Master Hot Sauce Recipes

BEST HOT SAUCE

Steps:

• Place peppers, onion, dates, basil, parsley, tomato, bouillon powder, and garlic in the bowl of a food processor; pour in the oil. Pulse mixture until finely chopped, adding more oil if needed to thin; season with salt.
• Pour pepper mixture into a small saucepan; bring to a boil. Squeeze lemon juice into pepper mixture, reduce heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes.
• Allow pepper mixture to cool; pour into a glass jar with a lid. Store pepper sauce in the refrigerator.

HOMEMADE RED HOT SAUCE

Steps:

• Place the arbol peppers, guajillo peppers, and garlic in a saucepan with the water. Turn the heat to high, and once the water starts boiling, turn the heat down and simmer for about 20 minutes, or until peppers are very soft. Due to the fumes, the peppers will give off, make sure your windows are open or turn on the exhaust fan.
• Remove saucepan from heat and allow to drop to room temperature. Once it has cooled, place the peppers, garlic, spices, dried herbs, vinegar, and one cup of the cooking water into a blender. Puree until you have a very fine texture.
• Pour this mixture into a glass container using a strainer, to remove any pieces of pepper skins left.
• Pour the mixture into the saucepan again, turn to medium-high heat, and gently simmer for about 5 minutes. This is just enough time to reduce the salsa to the desired consistency and allow the spices' flavors to blend. Again, don't forget to have the windows open and/or the kitchen exhaust fan on.
• Allow cooling. Pour the sauce into a sterilized bottle and secure with an airtight cap or lid.
• You can use this sauce immediately, although the flavors will be better about two weeks later. This sauce can last stored in your refrigerator for about 6 months. Enjoy!

HOMEMADE HOT SAUCE (FERMENTED OR QUICK COOK RECIPE)

Steps:

• Place the peppers and garlic in a clean wide-mouth quart canning jar. Set aside.
• To make the brine, heat the filtered water and sea salt in a medium saucepan until the salt has dissolved completely. Let cool to room temperature.
• Pour the brine over the peppers and garlic, completely submerging them. If you run out of brine, you can make more by mixing 1 cup of warm filtered water with 1 teaspoon of sea salt.
• Fit the jar with a fermentation lid or cheesecloth secured with a rubber band (see notes on weighing down the peppers if using cheesecloth). Place in a warm, dark spot for 5-7 days, or until the brine looks cloudy and small bubbles begin to appear when you tap the side of the jar. Make sure the peppers stay submerged under the brine during the entire fermentation process to prevent mold-growth.
• When the fermentation time is up, strain the brine, reserving it. Place the fermented peppers and garlic in a blender, and add in 1 cup of the brine, plus the apple cider vinegar, and honey or maple syrup, if using. Blend until completely smooth, adding in additional brine to reach the desired thickness.
• While the blender is running, sprinkle in the xanthan gum, if using, and blend for an additional minute.
• Transfer to a bottle and store in the fridge for 3-6 months.
• Combine the peppers, garlic, 2 cups of water, 2 teaspoons of sea salt, apple cider vinegar, and honey or maple syrup, if using, in a medium pan over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and simmer for 10-15 minutes, or until the peppers and garlic have softened.
• Pour mixture into a blender (making sure to leave the cover vent open, but covered with a kitchen towel) and blend until very smooth.
• While the blender is running, sprinkle in the xanthan gum, if using, and blend for an additional minute.
• Transfer mixture to a squeeze bottle and store in the fridge for 2-3 weeks.

MASTER HOT SAUCE RECIPE

Steps:

• Pulse chiles and kosher salt in a food processor until a coarse purée forms. Transfer to a 1-quart glass jar, loosely screw on lid, and let stand at room temperature for 12 hours to ferment slightly.
• Stir in vinegar and loosely screw on lid. Let chile mixture stand at room temperature for at least 1 day and up to 7 days. (Taste it daily; the longer it sits, the deeper the flavor becomes.)
• Purée mixture in a food processor or blender until smooth, about 1 minute. Place a fine-mesh sieve inside a funnel. Strain mixture through sieve into a clean glass bottle. (Hot sauce will become thinner and may separate after you strain it; shake vigorously before each use.) DO AHEAD: Can be made up to 4 months ahead. Keep refrigerated.