Tabasco sauce

Tabasco sauce is a brand of hot sauce made exclusively from tabasco peppers (Capsicum frutescens var. tabasco), vinegar, and salt. It is produced by McIlhenny Company of Avery Island, Louisiana, United States.

History

The sauce was first produced in 1868 by Edmund McIlhenny, a Maryland-born former banker who moved to Louisiana around 1840. McIlhenny initially used discarded cologne bottles to distribute his sauce to family and friends, and in 1868 he started to sell to the public. The product is still manufactured at its birthplace, Avery Island, Louisiana.

Production

The peppers are picked by hand when they turn to a deep red, a sign of full ripeness. They are mashed on the day of harvest with a small amount of salt. The mash is then aged in white oak barrels for up to three years. Once properly aged, the mash is mixed with vinegar and stirred intermittently for a month before the seeds and skins are strained out. The finished sauce is then bottled and sold around the world.

Varieties

In addition to the Original Red Sauce, the McIlhenny Company produces several other varieties of Tabasco sauce, including Tabasco Green Sauce, Tabasco Chipotle Sauce, Tabasco Habanero Sauce, Tabasco Garlic Sauce, and Tabasco Sweet and Spicy Sauce.

Uses

Tabasco sauce is used as a condiment and an ingredient in a variety of dishes, including eggs, pizza, tacos, burgers, and cocktails such as the Bloody Mary and the Michelada.

See also

• List of hot sauces
• Scoville scale
• Hot sauce in the United States