Mustard Hot Sauces

What a mustard hot sauce actually tastes like

Tangy and sharp, with a second kind of heat behind the chili. Mustard's bite comes from a different compound than a pepper's, and it behaves differently too: it's volatile, so it hits the nose and sinuses and clears quickly, while capsaicin sits on the tongue and builds. A mustard hot sauce gives you both at once.

Two traditions in one collection

Some of these bottles follow the Caribbean style: scotch bonnet with mustard and turmeric, thick and bright yellow, the kind of pepper sauce that goes on everything from fish to rice. Others come from American barbecue, where mustard, vinegar and a little sugar make the sauce that South Carolina is known for. A handful use whole seeds or beer mustard for more texture.

How hot these get

Mustard sauces run hotter than you'd expect: about a third are medium, but more than half are hot or extra hot. Habanero leads, scotch bonnet is in more than a quarter (the highest share of any flavor collection here), and Carolina reaper and ghost pepper turn up in the hottest bottles.

How to use it

Sandwiches, hot dogs, burgers and pretzels, and wings above all. It's the hot sauce that behaves like a condiment: spread it rather than dash it. A spoonful also makes a good base for potato salad dressing, a glaze for ham or sausage, or a dip thinned with a little mayo.