Prairie Fire Tequila Shot

By
Colleen Graham
Photo of Colleen Graham
Colleen Graham
Freelance writer and cocktail book author Colleen Graham is a seasoned mixologist who loves sharing her knowledge of spirits and passion for preparing drinks.
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Updated on 01/4/23
Tequila in a shot glass next to a bottle of Tabasco and fresh chili peppers

The Spruce Eats / S&C Design Studios

Prep: 2 mins
Cook: 0 mins
Total: 2 mins
Serving: 1 serving
Yield: 1 shot

The prairie fire is a hot shot! This shooter of tequila and Tabasco is for the most adventurous of drinkers. You can make it as spicy as you like, just sure to have some water as back up.

If you scour the web, you will find that the prairie fire is on many 'the worst shots to order" lists. While that may be true—and it's definitely not appealing to everyone—many drinkers still want to take it on the challenge. It also goes by many different names, including brave bull #2 and Texas prairie fire.

The prairie fire is beyond simple: add Tabasco to a shot of tequila. How much Tabasco Sauce is going to depend on your mood (or your friends' daring nature). A few dashes are enough, giving you the spice without scorching your taste buds. However, this shot is often made with far more hot sauce than that.

Ingredients

  • 1 ounce tequila

  • 2 dashes Tabasco Sauce

Steps to Make It

  1. Gather the ingredients.

  2. Pour the tequila into a shot glass.

  3. Add a few dashes of Tabasco to taste.

  4. Serve and enjoy.

Tips

  • Typically, the advice is that adding too much hot sauce will ruin a drink's balance. That theory may work when helping you make a better bloody Mary, but the majority of drinkers shoot a prairie fire for two reasons: to get drunk and see how much heat they can take. However, if you want any taste buds or feeling left on your tongue at the end of the night, it really is best to take it easy.
  • You will also want to have something available to cool your mouth down. Water may not douse the heat, so try biting into a lime or eating something like a tortilla chip or piece of bread to find relief.

Recipe Variations

  • Quite often, the tequila in the prairie fire is replaced with another liquor. For instance, the Canadian prairie fire uses Yukon Jack and the Caribbean prairie fire pours rum (often 151-proof). In reality, you can add Tabasco to anything, from vodka to whiskey to whatever you have left in the liquor cabinet.

How Strong Is the Prairie Fire?

The daring nature of these shots goes beyond the hot sauce because they are anything but weak. When it comes to the alcohol content of the prairie fire family of shots, you're essentially drinking the equivalent of the bottling strength of the base liquor—the tequila, whiskey, or whatever. For instance, the prairie fire is about 37 percent ABV (74 proof). This can be dangerous territory and quickly lead to extreme drunkenness or alcohol poisoning if you're not careful. It's wise to stick with one of these shots a night and enjoy a lighter drink before and after.

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
64 Calories
0g Fat
0g Carbs
0g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 1
Amount per serving
Calories 64
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g 0%
Saturated Fat 0g 0%
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 32mg 1%
Total Carbohydrate 0g 0%
Dietary Fiber 0g 0%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 1mg 4%
Calcium 0mg 0%
Iron 0mg 0%
Potassium 2mg 0%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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