If you want to find out how to make homemade hot sauce, we’re here to help. Countries all around the world use spicy sauces to go with a variety of different dishes. So the hardest part of the process could be deciding what kind of hot sauce you want to make. There are some basic rules, one of which is that it will almost certainly involve peppers. The type of peppers you use will determine how hot or mild your sauce is.
Getting started
There’s no definitive hot sauce recipe, and you can adapt the ingredients to suit your own personal preference. Just make sure you have plenty of glass sauce bottles to store it in when you’ve made it. Pick your peppers according to your taste. Poblano peppers are a good choice for a mild hot sauce recipe, while jalapeño peppers will give you more of a kick. The other thing to remember is the cardinal rule. You can put heat into your sauce, but you can’t take it out again.
Basic ingredients
- 700 grams of your chosen peppers (ends removed, and cut in half)
- 6 cloves of peeled garlic
- 1 pint of water
- 2 teaspoons of sea salt
- 5 tablespoons of cider vinegar
- 1 tablespoon of honey (if you want a sweet note)
- ½ teaspoon of xanthan gum (to emulsify and thicken, but it’s optional)
(If you want to make enough for several bottles, just increase the level of ingredients accordingly).
How to make hot sauce
- Place the water in a pan and add the peppers, garlic, salt, vinegar and honey. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for around 10 – 15 minutes until the garlic and peppers have softened.
- Transfer the mixture to a food processor and blend until the consistency is smooth. (Your sauce will thicken once it’s in your fridge, so make sure it’s blended enough).
- During the processing, add the xanthan gum (if you’re using it) and then blend for another minute.
Some uses for hot sauce
The great thing about hot sauce is that it can be used in all kinds of ways. One of the most popular is as a condiment, and it can offer a zesty alternative to ketchup. Add spice to whatever you like, from pizza and pies to pasta and sandwiches. It’s also widely used as a cooking ingredient, and can really perk up some of your favourite dishes. Why not try it as a dip, or add a little to your regular salad dressings. Hot sauce is truly versatile.
Bottling Your Hot Sauce & Shelf-Life
- Purchase you choice of glass hot sauce sauce bottles.
- Sterilise your bottles and bottle caps.
- Transfer the prepared sauce into your clean empty sauce bottles.
- Seal with the bottle caps.
- Refrigerate your creation.
- A homemade sauce should have a shelf life of approx. 90 days if kept refrigerated.
Since 2011 The Bottle Jar Store has been supplying quality glass containers for all kinds of uses. One of the things we specialise in is bottles for oils and sauces. For a huge selection of reusable bottles in a wide range of styles, browse our range of empty glass bottles for a variety of uses.