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Homemade Hot Sauce - who here has done it?

4K views 57 replies 11 participants last post by  Version_6 
#1 ·
In that I have some ghost chilis on the way, I figured I should learn how to make hot sauce now so that I'm ready.

Has anyone ever made their own? I think I remember DelfinoPie doing it, but a search turned up nothing. I'm going loosely off a recipe I found in the most recent Bon Appetite, tweaked a bit - they call for pureeing about a pound of destemmed peppers with 2tsp of kosher salt, letting them sit in a loosely closed glass jar for about 12 hours at room temperature to ferment slightly, then adding about 1 1/2c distilled vinegar and letting sit at room temperature for 1-7 days longer. I'll be doing this, loosely, but I changed the ingredients a little - I used one large (and tasty, but VERY hot) habanero, six serrano (I think - they look like jalepenos but red) peppers, and maybe 2/3 as much by weight carrot and two large cloves of garlic, both sauteed in a bit of olive oil first to mellow and fill out the garlic flavor and sweeten the carrots a little.

I've got it sitting out covered now - a quick taste suggested that it's got a nice but not overpowering heat (probably just shy of the 100% Pain sauce in my fridge that I just finished, whose jar is getting commandeered for this project), but a TON of flavor to it.

Any tips on preparation or preservation?
 
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#3 ·
That sounds like a good start. I don't know much about preservation other than mild temperatures, out of the light, and definitely refrigerated once opened.

I actually just bought a bottle the other day that is out of sight. It's one of the better hot sauces I've had in quite some time, but HOT! It's made with the scorpion peppers, and I did not know that they had quite the hot reputation that they have.
 
#4 ·
I actually just bought a bottle the other day that is out of sight. It's one of the better hot sauces I've had in quite some time, but HOT! It's made with the scorpion peppers, and I did not know that they had quite the hot reputation that they have.
Hmm... What's it called?

Chris, the Bon Appetite recipe says it should keep for four months, and I doubt subbing in some carrots and garlic will change that. If it doesn't suck, you're on. :yesway:

Speaking of which, at some point we should talk beef jerky.
 
#10 ·
So far, that's my overall favorite for the balance of heat and flavor. IT's just awesome.

Jim - the recipe I'm following suggests 1-7 days because it "deepens the flavors." I have no idea if it's true or not (or if the same thing wouldn't happen if you pureed everything and then tossed it in the fridge for a week) but they recommend tasting daily and it DOES taste different now than it did the first day. The vinegar is less overpowering, for one.
 
#9 ·
I've made my own sauce a few times, and you sound good to go Drew. I go with something similar without all the 'let it sit for days' bits, though I also tend to add the juice of half a lime. (I was going to say 'I squeeze in half a lime', but I thought it invited the obvious 'that's what she said' so I changed it :) )

If you want, take about a third of it and strain it so it is more mush than liquid - it goes well on anything you might want to broil, but beef and chicken breasts especially.

As for bottled sauce I have about 40 different kinds but only use Sontava XX these days as it is far and away my all time favorite.
 
#14 ·
Colin moved out two years ago, man. :lol: And Chris definitely wants to give it a try. It's not uber spicy, though - pretty flavorful, but not quite as hot as the all-habanero 100% Pain I compared it to.
 
#15 ·
Batch one in the bag.



Looks deceptively like Redhot, in the unmarked bottle (in truth the color is a lot oranger though you wouldn't notice unless you put them side by side). It's not uber hot, but has a pleasant delayed kick and a nice hint of sweetness from the habanero and the carrots.

Batch #2 will follow a similar recipe, I suspect, but with spicier peppers - the jalapenos would have been fine on their own, probably, but the carrots cooled the sauce off a bit. A carrot/habanero would be a much better blend, I suspect.

Still, this would make a kickass base for buffalo wings. :yesway:
 
#16 ·
I just compared this to a couple other sauces in the fridge - honestly, for a first attempt, this is pretty damned good, with a ton of flavor and a very appealing lingering burn. I can't recommend trying this enough for any other hot sauce nuts. :yesway:
 
#19 ·
Yeah, dude, it was me you were thinking about.

