El Yucateco Red Habanero Hot Sauce
I came across a bottle of this hot sauce in the small grocery section of a local CVS Pharmacy. I had seen El Yucateco mentioned a few times in online hot sauce forums but had yet to come across it in the wild. When I finally saw it on a pharmacy shelf (of all places) I immediately added it to my shopping list, and I'm glad I did.
El Yucateco is a hot sauce producer located in the Mexican state of Yucatán, and they produce a line of habanero, jalapeño, and chipotle based hot sauce products as well as anchiote pastes and marinades. While El Yucateco Red Habanero Hot Sauce is fundamentally a Mexican style sauce in which the predominant ingredients typically include water, salt and the featured chile pepper(s) in varying ratios, the ingredients listed on the El Yucateco label suggests greater complexity than what one might find in competing Mexican sauces like Cholula or Valentina, and the resulting flavor certainly bears this out. A taste of this sauce brings with it not only the notable pungency and lingering burn sensation of fresh habanero pepper but also a distinct and memorable burst of flavors from their unique (though evidently secret) blend of spices and seasonings.
As far as heat, El Yucateco Red Habanero Hot Sauce is quite a bit hotter than many of the popular competing brand name sauces. Though not considered a "super hot" sauce aimed at the "chile-head" looking to test their heat tolerance it is definitely a step up for hot sauce consumers accustomed to mild fare but are looking for significantly more punch to their palate. Upon first tasting this sauce the capsicum burn from the habanero is immediate and spreads quickly but is slightly alleviated by the sweet tanginess of red tomato, allowing the rich and flavorful spices to come through, showcasing itself as a very present but pleasant way to elevate your meal. The combined heat and flavor profile lingers quite a while but not in a way that overwhelms the dish. The manufacturer recommends this sauce as an ideal complement to seafood but I also found it exceptional on tacos, quesadillas, and tomato based pasta sauces. This hot sauce truly tastes amazing, such that after spending a solid week with it and using it in a variety of dishes for breakfast, lunch, and dinner I have added it to "My Short List" of favorite sauces kept in stock on my shelves to revisit and enjoy again and again. I love this sauce, and now I'm looking forward to sampling some of the other sauces in the El Yucateco product line.
If your local grocer doesn't stock El Yucateco you can purchase it online by clicking here, or via the Amazon Affiliate link below.
To learn more about El Yucateco and their hot sauce products including recipe ideas, find them online at www.elyucateco.com, or on Twitter as @ElYucateco (www.twitter.com/ElYucateco).
