Serious Heat: 25 Things To Do with Hot Sauce

To say we're obsessed with hot sauce at Chile Pepper magazine is putting it mildly. However, it's around this time of year when we gather an insane amount of sauces for our March feature, the "Hot Sauce issue," and become absolutely giddy over the stuff (which could just be from the high of sipping so many).

For weeks our lives revolve around creatively tasting and testing the variety. A little dash here, a mega dash there. We've done so much with them. Here's a quick list of 25 things we've found to do with hot sauce.

Mmm, Spicy Time

1. Create a wicked wing sauce.

2. Fold into scrambled eggs.

3. Add a perk to your hollandaise.

4. Flavor your tartar sauce.

5. Put a dash of heat/smokiness into ribs.

6. Whisk into a vinaigrette for a salad, or alongside ketchup and mayo for a thousand island dressing.

7. Add a bit of bang to your burger.

8. Put a few drops into birdseed to keep out squirrels.

9. Swirl into soups (tortilla soup, black bean, chili, hot and sour soup)—great during cold season to ease congestion.

10. Add to ground pork to make your own breakfast sausage patties.

11. Train your dog against eating from the table (mild heat, of course).

12. Create a spicy mayonnaise as a dipping sauce or spread.

13. Make a Mexican hot chocolate to warm up with.

14. Liven up your cocktail sauce.

15. Melt with butter and douse over your movie popcorn--yum!

16. Pat on nails to kick a nail biting habit.

17. Melt in with cheese or chocolate for a sinfully hot fondue.

18. Dollop on raw oysters for fresh-out-of-the-sea heat.

19. Stir into shepherd's pie for a contemporary burn to an old classic.

20. Add to chutney for a little pep to the sweetness.

21.Take inspiration from Food Dude Kevin Roberts and just chug a bottle.

22. Caramelize onions, mix with hot sauce; top a burger.

23. Stir into mustard, pile onto a hot dog or use as a dip for pigs in a blanket.

24. Have a little extra pulled pork? Add a hefty dose of hot sauce; pile into a tortilla for a pulled pork taco.

25. Combine a few drops with simple syrup, then toss with a fruit salad.

Note: Aurora Nessly contributed to this piece.