Matt Bray – Page 86 – PepperScale

Habanero Ketchup

Your burger will never be the same…

Ready to graduate from jalapeño slices? Go with habanero heat! Habanero ketchup is at the upper echelon of spicy condiments, especially if you leave the seeds in during the cooking process (recommended only for extreme eaters). Even without the seeds, this is not a ketchup for the timid. It’s blazingly hot, but with that sweet tomato tang that pairs with burger oh so well. But don’t stop there, habanero ketchup is delicious wherever standard ketchup is in order: as a dip for fries, as a topper for meatloaf, or even as a tangy glaze for BBQ. Don’t forget a squirt on your next hot dog, too, to really amp things up.

And, of course, we can’t leave you without our cautionary note: Use gloves when handling habaneros. All chilies can give you chili burn, but chili burn from extra hots and above (like the habanero) is at another level. Protect yourself while handling them throughout the cooking process.

Pepper Palace Reaper BBQ Sauce: Extreme Grilling

by Matt Bray

A BBQ sauce for those that think “big” and “bold” are entry level…

The grim reaper on the label should tell you enough. Pepper Palace’s Reaper BBQ Sauce, featuring the infamously scorching Carolina Reaper pepper, is a taste bud land mine. Yet, thankfully this isn’t a story of all heat and no flavor. There’s just enough tomato sweetness and peppery spice to make things interesting before the Reaper has its way. Let’s break down this super-hot BBQ sauce.

Spicy Vodka Sauce

by Matt Bray

Amp up that penne ala vodka…

Just a little crushed red pepper brings your homemade vodka sauce to life. In this recipe, we use only a pinch (or so), but if you’re heat-inclined like us, feel free to be a little more heavy-handed in the amount used.

Spicy vodka sauce is delicious of course with penne, but any pasta will do. Or try it with baked or grilled chicken. The creamy and spicy sauce brings a whole lot of flavor to the table.

Spicy Red Beans And Rice

by Matt Bray

Spiced just right…

Whether as a side or as a meal on its own, the Southern cooking staple with a kick – spicy red beans and rice – really hits the spot. It’s that perfect mix of salty, earthy, and of course spicy that’s just impossible to deny. Try it with barbecue, you won’t be disappointed.

The heat comes from moderate amounts of paprika, cayenne, Cajun seasoning, and Tabasco – potent enough to tickle the tongue, but not so hot as to chase off family and friends. We love it topped with some fresh jalapeño pepper wheels. Of course, it’s optional, but it adds a delicious bright pepper flavor.

Jalapeño Corn Fritters

by Matt Bray

Fire up your fritters…

A little jalapeño pepper goes far in a batch of corn fritters. It’s just enough spice to perk you up, and the cumin and black pepper provide an earthy undertone that works perfectly with both the chili pepper and the subtle sweetness of corn.

Top these fritters with a little sour cream and guacamole and it’s a dream side for your grilled meats. Or you can approach these fritters like a meal and lay out a full spread of taco fixings, like additional jalapeños, shredded cheese, tomatoes, and onions.

Cajun Lasagna

by Matt Bray

A bolder family meal…

There’s just a hint of spice, but a heck of a lot of southern flavor in this Cajun lasagna. Buoyed by Andouille sausage and a healthy amount of Cajun seasoning (or Creole seasoning), it’s got that extra “somethin’ somethin'” that’ll turn your typical family meal into something a bit more memorable

The heat mainly comes from a simple source: crushed red pepper. Yes, there’s some cayenne in the Cajun seasoning, too, but the red pepper flakes are really the power ingredient for the meal’s fire. So control your lasagna’s spiciness by adding or subtracting here, not by adding or subtracting Cajun seasoning. You may overpower the lasagna with too much Cajun (is there a thing?) or too little by messing with the amount of seasoning mix.

Black Rose Hot Sauce: A Growing Bite

by Matt Bray

Tabasco tang, Sriracha thickness, a flavor all its own…

We’ll be honest, at first we weren’t really sure how we felt about Black Rose Hot Sauce. It has a vinegary tang like Tabasco, but as a Louisiana style dashing sauce it’s way too thick. That thickness is a lot like Sriracha, but the pronounced vinegar tang limits its uses compared to Sriracha. On our first few tastes, we were left with the feeling that this hot sauce was in a hard-to-place limbo zone between two popular flavors.

But Black Rose Hot Sauce has grown on us big time since our initial first impression. In fact, it has a flavor all its own, taking the best of those two popular hot sauces and mixing in a hint smoke and a delicious amount of grit.

Spicy Corn On The Cob

by Matt Bray

Golden sweet meet spicy…

We can dive into corn on the cob any day of the week, especially fresh oven- or grill-roasted corn. But our love for the golden sweetness of corn takes another important step when those delicious ears are made fiery. There’s so much flavor in this spicy corn on the cob recipe to go along with the fun crunch and texture of the eating experience.

Our spicy corn on the cob relies on cayenne pepper for the heat. Cumin provides a little earthiness – like you’d get in chili powder. In fact, if you’d like a lesser-heat version of this recipe, simply remove the cayenne powder and substitute in a chili seasoning. The cilantro and lime zest provide a Mexican flair – a little tangy freshness. You can go there – or simply enjoy the earthy fire of the core recipe. These are perfection on the grill, but you can oven-roast them any time of the year to enjoy whenever you want.

If this spicy corn on the cob recipe is right up your alley, don’t miss our Mexican corn on the cob recipe as well. Its mix of paprika, chili powder, and cojita cheese is reminiscent of Mexican street food in all the right ways.

Habanero Infused Tequila

by Matt Bray

Tequila on the edge…

We don’t know if there’s a correlation between loving tequila and loving spicy food, but if we had to guess, they’ve got to be linked. This habanero infused tequila recipe brings the best of both worlds together, converging into one extra hot bottle of pure bliss. It’s delicious as a spicy shot on its own, or try it as a mixer for a spicy Tequila Sunrise or other tequila-based cocktail.

You can control the overall heat of this habanero tequila by choosing how long to steep the habanero peppers. Less time means less spiciness; more time means an extra-hot experience. And, as always, when working with habanero peppers, use kitchen gloves when handling the chilies. Extra hot peppers and above can cause especially painful chili burn. Be protected and wash your hands immediately after handling as well.

Spicy Almonds

by Matt Bray

Toasted with cayenne kick…

Sure roasted almonds alone are excellent to snack on as they are, but why not take ten minutes and turn those almonds into a fiery treat? Spicy almonds are perfect for parties, adding that extra spice twist that’ll make a memorable splash among friends and family.

Cayenne pepper provides the primary kick, with a little extra warmth from black pepper. It’s significant spice, so feel free to pull back on the cayenne used if you’re preparing for a group where spice tolerance is mixed. Halve the amount of cayenne (1/2 teaspoon) is best for those occasions.

The recipe calls for unsalted roasted almonds, but you can use salted roasted almonds instead – simply remove the extra salt from the ingredient list. We prefer less salt and more heat (and, if you’re reading PepperScale you may too), so opt for the unsalted roasted almonds if you can so that you can control the balance completely.