Tiger Sauce Clone Page
Lynn's Tiger Sauce Page
  

Recipe
Reily Foods Company's ("TryMe" Brand) Tiger Sauce is aptly described on the bottle:
 
"The original Tiger Sauce is an exotic, moderately spicy blend of ingredients in a cayenne pepper base.   With a touch of sweet and sour, it's perfect on meats, seafood and poultry.  Delicious on sandwiches, in dips and soups."

For years I have tried, without success, to clone Tiger Sauce.  My reason for wanting to clone it is that I use an awful lot of it.  It is one of my primary "secret ingredients" (maybe not so secret now).  Also, it has become quite expensive at more than US$2 for a 5 oz bottle.  That's almost 25¢ per tablespoon or over $50 per gallon.   Some of my recipes use more than bottle at a time.

I am getting closer to making a true clone of Tiger Sauce.  So close, that I now consider my latest attempts to be a good substitute for real Tiger Sauce.  My recent clone attempts are listed below.

Tiger Sauce, present
Present

Tiger Sauce - pre 2004
Misprint
(see below)
In 2004 the manufacturer appeared to change the formulation of Tiger Sauce (see 2005 update below).  The new Tiger Sauce contained bits of some uniformly minced vegetable matter, probably peppers.  In the past, the vegetable matter was mashed and almost unnoticeably.  The new product also has lots more seeds.   The seeds are very soft but there are so many that they are a distraction.  This is not usually a problem for marinating or basting, but all the bits and seeds detract from its appearance and texture when used as a flavor garnish.

The bottle's ingredient list also changed and now reads:
 
"Ingredients:  vinegar, sugar, aged red peppers, Worcestershire sauce, salt, water, 2% spices, vegetable gum and 0.1% sodium benzoate."
2005 Update:

The sauce texture and quantity of seeds now appears to be more like the Tiger Sauce of past years.  I usually buy at least a half dozen bottles of  Tiger Sauce at a time.  Perhaps, I got an off batch in 2004.  See Reily Foods' comments below.

Another plus this year is that the sauce appears to be have more heat.  Or maybe, I'm getting more sensitive as I get older.  Either way, I like it.  I have often pureed a habanero in a blender with a bottle of Tiger Sauce to increase the heat.   Unfortunately, it changes the flavor of the sauce.

In May 2005, the Reily Foods Marketing Coordinator ran across this site and emailed me with the following information:

"Let me explain ... the difference between the graphics on the two bottles you have posted [at the top of this page]. The top bottle is the original and current graphic we use for the product. The bottom bottle is a misprinted label...when it went to print a layer of gold was accidentally deleted, therefore resulting in a slight different look. The bottles were already in circulation before the error was noticed but by now have sold through and the correct graphic is in on the shelf.

As far as the formula goes, we currently use the exact formula that was developed years ago when Tiger Sauce was born. You may, from year to year; see a slight variation in peppers depending on the pepper crop that year and the exact grind of the peppers. The ingredient statement is slightly different because we are now required to list out some ingredients that before we are able to group as spices or flavorings.  But believe me the formula is still the same.

As far as pricing goes we have Tiger Sauce gallons available through our mail order department 800-692-7895. You can purchase a case of 4 gallons for $90 plus shipping of $12.95. That equates to $25.74 a gallon. Much better than the $50 you are paying. I hope that you find this information helpful and as I said we are always excited to find new Tiger Sauce fans!

http://www.tigersauce.com/ "

 

 

Lynn's Recent Tiger Sauce Clone Recipe Attempts:

Tiger Sauce - Mock 3 , 20041111   <  Best to date
Tiger Sauce - Mock 2 , 20040909
Tiger Sauce - Mock 1 , 20040826

Tiger Sauce - Disappointing Internet Clone Recipe

For years there has been a Tiger Sauce clone recipe circulating on the internet which claims to duplicate Tiger Sauce's "unique exotic flavor".  Unfortunately, it does not.

   

Lynn Ashley
Lynn Ashley

Update:  20 May 2005
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12 November 2004
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