But excellence has not yet come into my grasp.
The starting point has been determined:
10oz can of Old Elpaso HOT Enchilada sauce (it ain't hot)
2 6oz cans of Contadina tomato paste.
2 Tbsp of honey
1/2 stick of sweet cream butter
2 Tbsp of Tabasco Smoked Chipotle
2 Tbsp of Tabasco
1 Tbsp of Marie Sharp's Habanero
1 Tbsp of Spontaneous Combustion
Mixed it all up in a stainless bowl, adding the honey and melted butter last.
The portions need adjusting. It has good flavor and is moderately warm. However, this will be a matter of taste and limits on how hot you like things, so it should be a good start for those with the desire. It will not be hot enough for those who like it really hot, those who like moderately hot and spicy should find it hot enough.
A few notes:
The tomato base and the honey make it difficult to grill over direct heat, as the sugars will blacken EASILY. It is best to smoke over indirect heat (but I was hungry, dammit). I'm not much on deep frying anything but fish, so I don't know how it will fry. Baking, broiling, careful grilling, or smoking will work well.
The sauce will NOT be as hot after cooking on the chicken as it is when tasted in the bowl. Quite hot in the bowl seems to equal moderately warm on the cooked bird.
I shook the bird in the sauce, and then brushed more on as I grilled, with a barbecue brush.
The sauce can be frozen like you would any tomato based food.
Be aware that once you shake the bird in the sauce, or use a brush to apply the sauce, the sauce has touched raw poultry, and therefore should NOT be taste tested again do to the risk of Salmonella and other food poisoning.
The flavor can vary greatly depending upon what hot sauces and peppers you use. The Enchilada sauce and tomato paste makes a really good base that sticks to the bird well and has flavor. Adding other spices to the sauce is the next step, along with stepping up the heat.
I seasoned the bird with chilli powder, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne powder, and cajun seasonings.
The bird would likely be better if marinated as well, and/or allowed to set in the sauce (but I was hungry dammit, and in a hurry).