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The military is trading its tiny Tabasco bottles for powdered hot sauce in MREs

Damn, that's fancy. I'll be glad to never eat another MRE ever again, but just carried one of those multi-spice things with me myself. I guess you'd need to refill once in a while but if 10 of us didn't use up the cayenne in 6 weeks I'm sure it would be doable. PLus gives you other options like curry, garlic salt, pepper etc.
 
Most of the tiny Tabasco bottles that came with my MREs ended up (unopened) being converted to Xmas tree decorations. Not that I don't have a taste for the spicy, I usually carried a bottle (or two) of hot sauce when deployed. But I was more a Frank's guy back then, though my everyday (every meal?) sauce is now Valentina; it has a more rounded flavour profile.

 
Most of the tiny Tabasco bottles that came with my MREs ended up (unopened) being converted to Xmas tree decorations. Not that I don't have a taste for the spicy, I usually carried a bottle (or two) of hot sauce when deployed. But I was more a Frank's guy back then, though my everyday (every meal?) sauce is now Valentina; it has a more rounded flavour profile.


Valentina is also my favourite now; just picked some up today actually and there is an 'extra spicy' version as well.

My complaint about some of the hot sauces is that they have an almost acidic taste with a burn, so feels more like a chemical burn from concentrated vinegar. Really like the depth of actual flavours you get with some like Valentina.

In a related note, if you are buying bulk spices found out that the 'hot chilli' from a maker like Suraj for Indian foods is a really sneaky but incredibly hot one. Can make some pretty delicious stuff with it, but definitely not a 1 for 1 substitution for normal chilli powder or cayenne. I've grown to really appreciate spicy curries etc but wow. Use it in a chicken masala recipe but with something like a 1/4 tsp for enough to serve 6, and it's still hotter than any of those hot sauces.
 
While I don't mind stuff like Cholula, I'm over Tabasco or Franks. Texas Pete is ok.

I'm more of a "Chiu Chow chili oil" or "Sichuan peppercorn" person - those are different burns and none hit you right away, but the chili oil builds while the peppercorn numbs your lips/mouth. Even better when combined.



This is my current favourite chili oil.

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Never had them in rations but always carried my own bottle with me. It actually made that insipid RP4 Jambalaya palatable.

🍻
 
I shudder to think what "military grade Jambalaya" would be like.

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I hated the stuff. They didn't have it in IRPs so I really never had it again until one day I watched someone making it on a cooking show and said to myself "hell, that's got everything in it that I like" so I made my own. Big difference. BIG difference.

🍻
 
Most of the tiny Tabasco bottles that came with my MREs ended up (unopened) being converted to Xmas tree decorations. Not that I don't have a taste for the spicy, I usually carried a bottle (or two) of hot sauce when deployed. But I was more a Frank's guy back then, though my everyday (every meal?) sauce is now Valentina; it has a more rounded flavour profile.

Please, Louisiana is the best. ;)
 
I was on a exercise CAC 1992 ( yes I am old and I admit it) , I was the company commanders radio man, the Major and I were talking about various things and a small bottle of tabasco sauce was included in the American rations we were provided. The Major was telling me about British rations and how they had a small bottle of booze in them. A young private heard small bottle and booze, he thought he had scored, dumped the bottle of Tabasco sauce in his mouth really quick, thinking he was going to get caught drinking. He could not down enough water to get rid of the spicy taste out of his mouth. I have never laugh so hard on an exercise eating MREs. Guess with all the different cultures in the US Forces, they need to spice things up, I am not a hot spice guy. But each to his or her own tastes.
 
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