Jamaican Choice Hot Sauce - Bringing The Taste of Jamaica Through Scotch Bonnets

The Origins of Jamaican Hot Sauce

The island nation of Jamaica is renowned worldwide for its vibrant culture, beautiful landscapes, and flavorful cuisine. An integral part of traditional Jamaican cooking is the use of Scotch bonnet peppers, an extremely spicy variety of chili pepper that grows abundantly on the island.

These fiery hot peppers form the base of many Jamaican hot sauces and serve to add a distinctive kick to traditional dishes like jerk chicken, curries, stews, and more. The origins of Jamaican hot sauce can be traced back centuries to the arrival of Scotch bonnet peppers in the Caribbean.

Scotch Bonnet Peppers - The Key Ingredient

Scotch bonnet peppers are a variety of Capsicum chinense peppers native to the Caribbean islands. Their name comes from their unique bulbous shape, which supposedly resembles traditional Scottish bonnets. They are also sometimes called ball-of-fire peppers due to their intense spiciness.

Compared to most other hot peppers, Scotch bonnets have an exceptionally high heat content. The spiciest varieties can reach up to 400,000 Scoville heat units, making them more than 100 times hotter than jalapeño peppers. This extreme spiciness makes Scotch bonnets perfect for adding searing heat to sauces, marinades, and any dish that needs a real kick.

Traditional Jamaican Hot Pepper Sauces

Jamaicans have crafted hot sauces using Scotch bonnets for generations, leveraging vinegar and natural fruits like mangoes to balance out the intense spiciness. Popular traditional sauces often featured straightforward recipes usually consisting of just a few simple ingredients:

• Chopped or pureed Scotch bonnet peppers
• Distilled white vinegar
• Onions, garlic, ginger, thyme and other herbs and aromatics
• Natural sweeteners like sugar or tropical fruits
• Salt for seasoning

By blending Scotch bonnets with sweet and acidic ingredients, traditional Jamaican hot sauces aim to capture the essence of the island’s unique flavor profile – fiery heat tempered by tropical sweetness and tartness.

The Rise of Jamaican Choice Brand Hot Sauce

As Jamaicans migrated abroad in the 20th century, they brought their cuisine and hot sauce traditions with them. An entrepreneur named Vivian Chang saw the need for an authentic Jamaican hot sauce that could capture classic island flavors using high-quality, natural ingredients.

In 1992, Chang founded Jamaican Choice out of her own kitchen in New York City. Her goal was to bottle the rich tastes of real Jamaican cooking in the form of specialty hot sauces built on Scotch bonnet peppers and tropical fruit.

The Jamaican Choice Difference

What sets Jamaican Choice apart from other Scotch bonnet-based hot sauces is their commitment to authentic Jamaican recipes and flavors. Their hot sauces are carefully crafted using Chang’s treasured family recipes with hand-selected natural ingredients:

• Scotch Bonnet Peppers – Freshly imported to ensure peak spiciness and flavor
• Exotic Fruit Purees – Mangoes, papayas, pineapples and more add tropical sweetness
• Spices & Herbs – Garlic, onions, thyme, allspice and other seasonings
• Distilled Vinegar – Balances the richness of the fruit and spices
• Natural Sweeteners – Cane sugar fuels the fire

By staying true to the roots of Jamaican cuisine, Jamaican Choice has earned its reputation as one of the leading authentic Scotch bonnet pepper hot sauces on the worldwide market.

Flagship Jamaican Choice Products

Jamaican Choice now produces an entire line of specialty Jamaican food products. However, their hot pepper sauces remain top sellers. Flagship hot sauces include:

• Mango Scotch Bonnet Hot Sauce – Award-winning balance of Scotch bonnet heat and sweet mango
• Pineapple Scotch Bonnet Hot Sauce – Sweet, golden pineapple flavor with a burning kick
• Carrot Scotch Bonnet Hot Sauce – Naturally sweetened with carrots, hot as can be
• Jamaican Choice Scotch Bonnet Sauce – Their classic straight-forward Scotch bonnet hot sauce

No matter your preferred level of heat, Jamaican Choice offers hot sauces to suit all palates while staying true to the Scotch bonnet pepper and the rich heritage of genuine Jamaican cooking.

How to Use Jamaican Choice Hot Sauce

The handcrafted hot sauces from Jamaican Choice lend authentic island flavor and spicy heat to all kinds of savory dishes. Their balanced blend of Scotch bonnet fire, sweet fruit essences and zesty spices make them extremely versatile in the kitchen.

In Traditional Jamaican Dishes

Of course, Jamaican Choice hot sauces can amp up traditional island favorites like:

• Jerk chicken, pork and seafood
• Curried goat, shrimp or vegetables
• Rice and Peas
• Festival fritters
• Cod fritters
• Plantains
• Callaloo
• Ackee and saltfish
• Ital stews

Just a few dashes of Scotch bonnet hot sauce will give these classic Caribbean dishes an extra tongue-tingling burst of flavor.

Beyond Jamaican Cuisine

The versatile flavor of Jamaican Choice’s hot pepper sauces also enhances many international dishes. They can spice up:

• Pizza, wings, sandwiches and wraps
• Chili, stews, soups and curries
• Tacos, fajitas and Latin cuisine
• Poultry, beef, pork and seafood
• Vegetable dishes
• Snacks like samosas, spring rolls or chana chaat
• Eggs, omelets and breakfast foods

With its trademark balance of sweet and heat, Jamaican Choice hot sauce packs an addicting punch of flavor suitable for nearly any dish under the sun.

Everyday Hot Sauce Uses

Beyond cooking, a bottle of Jamaican Choice Scotch bonnet sauce readily livens up:

• Dips and dressings
• Salsas and relishes
• Hot sauces
• Seasonings and marinades
• Cocktail mixers

A dash in your next Bloody Mary or michelada might just make it an instant classic!

However you use it, Jamaican Choice hot sauce made from Scotch bonnet peppers promises to add a burst of the Caribbean to your cooking with a perfect blend of sweet fruitiness and searing heat.

FAQs

How hot are Jamaican Choice's Scotch bonnet hot sauces?

Jamaican Choice Scotch bonnet hot sauces range from mildly spicy to very hot. Their straight Scotch bonnet sauce is exceptionally fiery. More fruit-based sauces like the mango and pineapple offer milder heat. But the Scotch bonnet peppers ensure all pack a real spice kick.

Where are Jamaican Choice hot sauces made?

While inspired by Jamaican cuisine, Jamaican Choice sauces are crafted in New York City. Founder Vivian Chang prepares each small-batch recipe herself based on treasured family traditions and recipes from Jamaica.

What dishes are Jamaican Choice hot sauces good for?

These versatile sauces enhance Jamaican favorites like curries and jerk dishes. Their balanced flavor also livens up global cuisines. Use them in everything from tacos to chili, seafood, eggs, pizza, sandwiches and more.

Are Jamaican Choice sauces gluten-free?

Most Jamaican Choice pepper sauces are certified gluten-free. However, those containing malt vinegar are not due to trace gluten content. Always check labels for allergen information if gluten is a concern.