Hot Sauces and the use of chilies in cooking date back to the earliest annals of human culinary history as a means of imparting flavor to the foods we eat. If you enjoy learning about different hot sauces, how they differ from one another, and where to locate new and different hot sauces outside of what you find on the supermarket shelves, this is the podcast episode for you.
This episode features Mr. Scott Roberts, someone I have long respected for his passion for hot sauces, their production, nuanced differences, and history. Scott has owned and operated for 10 years, which has the largest online database of Scoville rankings, information on chilihead-related events, and much, much, more.
In this session of the BBQ Beat Podcast, we’ll cover some hot sauce basics, how you can get the most out of attending a Hot Sauce Convention like the New York City Hot Sauce Expo, the National Firey Foods and BBQ Show, and more.
It’s Not Just About Burning Your Skull Off!
One of the things I like about this discussion with Scott is that he does a great job of sharing how the very best chefs and cooks out there using hot sauces or chilies understand how they can impart real flavor to dishes. Yes, some folks will always seek out the hottest sauce for its “dare you to try it” factor, but the world of hot sauces has so much more to it than just heat.
Fix Hot Sriracha Style Hot Sauce
NYC Hot Sauce Expo
National Firey Foods & Barbecue Show
About the Show
The BBQ Beat Podcast, hosted by Kevin Sandridge, shares all that’s good in competition and backyard BBQ and grilling. Guests include competition BBQ pitmasters, food industry insiders, BBQ and grilling product manufacturers, and event promoters from the US as well as abroad. If you love BBQ and have an appreciation for southern culture and live-fire cooking – this is the BBQ podcast for you.
Episode Summary
In this podcast episode, you’ll discover:
- How the different hot sauces available are categorized in terms of both heat level and flavor
- The wonders of Spicy Caramel Sauce used on apple pie with vanilla ice cream or a little chili pepper in some hot chocolate or hot fudge
- A small Sriracha hot sauce maker you’ve never heard of that Scott bets you’ll really love!
- How pairing hot sauces with food the right way makes all the difference
- The aspects of Jerk sauces that make for a great change up in your hot sauce game
- Some of the sauce companies Scott really likes:
- Which Hot Sauce events to visit, what to check out, how to really enjoy them
- NYC Hot Sauce Expo
- Texas Hot Sauce Festival
- ZestFest
- National Fiery Foods Show
- I Like it Hot Festival
- The best ways to see if your hot sauce recipe can be a hit selling to the public (see my podcast on marketing sauces here)
- How to get the best out of Hot Sauce forums like TheHotPepper.com – great info on sauces, growing your own peppers, etc. Been around for years!
- Where to get a hold of quality pepper seeds for growing your own at home. Not just habanero or ghost peppers, but some of the milder peppers like Aleppo and Poblano. Check out Refining Fire Chiles.
Complimentary Podcast Episodes
- BBP 003: How to Market BBQ Rubs and Sauces with Tim Forrest
- BBP 004: How to Market BBQ Sauces and Rubs with Brian Misko
Questions, Comments or Suggestions?
Have a question or a podcast guest suggestion? Please leave me a message on my contact page. You can also find me on Twitter and via the BBQ Beat Facebook Page.
Be Sure to Listen to More Episodes!
If you enjoyed this episode of the BBQ Beat Podcast, you can see the full podcast archive here. Or, simply catch up on some of the other most popular BBQ podcast conversations listed below.
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