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Simple sauces vs lots of ingredients???

DelawareDave

DelawareDave

So I see all these recipes with like 30 different ingredients, roasted this and that, blood of your fist born, etc... And I'm just over here with my peppers, salt, and lacto fermentation... Oh and a little vinegar to finish sauce... I don't know why but in the 10 plus years I have been making hot sauce I find I just really like simple sauces. I feel like all the other ingredients just cover up the wonderful flavor of the peppers! Who else is with me on this??? :)
 
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Each has their place of course. One might want to add pepper-only flavor to his curry, but one might want to add curry flavors to his plain chicken breast. ;)
 
It's not a debate, it's about usage.
 
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It really depends but my list is normally short. If im making a Caribbean style sauce i must use more spices or the flavor isn't even close. I can get by with just peppers and shallots or garlic and onions. My large batch of lemon drop sauce will be as simple as possible. I can always add something later or use it to make a sweeter sauce. My first red serrano sauce will be the same way....simple.
 
I do often add some coriander seed and cumin seed. Both lightly toasted. I also like good vinegar. Some add a nice sweetness without adding any additional sugar. Adding lemon or lime surely have some good uses. I love lime juice with jalapeno. They play well together, My jalapeno relish just wouldn't be the same without the lime.
 
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ShowMeDaSauce said:
It really depends but my list is normally short. If im making a Caribbean style sauce i must use more spices or the flavor isn't even close. I can get by with just peppers and shallots or garlic and onions. My large batch of lemon drop sauce will be as simple as possible. I can always add something later or use it to make a sweeter sauce. My first red serrano sauce will be the same way....simple.
 
I do often add some coriander seed and cumin seed. Both lightly toasted. I also like good vinegar. Some add a nice sweetness without adding any additional sugar. Adding lemon or lime surely have some good uses. I love lime juice with jalapeno. They play well together, My jalapeno relish just wouldn't be the same without the lime.
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Both your Lemon Drop sauce and your Red Serrano sauce are clearly, even from the names alone, focusing on the pepper content. Obviously they then need to be simple sauces to keep that at the fore. As THP himself says, that isn't the only type of sauce though.
 
As for vinegar, the simpler the sauce the more noticeable that is. My favourites are cane (goes well with smokey, rich or garlicky flavours) and cider (excellent for more fruity sauces) but what you use should ultimately be decided by the other ingredients, primarily the peppers.
 
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If I can interject here lol

I have wondered the same as well. As medical person, I believe it has also a lot to die with our nervous system and taste buds.

I personally like scotch
I can tell blue label vs black label but that is about it. I have friends that can tell me the oak undertones and such. Or they can tell me the bouquet of the wine. Meanwhile to me.. Wow that's nice red wine lol

I think some of us appreciate simple flavors and others have appeal with complex flavors.

Some guys here can tell me about undertones in the type of 7 Pot or Bhut. Meanwhile I am just getting over the pure heat. I can't tell anything about undertones. So I tend to make simple fermented sauces and they talk to me lol.

I hope I made sense.... Prob not lol


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
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arijer said:
I think some of us appreciate simple flavors and others have appeal with complex flavors.
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I appreciate both it's all in what you put it on. On french toast sure I'll take that blueberry chipotle sauce with allspice. On a plate of loaded nachos a simple pepper sauce that doesn't take away from all your toppings, and gets into all the nooks and crannies.

I don't get why this concept is hard to grasp?  :think:

I guess some people prefer simple all the time is what is being said here. I get that but sounds boring to exclude great sauces for that reason.
 
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Definitely wasn't trying to nock the people that like the complex sauces, I just personal like simple and was just curious who else is in the same boat with me. And it probably does have a lot to do with my palate... all the complex sauces I've ever tried, it just feels like there's too much going on for me.
 
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It's cool man. It's like this. I like my beer plain... good craft beer, but I also like that pumpkin ale and coffee stout ya dig?
 
