Scotch Bonnet Hot Sauces

What a scotch bonnet hot sauce actually tastes like

The scotch bonnet is named for its squat, crumpled shape, which looks like a Scottish tam o’ shanter. It’s a defining pepper of Caribbean cooking, from Jamaican jerk seasoning to pepper sauces across the islands, and it measures 100,000 to 350,000 Scoville heat units, the same range as its close cousin the habanero.

Sweeter than a habanero

Scotch bonnets share the habanero’s heat but taste rounder and sweeter, with a tropical fruitiness that holds up under the burn. Caribbean-style yellow sauces pair them with mustard and vinegar, while others build on lime, mango, banana or carrot. Garlic and onion are in most of the bottles here.

Sweet, but still serious

Most scotch bonnet sauces here are medium or hot, with a few at either end in mild and extra hot. The sweetness can hide how much heat is coming, so start with a little.

How to use it

Scotch bonnet sauce was made for jerk chicken and pork, grilled fish and shrimp, rice and peas, and curries. It’s also great on wings and tacos, and a spoonful stirred into a stew or a pot of beans brings the whole thing to life.

Buying your first one

Try a mustard-based yellow sauce for the classic Caribbean taste, or a mango or lime one for something brighter. If you already love habanero sauces, a scotch bonnet sauce is the same heat with more sweetness.