Frequently Asked Questions
Twelve things we get asked the most. If yours isn’t here, email hello@leosfireco.com — we read everything.
How long do your sauces last after opening?
Most of our hot sauces and BBQ sauces last 3–6 months in the refrigerator after opening. The pH is low enough that they keep well — but the flavors are at their peak in the first few months. Our dry rubs and spices keep 6 months on the shelf after opening if stored in a cool dry place away from light.
Do I need to refrigerate after opening?
Yes for sauces and the Ghost Pepper Mash (live ferment). No for dry rubs, salts, paprika, or the chili crisp (oil-based). The bottle label specifies which.
Do you use preservatives or stabilizers?
No. None. Nothing. Our sauces preserve themselves with natural acidity (cider vinegar, lime, lactic acid from fermentation). Our rubs are dry spices and salt. The shelf life is shorter than mass-market products as a result — but the flavor is what it is.
Is everything gluten-free?
Yes. All 12 of our products are gluten-free. We do not use wheat-based thickeners, soy sauce, malt vinegar, or any gluten-containing ingredient. We do not have a separate gluten-free certification, but our facility does not handle wheat products.
Are your products vegan?
Most are. The only product we make that contains an animal-derived ingredient is honey, used in the Roasted Garlic Hot Sauce and the Cayenne Honey Glaze. Everything else is fully plant-based.
Where do your peppers come from?
We source fresh peppers from a cooperative of small farms in the Texas Hill Country (Wimberley, Driftwood, San Marcos area). Smoked paprika pods come from La Vera, Spain — we import a few cases a year. Reaper and Ghost Pepper pods come from a specialty grower in North Carolina. Everything is non-GMO; about 60% of our pepper supply is certified organic depending on the harvest.
How spicy is each sauce?
Our heat scale (out of 10):
Roasted Garlic Hot Sauce — 3
Hickory Chili Crisp — 4
Charred Habanero Sauce — 6
Smoked Paprika Reserve — 1 (it’s mild)
Maple Bourbon BBQ Glaze — 4
Texas Brisket Rub — 3
Carolina Reaper Rub — 9
Ghost Pepper Mash — 8
Mesquite Tri Tip Rub — 4
Cherry Wood Smoked Salt — 0 (no heat)
Apple Cider Bourbon Sauce — 3
Kansas City BBQ Sauce — 3
Can I cancel or change my order?
Yes, within 4 hours of placing the order. Email hello@leosfireco.com with your order number. Once an order is in our packing queue we can’t reroute it — but you can use our 30-day guarantee to return or exchange after it ships.
Do you ship internationally?
Not directly — only within the US. Some Canadian customers use US-based freight forwarders like Stackry or MyUS, and we’re happy to ship to those US addresses.
What payment methods do you accept?
Credit and debit cards (Visa, MasterCard, Amex, Discover), Apple Pay, and Google Pay. All transactions are processed through Stripe, the same secure payment processor used by major retailers. We never see or store your card information.
Can I visit your kitchen?
Yes! Our kitchen at 118 W San Antonio St, Suite 4, Lockhart TX is open to drop-ins Tuesday through Saturday, 10am to 4pm. We don’t run formal tours but if there’s something cooking we’ll happily show you the pit and pour you a taste.
Do you have a wholesale program?
Yes — see our wholesale page for current pricing tiers, minimums, and terms. We work with about 40 small accounts across the southwest US.