Texas Pete: the hot sauce called Texas but made in North Carolina since 1929 — and it won the lawsuit!

In 1929, in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, Sam Garner and his sons needed a name for their new hot sauce. Someone suggested "Mexican Joe" — it evoked the heat of Mexican cuisine. Sam refused: it had to be an American name. He looked at his son Harold, whose nickname was "Pete", and chose "Texas" because the state evoked heat and the era's cowboy movies. Texas Pete was born — and never set foot in Texas. In 2021, a California resident sued for false advertising. Texas Pete won. Today America's 7th hot sauce. My American Market imports it straight for you!

Texas Pete — the profile that sets it apart from all Louisiana sauces

Texas Pete isn't a Louisiana hot sauce — it's a North Carolina hot sauce with a genuinely different profile. Less acidic and less tangy than Tabasco or Louisiana Hot Sauce. Less heat than Frank's RedHot. A rounder profile, richer in black pepper, with a slightly thicker texture. Fans in the American South-East — where Texas Pete is the reference hot sauce in restaurants and homes — describe its flavour as "cleaner" and less aggressive than Louisiana alternatives.

The 3 Texas Pete flavours at MYAM

Texas Pete Original Hot Sauce — the 1929 recipe! Cayenne peppers, vinegar, salt. Gentle in heat, with a very characteristic pepper-vinegar balance. For eggs, tacos, chicken wings, sandwiches — everything that deserves a bit of heat without tears.

Texas Pete Hotter Hot Sauce — for those who want more! Same base as Original but with higher cayenne concentration. More heat, more direct — but still with that characteristic Carolina profile.

Texas Pete Sautéed Garlic Hot Sauce — the most original! Sautéed garlic + chillies + vinegar. The garlic is truly present — not just a note, a full flavour. Transforms pizza, pasta, roast chicken, vegetables. The hot sauce for people who actually cook!

Texas Pete tip

Texas Pete Sautéed Garlic makes an excellent quick marinade. Mix 3 tablespoons of sauce with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and the juice of a lemon. Marinate chicken for 30 minutes. Grill on high heat. Result: garlic-chilli grilled chicken of incredible flavour — the taste of the American South in 35 minutes!

Where to buy Texas Pete in Europe?

Texas Pete is impossible to find in European supermarkets. My American Market, your American grocery store online, imports it straight from North Carolina. Express delivery across Europe!

Into authentic American hot sauces? Also check out Crystal Hot Sauce, Tabasco and Louisiana Hot Sauce in our shop!

Less