
Photo courtesy Scared Cowboy
History: Ian Jovanovich first started making hot sauce at home for fun, gifting it to friends and family. Persuaded to start bottling and selling his “not-too-hot” sauces, he turned his hobby into a business and launched Scared Cowboy in May 2024. Joining him is friend and partner John DiJulio, who created the logo and assists with production. The pair met in college and currently work as graphic designers.
Specialties: Jovanovich and DiJulio produce four different sauces: orange, brown, green and red. The orange variety uses fire-roasted tomatoes, which Jovanovich says, “provides a different flavor profile that you don’t see very often,” and is recommended for pizza. The brown sauce has a sweeter, more tangy taste, while green is comparable to a salsa verde and pairs well with Mexican food. The red sauce is the spiciest and incorporates citrus.
Production: Scared Cowboy operates out of Hatch Kitchen. When making the sauces, they first begin with removing the majority of the seeds in the peppers to tame the heat and then roast vegetables until slightly charred. The ingredients are blended, seasoned and bottled by hand.
Buy: At Union Market or online at scaredcowboy.com.