McCoy's Hot 'n' Spicy Crisps, 45g

Hot 'n' Spicy is the McCoy's flavour with chilli on the ingredients list. This 45g bag puts a seasoning of paprika, cayenne pepper, cumin and onion on a thick, ridge cut crisp. The full product name on the pack is Hot and Spicy Flavour Potato Crisps, and the pack marks it as a grab bag and ridge cut.

Where the heat comes from

According to the published pack listing, the crisps are made from potatoes, sunflower oil and a hot and spicy flavour seasoning. The seasoning lists sugar, natural flavouring, salt, dried yeast extract, paprika powder, cayenne pepper, dried onion, potassium chloride, citric acid, rice flour, maltodextrin, paprika extract for colour and cumin powder.

Cayenne pepper is a ground red chilli, and it is the source of the heat. Paprika powder, made from milder peppers, adds sweet pepper flavour and colour rather than burn. Cumin brings a warm, earthy spice note that you would recognise from a curry or a chilli con carne. Sugar at the top of the list takes the edge off the heat, and dried yeast extract adds a savoury base, so the flavour is rounded rather than simply hot.

Why ridges suit a spicy seasoning

A ridge cut crisp is thicker than a standard slice, with grooves on both faces. Those grooves hold more seasoning, which matters for a spiced flavour: more of the powder stays on the crisp instead of settling at the bottom of the bag, so the heat builds steadily as you eat. The thicker slice also gives a firmer crunch that stands up well next to the spice.

What the bag adds up to

The label gives 238 kcal (992 kJ), 14g of fat, 1.2g of saturates, 24g of carbohydrate, 0.9g of sugars, 1.9g of fibre, 3.1g of protein and 0.5g of salt for the 45g bag. That is about 12% of an average adult's daily energy reference intake and 8% of the salt. Per 100g it is 528 kcal, 31g of fat, 2.7g of saturates, 2g of sugars and 1.1g of salt. On the UK front of pack scale fat is high, saturates and salt are medium and sugars are low.

Front of pack, per 100g

On the UK scale, fat at 31g is coloured red, as it is for nearly all fried crisps, being far above the 17.5g threshold. Saturates at 2.7g fall in the amber band. Sugars at 2g are green even with sugar first in the seasoning, because the seasoning is a small part of each crisp. Salt at 1.1g is amber, in the upper half of the 0.3g to 1.5g band.

Allergens and diet

No allergens from the UK list of 14 are highlighted in the published ingredients. The allergy advice says the crisps may contain cereals containing gluten, milk, mustard and soya. The pack says they are suitable for vegetarians. No vegan claim is made, and with milk in the may contain advice we would not describe them as vegan; no gluten free claim is made. Recipes and factory arrangements change, so check the allergy advice on the pack you receive.

How the crisps are made

Potatoes are washed, cut with a corrugated blade into thick ridged slices, rinsed and fried in sunflower oil until the water has cooked out and the slices are firm. The spiced seasoning is tumbled on while they are warm, and the ridges catch it. The pack says the bag is packaged in a protective atmosphere to keep oxygen away from the oil.

How hot is hot

Heat is personal, and the label does not give a heat rating. What the list shows is a single chilli, cayenne, sitting after sugar, flavouring, salt, yeast extract and paprika, which suggests a warm, building heat rather than a fierce one. Anyone who avoids chilli altogether should choose another flavour; anyone who likes a proper burn may find it moderate.

When to reach for it

A spiced crisp suits cold beer, a cheese sandwich or a wrap, and it pairs well with something cooling: a yoghurt dip, soured cream or a cold glass of milk. It is also a good crisp to crumble over a bowl of chilli con carne, where the cumin in the seasoning echoes the dish, or to serve with a plate of nachos and cheese for a crunchier alternative to tortilla chips.

The packet and other flavours

The published listing says the whole packaging can be recycled with bags at large supermarkets and should not go in home recycling. In the same 45g size we stock McCoy's Cheddar and Onion, Flame Grilled Steak, Salt and Malt Vinegar and Thai Sweet Chicken.

Storage

The pack advises a cool, dry place. Once opened, finish the bag the same day.

Other 45g packs of McCoy's we stock

Figures as published on each pack's label.

The published listing gives the United Kingdom as the country of origin and names KP Snacks as the maker. The tasting notes on this page are our own editorial assessment against the current pack format and the brand's published description.