fermented hot sauce

Even if you aren&#x27;t usually a fan of hot sauce, I think you may change your mind after trying this fermented hot sauce recipe! The lacto-fermentation process transforms the sharp, hot, often overpowering flavor profile of chili peppers - into something far more mild, complex, flavorful, tangy and tasty than any other preparation of peppers! This is called a “sweet and spicy” fermented hot sauce because it is made with a combination of both hot chilis and sweet peppers. Therefore, you can easily tailor it to your taste buds with the types of peppers you choose to ferment.

Sweet & Spicy Pepper Fermented Hot Sauce Recipe

peppers chili peppers and some sweeter peppers recommended

cilantro,

whole small onion, or 1/2 medium to large onion

garlic

filtered water, to combine with salt for brine

Wash and chop peppers and onions. Wear gloves is suggested. Remove most of pepper seeds.

In the bottom of a clean quart jar, add a small handful (1/4 cup loose) of fresh cilantro and 2-3 crushed cloves of garlic.

Next add the diced onion, and some peppers on top. Lightly press to compact and reduce air space as you go.

When the jar is halfway to 2/3 full, add the remaining 1/4 cup of cilantro and then continue filling the jar with peppers, until completely packed full (within top inch of the jar).

On the stovetop, combine 2 cups filtered water with 1 tbsp sea salt. Lightly heat until salt dissolves, but avoid over heating.

Allow brine to cool to room temperature or lukewarm, and then pour over the peppers in the jar until the jar is full and they are fully submerged. Tap and wiggle jar to remove air pockets.

Cover with fermentation weight and airlock lid, to keep veggies submerged below the brine during fermentation.

Set jar in a temperate location (70-75°F) to ferment for 7-14 days.  

After 7-14 days, open jar and pour contents through a strainer that is positioned over a bowl to catch the liquid. KEEP the strained brine liquid.

Add all solid contents (peppers, onions, garlic, and cilantro) to a blender.  Add 1 tablespoon of fresh squeezed lime juice, and 1/4 cup of the reserved brine liquid. Blend.

Assess the consistency of the fermented hot sauce. Continue to add reserved brine little by little, blending as you go, until the desired consistency of sauce is reached.

Store finished fermented hot sauce in an air-tight bottle or jar in the refrigerator. Shake before use. It should stay good for up to one year in the refrigerator.

If you&#039;ve never had fermented jalapeño hot sauce before, you&#039;re in for a treat! It is a little spicy without being overwhelmingly so, a little tangy, and with a depth of flavor that is incomparable!

Fermented Jalapeño Hot Sauce

green jalapeños (roughly chopped, seeded if desired)

celery heart and leaves (roughly chopped)

onion (small diced)

garlic (minced)

coriander seeds

non-chlorinated water

Salt

Add the chopped jalapeños, celery hearts, onions, garlic, and coriander seeds to a large bowl, and mix it all together.

Pack the vegetables into a clean Ball® Wide Mouth Quart Jar, leaving 2 inches (5 cm) of headspace.

Then put all of the chopped veggies into a Ball® Wide Mouth Quart Jar, packing it in as much as possible. Leave at least 2 inches (5 cm) of headspace at the top of the jar.

Make the brine by dissolving the salt into the water. Pour that over the vegetables in the jar to cover them by 1 inch (2.5 cm). You may have some extra brine left over.

Place the fermentation spring on top of the vegetables, flat side down, to keep them submerged under the brine, then twist the lid on.

Wipe the jar down and cover it with a cloth. Store in a cool place away from direct sunlight.

Fermentation is complete in 2 weeks. For a stronger flavor, you can leave it to ferment for up to 3 weeks total.

Once the hot sauce has fermented to your liking, remove the spring from the jar. Strain the vegetables from the brine, saving the brine in a bowl.

Add all of the vegetables and 1/2 cup of brine to a blender or food processor. Process until smooth, adding more brine as necessary to thin if desired.

Store in the refrigerator for up to 6 months.

A simple delicious recipe for Fermented Hot Sauce using fresh summer chilies, with no special equipment and only 20 minutes of hands on time!

Fermented Hot Sauce 

cups filtered water, lukewarm (see notes)

chili

carrot, very thinly sliced (do not peel)

4-6 garlic cloves,

1-2 shallots, sliced (or ½ an onion)

optional: herbs (oregano, cilantro, celery leaves)

1-3 tablespoons apple cider vinegar, (optional-

honey sugar

sauce

Heat the water and stir the sea salt into the warm water until dissolved. Let cool to room temp.

Wearing gloves, slice the small hot peppers in half, and remove stems and seeds if you like (for less heat). I left the seeds in mine. If adding bell peppers to temper the heat, cut into thin strips. Thinly slice the carrot (do not peel), slice the shallots and slice the garlic.

