Kaminski’s Hot Sauce Review + Tostada
Kaminski’s Hot Sauce is an Indiana-based family owned company with an assortment of simple but flavorful hot sauces. They kindly sent me a selection of four sauces to taste test and I’ve included my findings below.
Spicy Verde Sauce
Ingredients: Tomatillos, Sweet Onion, Garlic, Serrano Peppers, Habanero Peppers, Cilantro, Water, Salt, White Vinegar, Lime Juice
This sauce had the thickest consistency of the four and the least amount of spice. The immediate taste was a bit of heat from the serrano and habanero followed by the onion and garlic flavor. I enjoyed this one, but I wish it had a bit more savory flavor from the garlic. It was mild in heat and would be good for hot sauce newbies or as an ingredient in food dishes. 7/10
Liquid Ghost
Ingredients: ghost pepper, onion, garlic, red pepper, salt, vinegar
This was my favorite sauce of the bunch. It was simple but very flavorful and a solid, versatile everyday sauce. The pour was on the thinner side, and the vinegar was very present but not overly so. I enjoyed the heat level and the tang. 9/10
Hotter Than Hot Habanero
Ingredients: water, onion, vinegar, habanero mash (habanero pepper, salt), garlic (garlic, water, phosphoric acid, sodium benzoate, citric acid), ghost pepper mash (ghost pepper, salt), banana pepper (banana pepper, vinegar, water, salt, malic and lactic acid, calcium chloride, sodium benzoate, phosphoric acid, polysorbate 80, sodium metabisulfite, yellow #5), jalapeño mash (jalapeño pepper, salt), carrot concentrate, serrano mash (serrano pepper, salt), himalayan pink salt, paprika, xanthan gum and spices
This sauce was slightly thicker than the Liquid Ghost and the initial taste was the fruitiness and heat of the habanero paired with the sweetness of the carrot. The spice was medium and it was very well balanced. 8/10
Red Hot Reaper
Ingredients: carolina reaper peppers, tobasco peppers, onion, garlic, red bell peppers, lemon, apple cider vinegar, salt, brown sugar
This sauce is fiery! It’s a thin pour and the carolina reaper and tobasco peppers pair really nicely. I’d compare it to a super spicy tobasco sauce but with a bit less tang and a bit more sweetness thanks to the ACV and brown sugar. Overall, very tasty and a runner-up to the Liquid Ghost. 8.5/10
Overall, I really enjoyed these sauces. I felt like there was a good amount of variability in taste, but they all complemented each other well. I made a crispy tofu tostada with the Liquid Ghost and Spicy Verde and it was fantastic! I marinated the tofu in the spicy verde, dredged in cornstarch and pan fried in shallot oil. The slaw was a mix of vegan mayo, lemon juice and liquid ghost with a touch of maple syrup. This tostada was everything I wanted - spicy, crispy, creamy and surprisingly vegan.
