Who here thought things would cool down as we head into fall? First We Feast’s hit show Hot Ones with host Sean Evans takes celebrity press tours to a new level by asking deeply researched and well-thought-out questions while simultaneously torturing them with 10 levels of heat from a gorgeous lineup of hot sauces. While we would all love to be able to bring home the Hot One’s experience with the Heatonist collection of this season’s sauces, it can be a bit expensive all at once. But this September, Hot Pockets is going bring the heat nationwide with a Hot One’s collab and introduce four new flavors they say are the hottest pockets ever!
For those unfamiliar with the show, as host Sean Evans asks the celebrity guest interview questions, they progress through a plank of 10 chicken (or cauliflower) wings that are sauced with different sauces of varying levels of heat on the Scoville scale. Most of these sauces actually taste fantastic and have a depth of flavor on top of the heat, ranging from more mild sauces like The Classic to the infamous The Last Dab Apollo Sauce. These new Hot Pocket flavors will also come with varying heat levels, so you can recreate your own Hot One’s challenge at home and spice up your next Hot Pocket grab.
Spicy Garlic Chicken & Bacon (Heat Level 2/10)
The least spicy of these new flavors, the Spicy Garlic Chicken & Bacon is the perfect option for newcomers to the hot food genre, who aren’t looking to get smoked out. This flavor is made with The Classic Garlic Fresno hot sauce, which has a “beautiful, earthy, mild heat” and compares its flavor profile to a tangier sriracha with no sugar. This hot sauce scores a respectable 1,800 Scoville Heat Units for its heat level, but this still ends up with a pretty mild flavor profile and heat to it. Paired with the creamy cheddar cheese sauce, hearty chunks of chicken, and bacon, this flavor is sure to be a win even for those who are sensitive to heat in their food.
Smoky Green Chile Cheesesteak (Heat Level 5/10)
This flavor falls in the middle of the heat scale but is a significant step up from their first new flavor. Made with Los Calientes Verde hot sauce, this Hot Pocket will have a perfect blend of sweet heat with a pleasing punch. Personally, I like to use this sauce on my pizza, so the Chile Cheesesteak combo with the gooey mozzarella, steak, and slices of jalapenos paired with the herbaceous crust seems perfect to me. The blend of serrano and habanero pepper in this hot sauce takes this Hot Pocket to the next level and may bring that tell-tale bead of sweat to your forehead.
Hot Habanero Sausage & Pepperoni (Heat Level 5/10)
The third hottest of the new line-up, the Hot Habanero Sausage and Pepperoni Hot Pocket ups the heat factor with the Los Calientes Rojo hot sauce, which uses applewood smoked red jalapeños and an extra habanero to really test your taste buds. The sauce has an added layer of flavor with apricot, agave nectar, and citrus, and when paired with pepperoni and sausage in this Hot Pocket, it almost makes me think of a flavor profile similar to a pepperoni pizza with a hot honey drizzle, just hotter. I have personally never been a fan of the marinara used in most of the pizza-ish Hot Pockets flavors, but I think the addition of the Los Calientes hot sauce will add the missing depth and seasoning I’ve been missing.
Fiery Hot Pepperoni (Heat Level 10/10)
The final flavor of this collab uses the legendary Last Dab Apollo hot sauce and comes as the final test in this smoke show. Usually, this sauce is used for the final wing of the Hot Ones interview, with the host cautioning that any more than a dab of the sauce is not advised because of the strength of the heat. This is the sauce that will cause most people to reach for their milk to combat the heat, but Hot Pockets is saying “bring it on” with this addition to their line-up.
This Hot Pocket includes creamy mozzarella cheese, pepperoni slices, marinara, and a seasoned crispy crust, but the Last Dab is sure to elevate these simple ingredients with the heat of the Apollo pepper. The Heatonist website says this about the description of the sauce: “You feel the fire consume your entire skull, your tongue smolders, burning tears pour from your eyes. And then, five minutes later, the ride is over, your heart rate returns to normal, the panic subsides. This pepper is like no other.” Who doesn’t like their Hot Pocket with a little bit of pain? Try to build up your heat tolerance with the other flavors before grabbing this one, but this collab is sure to please and have many trying this new version of the Hot Ones challenge.