Fermented Hot Sauce Recipe

🧂 Ingredients

• 1 pound red serrano peppers

  or use any chili peppers, stems removed
• 1 quart unchlorinated water
• 3 tablespoons sea salt

  (do not use iodized salt)
• ½-1 cup white wine vinegar to your preference

  use a good quality vinegar for better quality hot sauce

Instructions

• 1 First, ferment the serrano peppers. Roughly chop the peppers, then pack them
  into a ball jar, leaving at least 1 inch of head space. The peppers may rise a
  bit when fermenting.
• 2 Next, mix 1 quart unchlorinated water with 3 tablespoons sea salt. Pour just
  enough brine over the peppers to cover them, pressing them down a bit as you go.
  It is important to keep the peppers covered with brine to avoid spoilage. Check
  this daily.
• 3 Screw on the lid and set the jar away from direct sunlight to ferment for at
  least 1 week. Ideal temperatures are between 55-75 degrees F. The most active
  fermentation period is between 1-2 weeks, so be sure to monitor it during this
  time. “Burp” the jars often by unscrewing the lid a bit to let out some of the
  accumulating gases. Or, use an airlock or membrane for easier fermenting. See
  our page, “How to Ferment Peppers”, for more detailed instruction.
• 4 After 1-2 weeks, the fermenting activity will diminish and the brine will turn
  cloudy and taste acidic.
• 5 Drain the peppers, but reserve the brine.
• 6 Add the fermented peppers to a food processor or blender, along with 1/2 cup of
  the brine and 1/2 cup vinegar. You can add more or less of each as desired to
  your preference. More brine will have more salty flavor, more vinegar will be
  more acidic.
• 7 Process until smooth.
• 8 Optional Step. Add the fermented hot sauce to a pot and bring to a quick boil.
  Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. This will stop the fermentation process
  and meld the flavors, but will remove the probiotic benefits.
• 9 Strain the mixture to remove the solids if desired, or use as-is for a thicker
  hot sauce. Pour into hot sauce bottles and enjoy.
• 10 You can add more vinegar or water to thin out the hot sauce.

Nutrition Info