Making your own hot sauces from ingredients grown in your own garden is fun! It also gives you the opportunity to experiment and make sauces to fit your own individual taste and creativity. Hot sauces can be divided into three main classes: raw pepper sauces or salsas, roasted pepper sauces, and blanched pepper sauces. Below are three basic recipes, one of each type. These sauces are great as is, and even better when you add your own special touches. Throw in some pureed fresh fruit or juice concentrates, carrots, avocado, or eggplant, fresh herbs or your favorite spices to make a sauce that is uniquely yours.
NOTE: Be careful when handling hot peppers; you may want to wear rubber gloves and even goggles to protect your hands and eyes. After working with hot peppers avoid touching your eyes or other sensitive areas until you've had a chance to wash your hands thoroughly with plenty of soap and water. Be aware– the capsicum can remain on your hands even after washing.
Raw Pepper Sauce or Salsa
1 ½ cup diced fleshy tomatoes, Roma type work best
1 red or white onion, diced
1 red bell pepper, seeds removed and diced
1 to 5 hot peppers, minced. Use whatever type(s) you like
1 Tbs minced cilantro
2 Tbs olive oil
2 Tbs lime or lemon juice
1 tsp salt
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and let stand 30 minutes or more for the flavors to blend. For an added treat, add 1 diced avocado or mango to the mixture.
For a saucier salsa, puree half of the mixture in a blender or food processor, then stir into the rest of the diced ingredients.
Refrigerate any unused salsa. Will keep 3-4 days if refrigerated.
Roasted Pepper Sauce
2 green bell peppers
3 Jalapeño peppers, or other peppers as desired
1 Poblano pepper
¼ cup white vinegar
2-3 cloves garlic
½ tsp curry powder
½ tsp allspice
½ tsp salt
Wash peppers in running water to remove any pesticides. You may use a mild solution of plain dish soap if you like, but be sure to rinse well.
Place the peppers over low heat on a gas BBQ grill or gas stove. Turn the peppers often until the skin slowly bubbles and turns black. Put the hot peppers into a covered ceramic dish or paper bag and allow to cool for ten to twenty minutes. Peel away the burnt skin. Slice lengthwise and remove the seeds and veins.
Puree the peppers and garlic in a food processor. Add a little of the vinegar if needed. Place the puree, the rest of the vinegar, and the spices in a non-aluminum saucepan and heat to a simmer, stirring often. Simmer for ten minutes or more, stirring constantly.
Pour into sterilized canning jars or bottles and seal. Let stand upside down for ten minutes or more to sterilize the lid. Let cool before refrigerating.
Can be used immediately, or let age in the refrigerator for at least 2 weeks for the flavors to mature.
Blanched Hot Pepper Sauce
2-3 cups hot peppers, according to your taste. Use 1 variety or a mixture of several for added flavor.
2 cups white vinegar
1 medium onion
2-3 cloves garlic
2-3 small to medium fleshy tomatoes
¼ tsp ground cumin
1 Tbs lemon or lime juice
salt to taste
Wash peppers in running water to remove any pesticides. You may use a mild solution of plain dish soap if you like, but be sure to rinse well. Remove stems from your peppers and slice lengthwise into four sections. For a milder sauce, remove the seeds and veins, for a hotter, slightly bitter sauce leave them in. Rinse again in running water.
Heat vinegar in a non-aluminum saucepan until it starts to steam. Add prepared peppers and stir. If needed, add more vinegar until peppers are covered. Bring vinegar to a boil and blanch the peppers in the vinegar for two to three minutes. Remove from heat. Remove the peppers and set aside to drain, save the vinegar.
Remove outer layer of onion and cut into quarters. Place in a food processor and puree until smooth, adding a little of the vinegar if needed. Puree the garlic, tomatoes and the blanched peppers.
Add all of the pureed items to a non-aluminum saucepan.
Add ¼ cup of the vinegar used to blanch the peppers, the cumin, lemon or lime juice, and salt to taste. Heat to a simmer, stirring often. Simmer for ten minutes or more, stirring constantly.
Pour into sterilized canning jars or bottles and seal. Let stand upside down for ten minutes or more to sterilize the lid. Let cool before refrigerating.
Can be used immediately, or let age in the refrigerator for at least 2 weeks for the flavors to mature.
Fun Variations:
Fruity Hot Sauce
Add pureed kiwi, apple, mango, papaya, or other flavorful fruit before cooking.
Southwestern Hot Sauce
Add pureed cooked black beans and corn before cooking.
Cajun Hot Sauce
Replace spices in above recipes with an equal amount of your favorite Canjun spice blend.
Garlic Lover's Hot Sauce
Roast or bake an entire bunch of garlic until soft. Squeeze the garlic out of the skins and add to the pureed sauce before cooking.
Caribbean Hot Sauce
Replace spices in above recipes with 1 ½ tsp Jamaican Jerk, ½ tsp ginger, ½ tsp allspice, ½ tsp salt, 1 Tbs orange juice concentrate, and 1 Tbs molasses
Orange Hot Sauce
Use orange Habanero peppers, orange tomatoes, and yellow onion as your base ingredients. Add pureed cooked carrots to tone down the heat and add more flavor, if desired.
