Sauce Experts Explain: What's the Difference Between Buffalo Sauce and Hot Sauce?
When it comes to adding a kick to your food, few condiments can rival the taste of a good hot sauce. One of the most popular hot sauces around is a buffalo sauce, but what makes it so distinctive from other hot sauces? In this blog post, we’ll talk about their origins, flavour profiles, ingredients, and what food they go with, in order to answer a question as old as time: what really IS the difference between buffalo sauce and other hot sauces?
What are they made of?
The ingredients of buffalo sauce sauce can vary per brand, but our Buffalo Hot Sauce is made of White Grape Vinegar, Aged Jalapeño, Tomato Puree, Rapeseed Oil, Garlic, Tamari, Salt, Coconut oil, and Citrus Fibre. These ingredients create a classic spicy buffalo sauce that is sharp, rich and hot. It is also tangy, salty and has a slight creamy texture. Find out more about what buffalo hot sauce is made of here.
Buffalo sauces are pretty consistent in their style, whereas other hot sauces can vary massively. There are fruity hot sauces, smoky hot sauces, mild or outrageously hot ones and many more variations. All of them (including a buffalo sauce) share one key ingredient – chilli peppers. Which chillies are used will generally dictate the style of chilli sauce made, an example being habanero peppers (which are naturally fruity) often being used when making tropical, fruity and sweet hot sauces.
Where do they come from?
To better understand what makes buffalo sauce different to other hot sauces, we have to start at the beginning. Buffalo sauce originated in (not shockingly) Buffalo, New York, where it famously became associated with buffalo wings. Who first prepared these chicken wings is often disputed, but it's mostly believed that they were first made by Teresa Bellissimo in 1964, in the Anchor Bar in New York.
As for the origins of hot sauce itself, it won't come as a surprise after learning what they're made of, that many of them can be traced to the region where chilli peppers naturally thrive - Central America, particularly among the Aztecs. Chilli plants are among the earliest plants believed to have been cultivated by humans, with the Aztecs mixing water and chilli to flavour their food, alongside using it as punishment (ouch).
Are there any differences in flavour profiles?
One of the main reasons buffalo stands out from other types of hot sauce is because of its distinct flavour profile. As mentioned above, buffalo sauce is known for being quite creamy, tangy, and salty, whilst also having a sharpness to it. This sauce also has a medium-hot heat level to it, which makes it a great everyday sauce for spice lovers.
Since there are so many different types of hot sauce, there is a huge spectrum of flavours and heat levels. From mild to scorching hot, fruity, herby, and spicy, hot sauce appeals to a range of taste preferences and heat tolerance levels. Some hot sauces focus on delivering intense heat without much depth, while others prioritise flavour and worry about heat later. At Sauce Shop, of course, we prioritise both. Our Original Hot Sauce is labelled ‘hot’, with a delicious fruity kick, so this is a perfect example of a type of hot sauce that concentrates on both heat and flavour.
What should I eat them with?
Hot sauces, including buffalo sauce, are extremely versatile and can elevate a huge variety of meals. Buffalo is great to eat with chicken wings, but it also pairs perfectly with grilled chicken, scampi, and tofu. It can be drizzled over pizza, added to toasties and wraps, or used as a dipping sauce for vegetables and fries. Want even more ways to use buffalo hot sauce? Here are 6 great ways to use it in your cooking.
Other hot sauces have no limits when it comes to pairing them with your food, as the taste can vary greatly between the bottles. They can be used to spice up eggs, salads, soups, chilli, and way more great dishes. You can basically eat it with everything. Talk about bang for your buck.
Summary
Buffalo sauce and other hot sauces offer heat and LOTS of flavour to food, and they all bring their own unique characteristics to the dinner table. Buffalo is renowned for its tangy, almost buttery flavour and moderate heat, making it a much-loved accompaniment to chicken wings. Other hot sauces though, can include a diverse range of flavours and heat levels, offering endless possibilities for spicing up your favourite dishes. So whether you’re trying them for the first time or are a seasoned chilli lover, our Buffalo Hot Sauce and other Chilli & Hot Sauces are perfect to bring a dash of flavour and heat to your dishes.
