Step 1

Wash and pat dry the peppers of your choice.

Step 2

Slice the peppers in half and remove the stems and seeds (I like to keep some included, to add extra spice - so adjust this to personal preference. Any unwanted seeds can be left to dry out and be planted).Make sure to wear gloves when dealing with peppers and avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth area when dealing with chilies. If you have no gloves, at least oil your hands before using them, which can create a slight natural barrier.Then rinse the sliced peppers.

Step 3

Transfer the peppers to a large pot covered in water and bring to a boil. Then cook over high, covered, for 25-30 minutes.

Step 4

When the peppers are cooked, drain them thoroughly then squeeze out any excess liquid. I like to do this by adding the peppers to a nut milk bag inside a sieve and then place something as a weight over the peppers to naturally press out the excess liquid. I used a large jar filled with rice (After cleaning the bottom of the jar) topped with a couple of books.Allow it to drain naturally for several hours (or leave overnight).

Step 5

Transfer the pressed peppers to a food processor, blender, or even meat grinder/food mill and process into a paste. I pulsed just a few times into a slightly chunky paste - but feel free to make it completely smooth.If you want to remove the skins, do so before processing and they should come off fairly easily. Alternatively, if using a meat grinder/ mill, it will automatically filter out the skins. Note that 4.4 lb/2 kg raw peppers, once cooked and drained, yield about 1.67 lb/760 g).

Step 6

Meanwhile, sterilize your glass jar/s - wash it in hot soapy water and then either place in the oven for about 10 minutes at 165ºC/325ºF to fully dry OR leave to boil for 10 minutes in your canning pot (then dry out with a clean kitchen towel before adding the chili paste).

Step 7

Transfer the red chili paste to a large pan with the salt, oil, and vinegar. Then heat, stirring often (with a sterilized nonreactive spoon), to bring the mixture to 167ºF/75ºC. This step is important to kill off any remaining bacteria and make this red pepper paste safe for water bath canning (raw chili peppers must either be pickled or will need to be pressure canned, so don't skip this step if you plan on canning the chili pepper paste).

Step 8

At this point, the red pepper paste is ready to use immediately and transfer to the fridge or go through a water bath canning process for 12 months of shelf-stable storage.

Step 9

Once ready, follow the steps for canning (read the post for all the top tips and details for best results): transfer the chili pepper paste to the sterilized and dried jars, wipe off the lip to make sure it's completely clean, and close the jars.

Step 10

Transfer to a large canning pot with a rack and half-filled with boiling water. Add the jars (making sure there is an inch of water above the jars - top up with boiled kettle water if needed), bring back to a rolling boil. Allow to process in the boiling water for 10 minutes. Then turn off the heat and allow the jars to rest for a further 5 minutes.

Step 11

Carefully remove the jars from the canner, placing them on a kitchen towel-lined surface, and allow them to sit undisturbed for 24 hours (don't touch them at all during this time, especially the lid area).

Step 12

After 24 hours, check that the jars are all fully sealed then label and store in a cool, dark location.

Step 13

There are two methods I've used for non-canned chili paste including a raw and reduced version. While you can follow the above method and simply store it in the fridge, for non-canned versions, you can follow a process that's even simpler (and avoid boiling and pressing the peppers).Raw: for a raw version of this, you can use this method for chili sauce - called sauce as the consistency is thinner.Cooked: after blending the paste for the raw method, heat some oil in a large pan and then add the chili paste, cooking over medium for a few minutes. Reduce the heat to low and cook for at least an hour, stirring every 10-15 minutes. This will last 1-2 weeks in the fridge.Either way, still add the red pepper paste to a sterilized jar for the best shelf-life.

Step 14

Canned version: for the canned red pepper paste, you can store the processed and sealed jars in a cool, dark kitchen cupboard or pantry for up to a year!If you don't want to can this version, you can store it in the fridge for between 1-2 weeks.Non-Canned versions: these will last in a sterilized jar in the fridge for between 1-2 weeks (the shelf life is improved with salt and vinegar). You can also top the jars with a thin layer of olive oil to help improve shelf-life further.You can also freeze the hot chili paste for between 3-4 months, stored either in a freezer-safe jar, portioned into an ice cube tray, or even in a ziplock bag (excess air removed).