I received a handful of small packets of Nando’s Hot Peri Peri sauce to review. It’s definitely a different way of packaging hot sauce, but it’s actually rather convenient. Though you can’t see what it looks like before opening a packet, the product comes out fresh. And, it’s easy to bring with you to restaurants or out of the house – definitely a bonus.
Ingredients: Water, White Vinegar, Lemon Puree, Onion Puree, Salt, Serrano Peppers, Sunflower Oil, African Birds Eye Peppers (Peri Peri Pepper), Cayenne Pepper, Garlic Pieces, Xantham Gum, Paprika, Propylene Glycol Alginate
On First Taste:
Nando’s Hot Peri Peri has a nice texture and thick but pourable consistency. The primary taste is acidic, and the lemon flavor comes on strong and early. The sourness of the lemon takes over the taste, and is followed by a tasty pepper flavor that I’m not familiar with – must be the Peri-Peri. The flavor is very robust, and pretty good. It’s quite unusual for a hot sauce, and immediately struck me as a good marinade for either chicken or fish. It would also be great as the sour base mixed with some fruit juice for a sweet and sour sauce.
On Food:
I marinaded some chicken breast in Nando’s Hot Peri-Peri, and let it soak in for a few hours. I then threw the chicken on the grill and served it with some wild rice.
Nando’s gave the chicken a very nice flavor. The sauce really tenderized the chicken nicely, and it complemented the simple dish with understated and zesty flavor. The heat didn’t come through too strongly, but taken uncooked, the heat is sufficient.
In Conclusion:
Nando’s Hot Peri-Peri sauce is probably a niche sauce for me – good on the grill, and a great replacement anywhere you’d use lemon juice, but a bit too sour for consumption on things like breakfast foods. None the less, this is a tasty, well crafted sauce that should be welcome in any kitchen.
Packaging – The packets are surprisingly handy. 8.5 out of 10.0
Aroma – Strong aroma of lemon and peppers. 8.2 out of 10.0
Appearance – reddish orange and thick. 8.3 out of 10.0
Taste – Lemony-citrus. 7.9 out of 10.0
Heat – Heat is there, but not a burner. 5.0 out of 10.0
Overall Rating: 8.1 out of 10.0
Nando’s USA
1041 18th W. Ste. A205
Costa Mesa, CA 92627
Tel: 1-888-625-2657
Fax: 949-722-0102