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First announced here on the HSB, I was as excited as anyone to get my bottle of THT’s Cranked Up Cranberry. Every year for Thanksgiving, I’ve wanted a satisfying cranberry sauce that can crank up the heat. And now the Three Hot Tamales have delivered! And just in time to get your orders in before the turkey pops out of the oven.
Cranked Up Cranberry Up Close
Ingredients: Cranberries, Sugar, Water, White Vinegar, Pineapple, Concentrated Orange Juice, Balsamic Vinegar, Dorset Naga Peppers, Salt.
Have you ever tried to find a turkey to buy before Nov. 1? Laura & I have been looking in the markets since this sauce arrived (as well as my turkey fryer) so that we could give this the test it deserved - but we have not been able to find a whole turkey yet. Now that it’s after Halloween, I’m sure there will be plenty of turkeys available - I need to practice my frying before the big T-day!
So after a few weekends of not finding any turkeys to test on, I opted for a turkey sandwich. I was working from home and instead of my standard cold turkey sandwich (when I go into the office), I went for a heated up version of the lunch time fare. I snagged some jalapeño cheddar bread, cheese, turkey and THT’s Cranked Up Cranberry and went to work.
Into the pan went the bread, then the cheese, then the sliced turkey. Then, on top of all that went THT’s Cranked Up Cranberry. The smell of the sauce reminds me of the fruit roll ups that we used to eat when we were younger. The smell of the cranberries is upfront and mellowed by a sweet undertone - but more noticeably is the absence of any sort of olfactory heat.
Straight to the tongue - the sauce is all cranberries. Almost too sweet - then, when the sweetness has permeated your mouth and throat - the heat kicks in. It’s not a overbearing or overpowering heat, it’s almost a tickle on the back of one’s throat.
Most impressive is the fact that the heat in this sauce isn’t even intelligible until after a few bites - much like the naga, the heat doesn’t kick in until it’s almost too late.
I doused my turkey sandwich liberally with the sauce (it’s rather thin) and just as the cheese was starting to melt, combined the two sides and got ready for my turkey sandwich feast.
Gratuitous Sandwich Shot
No further pictures of lunch are available - because, well, it was too good to put down. For me, THT’s Cranked Up Cranberry is going to be a fairly SAS (Specific Application Sauce) - but in those settings, it’s going to excel beyond belief. This Thanksgiving, Cranked Up Cranberry will most definitely have a spot on our dinner table and it will be a driving force in the consumption of post Turkey day leftovers. If you haven’t already ordered a bottle for yourself, you’d best do so now - Turkey Day is less then 3 weeks away and your table will be sorely lacking without this sauce.
Three Hot Tamales, LLC
973-340-0551
Garfield, NJ, 07026
www.threehottamales.com
Chilehead Comments:
Posted by: Nick Lindauer - Categories: Hot Sauce Reviews, Reviews
Permalink: Review: THT’s Cranked Up Cranberry Hot Sauce
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17 Comments »
“Narrow applications are for narrow minds.”
Haha! I love that quote. I am going to start saying that all the time, even if it doesn’t apply to my conversation!
My first reaction was similar to Nick’s: seemed like there would be a limited number of things this sauce would be good on, but on those things it would be amazing! But the more I think about your list of uses DK, the more I think you may be right, and will have to try it like that…
Wow what a surprise to see first thing in the morning. Thanks for all the kind words guys! I myself love this sauce on ham, pork chops, chicken, and turkey. Plus on vanilla ice cream it does wonders, on a pound cake-yum, or even on angel food cake.
Thanks again Nick!
And DK, you are an animal!
Nick Lindauer on 11/2/2007 at 8:21 am said:
Good for you - I bought 6 bottles myself for holiday use. As I said in the review “for ME” it’s an “fairly SAS”. But I’ve never been one for fruit or sweet sauces - and I still do like this sauce very much.
Sorry if I touched a nerve Nick. It’s just that first impressions of this sauce are for a very limited use. I’m guilty of the same thing. When I got my first bottle, the only thing I could think of to try it with was turkey. Well, like you, i didn’t have any turkey, not even the sandwich stuff. So i decided to just try it on various things. And boy was I suprised. The narrow minds thing was juts to remind people that before banishing a sauce to a specific narrow purpose, it’s best to open your mind to more possibilities, even the nutso ones like Oreos! 
LOL!
Seriously though, you need to try it on the Oreos and the Rice Krispy treats. If not the sweets, then on pork chops for sure.
