Homemade Hot Sauce Recipe
Simmering the chiles and garlic in water before blending softens the skins and mellows the raw, sharp edge of fresh chile heat, while a straightforward vinegar-to-water ratio gives the sauce enough acidity to taste bright and keep well in the fridge for months.
- Prep
- 15 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Total
- 25 min
- Servings
- 24
Ingredients
- 12 oz red fresno chiles or red jalapeños, stemmed
- 4 cloves garlic cloves, peeled
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 cup distilled white vinegar
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp granulated sugar
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 22
- Protein
- 1g
- Carbs
- 5g
- Fat
- 0g
Based on the recipe as written, one serving. Recalculates if you swap an ingredient above. An estimate only, exact values depend on the specific ingredients used.
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Instructions
- 1Stem the chiles and halve any larger ones lengthwise; leave the seeds and ribs in for more heat, or scrape them out for a milder sauce.
- 2Combine the chiles, garlic, and water in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over medium heat and cook for 8-10 minutes, until the chiles have softened and turned a duller, cooked red.
- 3Pour the chiles, garlic, and any remaining cooking liquid into a blender. Add the vinegar, salt, and sugar.
- 4Blend on high for 1-2 minutes, until completely smooth. Add a splash more water if the sauce is too thick to pour.
- 5For a smoother, pourable sauce, press it through a fine-mesh sieve with a rubber spatula, discarding the solids left behind.
- 6Taste and adjust, adding more salt for balance or a splash more vinegar for brightness.
- 7Pour into clean glass bottles or a jar. Refrigerate for at least 24 hours before using; the flavor mellows and rounds out as it sits.
Tips & variations
- Swap in habaneros for a hotter, fruitier sauce, or poblanos for something much milder; the method stays the same regardless of chile.
- A small chopped carrot simmered along with the chiles adds body and a touch of natural sweetness without needing extra sugar.
- For a smokier sauce, char the chiles under a broiler for 5 minutes before simmering.
- To ferment instead of cook, pack the raw chopped chiles and garlic in a 3% brine and let them sit at room temperature for 5-7 days before blending with vinegar.
Storage & reheating
Store the bottled sauce in the refrigerator for up to 4 months; the vinegar and salt keep it stable well beyond that, but flavor is best within a few months. No reheating needed, shake before using since separation is normal.
Tips from the Tulo kitchen
- Wear gloves when handling the chiles, especially if seeding them, since chile oils can linger on hands and irritate eyes for hours.
- A funnel makes pouring the strained sauce into narrow bottles much less messy than pouring straight from the blender.
FAQ
How long does homemade hot sauce last?
Refrigerated in a clean, sealed bottle, it keeps well for up to 4 months. The combination of vinegar and salt makes it inhospitable to most spoilage bacteria, though the flavor is freshest in the first 2 months.
Do I need to can or process this sauce?
No. Because it's stored in the refrigerator rather than on a shelf, no water-bath canning or special processing is needed; just use a clean bottle and keep it cold.
Can I make this less spicy?
Remove the seeds and white ribs before cooking, since that's where most of the capsaicin concentrates, or substitute a milder pepper like poblano or Anaheim for some of the fresnos.
Why did my sauce separate in the bottle?
This is normal. The vinegar-based liquid and the pureed solids settle apart over time; just shake the bottle before each use.