There is a reason there are so many bottles on the store shelves. It’s easy to make.
I’m not quite sure where my love of hot sauce came from. I have always loved spicy food, but my mom didn’t keep hot sauce at home.
I worked in a Cajun restaurant, where we used Tabasco regularly.
If I needed a little kick to Mexican food, Cholula is the best.
A few years back, my husband came home with two 6-packs of pepper plants, one jalapeño, and one Fresno from the garden store. I put a dozen spicy pepper plants in the ground without thinking about what I would do with them.
Even for a family that likes spicy food, I had more peppers than I could use in several years. So that fall, I learned how to make hot sauce, and every family member got a bottle.
I knew that making hot sauce wasn’t complicated. But until then, I didn’t realize how easy it is.
Tips for Sucess
There are many, many recipes for hot sauce on the internet. My favorite is adapted from Hank Shaw at HunterAnglerGardenerCook.
I like it because it is so simple. And I like that it uses xanthan gum to stabilize the sauce. Usually, this type of cosmetic defect wouldn’t bother me, but when you make hot sauce for a gift, it’s nice to give your family and friends, something that resembles a store-bought product.
The xanthan gum keeps the solids from settling out of the liquids. If you don’t use it, just shake the bottle before using it to re-mix the peppers and water.
If you need to buy it, look for it in the bulk section of the grocery store instead of purchasing a package. Even if you use it for other recipes (it is often included in gluten-free baking), it will take years to use up 8 ounces.
To make this sauce, you only need a blender to mix all of the ingredients.
I like to pass it through a mesh strainer so that it is smooth. Straining will remove any lumps and seeds that your blender doesn’t pulverize. If you have a Vitamix, this step is probably unnecessary.
For the peppers, you can use any store-bought hot red pepper. Feel free to experiment with other peppers, including chipotles.
You can store the sauce in any jar and use a teaspoon to dip in a sprinkle the sauce on your meal. Repurpose an empty condiment bottle or buy new bottles at a kitchen store.
In the original recipe, Hank uses ground paprika. I have found that if you don’t have “good” paprika, it can do more harm than good.
Store the sauce in the fridge. There is enough vinegar and salt to keep it from spoiling but keep it cold for food safety.
Remove the seeds and veins from the chilis to make it less spicy.
Hot Sauce Recipe
Feel free to experiment.
- 6 garlic cloves
- 2/3 cup fresh chopped red Thai, red Fresno or red jalapeno chiles, stems removed
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup of water
- 1 cup cider vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon xanthan gum mixed with 2 tablespoons cold water (optional)
Put the garlic, chopped peppers, salt, ½ cup of water, and vinegar in the blender and puree thoroughly about 1 minute. Add the xanthan gum mixed with the water into the blender, and blend for another 30 seconds. Pour into a bowl or large jar and let the mixture settle for 1 hour to allow the trapped air to escape. Bottle and store in the fridge for up to 9 months.
Make it Yourself
Use this recipe as a starting point. If you love hot sauce, there are a million recipes you can find on the internet.
Once you make it and see how easy it is, you won’t need to buy it again.