egg and return to step 2.
If Paul Newman's character in "Cool Hand Luke" had had a bottle of El Yucateco verde, those 50 eggs would have gone down a lot smoother.
@@merriemisfit8406 Ooooh, the infinite boiled egg. A classic metaphysical dish.
My wife and I own a hot sauce store with over 400 selections. They are many that are absolutely wonderful depending on what you want to put them on. Tabasco is 99% vinegar and taste like it. Don’t know how they sell the stuff.
Give a like for Tapatio! The unsung hero of the bunch!
Those aren’t hot sauces, those are spicy vinegars.
...right you are, begin with habanero sauces and work your way up...!!!
My favorite is Crystal Hot Sauce. Excellent on wings. 👍👍
this is impossible to determine, depending what foods i am eating will depend on which hot sauce i schoose
Exactly.
No love for Texas Pete? My fav....
If you read the full review on their website, Texas Pete was rated as "Recommended".
Texas Pete, Crystal, Louisiana, &
green Tabasco
Why was Crystal, not tested? Tabasco and Crystal are the two best. Crystal is far superior to Frank’s.
I've eaten pork rinds with Frank's hot sauce most of my life (67 yo).
I'm just happy that I can buy it overseas in most of the countries I periodically reside in.
Chao from Colombia.
Louisiana Hot Sauce ALL DAY!
How many homemade hot sauces have ya'll done on the show over the years? Got any video links?! Thanks!
I also enjoy Louisiana Hot Sauce, but my favorite in that style is Schlotzsky's brand hot sauce. Very similar, but I like the secondary spices in it a bit more. Both are in my pantry.
I like hot sauce that the flavor of the pepper itself shines. Spur Tree Jamaican Crushed Scotoch Bonnet Pepper Sauce is my favourite. I could drink that stuff....lol.
Tabasco is my favorite, possibility because it was on the table when I was a child. I just turned 70. Next favorite Texas Pete
Texas Pete is fairly mild, but it doesn't bring a bunch of astringent flavors to the party. It's becoming a staple in my kitchen, pushing out Tabasco.
Cholula is definitive a real Mexican representant. I must agree Tabasco is quite a good challenger, basically, the only US decent spicy sauce. Although I saw Valentina sauce, I would had loved to know your opinion on that cheap-snack classic!
Valentina's please.
Of the sauces tested, Tabasco is definitely the most vinegary, not Cholula. I prefer Cholula and Tapatio.
Definitely agree. Tabasco is basically spicy vinegar. It has its place in the kitchen, sure. But definitely not very pleasant by itself.
Sadly, I have to wonder if Tabasco paid for the "win"? The difference between Tabasco and Cholula is so noticeable that, either the taster AND the man don't know what they're talking about (and can't SEE the difference), or the test was rigged. I am very disappointed with America's Test Kitchen, in either case.
@@womanofsubstance8735 I was thinking the same thing. They could really save themselves a lot of integrity if they revisited this taste test and acknowledged all of the doubt in this comments section.
@@antman674 Great idea. We'll have to see if they will do it.
Meh, all too simar for the most part, it really comes down to personal preference when it comes to these sauces.
So true.
Frank's is the Miracle Whip of hot sauces. This test should be done by folks who know what hot sauce should taste like.
Here in Mexico I noticed that Corona replaces the milk antidote!
Crystal is the best vinegary hot sauce in my book. I think it's harder to find outside of the South, but in terms of flavor and heat it's ideal.
It's equal to Tabasco in my book. Milder and less assertive, so I prefer Crystal over more delicate stuff. But in something hearty like a gumbo, then Tabasco.
Frank's, Tabasco, and Crystal are my top three favorites.
No Crystal?!?!?!
I live in California and when you ask for a hot sauce at a restaurant, they will always have Tabasco (which I hate), Tapatio or Cholula (which I like) However, at home I use Crystal hot sauce which has a more vinegary taste.
If you can find it, I recommend Salsa Huichol. It's a hot sauce from Nayarit, México. Its similar to Cholula but is made with chilies native to the state.
Crystal was everywhere in New Orleans when I went there once. Good stuff on some amazing food!
@@playgroundchooser I believe Crystal is made in Louisiana.
I love Crystal and Red Devil. I'm the only person in my family who doesn't like Frank's.
Tabasco I think is basic Hot sauce for the US. I think it is that way, because they use to supply to the military. Tapatio is the local brand. Cholula, I think the wooden cap helps market it. I think I like it the least. I use Tapatio, but it's because it's the second cheapest. Valentina is the cheapest, but I use it in hopes to scare off Gophers. Never put the stuff on my food, so have no idea how it taste.
I like most hot sauces but I never liked Tabasco. My favorites are ones where the chili flavor is obvious over the vinegar flavor.
Franks for wings, Tapatio for nearly everything, Sriracha for Asian cuisines.
I'd take Cholula over Tabasco in every situation
Tobasco after trying ALL of them is still the best and the one I always go back to using. Second best is Rooster sauce Siracha.
“Sriracha is more than a hot sauce....it’s a way-of-life.”
Yeah, gotta get the green top. So far, I haven't found a better one to my taste. That stuff is good on everything from eggs to pizza and spaghetti and mixes well with mayo for a great sandwich or burger spread. It's also great to spice up soups and stews,etc. Very versatile.
