MyTastr

Best louisiana-style hot sauce, according to chefs

Three picks, each tied to a named taster and a public source — from Katie Button, Isaac Toups, Jean-Paul Bourgeois, Maneet Chauhan and 15 more. Recommendations come from gardenandgun.com, gearpatrol.com, seriouseats.com and eater.com.

Condiments · The ranking

  1. 1
    Top pick

    Tabasco Original Red Pepper Sauce

    Chosen by
    Also chosen by
    The most-recommended sauce overall in Garden & Gun’s poll of 20 Southern chefs. Toups: “If I had to pick one, it’s Tabasco… high acid, and consistent.” Crawford: “the right amount of balance between acidity, pepper flavor, aroma, and heat.” Aged up to three years in oak on Avery Island.
    Where to buy · tabasco.com ↗Instacart ↗Source: gardenandgun.com ↗
  2. 2

    Crystal Hot Sauce

    Chosen by
    Also chosen by
    Hopkins: “If I were on a desert island and could only have one hot sauce, it would be Crystal.” Hyland: “the right amount of heat, acid and salt that is flavorful but not overpowering.” Just aged cayenne, vinegar and salt; Isaac Toups cooks with it because it’s “sweeter, and it’s a little calmer.”
    Where to buy · Amazon ↗Instacart ↗Source: gearpatrol.com ↗
  3. 3

    Texas Pete Original Hot Sauce

    Chosen by
    Tied with Tabasco for the most #1 votes in Garden & Gun’s chef poll. Kumar: “It has roundness, a pleasant heat, and the right viscosity.” Register likes its “not overly melt-your-mouth” heat; Jones cooks it into his chopped whole-hog barbecue. A mild cayenne-vinegar sauce made in North Carolina.
    Where to buy · Amazon ↗Instacart ↗Source: gardenandgun.com ↗

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Questions, answered

What is the best louisiana-style hot sauce, according to chefs?
MyTastr’s top pick is Tabasco Original Red Pepper Sauce, chosen by Isaac Toups (Toups’ Meatery); Katie Button (Cúrate); Jean-Paul Bourgeois; Scott Crawford (Crawford & Son); Maneet Chauhan (Chaatable). The most-recommended sauce overall in Garden & Gun’s poll of 20 Southern chefs. Toups: “If I had to pick one, it’s Tabasco… high acid, and consistent.” Crawford: “the right amount of balance between acidity, pepper flavor, aroma, and heat.” Aged up to three years in oak on Avery Island. Source: gardenandgun.com ↗
What are the other top picks for louisiana-style hot sauce?
No. 2 is Crystal Hot Sauce, chosen by Linton Hopkins (Restaurant Eugene); Matt Hyland (Pizza Loves Emily). No. 3 is Texas Pete Original Hot Sauce, chosen by Sam Jones (Skylight Inn BBQ); Cheetie Kumar (Garland); Elliott Moss (Buxton Hall Barbecue); Matthew Register (Southern Smoke BBQ). Each card above links to the original source.
How does MyTastr choose these picks?
Every pick is tied to a named chef, cookbook author or food expert and links to the public interview, panel or article it came from. We survey dozens, often hundreds, of top chefs, food writers and critics, and order reflects how often and how strongly a brand is recommended. Only organic recommendations count — paid endorsements don’t — and brands can’t buy a spot. Read how we pick.

The tasters behind this ranking

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