Celebrated every year on January 22nd, National Hot Sauce Day is no ordinary festivity. It’s an opportunity for all – from those who prefer a hint of heat to those devoted to the truly fiery - to celebrate and embrace the wide range of flavors hot sauces from all over the world provide.
With profiles ranging from savory smokiness to tangy sweetness, all with a healthy dose of heat, this day truly recognizes the incredible diversity and appeal of hot sauces.
History of National Hot Sauce Day
Ancient versions of hot sauce stretch back thousands of years, with chili peppers first being utilized for their heat and taste in Central and South America. Through global trade channels, these hot sauces and pastes made from chili peppers found their way into different cuisines around the world. As a result, regional variations of hot sauce, from the vinegar infused sauces common in the Southern United States to the deep, fermented pastes of Korea emerged.
Bottling hot sauce for commercial purpose came to fruition in the 1800s, mainly in the United States. Some of today’s prominent and age-old hot sauce brands such as Tabasco, traced their roots back to this period.
National Hot Sauce Day serves to honor and enjoy the millennia-old history of hot sauce garnering a global fanbase, from those favoring a subtle kick to those brave souls who relish a fiery, intense burn.
National Hot Sauce Day Timeline
Cayenne Pepper Sauce
The first commercially produced hot sauce, made with cayenne peppers and vinegar, was introduced.
Tabasco Sauce Launch
Edmund McIlhenny from Louisiana launches Tabasco Sauce, one of the most famous hot sauces still available today.
Sriracha Sauce Invented
The Sriracha hot sauce was first made in Si Racha town in Thailand by a woman called Thanom Chakkapak.
Carolina Reaper Record
The Carolina Reaper was named as the world's hottest chili pepper by Guinness World Records.
Pepper X
Pepper X is unofficially recognized as the world's hottest pepper with more than 3.18 million Scovilles.
National Hot Sauce Day
Hot sauce enthusiasts in celebrate every January 22th.
Ideas to Celebrate National Hot Sauce Day
Spicy Hot Sauce Tasting Party
Gather your loved ones and host a party where everyone can sample various hot sauces. Offer simple foods like tortilla chips or chicken tenders and array an assortment of hot sauces for guests to taste.
Hot Sauce Themed Dinner
Organize a dinner where each course contains some form of hot sauce. From appetizers to desserts, creatively incorporating hot sauce will make this dining experience truly memorable.
Homemade Hot Sauce Contest
Organize a friendly competition among your friends, where everyone prepares their version of homemade hot sauce. Ensure to have a panel of taste-testers on hand to crown the champion.
Hot Sauce Recipe Exchange
Arrange a social gathering where attendees bring their beloved hot sauce and its preparation method. People can delight in diverse flavors while learning how to make hot sauce at home.
Hot Sauce Making Class
Enroll yourself and your companions in a program that teaches hot sauce creation. This hands-on experience can enlighten you about the various ingredients and techniques used in hot sauce production.
6 Interesting Facts About Hot Sauces
The Birthplace of Hot Sauce
Many consider Mexico as hot sauce's birthplace, thanks to their cultivation of chili peppers for more than 6,000 years.
Tabasco: A Pioneer
Tabasco sauce, dubbed after a state in Mexico, is among the earliest hot sauce brands in America. Established in 1868, the McIlhenny Company has been producing this sauce for generations.
Hot Sauce and Metabolism
Indulging in hot sauce could potentially amplify your metabolic rate. The chilli pepper-derived compound, capsaicin may prompt your body to expend extra calories.
Scoville Rating
Hot sauces undergo rating on the Scoville Heat Scale. While sweet bell pepper has a zero score, the world's spiciest pepper, the Carolina Reaper, can reach over 2 million Scoville Heat Units.
Hot Sauce and Endorphins
When you consume hot sauce, it triggers the release of endorphins. These are neurochemicals that stimulate sensations of joy.
World's Hottest Sauce
Presently, the hottest known hot sauce is the Mad Dog 357 Plutonium No. 9 and comes in at 9 million Scoville Hotness Units (SHUs).
National Hot Sauce Day FAQs
Next National Hot Sauce Day Dates
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | January 22nd | Sunday |
| 2024 | January 22nd | Monday |
| 2025 | January 22nd | Wednesday |
| 2026 | January 22nd | Thursday |
| 2027 | January 22nd | Friday |
| What is the pattern? | Every January 22nd | |
National Hot Sauce Day Word Search
- Spiciness
- Tabasco
- Jalapeno
- Sriracha
- Pepper
- Sauce