Fermented Hot Sauce Recipe

Prep: 20 mins

Cook: 0 mins

Ferment Time: 240 hrs

Total: 240 hrs 20 mins

Servings: 72 servings

Yield: 1 1/2 cups

Fermented hot sauce is easy to make and so versatile you’ll want to put it on everything. The sauce takes just minutes to prepare—cut the peppers, garlic, and carrots, pack them into a jar, then add a simple salt and water brine. That’s all you’ll have to do to prepare the peppers. After about 10 days, you’ll blend the peppers with brine and vinegar and then funnel the strained sauce into bottles.

You can easily put your own spin on this hot sauce recipe. Add a few slices of onion to the pepper or add spices such as a dash of cumin seeds, peppercorns, or coriander. Fresh cilantro is another excellent option, and a dash of sugar or honey can add a touch of sweetness. If you prefer a relatively mild hot sauce, add a sliced sweet red bell pepper to temper the heat. You can reduce the heat by halving the peppers lengthwise and removing the seeds and ribs.

This recipe makes 1 quart jar or 2 (1-pint) jars, yielding about 1 1/2 cups of sauce. Double the amounts for a 2-quart jar.

Safe Fermenting

Use clean hands, jars, lids, and work surfaces. There's no need to sterilize the jars—put them in the dishwasher or wash them by hand with hot soapy water and rinse them well.
Oxygen is the enemy. Always make sure the ingredients are submerged in the brine as they ferment. You can use a specially made weight to hold the food under the brine, or you can try an alternative weight, such as a small plastic bag filled with extra brine.
Carbon dioxide is produced by the ferment, forcing oxygen out. The lid must have a way to let air escape without allowing any back into the jar. You can achieve this with an airlock-style lid. If you don't have an airlock lid, you'll need to loosen the lid daily to let the air escape.
Once you have bottled the sauce, refrigerate it. If the capped bottle stays at room temperature it will continue to ferment and could explode.

“I’ll never buy hot sauce again! Leave all the seeds in for lots of heat or scale them back so the sauce is a bit softer. The carrots add a nice hint of sweetness. Careful when processing as the peppers release a puff of capsicum that might make you choke.” —Diana Andrews

A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

3/4 pound Fresno chili peppers, stem ends removed, coarsely chopped
1 small unpeeled carrot, scrubbed, thinly sliced
1 large garlic clove, halved
2 1/2 cups room temperature filtered water
1 tablespoon kosher salt, more to taste
1 tablespoon white vinegar, more to taste, optional

Steps to Make It

Gather the ingredients.
Pack the peppers, carrot, and garlic into a 1-quart jar or 2 (1-pint) jars.
Combine the water and 1 tablespoon salt in a large measuring cup. Stir until the salt dissolves.
Pour over the pepper mixture in the jar. Place a weight on top of the peppers to keep them submerged.
Seal the jar with a lid. Put the jar on a plate to catch any overflow and place it in a cool, dark place. Check on it periodically. If you are using a regular lid with no airlock, loosen it daily to let air escape. After about 7 to 10 days, the peppers should be ready.
Strain the brine into a bowl.
Place the peppers in a blender. Add about 3/4 to 1 cup of the brine, and 1 tablespoon of vinegar, if using.
Blend on high speed until the mixture is smooth. If the sauce seems too thick, add more brine as needed.
Strain the sauce through a fine-mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth over a large measuring cup. Gather together the ends of the cheesecloth and gently continue to squeeze the liquid from the mixture. Discard the cheesecloth and its contents.
Taste the sauce. Adjust the seasoning with more vinegar and salt to taste. Pour the sauce into a bottle or container. Store the hot sauce in the refrigerator for up to 3 months. Shake before using.

How to Use Hot Sauce

A little hot sauce can add a zesty flavor and a touch of heat to many everyday dishes. Here are a few creative ways to use hot sauce.

Add a few drops to some mayonnaise to make a spicy spread for burgers and sandwiches.
Use it to make Buffalo wings or hot wings.
Add hot sauce to your favorite homemade chili.
Perk up your fries with a drop or two in ketchup.
Add a splash to your pulled pork barbecue.
Add a few drops to gumbo or jambalaya.
Perk up your greens with a dash of hot sauce.
Add a little spice to your scrambled eggs with one or two drops of hot sauce.

Is fermented hot sauce shelf stable?

You must store the bottled fermented hot sauce in the refrigerator. If it is capped and stored at room temperature, it will continue to ferment, and the bottle could explode.

Can cheesecloth be used as a lid?

Many people use cheesecloth or cloth with good results. Use a rubber band to secure the cheesecloth to the jar and ensure the ingredients stay submerged. Once the fermenting process is done, use a tight-fitting lid to seal the jar and store in the refrigerator.

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 72
Amount per serving
Calories	2
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g	0%
Saturated Fat 0g	0%
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 54mg	2%
Total Carbohydrate 1g	0%
Dietary Fiber 0g	0%
Total Sugars 0g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 7mg	34%
Calcium 1mg	0%
Iron 0mg	0%
Potassium 18mg	0%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.