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Barberton Hot Sauce Comes in a Bowl, Not a Bottle

This delicious, mild, and tangy condiment is a sauce and a side dish in one.
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Published Jan. 19, 2023.

Barberton Hot Sauce Comes in a Bowl, Not a Bottle

Have you heard of Barberton hot sauce?

Die-hard fans of this condiment (and there are many) will know that it’s not so much a sauce as it is a kind of side dish. Made of stewed peppers, tomatoes, and onion, it’s served in its very own bowl alongside classic Barberton Fried Chicken, which is coated in seasoned bread crumbs and fried in savory lard.

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10 ingredients. 45 minutes. Quick, easy, and fresh weeknight recipes.

Originating in Barberton, Ohio, this mildly spicy and tangy “hot sauce” was worth re-creating in the test kitchen. Though Hungarian hot peppers aren’t a mainstay in most conventional supermarkets, our test cooks found that a red bell pepper, two jalapeños, and a smidge of red pepper flakes offered a similar ratio of sweetness to heat.

Barberton Fried Chicken

What defines Ohio's famous fried chicken? A bread-crumb coating and an old-fashioned frying fat that adds deep flavor.
Get the Recipe

The silky-smooth yet satisfyingly jammy texture goes perfectly with fried chicken or fish or even on your morning omelet. Check out the recipe below.

Barberton Hot Sauce

Serves: 4 to 6 (Makes about 2½ cups)

Time: 1¼ hours

  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
  • 1 onion, chopped fine
  • 2 jalapeño chiles, stemmed, seeded, and minced
  • 1 red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded, and chopped fine
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1½ cups water
  • 1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes
  • 1 tablespoon long-grain white rice
  • 2 teaspoons packed brown sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes


  1. Heat oil in medium saucepan over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion, jalapeños, and bell pepper and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in paprika and garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add water, tomatoes, rice, sugar, and pepper flakes and bring to boil.
  2. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until thickened and vegetables are completely softened, about 45 minutes. (Hot sauce can be refrigerated for up to 3 days.)

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