The Frank's RedHot Sauce You Should Avoid On Wing Night

While the wings vs. flats chicken wings debate may rage on forever, at the heart of this finger food favorite is a variety of sauce options. No matter one's flavor preference, Frank's RedHot sauce is synonymous with chicken wings and has released numerous varieties since it was introduced in 1920. While the varieties span the flavor spectrum, some flavors resonate better than others.

We tried and ranked 16 different Frank's RedHot sauces, judging each on texture, taste, and versatility. Considering those factors, we named Frank's RedHot Wings Nashville Hot sauce as the worst. We were admittedly excited to try the Nashville Hot sauce, given the popularity of Nashville Hot chicken. But we were ultimately left disappointed by our experience. The sauce tasted artificial and featured a strange mouthfeel. It also touted a bad aftertaste and didn't work on any of the foods we tried it with.

For its part, Frank's markets the sauce as everything that spice enthusiasts love about Nashville Hot Chicken, just in sauce form. A combination of cayenne peppers, molasses, garlic, and onion comes together to create a sauce that Frank's says "lets you live your spiciest life ever!" But we recommend leaving this sauce on the shelf and sticking with Frank's RedHot Original, which took the top spot on our list.

The Frank's RedHot Wings Nashville Hot sauce may do its best to mirror the unique flavors featured in Nashville Hot chicken, but it doesn't appear to be a hit with all of the brand's customers. Reviews on Frank's website characterize the sauce as too thick and sweet, while others say the sauce doesn't taste much like Nashville Hot flavor. Similarly, reviews from Walmart customers claim the sauce is sickeningly sweet with a peppery bite.

For wing enthusiasts looking for a better Nashville Hot sauce, we recommend Buffalo Wild Wings' take on the sauce, which ranked second in our ranking of the chain's sauces. Unlike the artificial taste of Frank's version, we found BDubs' sauce to be smoky, with a pleasant aroma and umami flavor. The sauce gave off plenty of heat, but it was a sauce that we enjoyed enough to lick off our fingers.

With so many flavor choices on store shelves, chicken wing fans can mix and match sauces to their heart's content. But sometimes, original flavors, untained by too many additions, work best. That's how we came to rank BDubs' buffalo sauce and Frank's Red Hot Original at the top of their respective rankings. They have just the right amount of heat and add a depth of flavor without being overpowering.