It Turns Out, TRUFF Hot Sauce Is A Total Steal At Costco
So you want hot sauce, but bougie. You want to spice things up in luxury but don't want to pay an arm and a leg for it. The great news is that a duo-pack of TRUFF original hot sauce is available at certain Costco warehouses for less than the price of a single bottle at most other retailers. At Kroger, a single bottle is $16.34; at Whole Foods, it's $14.99 (but sometimes $11.69 for Prime members); from TRUFF itself, it's $17.98. According to an Instagram post from June 2023, it's $14.89 for two 6-ounce bottles at Costco.
Made with real black truffles, TRUFF describes its original hot sauce as the "pinnacle of heat experience." It's a thick hot sauce with Sriracha vibes, is sweetened slightly with agave, and is gluten-free and vegan. It's not knock-your-socks-off hot, either. Clocking in at 2,500 Scoville heat units, that's the equivalent of a spicy poblano pepper or a mild cherry pepper. To put it into perspective, a jalapeño ranges from 2,500-8,000 SHU. After all, you want to be able actually to taste the truffle.
Truffles and hot sauce
TRUFF is divisive. Some love it, and others don't care for it. That makes sense; for as much buzz as they generate, black truffles' strong, heady scent and flavor aren't for everyone. For some, the original isn't hot enough, and they prefer TRUFF's hotter sauce, clocking in at 5,000-7,000 SHU. Others really can't get enough, putting it on everything.
Though TRUFF is not nearly as pricey as Huy Fong's sriracha during a price surge, it is costly. Truffles are notoriously expensive, and TRUFF claims to use both black truffle and truffle-infused olive oil in its hot sauce. Truffles are expensive because they're rare and difficult to find. Foraging for truffles is an art; they grow underground with certain tree roots and often require the use of dogs or pigs to locate. Black truffles are native to France, and with a two-week shelf life, there's a short window to use them. Putting them in hot sauce, with an unopened shelf life of two years, is a great way to preserve them.
What to put TRUFF hot sauce on
Those who like the hot sauce have plenty of suggestions on what to put it on. Burgers and pizza immediately come to mind, as does mac and cheese, which is already a great canvas for both peppers and truffles. The lush creaminess of the sauce is an excellent base for a little earthy, spicy kick. Make lobster truffle mac and cheese with it to really indulge. Chicken wings drenched in the truffle hot sauce would be excellent, as would buffalo cauliflower wings. Anything that appreciates a regular hot sauce will appreciate TRUFF.
Alternatively, this hot sauce can be mixed into other sauces to temper its punch and elevate the entire flavor package. TRUFF has its own spicy truffle mayo, but you can make your own version by mixing TRUFF hot sauce with regular mayo. Slather it on sandwiches and dip your fries in it. TRUFF also has its own Pomodoro and arrabbiata pasta sauces, but again — by mixing some of the black truffle hot sauce into your own, you instantly add depth, heat, and truffle goodness to your meal.