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First Impression: Ah, nature’s bounty! Look at those infinite rows of luscious pepper plants, stretching clear to the snowcapped Rocky Mountains! One of the most picturesque, pastoral, plentiful scenes I have seen on a hot sauce bottle. Haven’t reviewed a green sauce yet, I’m excited. “Penrod Pepper Products has taken green sauce to a whole new level!†Oh my! I am more suspicious than impressed by the cactus heat-level indicator on the side, with an arrow pointed triumphantly at the very top of the spiny plant. I’m excited by the ingredients though, especially the cilantro.
Ingredients: Tomatillos, Jalapenos, Seranno peppers, Lime juice, Onion, Garlic, Cilantro, Vinegar, Salt, Herbs and Spices.
Smell: Hmm…not crazy about the nose on this one. It smells burnt almost, like imagine you were making pasta sauce and the heat was too high and some of it burned on to the bottom and clearly you didn’t scrape it off but you did salvage the rest of the sauce and it smelled a bit singed and you also never learned about run-on sentences. It also smells sweet and garlic-heavy.
Appearance: A healthy looking dark green, Jackson’s is grainy and travels as a unit during the famous plate-tilt test. There are occasional seeds and medium sized black flakes floating around.
Taste: Sweet, tangy…I don’t know if it’s so much burnt, but I’m still getting this weird off-smoky flavor that I’m just unsure about. I don’t know what’s creating it or if it’s all in my head. I’m not entirely sure what a tomatillo is, so maybe that’s just how they taste. I’m reminded of eggplants for some reason…hey, same family at least, Solanaceae. Thank you, Wiki. Someone suggested the garlic may be roasted, which could give it a more carbon-infused flavor. The garlic gets a shout out; it’s quite pronounced, doing its garlic thing. Cilantro is one ingredient that I feel is hugely underrepresented in this guy. Some people aren’t crazy about cilantro, but I think when it’s utilized properly it can really steal the show. In my experience, cilantro can bring an average salsa to a powerhouse of vibrant flavor and freshness. In this sauce I really didn’t taste the cilantro that I know and love. The taste is not bad, it’s certainly unique, but I’m reluctant to say the flavor would have mass appeal.
Heat: The claims about the heat of this sauce are some of the most egregious I’ve encountered to date. “HOT†in caps, the arrow at the top of the cactus, “green sauce to a whole new level†(if they meant heat), it’s all malarkey. I would be happy to drink an entire bottle of it and post the video to prove my point, if someone wants to send me another bottle. And this is not just old high heat threshold Brendan talking here, I’ve consulted family, friends, a lot of people about this. There is some heat, a quite dull blanket on the middle of the tongue and roof of the mouth, but c’mon, the intensity is closer to the roots than the canopy of that cactus. And to be fair, it’s not just Jackson’s, I think this is an industry-wide problem. I’m sure the argument goes that this “HOT†is an accurate and acceptable hot for the infrequent, indifferent heat-eater; but then one has to consider, how many infrequent, indifferent heat-eaters are purchasing specialty hot sauces? It’s not that you have to love insane heat to be into hot sauce, clearly, but you would certainly want a sauce to advertise its heat level properly. I’m willing to give some leeway for subjective tastes, among connoisseurs as much as anyone, but I’ve seen too many outrageous claims on bottles like this. I just wish there was a better way to do it.
Overall: I don’t know about this one, and honestly I’m still a little worked up about the heat thing. I put a bunch of it on a seafood pasta dish that I concocted, and it actually did give it a well-desired zesty lift. Jackson’s did seem a bit hotter when it was incorporated this way, but nothing to write home about (I always write my parents when I discover a really hot sauce). The garlic flavor held up well in the pasta, and the strong seafood aroma masked whatever the burny/eggplant/unknown flavor was. The taste is different, and if you are someone who likes to experience uncommon flavors in your hot sauce, then you may appreciate it. The bottle emphatically touts Jackson’s “Southwestern Flair,†so I think it deserves a chance on Southwestern food.
Contact Info:
Penrod Pepper Products, LLC
Brewed and bottled in Mesa, Arizona
Superspicy.com
Chilehead Comments: 18 Comments
Posted by: Brendan - Categories: Uncategorized
Permalink: Review: Jackson’s Hot Southwest Style Verde Pepper Sauce
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18 Comments
Brendan, outstanding review! Very entertaining, too!
Tomatillos have more of a “sour” taste than anything else, however they also have some of the astringency of an eggplant. Hard to know what’s causing that smoky flavor, but it’s good you mentioned it.
I can’t make out what kind of seafood you had in that stew (which looks more like a “cacciatore” to me). But it looks appetizing for sure.
SM
First off, thanks for the honest review. I can definitely appreciate where you are coming from.
As for the label.. purrty ain’t it? I just wanted to elaborate on the label with a few points.
First being the cactus heat thing: it’s representing of the series of sauces NOT a competitive standard since none of these ingredients would compete with a Habanero for example. Secondly it’s a southwest thing 
You did bring up a great point and I too wish there was a better way to convey truth in heat levels. This was our first general market label design instead of catering to the Chili heads. At times you have to pick your markets and it seemed more likely that they would like it. Honestly the green sauces seem to be rather humm hawed by chili heads in general.
Lastly HOT is so prominent due to the fact that all 3 types share artwork and it’s is essential that people can easily know what they are grabbing. Medium and Mild are both just as prevalent.
Wel lthanks again and nhave a great week.
~R~
PPP Label Design
“I always write my parents when I discover a really hot sauce”
That cracked me up! Very entertaining!
Hey, what a great suprise to see a review, and an accurate one as well.
