not European but Thai:
Sriracha
There's multiple variants, but they're all much better than Tabasco.
My favorite are extra garlic (brown cap), extra hot (black cap) and creamy mild (orange cap).
I would not recommend Sriracha as an alternative to Tobasco. They’re two entirely different things, for entirely different purposes. Sriracha is delicious, but it’s not gonna give the vinegar-y lil kick that Tobasco does.
I mean, they should have Sriracha too because it's also delicious, but they're not really comparable sauces.
Are the Sriracha style sauces you buy in the west, really Thai? IIRC one brand that them popular is a US company.
Just checked, the brand I use, uni-eagle, is German.
Um.... Why have you forgotten about Mexico? That's like the land of hot sauce. See what you can import.
The sub is names "BuyFromEU", so I don't find it a crazy idea to look for stuff from the EU to buy.
Although you're right, I'd still say we ought to support Mexico where we can. And they make incredible hot sauces
Another spicy condiment to try is harissa (North African) or sambals from south east Asia.
An alternative to Tabasco? Try infusing vinegar with your choice of hot peppers. Simply pack 'em in, and let it sit. Adjust to taste. Tabasco is hot sauce like Nutella is chocolate.
Simply pack 'em in, and let it sit.
…for a couple years while it ferments in barrels. Making a Tabasco clone isn’t an overnight process.
Yes, yes, an exact replica of that pansy-ass 90% vinegar "product" is what the goal is, rather than a far simpler improvement just about anyone anywhere can make, and quickly...
If you'll look back at the simile above, I think you'll find Nutella was chosen for more than one reason.
Yeah, that's the fast & easy way to do it, but you should cut the tops & stems off first, IMO. If the vinegar does not get into the peppers, they can grow fuzzy on the inside.
If you have access to a well ventilated* kitchen, you can make your own hot sauce that can be better than anything store bought. Remove the seeds** and then fry the shit out of the peppers until they start to pop and blacken, caramelizing the sugars. Then pour in a bit of water, just enough to almost cover the peppers, and when the water has evaporated the peppers will be mush. Throw the pepper mush into a blender with just enough salt & vinegar to suit your taste.
Sweet, mild peppers like red jalapenos make a good sauce with very little vinegar. I like to dilute the more intense peppers with extra vinegar until the sauce isn't overpoweringly hot.
*seriously, don't try this unless you've got a good exhaust fan or can do it outside
**wear gloves
Also, the hotter the pepper, the less time it needs in the mix, FYI.
Likewise, opening it up to increase saturation via steeping. For example: habanero only needs a 3cm vertical slit or two (think: lantern) and just a few hours in the rum/vodka/etc. when making hotshots base. Going longer or adding more cuts (let alone fully-open) will all but ensure hours within a personal cornucopia of pain & suffering you have only yourself to blame for. 😭🤌🏼
wear gloves
A lesson that may only need to be taught once, if a bio-break occurs prior to triple-washing of ones hands. 😱🥹
Personally, I learned it years ago by happening to be on-shift when a fellow cooks' apprentice eschewed the warning ("for weak AF noobs") and was all but reduced to hysterics as minutes after such a bio-break — his "balls're melting" and he panicked toward the walk-in to find & apply a cold fat to numb/neutralize the oils. He chose a tub of yogurt and was quickly fired for the scene that needs no textual description...
Don't do it, kids. Not even for that rare $3 dare.
Also, it can get under your fingernails and burn for WEEKS.
I mean, if you're into that sorta thing, I guess?
Will try that. Thanks!
Idk about tabasco, isn't it just vinegar and chili?
Here are some stores and brands at least which sells good stuff
Czech brand https://www.palito.cz/
Swedish store extremefood.com
German store pfefferhaus.de
Norwegian brand midsummer.no
You probably want Firelli. Super vinegary, made in Italy, and very delicious
Skånsk Chili has an own online shop and is also sold at other places.
Aldi sometimes has an organic red chili sauce made in Danmark.
Robin Hot from Slovenia. They sell it at Mix Markt in Germany and Austria.
If you like the taste and the scoville level of tabasco sauces: "Fuego" has a very similar series to the tabasco series. And it tastes a bit less vinegar.
e.g. "Fuego Hot Jalapeno" https://fuchsgruppe.shop/fuego/produkte/salsas-co./
Available e.g. at Edeka Germany. They deliver everywhere in EU.
In the UK there is the Nando's hot sauce that have this vinegary/spicy mix.
Just get a generic hot sauce that looks like tabasco, prefer organic. It will either taste the same or better.
I have this: https://sanchon.de/produkte/habanero-hot-sauce/ (German company, may not be available elsewhere)
Encona is a UK brand owned by Grace Foods, a Jamaican conglomerate. Great range of tasty sauces. Another alternative, though not European but South African, is Nando's range.
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