Carribean hot sauce?
 

Recently went to Nevis and fell in love with their hot sauce. Where can I get them in the States? And what makes them so much better?
What other Carribean brands are good?

You didn't mention the brand of sauce you tried, but I assume it was a commerical brand rather than homemade (many Caribbean homes and restaurants have a special homemade Scotch bonnet & onion in vinegar marinade that is hot and flavorful).

I prefer Caribbean Scotch bonnet-based hot sauces above all others because they actually contribute flavor to the dish, rather than pure heat. The Scotch bonnet pepper is more or less the same thing as the habanero pepper, which is one of the hottest peppers around. I steer clear of US-marketed hot sauces because they use a frat boy approach: each trying to outdo the other by spiking the formula with pure capsaicin oil, employing names like "Flaming anus", and dyed red because in America red = hot and hot must be red. The best sauces to find are chutney-like: thick, with minimal vinegar, and usually yellow or orange. A cheap and easy-to-find Scotch bonnet sauce is made by the Jamaican condiment conglomerate Grace. The are better ones out there, but Grace is ubiquitous.

Scotch Bonnet sauce is great! Can get it quite readily here in South Florida one of the few benefits of being here.

And yes it is true the FIRST ingredient in a good one is the scotch bonnet (pimento haha) NOT vinegar.

This is one of the Miami importers:

http://www.kingstonmiami.com/showPro...+%28JCS%29

Hot sauces specifically:
http://www.kingstonmiami.com/showpro...tyle+%28JCS%29

Had rather good Jamaican food yesterday in the unlikeliest of places. :) I think I used about half of the hot sauce bottle they import by air freight from the Island. Will check the label next time.

My hands down favorite is Delish brand bajan-cajun hot sauce from Barbados. I've also been able to get it in Puerto Rico. It comes it two choices: "red" and "yellow". They may have names for each one but guaranteed "Delish bajan-cajun" is on each one. Full of pepper taste - I don't have a bottle with me so I don't know if they put in any coloring or funky stuff to make it hotter. It is very tasty though.

And from the US perspective, I really like our own Cholula's hot sauce. It has the distinctive wood cap! Very tasty and available pretty much everywhere - even at both of my local supermarkets.

...Great thread btw!

That is one I am really not fond of! I know it is a bit different in style but of our own US salsas I like Green Mountain Gringo brand, hands down the best Medium and Hot store bought salsa, I like to make it fresh but if I have to eat store bought this is the only brand.

Try Matouk's West Indian Hot Sauce (papaya base) or West Indian Flambeau Sauce (traditional). My family is Jamaican and it's always been a staple in everyone's cupboard, even though it's from Trinidad ;). You can apparently order it from Amazon, but I would suggest checking your local Latino/international market first to compare prices.

http://www.amazon.com/Matouks-West-I...d_sim_gf_img_2

Marie Sharp's from Belieze. I used to bring it back from dive trips, but now it's available in N. Va.

Try Coqui Fire Hot Sauce from Vieques P.R. They have an online store too: http://www.coquifire.com

I second the recommendation for Marie Sharp's sauce. They use habaneros.

The person who formulated Marie Sharp's (I think named Marie Sharp)
also formulated Melinda's, which is almost as good and much easier
to find. Busha Browne's is similar but starchier.