Why does everyone think I’m nuts about the Oreo thing anyway? I thought there were some adventurous people out there! 
Oh, and Jodie, GRRRRRRRRRR! 
my god, i want that sandwich now!!! and still 2 hours til lunch! and even when lunch rolls around, i’m not gonna get that sandwich! it makes me wonder about the possibility of fiery cranberry sauce, i mean like the kind that’s shaped like the can it came from and turns every thanksgiving from classy to trashy…but everyone loves it anyway.
“classy to trashy”
sounds like my high school prom date. 
generallee on 11/2/2007 at 1:04 pm said:
“classy to trashy”
sounds like my high school prom date.
What was his name?
ha ha. how old are you? 11?
Nope, 49 Bro……You’re the one who is not old enough to be on the computer.
Friggin Dennis.
Now back on track, I got my bottle of Cranked Up Cranberry! Can’t wait to crack that baby open tonight!
I hate cranberries, mostly because I associate cranberries with that wiggly jiggly gelatinous goop in a can that sits there and stares back at me from the dining room table every Thanksgiving and Christmas.
BUT I love THT, and they wouldn’t do me wrong, so I will keep an open mind and give this one a shot.
We’re bringing it up to sell in the store and the interest has been high from our customers thanks to the reviews I have directed people to.
Oh did I say THT rocks? I think I did but if not, THT ROCKS!!
UB thanks! We love you too!
I myself hate cranberry sauce! All I can see is the same giggly wiggly thing sliding out of the can. YUCK! But, I do LOVE cranberries, fresh dried, candied, baked with, ect… This sauce is so far from that giggly crap! I can’t stop eating it just from the bottle right from the fridge! Now, for an added bonus serve this sauce warmed up a bit for a change. The flavors just soar!
Now as for a SAS, remember we made it for the holidays, Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Years…. So, we were thinking of turkeys, hams, fish; BUT once we tasted our creation, we knew it was bound for some much more! So if you are adventurous, try it on angel cake, pound cake, dip some of your favorite chocolate in it, top off your vanilla ice cream, ect. And, of course let us know what your favorite ways to use this sauce is. Maybe you will give us some new ideas! Hey you never know. And yes DK, we know, OREOS!
Thanks to everyone and we hope, but in our hearts know, that you will all love this sauce.
Looks like some good stuff girls. Can’t wait to try it!!!
Bought three bottles myself bout three weeks ago was waiting to take them home to the family on turkey day, but now may have to crack one open and do a lil testing. If anyone out there cannot find anything they like this on just do a couple of shots right out of the bottle, we all know how good cranberries are for you and of course capsaicin is being used for everything. Never know this sauce may fix what ails ya. Keep up the good work THT’s………………
Correction I bought 4 bottles now I know I will crack one open think I will try some on my grilled Salmon today……..
DK on 11/2/2007 at 9:35 am said:
Sorry if I touched a nerve Nick. It’s just that first impressions of this sauce are for a very limited use. I’m guilty of the same thing. When I got my first bottle, the only thing I could think of to try it with was turkey. Well, like you, i didn’t have any turkey, not even the sandwich stuff. So i decided to just try it on various things. And boy was I suprised. The narrow minds thing was juts to remind people that before banishing a sauce to a specific narrow purpose, it’s best to open your mind to more possibilities, even the nutso ones like Oreos!
Seriously though, you need to try it on the Oreos and the Rice Krispy treats. If not the sweets, then on pork chops for sure.
Why does everyone think I’m nuts about the Oreo thing anyway? I thought there were some adventurous people out there!
Oh, and Jodie, GRRRRRRRRRR!
Try it with strawberry oreo’s and melt them over a camp fire….I didn’t have this sauce when I tried it but I did have some Blair’s on hand…..
Its must be valuable application source. It’s not a overbearing or overpowering heat, it’s almost a tickle on the back of one’s throat.
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This is definately not a specific application sauce. I’ve gone through three bottles of this stuff on a variety of things. Not just Turkey. Works great as a dessert sauce as well as on salads as a dressing. As for meats, turkey of course, chicken, PORK CHOPS, I even had it with flounder last night. Also used as a dipping sauce with jalapeno poppers and southwestern eggrolls.
Far from an SAS. Narrow applications are for narrow minds.
PS: Try it on Oreos and my favorite, drizzle it over Rice Krispy treats! Mmmmmm!