I have been seeing the Yellowbird brand condiments mentioned on a regular basis of late (Where? At r/HotSauce. Where do you spend your spare time?) and decided that it was time to try these out. They are referred to as condiments instead of sauces because of their thicker consistency, similar to ketchup. The flavors available, in order of heat level, are Jalapeno, Serrano, Blue Agave Sriracha, Habanero, and Ghost Pepper, and I decided to start with the hottest of that group.
This one definitely has that raisiny ghost chili taste with maybe a bit of smokiness along with a nice tang and just the right amount of salt. It has some sweetness, but not like a ketchup so you will not necessarily want to use it as a substitute for that condiment. As it turns out, that’s exactly what I did, pairing it with some fries, and I quickly found my mouth to be ablaze! I ended up cutting it with some ketchup and that turned into a nice dipping sauce for my fries, but that heat was still there.
This is definitely not one of our mass-produced sauces that promises the heat but can’t deliver. The ghost chili version certainly packs a punch and I see why this has become quite a popular selection for chiliheads. You won’t have to reach for a fire extinguisher to dowse the flames in your mouth if you use this sparingly. But it definitely ups the game as far as hot sauces go, and it has good taste to go with its heat. This sauce probably works best as a condiment, topping things like tacos, burgers, or pizza, and you can also add it to ketchup or mayonnaise for a spicy dipping sauce. But it could also be added to soups or chili or other dishes to kick up the eat and give them that little something extra.
Now usually I favor Habanero sauces, and I will be giving their version a try, but just decided to go for the Ghost Chili sauce this time. Interestingly, Yellowbird’s website shows the Scoville Units for the Habanero sauce at 15,580 to 54,530, with the Ghost Chili sauce at “Approx. 23,435”. So does that mean I could get a bottle of the Habanero sauce that is hotter than the Ghost Chili sauce? Not complaining, just curious.
Yellowbird is located in Austin, Texas where they grow the chilis and bottle the sauces. The company has been around since 2012, and their products have quickly spread across the country. Their condiments are plant-based, gluten-free, and non-GMO. I purchased mine at the local HEB and you can find a store near you that sells them with the Store Locator on their website. If nothing is close, you can also order directly from them (though you have to buy in bulk) or from places like Amazon.com. They also sell dips, and I may be reviewing one of those in an upcoming post.
Tale of the Tape:
Serving Size: 1 Tablespoon
Ingredients: Organic Carrots, Organic Tomatoes, Onions, Water, Ghost Peppers, Organic Distilled Vinegar, Garlic, Organic Blue Agave, Tangerine Juice Concentrate, Sea Salt, Lime Juice Concentrate
Calories: 10
Fat: 0g (0g Sat/0g Trans)
Protein: 0g
Carbs: 2g
Sodium: 90mg