To say we were surprised by just how tasty Dat’l Do It hot sauce is would be an understatement.
Come on, ketchup is the first ingredient listed, so how good could it be? And how can you even call it a hot sauce being ketchup-based?! But once you get past these simple arguments and just try Dat’l Do It; it’s magic in a bottle. Sweet, with rich molasses undertones, and a tasty – and not overwhelming – datil pepper bite. It’s not your typical hot sauce, and that’s what makes it special. You’ll likely find yourself reaching for it more often than you’d ever imagine.
The flavor: Lingering sweetness
Dat’l Do It hot sauce’s ingredient list reads more like a sweet and spicy ketchup than a normal hot sauce:
- Ketchup
- Sugar
- Green bell peppers
- Onions
- Red wine vinegar
- Orange habanero pepper
- Datil pepper
- Worcestershire sauce
- Molasses
- Crushed red pepper
Obviously, if you go in expecting a traditional vinegar-based sauce, you’ll be sorely disappointed. But if you throw any preconceived notions of what hot sauce is out the window, and try it with an open mind, you’re in for a real surprising treat.
The flavor starts out of course with a ketchup-y sweet tang, but it quickly evolves into something richer. The molasses and sugar bring it to a sweet peak and then the fruity (and spicy) datil and habanero peppers kick in to take the flavor to unexpected new heights. This is not a hot sauce that quickly trails off into just hotness. The richness lingers for a long time.
The heat: Hot, but not overwhelming
Sure, Dat’l Do It hot sauce uses two chilies well up there on the pepper scale. Habanero and datil are both at least 12 times spicier than a jalapeño with the chance for a heck of a lot hotter than that (100+ times). But you don’t get the full spiciness of these chilies in this sauce. The rich ketchup base dilutes the heat; really anyone with with a moderate spicy palate can enjoy Dat’l Do It.
Usability: Meet your spicy ketchup replacement
Originally, Dat’l Do It was crafted for seafood, and absolutely the flavors in this hot sauce will work very well with crab, oysters, shrimp, and a whole lot more. But really, when you begin to think of this sauce
Overall:
Once you’re good with the fact that Dat’l Do It hot sauce is not a traditional vinegar-based (or even mustard-based) hot sauce, you’ll be shocked at how often you go reaching for this spicy condiment. In fact, this may be the fastest we’ve ever used up a bottle of any hot sauce, just because we reach for it so often as a ketchup replacement. It’s well worth a spot in your refrigerator.