Generally with the hot sauces I posted before, it was very simple and more of a relish than a sauce. I'd simply throw a handful of scotch bonnets into a blender with salt, pepper, garlic, mango, and papaya. Whizz it all up until quite smooth and that was it.

My sauces (and cooking in general) have improved since then. The last sauce I made was a tomato based BBQ sauce so included: passata, molasses, salt, pepper, Kraken rum, smoked paprika, onions, celery, garlic, red bell peppers, and 11 whole scotch bonnets (de-stemmed, obviously). All put in to a sauce pan (not all at once, mind) and cooked until lovely, thick and velvety - like a fat bird's minge.

I made the sauce for a surprise birthday I was going to and the girl whose birthday it was doesn't actually like spicy stuff, so I made a tame version (exactly the same sans-bonnets) and so labelled the one with the chillies in "This sauce goes up to 11"

Was tasty, not too hot but had a bit of a kick to it after a second or two of sweet, rum filled flavours, and went really well with the cider-braised pulled pork and coleslaw recipe I gave to my mate (said girl's boyfriend).

Your sauce has an awesome colour to it! I really want to try to make something with fatalii or Trinidad Scorpion chillies.
 
#21 ·
I got a bottle in the mail yesterday, but I had a buddy in town so I didn't get a chance to open it. Thanks Adam! :metal: Full review coming soon.

That BBQ sauce sounds awesome, man - did you puree it or anything, or just cook it down forever and leave it chunky?
 
#22 ·
I got a bottle in the mail yesterday, but I had a buddy in town so I didn't get a chance to open it. Thanks Adam! :metal: Full review coming soon.

That BBQ sauce sounds awesome, man - did you puree it or anything, or just cook it down forever and leave it chunky?
I sieve it after about half an hour, then put it back over the heat until it reaches a nice thick consistency.

I'm going through a big hot sauce kick at the moment and experimenting with flavour - more so than heat - and picked up these:

Rico Picante Hot Sauces

Not tried them yet, though. I've still got a bottle of this...

West African Voodoo Juice

...to get through yet! Nice powerful heat that stamps down the sides and tip of your tongue, but a really awesome sweet, fruity layer that's present throughout the burn. My current favourite. Shame it's quite pricey.
 
#26 ·
Don't waste it like that. :lol: Two parts hot sauce to one part butter, however, give or take, would make a kickass buffalo sauce. :D
 
#27 ·
I told her to try a little bit first, She wouldn't do it. :lol: I'm not going to waste it like that though :lol: That stuff is interesting stuff for sure :metal:

And are you saying the Scorpin Stinger sauce and butter could be a good buffalo sauce?
 
#28 ·
Well, it would be a flavorful one, and a very hot one. Whether or not that means good is your call. But, hot sauce plus butter is the basis for any buffalo sauce, so that's the right jumping off point...
 
#30 ·
The last three mornings I've made homefries and then, at the last moment, doused them in a liberal splash or two of this stuff.



Yeah, I'd say I'm a fan. :yesway:
 
#38 ·
Nice! Their 100% Pain sauce is delicious, one of my favorites. If you want a little more flavor and aren't familiar with it, maybe give it a try.

Meanwhile, I started another batch yesterday - I discovered http://www.amazon.com/Marie-Sharps-Fiery-Habanero-FL-OZ/dp/B0014L1PPS/ref=pd_sim_gro_3 on spring break in Belize back in maybe '02, and decided to take a crack at the same basic formula - red habaneros, carrots, garlic, onion, salt, and vinegar (they use lime as well, but I left it out). I've got this all marinating together now, abd even within the first few minutes of adding the vinegar and stirring it all up, when I tried it it was SERIOUSLY hot. I'm going to puree this one but not strain the solids out, as most of the sauces I like (including 100% Pain) aren't smooth.
 
#40 ·
Since we moved into the new place, with appropriate levels of shade and light and stuff in the yard, I'm building a few planters in an enclosure, so J and I can garden. Picked up some seeds for ghost peppers, as well as scorpion peppers, and purple jalapenos. Also, purple carrots, because I'll be damned if I'm not going to make a purple hot sauce :lol:
Details in like a fucking year or so :rolleyes:
 
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