Recently had Texas Pete for the first time and I love it. It's very briny and I love that.
Different sauces for different purposes!! Y'all need at least four different ones, including original Sriracha (which has an interesting back story).
Yes, I agree!
exactly. I have sauces from several different kinds of peppers, sauces for garnish, sauces for dipping, sauces for cooking only...
Yes hot sauce has different uses you need at least four in the fridge. It's nice to make your own sometimes, but you have to cook it so it last longer.
No way she did Cholula like that. One of the best out there. The thing about hot sauce is some taste better on certain foods. For instance pizza and eggs, I’ll use the green Tobasco. Cholula and Valentina I use for everything else.
Big fan of Valentina, I wonder how it fared in their ratings.
Crystal Louisiana Hot Sauce!! The BEST!!!!! You didn't even try it??
Tabasco is my favorite store bought hot sauce. Just pure spice and vinegar. But I can say good bye to it for a while because my ghost chilis and Carolina reapers are fruiting and we've already made one batch of hot sauce. We also added store bought jalapenos and habaneros to tone it down a bit. We have about 20 to 30 ripe peppers we need to use up and more growing, so it's time to get more vinegar. I think we'll try aging the next batch
After watching this some years ago, I finally tried Frank's Red Hot, and I can see why it won. I keep some in my kitchnen now, and use it on a lot of dishes. I like the others also, for their appropriate uses. Frank's Red Hot is very versatile overrall.
My favorite is Crystal and interesting that when I was in New Orleans back in the early 2000s I saw it around in restaurants more than Tabasco, which I am not a fan of. However I do like the Tobasco Chipotle sauce very much.
I agree, I don’t like plain Tabasco much but the chipotle is delicious
The Tabasco got their lowest score, and earned a "Not Recommended" rating, the only one of the seven tested that didn't get at least "Recommended With Reservations."
Something about the Original Louisiana hot sauce works for me but I didn't do a blind taste test.
I know my hot sauces bc I can tell the brands by sight. I buzz a can of chipotle into a quart of Valentina. Sometimes I add in a quarter cup of Old Bay. Tapatio is also good. Haven't bought Franks in over ten years.
Frank's is great. They have multiple flavors now and they just released a thick version. [edit]
Making your own chipotle version is a good idea. I love the chipotle Cholula for a chipotle punch without a lot of heat, but it's hard to find.
How do you make wing sauce without Frank's?
"I buzz a can of chipotle into a quart of Valentina", then you need a bottle of "Buffalo", the old recipe, not the new one which is very watery (vinegar). The old recipe is quite difficult to get out of the bottle, how do you guys call this? Slow Good !!!
I use all 3. Tabasco on eggs, Cholula on burritos and tacos, Frank's on wings.
I keep many hot sauces in the house, small and big names.
Which hot sauce depends on which application. For Mexican dishes I LOVE Cholula.
Too narrow of a comparison. There are just too many with different places to use each.
In New Orleans we KNOW hot sauce. We use Crystal. Hands down best. No competition. It’s available other places and online. You can actually cook with it. Complex flavor and the tight amount of heat. ⚜️
I buy Cholula and I can not believe the results from this challenge. To me, Franks is just hot peppers, while Cholula is awesome. Franks must have paid for the test
Always nice to know. Thank you
Yep hands-down Frank's original hot sauce is my favorite
my favorite at the moment is Cholula Sweet Habanero. Sooooooooooo goooooooood!
The bowls for Cholula and Tabasco were switched. Either accidentally, or on purpose to protect Tabasco. Here's proof:
Look at the consistency of the sauces in the bowls at 0:47 and at 1:29.
If you've had these before (and I have), you know that Tabasco is very thin, while Cholula is thicker. The bowl on the left, which is supposed to be Cholula is thin, while the bowl on the right, which supposed to be Tabasco is thicker. You can even tell by the color. She even says she was surprised at the Cholula sauce because she has that at home, and she likes it. But her description of it was that it was horrible. In the end, it's all a matter of taste and preference. Use what you like.
Choula is my fav on Mexican foods and pasta but Crystal/Louisiana is my fav for Southern foods. Just depends on what I’m eating.
Gotta disagree. I love cholula. Then crystal, then Tabasco green, which I use on seafood like crawfish or crabcakes. Frank's is only for wings, imo, and is a different category. You lost some of my respect on this one.
Tabasco green is good on pizza.
Only kind i use on my wings!!! Always the best!! Nice to know i am right!
Tapatio is my favorite of the ones on your table. Frank's and Tabasco are great also.
frank's red is the absolute best
I think Tabasco is the worst. It's too vinegary and no heat. I'm sorry but I only eat it if I have nothing else to choose.
They agreed with you. It was the only hot sauce they rated as "Not Recommended": "As one taster said, the “spice punches you in the face, and you can't taste anything but heat.” Tastes “like a shot of vinegar,” said another. And while our tasting panel found the “one dimensional,” “overpowering heat” of this sauce overly aggressive when tasted plain, with grits, and in wing sauce, we realize the “distinctive, sharp flavor” holds appeal for those who grew up with this style of hot sauce."