We’ve tried most of these hot sauce, but we haven’t been daring (or stupid?) enough to put pure capsaicin on our tongues. With that all said, let’s get started through the hot sauce Scoville scale ranks! 1. Frank’s RedHot Sauce – 450 SHUs If you’re anything like me, you have a lot of hot sauces. Last time I counted, there were 58 opened bottles in our fridge (and counting). Hot sauces offer great variety of flavors and uses, so it’s no wonder they’re so popular.

However, there’s only so much space in the refrigerator, and most “normal” people like to keep things like fruits and vegetables instead of hoarding hot sauces. So you might wonder: Does hot sauce need to be refrigerated? Sour Cream: the creamy base of the sauce. It’s thinner than Greek yogurt which helps for drizzling purposes. You can substitute with plain Greek yogurt, just keep in mind you may need to further thin out the texture. During the bottling process, hot sauce is typically pasteurized and hermetically sealed. This creates a closed, air-tight environment, free from bacteria. It is also the reason you hear a little “pop” when you open up a new bottle of hot sauce. Because of the preservation characteristics of these ingredients, some sauces, like Cholula and Tabasco, don’t require refrigeration at all. The low pH level prevents the growth of unwanted bacteria & mold. It’s truly as easy as adding the ingredients to the blender and blending until smooth. Then taste test, and adjust any ingredient as needed.Vinegar is a natural preservative with a high acidity level. This is why most homemade hot sauce recipes call for 30-50% vinegar on the ingredient list. Note: We have kept certain vinegar based sauces out of the refrigerator for months without any issue (ex. Tabasco (70% vinegar), Cholula and Frank’s RedHot), but this is typically not advised.

In this article, we’ll rank some of the most popular hot sauces on the Scoville scale from mild to insanely hot.

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I hope this article helps you feel comfortable with knowing when your hot sauce has gone bad. The best solution is to keep your sauces sealed until you’re ready to use them frequently. The Hot Sauce Scoville Scale lists numerous hot sauces sorted by their pungency and their amount of capsaicin in Scoville Heat Units (SHU). A hot sauce, also known as chili pepper sauce is a spicy seasoning sauce made from chili peppers and other ingredients such as various fruit and vegetables, vinegar and spices. In addition to changing the degree of spiciness, hot sauce is also used to alter the actual taste of a dish. The production of hot sauces can be done by cooking, fermentation, but also by using only raw ingredients. Types of Hot Sauce

The sauces we’ve decided to rank cover the entire range of spiciness. From common diner hot sauces like tabasco all the way to Mad Dog 357 pure extract. Simply put, yes, most hot sauces should be stored in the refrigerator after being opened. However, most can remain shelf stable for well over a year before breaking the seal. We’ll give a couple of common examples for which types of hot sauces should be refrigerated, and which don’t need it. Safety first: Wear gloves when cutting and seeding the peppers and please, whatever you do, do not touch your eyes! Lime Juice: a little lime juice for added acidity and brightness. Be sure to use a fresh lime for the best flavor. This sauce is one of those that gets better as it has time to sit for a little bit. Make it an hour or two before serving, and you’ll be set. Or, make it a day or two in advance.

Scoville Scale

What does this mean for storing fermented hot sauces? It means that you should refrigerate after reaching the desired level of fermentation. The process will continue in the refrigerator, but at a much slower rate. Look. If your hot sauce appears to have spots of fuzzy mold, throw it away. However, discoloration (fading) is normal with oxygen exposure, and is not necessarily a cause for concern. Basically, if something appears to be growing on your hot sauce, it’s time to say goodbye.