But like my beer, for everyday use, I also lean toward "pepper sauces" which is what I call the more simple sauces. :)
 
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I'm starting to like puree more than hot sauces. It's simple, tasty and solely focuses on the pepper. Though it's versatile enough to be used in a hot sauce. 
 
good call on the cane vinegar. Datu puti is going to be a staple in my house for now on. Also can't beat a good rice vinegar as long as the PH is in range. 
 
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agree on both sentiments
 
AJ's puree was my hot sauce for a long time he sent me like 8 jars I still have an unopened 2009 aged reserve lol... to me it's hot sauce.
 
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D3monic said:
I'm starting to like puree more than hot sauces. It's simple, tasty and solely focuses on the pepper. Though it's versatile enough to be used in a hot sauce. 
 
good call on the cane vinegar. Datu puti is going to be a staple in my house for now on. Also can't beat a good rice vinegar as long as the PH is in range. 
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There are a few Korean brown rice vinegars that are 8% or more. They are called double strength.
 
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DelawareDave said:
Definitely wasn't trying to nock the people that like the complex sauces, I just personal like simple and was just curious who else is in the same boat with me. And it probably does have a lot to do with my palate... all the complex sauces I've ever tried, it just feels like there's too much going on for me
 
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Most popular sauces in the world are basic.
I don't like complicated sauces as well. Just
like to taste pepper, sour vinegar note, and
salt. Like when it's fermented too.
 
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Grilled Chicken breast on it's own = tolerable.
 
Grilled Chicken breast with Tobasco = a little more tolerable, maybe.
 
Grilled Chicken breast with LDHS 'Year of the Dog' = AWESOME.
 
On pizza or nachos, just the opposite.
 
I like any and all hot sauces but it all depends on what I am eating. Just to dump 7-Pot puree on everything is boring. Same flavor, different day. There are so many sauces out there made with every level of complexity, I really appreciate all the different flavors and heat levels... depending on what I am eating.
 
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Cold Fried chicken with Crystal hot sauce. Dont know why i love it but i just do sometimes :P
 
I really love hot wings but the same ole same ole gets...well.....old after awhile. Its one of the main reasons i like making my own hot sauce. Possibilities are endless...sweet, sour, Asian, Caribbean ect ect. Its hard to achieve such a variety without some additions to the sauce.
 
Once i reach habanero heat levels and above i cant taste much besides the heat. I have no choice but to increase the additions and lower the peppers used if i want to enjoy the sauce in amounts other than tiny quantities. The fermented hab and carrot sauce that is almost ready is heavy on the carrot. It is still probably a bit hot for me but ive got my fingers crossed.
 
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i think ferment vs vinegar based plays into it as well
 
i do vinegar based sauces
 
 
i focus on color, so my red last year got a variety of red peppers......cranberries (wild, local), garlic, carrot (to stretch)....and that was it until blend and strain.....then it got a little pom juice and agave syrup (plus xanthan)
 
 
i want the flavor of the peppers, yes......but i also want a little depth, and find that the flavors i chose, if i keep them in the background, heighten the pepper taste? compliment it at least? and make it a little more complex....
 
my yellow often gets mango & papaya......if i didn't tell you, you wouldn't know.....but it brings out the fruitiness you see with many of the yellow varieties
 
i made a peach with pears & ginger last year that was my favorite ever......it needs a little more of each this year, but again i try to keep the peppers in the forefront
 
i did a chocolate sauce with 4-5 varieties of chocolate last year.....it got pumpkin & ginger......it was good, but might go a different direction just for variety
 
i should have enough red this year to do a smoked red, where i will smoke the peppers, add some garlic, probably some smoked onion, and cherries......if i can find a source for good cherries
 
 
it's all about what you like......i really like a fermented sauce with little added to it, but fermentation takes the sting out of things a little and does a nice job melding flavors; i haven't gone that route yet, so i get that flavor meld and mellowing a little with some added flavors
 
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I do mostly simple, what I love most for flavor is Bell Pepper, Tomato, Mango Apricot. No need to add lots of other ingredients to subdue those flavors. Chutneys are a different case.
Each to his own preference.
 
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