Tasty Tuesday: Water won’t help with the heat and other hot sauce tips

Local company General's Hot Sauce shares some tips and ideas for hot hot hot sauce.

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COLUMBIA SC (WOLO) — “It’s all in the peppers,” says founder of General’s Hot Sauce Dan Ballister says about his over the top hot sauce options.  Ballister came up with the idea in the place where all great ideas are born, at least according to him, while tailgating.

Ballister had the concept plan in place.  Once he had acquired investors, General’s Hot Sauce was born.  Dan produces the sauce, which bears names like Dead Red, Marine Green and of course Shock and Awe, in the Midlands.  According to Ballister, his peppers from from Louisiana, and other ingredients are locally sourced, and developed the old fashioned way – taste testing at tailgates.

Another unique thing about General’s Hot Sauce is his partnership with a non-profit that helps soldiers with PTSD.  Ballister, a US Navy Veteran says that as much money as possible from the company goes to Paws 4 Vets, an origination that provides therapy dogs to military members suffering from post traumatic stress disorder.

Ballister appeared on Good Morning Columbia’s Tasty Tuesday segment, where the team got to check out the heat first hand.

Balliser shares some championship tailgate tips from The General’s Hot Sauce for game-day buffalo wings:

• There is no penalty for buying too many wings.

• You can bake, you can deep fry–whatever works for you and your guests.  If you fry, any oil will work: vegetable, peanut, canola.   But if the label says Quaker State, you are in the wrong aisle.

• Running out of propane is a rookie mistake.  Remember the golden rule from the Department of Redundancy Department:  two is one, and one is none.

• You need about an ounce of sauce for every pound of wings.  Add an inch of butter off the stick for every 5 ounces of sauce.  If you want to add other ingredients, be bold, and be aggressive.

• But more often than not, the best solution is a simple solution.

• If you’re using fresh wings, add a couple of shakes of salt to your TGHS (we don’t oversalt our sauce).  If you’re using frozen wings, you’re good to go (most wings are frozen in a slightly salty solution).

• 400 degree oil is your target. If you don’t have a thermometer, 12-15 min with a high flame will get your oil hot enough.

• After you drop the wings in the oil, give them a good (and careful) stir after about one minute so they don’t stick to the bottom of the pot. Gloves are your friend.

• Cook the wings until they are golden brown and crispy on the edges.  When you think the wings are done, cook them for three more minutes.

• Any plastic pitcher (with a lid) works great for mixing wings and sauce–just give it a good shake like you’re making a martini for James Bond.  If you forget the lid, you may want to buy some paint for your kitchen ceiling.

• When people shower you with compliments for your amazing wings, your humble go-to responses are, “I’m really glad you like them,” or, “Thanks, but it’s not me, it’s The General’s Hot Sauce.”

You can learn more about the General’s Hot Sauce HERE.  If you have questions about developing your own secret sauce, Dan will be happy to answer them