Layer all into a 2 quart jar.  Pour the salt water brine into the jar over the chilies, pressing them down under the liquid. If you need to add more brine, remember to use the ratio of 1 teaspoon salt per 1 cup of water.

Weight the chilies down with canning weights (or use a small ziplock bag filled with water, to weigh the veggies down). You want the veggies completely submerged under the brine. Cover lightly with a lid and place the jar in a pan or bowl to collect any liquid that may spill over.

Place in a cool dark place (or cover with a kitchen towel and leave in a cool kitchen) for 5-7 days or until brine appears slightly cloudy. Tap the container and see if there is any activity, bubbles, or effervescence.

You will know it is fermenting by the cloudy brine ( see notes)  and little bubbling and activity. You can always ferment longer for even more flavor! The longer the ferment, typically the tangier this will become.

After 5-7 days, strain the brine, saving it. Place the fermented peppers, onions, garlic and carrot into a blender. Add 1 cup of the brine and blend until smooth as smooth as possible. Add the vinegar if using, (and sugar if you prefer a sweeter hot sauce like Sriracha), and more brine to desired thickness.

The heat level will mellow a bit with time, as it continues to ferment in the fridge.

Place in a squeeze bottle and store in the fridge.  Do not place in a sealed jar unrefrigerated&#8211; this will result in an explosion&#8211; and great big mess- as sauce is still fermenting! BE WARNED!

I have the best luck with using in squeeze bottles and leaving the cap off in the fridge. Cover opening with your finger and shake before using.

If transporting to a friend as a gift, it is ok to seal for short periods of time (a few hours) but make sure they &#8220;burp&#8221; it and refridgerate it pretty soon after receiving.

The flavors will continue to develop and get more complex over time, the heat mellowing.

This will keep up to 12 months in the fridge (probably even longer).

To use, store in a squeeze bottle. Leave tip open in the fridge. Cover tip with finger and give a good shake before using.

Good recipe.  thanks for sharing.  I did try it and was successful with the cloudy and bubbles!  I had a couple of squeeze bottles on hand to store that sauce, so it worked well.  I used a mix of peppers, and some were habaneros, so it is hot!  But you are correct, really nice flavor.

I made three hot sauces using peppers gleaned from a farm before a hard frost. So good!

Question though: I have this wonderful spicy brine left over. Could I use that brine for other things? Specifically I have a ton of tiny gherkin cucumbers. Could I pickle them using this leftover brine?

https://content.jwplatform.com/videos/7KzXjUHs.mp4

Learn how to make fermented hot sauce – a simple way to enhance and preserve your abundance of garden chilies to use throughout the winter. Full of healthy probiotics, this easy recipe has many health benefits. Plus it just tastes good! 

How to make Fermented Hot Sauce 

Homemade hot sauce makes a perfect gift! Make either traditional fermented hot sauce or a quick cook version, which is done in less than half an hour.

Homemade Hot Sauce (Fermented Or Quick Cook Recipe)

peppers

garlic,

filtered water

sea salt

apple cider vinegar

honey syrup,

xanthan gum, optional (see notes)

Homemade Hot Sauce (Fermented or Quick Cook Recipe)

Place the peppers and garlic in a clean...

Place the peppers and garlic in a clean wide-mouth quart canning jar. Set aside.

To make the brine, heat the filtered water...

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. 

Place the peppers and garlic in a clean glass jar. 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...

Fit the jar with a fermentation lid or cheesecloth secured with a rubber band. 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. 

When the fermentation time is up, strain the...

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...

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...

Transfer to a bottle and store in the fridge for 3-6 months.

Combine the peppers, garlic, 2 cups of water,...

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...

Pour mixture into a blender (making sure to leave the cover vent open, but covered with a kitchen towel) and blend until very smooth.

Transfer mixture to a squeeze bottle and store...

Transfer mixture to a squeeze bottle and store in the fridge for 2-3 weeks.

I have made a very large batch. Can I safely freeze in containers (freezer safe) to store once I have completed the fermentation process and blended?

I tried five different fermented hot sauce recipes this fall with my garden produce.  This one was my fave.  Absolutely delish!

Top 5 fermented hot sauce recipes from across the web

The most viewed fermented hot sauce recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

Top Tags

Sweet & Spicy Pepper Fermented Hot ...

Fermented Jalapeño Hot Sauce

Fermented Hot Sauce

Homemade Hot Sauce (Fermented Or Qu...

Fermented Hot Sauce

Top 5 fermented hot sauce recipes from across the web

The most viewed fermented hot sauce recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Sweet & Spicy Pepper Fermented Hot ...

Fermented Jalapeño Hot Sauce

Fermented Hot Sauce

Homemade Hot Sauce (Fermented Or Qu...

Fermented Hot Sauce

The most viewed fermented hot sauce recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 6,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine