The man on the rustic label of this bottle of Pain is Good Jamaican-Style Hot Sauce is screaming. I think he’s in pain. But it also says ‘Pain is Good’, so maybe it’s a good thing? Either way, I’m intrigued and I haven’t even opened the bottle yet. Suggestions of pain and screaming on the label of a hot sauce bottle? Looks like we’re on to a winner.
I was scrolling through Amazon, trying to find my latest hot sauce love, when I stumbled onto Pain is Good. Now, as someone that tries to avoid all forms of pain at all costs, I was initially put off by the sauce. But then, I saw a picture of the actual sauce itself: the rich reds and oranges; the little chunks of ingredients that tell you it’s probably been hand-made; and, the seeds of the habanero peppers embedded in the sauce, urging me to try it. So I tried it. And, boy, was I impressed!
I cooked up some potato wedges (plain, so that I could focus on the flavour of the sauce) and drizzled the sauce over them. The sauce itself is a rich red colour, that is nice and chunky. I absolutely love a thick and chunky sauce – to me, it just feels more natural and fresher, instead of an oily and runny sauce. The flavour is a beautiful combination of sweet and sour, with a hint of tomato. The heat itself is good: it wasn’t too strong and it wasn’t too mild. I suppose for a product that labels itself as ‘Pain is Good’ with a picture of a man screaming on the label, you might feel a little disappointed with the heat level. It certainly isn’t the hottest sauce I’ve ever tried, but it is one of the most flavoursome.
The ‘Jamaican’ aspect of the sauce comes from the fruit juices and the jerk spice. The juiciness of the sauce is divine: a heavenly mix of hot sauce and jerk seasoning. The flavours from the juices and spice do overshadow the actual taste of the chillies themselves, but I suppose that is down to personal preference. In a hot sauce, some people want to actually be able to taste the chillies that they are chomping down on; others, on the other hand, prefer to have the ‘kick’ from the chili peppers creep up on them, whilst they’re distracted with flavour.
For those heat-lovers, after their next hot sauce challenge, this probably isn’t the sauce for you: it’s fruity and flavoursome, but not ‘burn the inside of your mouth’ hot. And for those of you who are just starting on your journey into the world of hot sauce, I would recommend finding your feet with some of the milder hot sauces out there on the market before jumping feet-first into Pain is Good Jamaican-Style Hot Sauce. After a lot of experimentation, I have found that this is not a sauce that ‘goes with everything’: if it’s that type of sauce you’re after, then I’d recommend having a look at the other reviews on this site to find a more versatile sauce. If it’s combined with the right food, this sauce can be the perfect complement to their flavours: I’ve tried it whilst grilling chicken and it’s excellent.
For a sauce whose marketing has revolved around the idea that it is a very hot sauce…it’s not a very hot sauce. There are much hotter ones available to buy. Having said that, if you’re after a unique flavour adventure with jerk seasoning and sweet fruits, then look no further than Pain is Good Jamaican-Style Hot Sauce.