Bottom Line: Weak Knees Gochujang Sriracha is a gourmet version of the familiar sauce that delivers a unique taste along with some heat.
Huy Fung Sriracha is still hard to find in the stores these days due to a chili pepper shortage (more on that here), but there are options out there to hold you over until those green-topped bottles start returning to the shelves. Weak Knees Gochujang Sriracha may not be a direct replacement for the rooster sauce–because it is more of a kicked-up, gourmet version–but it can certainly act in place of the Huy Fung Sriracha in some cases.
This sauce is made with the red chili peppers that you expect from Sriracha, but it also blends gochujang paste into the mix. That is a condiment popular in Korean cooking which uses fermented peppers and other ingredients to deliver a sweet and savory taste that some might refer to as an Asian barbeque sauce.
Upon tasting the Weak Knees Sriracha, you will notice the expected tang along with a sweetness and some smokiness. That is then followed by a bit of funkiness which comes from the fermenting of the peppers as well as the Gochujang paste added into the mix. It basically has that taste you expect from Sriracha, though with a unique twist that comes from the additional ingredients.
It definitely has some heat to it as well, though nothing that will overwhelm. It has a kick that lingers for a bit, but you won’t need to dowse your mouth with a firehose. I would say that it is just approaching the Medium heat level on my scale. And if you are looking for hotter, they do have a spicier version, though I have not tried that yet.
This sauce goes well on tacos, though this would not be my first choice as a topping for a standard crispy beef taco. It would be a better match with a chicken or fish taco, something more on the gourmet end. This also goes well on a hotdog, though again maybe a fancier sausage would be the best pairing. In fact, it would probably work well on a Banh Mi dog (potential recipe on the way). It also pairs quite well with eggs, though it wouldn’t be my first choice for a breakfast taco. Basically, it’s not an everyday sauce, but one that has plenty of uses and that is good to have waiting around for a fancier meal.
And considering the price, you definitely don’t want to be using this on a regular basis. It is going for around twelve bucks at the Bushwick Kitchen website and other online sellers like Amazon.com. That is gourmet sauce price, and I would say that it is worth the money, but you will want to use this one sparingly so that it lasts longer.
As mentioned above, there is also a spicy version of the Weak Knees Gochujang Sriracha and a Curry Sriracha. They also offer a hot honey and spicy maple syrup. You can check the Bushwick Kitchen website for gifts sets and for deals, and they offer free shipping on orders over $35. I need to get a refill on my Gochujang Sriracha, and I might be checking out some of their other products as well, so stay tuned.
Nutrition Info:
Ingredients: Gochujang Paste (Tapioca Syrup, Water, Brown Rice, Red Pepper Powder, Salt, Alcohol, Soybean, Garlic, Onion), Water, Sugar, Garlic, Vinegar, Olive Oil, Spices, Oleoresin Habanero, Oleoresin Capsaicin, Oleoresin Paprika (Weak Knees Gochujang Sriracha contains Soy and Wheat)
Serving Size: 1Tbsp (5g)
Calories: 10
Fat: 0g (0g Sat/0g Trans)
Protein: 0g
Carbs: 2g
Sodium: 65mg