Around the world, there are many people who want their food to taste spicy, but adding spice to everything can be a bit of challenge.
If you are someone who wants to make their food spicy without using chili peppers, you have the option of using hot sauce.
Hot sauce is a famous sauce that uses simple ingredients like chili peppers and vinegar. It can be used to top any kind of food out there. It is also used as a cooking ingredient from time to time.
When it comes to hot sauce, a lot of people ask the same question: “Does hot sauce go bad?”
It’s an important fact to know since hot sauce that has expired can cause all kinds of problems.
Due to its acid content, you can expect to get serious stomach ulcers from it. That’s why, we will look at how you can avoid bad hot sauce.
How Long Does Hot Sauce Last? Does Hot Sauce Go Bad?
Hot sauce tends to fall in the same category as sauces like ketchup, siracha, and Tabasco sauce. Sadly, like all these sauces, hot sauce has its own Best By date and can go bad.
Thankfully, hot sauce has a very long life because it contains ingredients like chili peppers and vinegar that have been known to stop bacteria from spreading.
As a result, hot sauce can last for a very long period of time.
An unopened hot sauce bottle can last 2 years past the date on its label.
An opened bottle will last close to 3-6 months in the pantry and 2 years in the fridge. More storage time will affect its quality, even if it does not go bad.
On the other hand, a bottle of hot sauce that has been opened can sit in your fridge for several years without losing its quality in any way or form.
How to Tell If Hot Sauce Is Bad? Hot Sauce Shelf Life!
As hot sauce has such a strong spicy flavor to it, it can sometimes hide its freshness well. Hence, it can be a bit hard to detect if your hot sauce can go bad with taste alone.
According to Cooking Light, one of the most noticeable signs of your hot sauce going bad are tiny black spots that form from mold colonies. The dark coloration indicates that the sauce being separated into different layers because of the separation of ingredients.
Another important way to tell bad hot sauce is from its smell and taste. If the hot sauce smells off, it has probably gone bad.
If the hot sauce starts to feel slimly in texture and foul to taste, you bet that it has gone bad from bacterial infection.
How Long Does Hot Sauce Last? Does Hot Sauce Go Bad?
Ingredients
- Hot sauce
- Original bottle or container
- Labels and markers
Instructions
- Read the guide thoroughly to learn how long it lasts.
- Label your container with the content and date and keep track of how much you’re using!
- Make sure to store in an airtight container in a cool, dark place (pantry or fridge).