REVIEW: Jimmy’s Crazy Good Red Chile Hot Sauce
Crazy Good Sauces has sent us two hot sauces to review. The first one here called Jimmy’s Crazy Good is followed up by Nikki’s Crazy Good Southwest Sweet Heat. I would call these two products New Mexico style to the core. I got to sample them at the Fiery Food Show a little more than a week ago, and while I will let my reviewers do a full food with sauce review, I did take notice that I needed an immediate beef taco or guacamole tostada when I first sampled their products. For a full review analysis though I brought in Xero, resident of Alamogordo, New Mexico to get the lowdown on these two sauces. He will let us know if they truly represent the good state of New Mexico or not. We also brought in Louisiana’s own father and son team of Zombie & Big Daddy B, as well as our new review duo, Matt & Drew, the Pepper Boys with their first reviews for ILIS.
How about a little background first before we get to our reviews:
The Crazy Good Story:
Crazy Good Sauces/Tiger Blood LLC was officially formed in early 2011 by Jim and Nikki O’Brien. Jim began a prominent career in the restaurant industry at the age of thirteen at a popular Italian restaurant in St. Louis Missouri. While short staffed on a weekend night, the chef lined up all three dishwashers. “One of you will get to work the salad / appetizer station tonight. Here’s your test. What goes in a Shrimp Gamberi?” Without missing a beat Jim said, “Shrimp” and got the job. The spicy, garlicky, Shrimp Gamberi was the first dish that Jim learned how to make. This is where his love for spicy, bold flavors was born.
Jim worked in Italian and French restaurants throughout St. Louis and Memphis for the next ten years. He worked and trained under several world class chefs, whose lineage can be traced back to French Master Chef Paul Bocuse. While working at a popular French/Regional cuisine restaurant in Memphis, Jim met his future wife Nikki. However, their future together looked doubtful. Jim had been accepted into the Advanced Placement Program at New England Culinary Institute in Vermont and was about to move.
While at school Jim focused on cooking techniques, as well as the business behind the food. After graduating, Jim and Nikki were married. The next few years were spent as an Executive Chef and Corporate Chef in St. Louis, Louisville and Atlanta. They settled in New Mexico where Jim’s love for all things bold and spicy would come racing back.
New Mexican Chile quickly became a favorite in the O’Brien home. Countless variations of hot sauce, salsa, BBQ sauce, spice blends and rubs were made just for the love of it. After visiting the 2011 Fiery Foods Show in Albuquerque, Jim and Nikki decided to market a couple of their sauces, and the business was born.
Using classical techniques and fresh ingredients, Sauce Designer Jim O’Brien creates products with personality. Crazy Good Sauce won two silver medals for “Southwest Sweet Heat” in the 2012 Scovie Awards. They plan to unveil several more unique products in the near future.
Xero
Zombie & Big Daddy B
The Pepper Boys
Crazy Good Sauce Company
Phone: 1-888-901-0153
Email:
in**@cr************.com
or
Ja***@cr************.com
www.crazygoodsauce.com
Facebook: CLICK ME
This is our least popular product overall & as a result, it receives the least attention. However, in NM it is our most popular sauce. This is the mildest product that we will EVER produce. It has a very subdued flavor. We recommend that you eat this product WITH food. Use it as a marinade for pork, beef or chicken. Use as a topping for burgers, tacos, burritos etc.
We have been on the fence about the future of this product for some time. Sadly, after the reviews, we are still on the fence.
Good Job,
Jim
*sniff*
I dont think you should discontinue it, but I would jack up the heat level and remarket it as an enchilada sauce. Most of the enchilada sauces in the state are very generic and there isnt much difference between them.
Are you ok? Do you need a tissue?
Feel free to use it as an enchilada sauce. The idea was to make a utility sauce that could be used for anything from tacos to BBQ. Jacking up the heat would make it a different product altogether. I thought your review was good.