Hurricane Bob’s Hot Sauce Story
Welcome to the Hurricane Nation! I hope you enjoy my array of hot sauces, gourmet marinade/grilling sauces, and dry rubs. “Spicy Condiments” is what I call them. All 9 of my sauces and all 5 rubs are made from 100% natural ingredients. The fruits I use are the freshest available, and the peppers are the hottest!
The heat of my sauces and rubs are “Strength Rated” to match the five categories of Hurricane Strength as determined by the National Weather Service. But, since a Cat 1 or Cat 2 hurricane is regarded as kind of wimpy to Low Country natives like myself, my ratings begin with Force 3, a mild tangy flavoring, then intensifies to Force 4, a somewhat stronger flavor, then there’s Force 5, a category that will make you stomp your feet and shake your head – but you still won’t be able to stop eating it!
Let me tell you how I came up with the original Hurricane Hot Sauce. I was working in a sports bar west of the Ashley in Charleston, SC, when Hurricane Hugo visited the Low Country in 1989. I was bored one day and began experimenting with a hot sauce, re-creating actually, a sauce I used to get from a BBQ joint in K-town, Tennessee. I was trying to mimic the house-special rib sandwich that was served every Friday night. I started with Jalapeño pepper juice in a gallon jug, added beer (not the best move, but it worked), salt, pepper, Tabasco sauce, and whatever else I found that sounded good. I took it home and put it in my girlfriend's refrigerator and shook it up once in a while. Then Hugo came calling and we had no power for 7 to 8 weeks, or so, and the most amazing thing is that it didn’t spoil! The “beer" was iffy, but it was close to what I remembered, sorta. Anyhow, I was on to something.
Without refrigeration to keep food from spoiling, my neighbors and I were forced to cook most of it outside over an open flame. That’s how “The Gumbo Shack” came into being. We gathered, socialized, and entertained each other, but most of all, we cooked! Soon, they all wanted some of that wonderful, savory sauce I used that made those hot, humid Bar-B-QS so much more bearable.
Eventually, I used up all of the sauce, but had given a bottle to my brother, George. A year later, while I was visiting him in NYC at Christmastime, we were talking about the hurricane and he mentioned that he still had the bottle of my hot sauce. Woo-hoo! Unfortunately, his girlfriend had thrown it away. I was bummed, but determined.
Years later, I was running a New England style restaurant in South Carolina. I was in the kitchen, of course, and was playing around with some fresh local red Jalapeños and dried apricots. I processed them and let the mixture stand for a few weeks, shaking as needed. Lo and behold, Hurricane Bob's Hot Sauce was born!
Just like its previous incarnation, the new sauce quickly became a favorite with my friends and family. They’ve served as more than willing test subjects, begging me to get back in the kitchen whenever supplies run low, and giving me feed-back that resulted in the many different flavors that are now available for your culinary pleasure.
The “secret” to my sauces and rubs is the fruit. Apple, mango, cherry, and papaya, add a great flavor that combines with the heat of the pepper to make the unique “Hurricane” taste. I use all of my sauces and dry-rubs when cooking, grilling and marinating. They work alone, or mix extremely well with each other, to impart an unforgettable taste sensation to pork, beef, chicken, seafood… even veggies!
The Habeñero Curry with Apple is my favorite of the sauces. I have looked and haven't found a curry hot sauce like mine anywhere else. The heat of the Habeñero combines with the sweetness of the apple, and the wow of the curry to make this a truly unique experience.
My dry-rubs are free of any extra chemicals, or preservatives, so if they "cake up" on you, just stir with a knife or fork to break up the clumps. Like the sauces, these also combine very well with other flavors, but be careful with the dry-rubs, as they are "kicked-up" as well. Remember though, they will taste differently on the food than when tasted straight-up from the jar, so experiment with your favorites to find the combinations that are best for you and your friends.
Visit my website, http://bobshurricanesauces.com, to fulfill all of your hot sauce needs anytime, day or night. Peruse the various sauces, rubs, salsas, and condiments, and don’t forget to check out my BBQ Bible where you’ll learn everything you need to know about cooking with my products.
Can’t decide which hot sauce to try first? Join “Hurricane Nation” and you won’t have too! Your paid membership entitles you to receive a different flavor every month, via Fed Ex, accompanied by my own Recipe of the Month!
So contact me, and let the Hurricane Experience become a part of your cooking tradition. Enhance your life!
“Force”fully yours,
Robert “Hurricane Bob” DuBose
President
Hurricane Bob’s Hot Sauces