On Avery Island, Louisiana, the McIlhenny family has been creating the most famous hot sauce in the world: Tabasco Pepper Sauce. Since 1868 the most popular hot sauce that is made in America has used the Tabasco pepper as its main ingredient. The Tabasco pepper has become a kitchen staple because of its delicious flavor and surprising juiciness that sets it apart from any other pepper. In terms of heat, the Tabasco pepper averages about 30,000 to 50,000 Scoville Heat Units (SHU), which is very similar to the Cayenne pepper.
The peppers grow straight up on the plant, which is not common among hot pepper plants, and start off yellow, turn orange, and finally ripen to a beautiful red shade.
