Tabasco buffalo sauce is a hot and tangy sauce made by Tabasco, the famous hot sauce brand. It combines the spicy flavor of Tabasco pepper sauce with the zesty, buttery taste of traditional buffalo wing sauce. But just how hot is it? Let’s take a look at the Scoville heat units (SHU) to find out.
What are Scoville Heat Units?
The Scoville scale measures the concentration of capsaicinoids in peppers and pepper-based products. Capsaicinoids are the compounds that give peppers their spicy heat. The scale ranges from 0 SHU for bell peppers up to over 1 million SHU for the hottest chili peppers in the world.
The ratings work like this:
| Scoville Heat Units | Spiciness Level |
|---|---|
| 0-700 SHU | No heat to mild heat |
| 700-3,000 SHU | Mildly hot |
| 3,000-25,000 SHU | Hot |
| 25,000-70,000 SHU | Very hot |
| 70,000+ SHU | Extremely hot |
So the higher the Scoville rating, the hotter the pepper or sauce.
How Hot is Tabasco Sauce?
Before looking at Tabasco buffalo sauce specifically, let’s start with classic Tabasco original red pepper sauce. Tabasco red sauce is made from tabasco peppers, vinegar, and salt.
According to Tabasco, their signature red sauce rates at 2,500-5,000 SHU. This puts it solidly in the “hot” range on the Scoville scale. It’s spicier than jalapeño peppers but not as fiery as habanero or ghost peppers.
So Tabasco red sauce definitely brings some heat, but it’s not extreme. The vinegar used mellows out the pepper spice.
Tabasco Buffalo Sauce Ingredients
Now let’s see how Tabasco buffalo sauce compares. Here are the ingredients:
- Aged Cayenne Red Peppers
- Distilled Vinegar
- Water
- Salt
- Garlic Powder
- Onion Powder
- Natural Butter Type Flavor
- Molasses
- Spices
- Natural Flavor
It contains the same aged cayenne peppers and distilled vinegar base as the original Tabasco. But it has the addition of butter, molasses, and other spices to give it that classic buffalo flavor.
Scoville Rating of Tabasco Buffalo Sauce
So how does this ingredient change impact the heat level?
According to Tabasco, their buffalo style sauce rates around 1,200 SHU.
That’s lower than the 2,500-5,000 SHU of original Tabasco. It falls into the mild to medium heat range.
This makes sense when you consider what’s added to the recipe. The butter and molasses balance out some of the heat from the aged cayenne peppers.
While not as hot as original Tabasco, Tabasco buffalo sauce still brings a nice kick of heat and tanginess. The butter adds a creamy, rich element as well.
Heat Comparison to Other Hot Sauces
Here’s how Tabasco buffalo sauce stacks up to other popular hot sauces:
| Hot Sauce | Scoville Heat Units |
|---|---|
| Tabasco Buffalo Sauce | 1,200 SHU |
| Cholula Hot Sauce | 1,000 – 2,000 SHU |
| Tabasco Sauce | 2,500 – 5,000 SHU |
| Sriracha Sauce | 2,200 – 8,000 SHU |
| Frank’s Redhot Sauce | 450 – 1,000 SHU |
As you can see, Tabasco buffalo sauce is milder than original Tabasco but hotter than Franks Redhot. It’s similar in heat level to Cholula and some varieties of sriracha.
Conclusion
So in summary, Tabasco buffalo sauce rates around 1,200 SHU on the Scoville scale, putting it in the mild to medium heat range. It’s spicier than traditional buffalo wing sauce but more mild than original Tabasco peppers sauce.
The aged cayenne peppers give it a nice kick, while the added butter and molasses smooth out the flavor. Overall, Tabasco buffalo sauce provides a tasty blend of heat, tanginess, and creaminess.
It can add a touch of spicy zest to wings, pizza, sandwiches, dips and more. If you like foods on the milder side, Tabasco buffalo sauce brings just enough heat without being too overwhelming.
Some Like It Hot
For extreme heat lovers, Tabasco buffalo sauce may not satisfy. But it hits the spot if you enjoy just a little tingle.
Next time you want to add some zip to cooking or snacking, give Tabasco buffalo sauce a try. Just be prepared to cool your mouth with some blue cheese dressing or ranch when the spiciness hits!