When I was developing this sauce, our target market was non -chiliheads, We had no sauce to sell to the folks that think Tobasco is too hot, thus the “Mild” line, our verde sauces. Hot , Med and Mild applies to your grandma, not your chilihead buddies. My mom tried the Med and says” whew, thats spicy !!” LOL, I believe it was in another green sauce review, and forgive me for forgetting the name, but I called out green line ” condiments” rather than hot sauce.
Smokiness is from roasted chilis, purchased in Guadalupe AZ just for this sauce. We like it.
Overall, nice writing and honest, thats what counts here.
Until having tried this green sauce, the Iguana Mean Green was my favorite green. Now it’s this one!!! I love it, especially on fish tacos. Not a good choice for seafood/pasta in my opinion.
For my Southern kin who aren’t sure about what a tomatillo tastes like, it’s very similar to a fried green tomato.
I like the label. It has class, and screams “eat me I’m fresh”.
It’s good stuff..I love it!
Thak you for the review. It came as a surprise. You are absolutely right about the heat. It is not “chili-head hot.” It is Sourthwestern style…granny and the more timid “hot.” There is also a mild and medium version of Jackson’s green sauces, so it can be even LESS hot. You are also so right about its being so difficult to really communicate the heat level accurately. Our heat barometer on the green sauce is just relative to the other green sauces in the series. Apologies for any confusion. And thanks for the compliment on the label. Rich does a great job!!
Sheila
Wow, what great responses, right from the source no less, and your explanation for the heat thing makes alot of sense. I think the aesthetics of the label lend themselves well to the type of bottle i could see on a restaurant table, and in that sense, i guess the “HOT” would be aimed at a more mainstream “granny” crowd.
i did bring this one home for christmas and came back with only about a quarter of a bottle, so it was well received by my family, for sure.
AJ
next week, lunch? bring some of this please?
If you’re from Arizona, you probably already know what tomatillos are and most likely have cultivated a taste for them! This sauce isn’t for the chili heads crowd, but those with the wussy taste buds will love it. My Texan son-in-law visited for Thanksgiving, pulled the bottle out of the fridge for his scrambled eggs and started quizzing me about where I got the sauce. He said it was the best green sauce he’d ever had — I sent him four bottles for Christmas and he was thrilled. Its a southwestern flavor – I personally loved the smoky taste – whatever the source.
Wow looks like another great sauce Jack if its anything like the others..It has to be good…Great review Brendan Looks like your a pretty good cook.. Great job Jack and Sheila!!!
Rich
Long time no talk.. glade to see that you are still around always good to hear from you keep up the good work…Great label design Rich!!!! you did a great job..
Doug
JerseyBoyzJerky
Tracy C on 1/7/2008 at 12:34 pm said:
Until having tried this green sauce, the Iguana Mean Green was my favorite green. Now it’s this one!!! I love it, especially on fish tacos. Not a good choice for seafood/pasta in my opinion.
For my Southern kin who aren’t sure about what a tomatillo tastes like, it’s very similar to a fried green tomato.
I like the label. It has class, and screams “eat me I’m fresh”.
It’s good stuff..I love it!
my sister brought me some iguana mean green back from costa rica about 4 or 5 years ago and its my favorite green sauce by far, i dont really like alot of green sauces but this one found a permanent spot in my fridge. i will definitly put jacksons on my list just based on your comment. (ditd is already on the list anyway)
thetruth on 1/7/2008 at 5:23 pm said:
Rich
Long time no talk.. glade to see that you are still around always good to hear from you keep up the good work…Great label design Rich!!!! you did a great job..Doug
JerseyBoyzJerky
Thanks Doug. Yeah I’m still around just very very busy dealing with stuff around home. I’m comfortable leaving things alone in here because I know AJ has definitely become a presence in here.
And thanks for the props on the label… it definitely seems to be a favorite of a lot of people. They all get better with experience.
Brendan Rancier on 1/7/2008 at 3:00 pm said:
Wow, what great responses, right from the source no less, and your explanation for the heat thing makes alot of sense. I think the aesthetics of the label lend themselves well to the type of bottle i could see on a restaurant table, and in that sense, i guess the “HOT” would be aimed at a more mainstream “granny” crowd.
i did bring this one home for christmas and came back with only about a quarter of a bottle, so it was well received by my family, for sure.
I’ll be honest, I was initially concerned that I would come across as having some sort of tantrum… Which I’m not. I’m thankful it wasn’t taken as such.
I always find it interesting to delve deeper into the thought process of these types of things. In this case graphics, marketing and general product presentation. You may be surprised in the amount of thought that usually goes into these things… or not 
Thanks again
~R~
Mexican oregano will also impart a smoky taste to any salsa. This is way more noticeable in salsa fresca than in cooked salsas. Cooked cilantro also tastes smoky to me.
Tomatillo tastes “limey” if you will excuse the expression, both fresh and cooked.
Mexican oregano is not on the list of ingredients and the smoked chiles have the smoky taste covered.
Brendan. This one rocks!
“I always write my parents when I discover a really hot sauceâ€
That was a brilliant brilliant line.
Moreover, I agree completely about cilantro, I think it is a highly underestimated ingredient in all salsas.
Great review! And so many comments from the makers!?
I got a friend of mine into AJ’s sauces. I was pushing the DITD and the Illegal Alien and he ordered this as well.
This is one of the best green sauces you’ll ever taste. Promise.
I’ve got to get an order in.
Another great sauce from a great local (AZ) producer.
(I’m one of those buy locally, think globally asshats.)
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I haven’t tried any of the Jackson green sauces, but his Death in the Desert is one of my table favorites! I bought a case of it and only have 1 1/2 bottles left