Fermented Chili Hot Sauce
In short: A tangy, fiery hot sauce made by fermenting red chilies and garlic in a salt brine for 3 to 7 days, then blending with a splash of vinegar. It takes about 20 min in total and makes 24 servings.
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 0 min
- Resting
- 72 h
- Total
- 20 min
- Servings
- 24
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 5 kcal
Fermenting chilies in salt brine gives a hot sauce with a rounder, more complex flavor than one made by simply boiling chilies with vinegar. Friendly bacteria turn the sugars to lactic acid over a few days, making the mash sour and lightly funky, and the heat mellows. After fermenting, everything is blended with some of the brine and a little vinegar into a vivid sauce that keeps for months in the fridge. The method is simple, but wear gloves and keep everything under the brine.
Instructions
- Wear gloves and avoid touching your eyes. Remove the chili stems and roughly chop the chilies, keeping the seeds for more heat. Chop the carrot.
- Pack the chilies, carrot and garlic into a clean 1 litre (4 cup) jar, pressing down firmly and leaving 3 cm (1 inch) of space at the top.
- Stir the salt into the water until completely dissolved. Pour the brine into the jar to cover the vegetables completely. Keep any extra brine in the fridge for adjusting the sauce later.
- Keep everything under the brine by pressing a small resealable bag filled with water, or a fermentation weight, onto the surface. Anything above the brine can grow mold.
- Cover the jar loosely so gas can escape, and leave it at room temperature, 20°C to 24°C (68°F to 75°F), away from direct sun, for 3 to 7 days. Press the vegetables back under the brine once a day.
- Bubbles should appear within 1 to 2 days. When the brine is cloudy and bubbly and tastes pleasantly sour, drain the vegetables over a bowl and keep the brine.
- Blend the vegetables with 120 ml (1/2 cup) of the brine, the vinegar and the sugar until smooth. Add more brine, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the sauce is as thick or thin as you like.
- Taste and adjust with vinegar or salt. Strain through a sieve for a smooth sauce if you like. Pour into clean bottles or jars and refrigerate.
Tips
- Use fresh, firm chilies and non-iodized salt. A mix of mild and hot chilies, such as red jalapeños with a few habaneros, lets you control the heat.
- For a fruitier sauce, blend in a chunk of mango or pineapple, or a roasted red pepper, after fermenting.
Questions and answers
How long does fermented hot sauce last?
In clean bottles in the fridge it keeps for 3 to 6 months. The acidity protects it, and the flavor keeps developing slowly.
How do I know if the ferment has gone bad?
Fuzzy blue, green, black or pink mold, or a rotten smell, means you should throw it away. A thin white film is harmless yeast, while bubbles, cloudy brine and a sour smell are normal.
How hot is this hot sauce?
It depends on the chilies. Red jalapeños or fresnos make a medium sauce, and a few habaneros or other hot chilies make it fiery. Fermenting rounds off the heat slightly.
How long does it take to make Fermented Chili Hot Sauce?
About 20 min in total: 20 min of preparation and 0 min of cooking.
How many calories are in Fermented Chili Hot Sauce?
About 5 kcal per serving, with 0 g of protein, 1 g of carbohydrates and 0 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 5 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 0 g |
| Carbohydrates | 1 g |
| Fat | 0 g |
| Fiber | 0 g |
| Sugar | 0 g |
| Sodium | 150 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
