Featured Craft Sauce Producer - Onima Pantry
Two Onima Pantry small-batch hot sauces have just joined the Pepper Pyros lineup:
JANG, a Korean-style gochujang sauce ($11, medium 5/10 heat), and
Cajun Sumac, a tart Louisiana-style sauce ($8, mild 2/10 heat).
One leans deep, funky, and umami-rich; the other is bright, citrusy, and savory. Here's how they taste, what's in them, and what to put them on.
Meet the maker: Onima Pantry
Onima Pantry is one of the independent craft makers whose small-batch sauces we carry at Pepper Pyros. Their approach favors traditional fermentation and whole-spice blends over shortcuts — and these two sauces, the latest we've added to our shelves, show exactly why that matters.
JANG — Korean-Style Gochujang Hot Sauce
Heat: 5/10 (Medium) | Price: $11 | Flavor: Deep umami, tangy brightness, subtle fruit, funky complexity
JANG is built on two pillars of the Korean pantry: gochujang (a fermented red chili paste) and doenjang (a fermented soybean paste). To that base, Onima Pantry adds Fresno and habanero peppers for heat, loquat for a whisper of fruit, and black garlic vinegar for dark, mellow acidity.
What sets it apart is how it's made: the sauce is fermented in onggi — traditional Korean earthenware vessels — crafted by potter Adam Field. Onggi are breathable clay jars used for centuries to age Korean staples, and that slow, living fermentation is where JANG's funky, savory depth comes from. It's the kind of complexity you simply can't fake with a fresh blend.
Put it on: ssam, rice and noodle bowls, grilled meats, crispy chicken, fried eggs, bibimbap, and burgers.
Ingredients: Gochujang, doenjang, Fresno and habanero peppers, loquat, black garlic vinegar. Contains: soy, wheat, sesame.
Shop JANG Korean-Style Gochujang →
Cajun Sumac — Louisiana Style, Reinvented
Heat: 2/10 (Mild) | Price: $8 | Flavor: Tart, citrusy, with savory notes from thyme and oregano
Cajun Sumac is a fresh take on the classic Louisiana-style hot sauce. The twist is sumac — a deep-red Middle Eastern spice prized for its bright, lemony tartness — layered into an Acadian spice blend. The result is tangy and savory rather than purely fiery, which makes it easy to reach for even if you're heat-shy.
An aged pepper mash gives it a rounded, mellow base, while thyme, Mediterranean oregano, and celery seed carry that unmistakable Cajun backbone. At 2/10, it's about flavor first and heat second.
Put it on: soups, seafood, and roasted vegetables.
Ingredients: Aged pepper mash, vinegar, salt, sumac, spice blend (paprika, garlic, onion, black pepper, thyme, Mediterranean oregano, basil, celery seed, light chili powder).
JANG vs. Cajun Sumac: which should you pick?
- Choose JANG if you love umami-forward, funky, fermented depth and cook a lot of Korean, grilled, or rice-bowl food. It's the bolder of the two at a medium 5/10.
- Choose Cajun Sumac if you want a mild, tangy, everyday sauce that brightens soups, seafood, and vegetables without overwhelming heat.
- Get both if you want range — one deep and savory, one bright and tart — covering nearly any dish on your table.
Frequently asked questions
What is gochujang hot sauce?
Gochujang hot sauce is made from gochujang, a fermented Korean red chili paste. Onima Pantry's JANG blends gochujang with fermented soybean paste (doenjang), Fresno and habanero peppers, loquat, and black garlic vinegar for a medium (5/10) sauce with deep umami and tangy, funky complexity.
How hot is Onima Pantry's JANG sauce?
JANG sits at 5/10 — a true medium. It delivers noticeable warmth from Fresno and habanero peppers, but its fermented, umami-rich base keeps flavor front and center rather than pure heat.
What does sumac taste like in hot sauce?
Sumac adds a bright, lemony tartness. In Onima Pantry's Cajun Sumac, it gives the sauce a citrusy, tangy edge that balances the savory Acadian spice blend, keeping the sauce mild (2/10) and flavor-forward.
Are these sauces vegan or allergen-free?
Cajun Sumac is built from peppers, vinegar, salt, sumac, and dried herbs and spices. JANG contains soy, wheat, and sesame due to its gochujang and doenjang base. Always check the label if you have dietary restrictions.
Where can I buy Onima Pantry hot sauces?
Both JANG and Cajun Sumac are available now at Pepper Pyros, where we curate small-batch hot sauces from independent U.S. makers. We ship across the United States.
Try them both
Onima Pantry's JANG and Cajun Sumac are two very different paths to a better plate — one funky and deep, one bright and tart. Both are small-batch, both are made with real fermentation and whole spices, and both are in stock now.
Shop JANG Korean-Style Gochujang →
Shop Cajun Sumac →