BEST OVERALL
Frank’s RedHot Original
Cayenne Pepper Sauce
The secret ingredient in the original
Buffalo wing recipe, this classic is made with cayenne peppers and spiked with vinegar. The tangy-sharp combo makes it perfect for everything from jambalaya to omelets. ($2.80 for 12 ounces,
at grocery stores)
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BEST MILD
Blair's Heat Collection
Wasabi Green Tea
"Oooh, limey!" cooed one judge
when she tasted this mild, Japanese-inspired hot sauce. The creamy blend indeed features lime juice, along with green tea leaves and a hint of wasabi. Cilantro and sugar sweeten the deal. ($8 for 8.44 ounces, extremefood.com)
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BEST MEDIUM
Sriracha Hot Chili Sauce
A staple in many Thai restaurants, this thicker-than-most hot sauce has a silky mouthfeel and would be great as a topper on pasta, sandwiches and pizza, or stirred into soup. The mellow and sweet, yet substantial, heat comes from sun-ripened chiles and boasts a garlicky punch. ($4.50 for 17 ounces, amazon.com)
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BEST HOT
Captain Thom's Thai Monkey
This kickin' teriyaki won over our
judges with its smoky elegance and
lingering heat, thanks to a triple threat of wasabi, Thai chiles and ginger. The sweet pineapple and peanut butter give it a soy
sauce flavor, made for grilled veggies. ($6 for
5 ounces, captainthoms.com)
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BEST SUPERHOT
Dave's Gourmet Hurtin'
Habanero Hot Sauce
Tasters likened this hot-hot sauce to liquid pepperoni that results in "Angelina Jolie lips." Flavored with red chiles and habaneros, its hickory-barbecue taste comes from vinegar and smoky spices. Definitely not for weak mouths!
($6 for 5 ounces, davesgourmet.com)
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BEST DESSERT
Crazy Uncle Jester's
AfterBurner Sauce
Talk about a hot fudge sundae: This gooey habanero-spiked chocolate sauce is best eaten with vanilla ice cream or pound cake. Though it won by a landslide, watch out. One judge said it made her "cry like a little girl."
($6 for 8 ounces, edwrr.crazyunclejester.com)
Prices and other details were accurate when we published this article in May 2009.
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