El Perro Afortunado - Fire-Roasted Tomato, 5-Pepper Salsa Picante 5 OZ
El Perro Afortunado, affectionately referred to as "Taco Dog", is a throwback to the zesty picante sauces creator Scott Zalkind grew up with. And as of August, 2021, this sauce has been reformulated from the ground up to be more savory, more complex, & feature fresh Pasilla peppers & cook-in-bottle roasted garlic.
Now better than ever, this layered salsa picante incorporates fire-roasted tomato with a 5-pepper blend of Pasilla, Cayenne, new Mexico Red, Ghost, black pepper with sweet smoked Spanish paprika, garlic, onion, cumin, orange & lime juices, to create a balanced and versatile Mexican table sauce that's good on just about everything.
While this sauce is especially compatible eggs, Mexican food & pizza, it's also great for sandwiches & seafood, or as an ingredient in guacamole or soups & stews. Fantastic in a Bloody Mary, too!
El Perro Afortunado, "The Fortunate Dog" is certain to be your food's new best friend!
- 2017 Zestfest, TX - 3rd place, Latin Style
New Formula:
- 2024 - Scovie Awards, NM, 1st Place, All Natural-Mild/Medium
- 2022 - Scovie Awards, NM, 1st Place, All Natural-Mild/Medium
- 2023 - Clifton Chilli Club National Chilli Awards (UK), 3rd Place, Medium Chilli Sauce
The Story Behind The Sauce
For years, I'd considered making a Mexican table sauce, but the market was so dominated by the big box brands.
More and more customers were asking for this style, and I thought maybe I could bring something different to the table. So I began work on El Perro Afortunado, what I'd casually referred to among friends & family as "Taco Dog".
I started with the idea of a very simple cayenne-forward higher acid pepper sauce. But once I started experimenting, I wanted to imbue the formula with the layering that I love in all sauces. So I gradually expanded to a 5-pepper blend. Black pepper lent a deep undertone, the ghost pepper gave it a creeping burn, while blending pasilla and fermented cayenne mash created a unique profile that I loved. From there I added yet another layer with sweet smoked paprika, garlic, onion & lime with just a touch of cumin. The Fire-roasted tomato gives it the vibe of a salsalita, like the roja molcajete salsas of my favorite taquerias.
I love the end result - it's a complex, savory & authentic Mexican table sauce that holds its own, and stands up to the boldest of foods.
~Scott Z.