# My first attempt at making hot sauce...more pictures now!



## fpnmf (Aug 3, 2011)

I buy hot sauce whenever I see a nice looking bottle.

Mainly habenaro..I like hot.

I was at one of the cutesy beach stores a few weeks ago and go a bottle of habenaro and jalapeno sauce.

It is kinda chunky and set me on fire, I like it.

Every time I look at the ingredients lists on bottles I say "Hey I should make my own".

So I googled making hot sauce and picked out the easiest recipe I could find.

1 quart jar

Chop peppers...(wear gloves)

Put a layer of salt on the bottom of the jar.

1/4 to 3/8 inch layer of peppers.

Layer of salt and so on.

Cheesecloth over the top and hold it down with a rubber band and put it in a cabinet.

Let it ferment for a week.

Fill to cover peppers with vinegar and back in cabinet for a week.

Puree and into fridge,draining vinegar as it  floats to the top.

Save the vinegar for spicing stuff.

There ya have it.

I had a bunch of peppers given to me..so we will see how it goes.

Have a great day!!

  Craig

First day...


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## venture (Aug 3, 2011)

Beautiful pic!  I like hot stuff.  Not sure I am ready for this one, tho.  It sounds REALLY hot.

Good luck and good smoking.


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## SmokinAl (Aug 4, 2011)

Looks good Craig!

Can't wait to see how it tastes.


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## jak757 (Aug 4, 2011)

Sounds great, looks great too.  Looking forward to seeing how it turns out.  I just may have to try this.


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## tank (Aug 4, 2011)

Keep us up to date.  I am always interested in hot sauce.


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## tjohnson (Aug 4, 2011)

Can it really be that simple?

Great Looking Pic!

Todd


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## daveomak (Aug 5, 2011)

I love the way it looks.........all the pretty colors layered so nicely.......but there is no way this mamby-pamby could eat it.....


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## fpnmf (Aug 5, 2011)

Day 4 after 4 chopped up cloves of Daves fresh garlic on top last nite.

The house smells sooooo good.

Almost full of fermented juice.

Whoooo hoooooo!!!

Have a great day!

  Craig


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## SmokinAl (Aug 5, 2011)

Looks better every day!


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## chef willie (Aug 5, 2011)

hmmmm, looks veryyyyy interesting. I've never considered fermenting the peppers....seems a bit like making kimchee. After the puree you gonna run it thru a foodmill?? I often make hot sauce using dried arbol chilis but do the boil method. I have about 6 jalapeno plants in the garden....will have to try this one. Thanks for the post, looking forward to the updates


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## fpnmf (Aug 5, 2011)

Chef Willie said:


> hmmmm, looks veryyyyy interesting. I've never considered fermenting the peppers....seems a bit like making kimchee. After the puree you gonna run it thru a foodmill?? I often make hot sauce using dried arbol chilis but do the boil method. I have about 6 jalapeno plants in the garden....will have to try this one. Thanks for the post, looking forward to the updates


I love the sauce made by the La guys at Mcllhenny.

I looked at how they used to make and how they make it now.

All I need is some little oak barrels and it would be very close.

Gonna puree then thru a sieve, Then into the fridge and drain the vinegar that floats up.....gonna save it too.

     Thanks for your interest...  It is much fun...

  Craig


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## rp ribking (Aug 5, 2011)

Craig, Looks real good, I'll PM you my address or you may all ready have it, for a sample.

Since I have been smokin' meat I have found out that non-spicy people are a minority, most people like it spicy/hot.

RP


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## fpnmf (Aug 5, 2011)

rp RibKing said:


> Craig, Looks real good, I'll PM you my address or you may all ready have it, for a sample.
> 
> Since I have been smokin' meat I have found out that non-spicy people are a minority, most people like it spicy/hot.
> 
> RP


I thought you had sent me a funky addy Mr Smith...Send it to me ...it won't be rocking for a month or so ..but you will get the first taste..

  Craig


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## fpnmf (Aug 11, 2011)

I put the vinegar in to cover..

A few days later it is smelling and looking great!!







Next week I will puree it and into the fridge.

This was looking good and I am happy with it so it was time to kick it up a notch!!

 Went over to see the King of the Piney Woods Plantation...

We gabbed and smoked and laffed for a bit then it was time for me head back.

He gave me 9 grocery store bags of veggies.  Okra, sweet banana peppers, bell peppers,habenaros and jalepenos.

And some venison he has been trying to get rid of.

What a great man!!

So I decided it was time to make a bunch more hot suace!!

I shredded 2 bags of habs and 1.5 bags of Jalepenos, 6 heads of garlic and one onion.

Took about 4 hours to get thru it.

K-Dog stopped by and I tightened him up with veggies and meat and he hung around until the pepper sauce vapor was too much for him.

One glass 2 gallon jar and one of those jugs from the cheese balls from walmart later it was done.







The one on the left has mostly habenaros and the one on the right is mostly jalapenos..







They went into the cabinet under the sink to ferment and will stay there about a week and then the vinegar.

Have a great day!!

  Craig


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## pops6927 (Aug 11, 2011)

Did your dad or mom or Ray take after your love of hot stuff?


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## pineywoods (Aug 11, 2011)

It looks great Craig


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## fpnmf (Aug 11, 2011)

Pops6927 said:


> Did your dad or mom or Ray take after your love of hot stuff?


Not that I know of..

I dont recall any of them liking spicy stuff except Mom did some.

I didn't really care for it much til I moved to Atlanta and expanded my eating with all the different ethnic foods there.

  Craig


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## meateater (Aug 11, 2011)

Chef Willie said:


> I often make hot sauce using dried arbol chilis but do the boil method.




I use the same but use the vinegar method.


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## michael ark (Aug 11, 2011)

It should
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





which is a good thing.


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## fpnmf (Aug 12, 2011)

michael ark said:


> It should
> 
> 
> 
> ...


Thanks!!

  So far I am quite happy with it!!

  Have a great day!!

  Craig


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## daveomak (Aug 12, 2011)

WOW.....another use for the cheese ball containers..........

last winter bride needed containers for christmas cookies etc, metal ones were tiny and expensive..........To the rescue, cheese ball containers........


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## fpnmf (Aug 15, 2011)

Update!!

Pureed it tonite.

Put the lid on it and into the fridge.

Another few weeks of scooping off the vinegar as it rises.

I gotta tell ya  ..It is flaming hot!! About took my breath away!!

Wheeeeee!!!

Have a great day!! 

     Craig


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## oaklandathletic (Aug 15, 2011)

My mouth is a watering looking at those habs....I Just LOVE habs......Thanks for sharing....    =8)


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## tyotrain (Aug 15, 2011)




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## dtcunni (Aug 16, 2011)

Dang man, I used to live in Destin for about 6years and that's not far from you. The peppers look awesome and I love anything hot!...the habaneros may be a little much for me though, but I hope they turn out well for you! Thanks for sharing the pics.


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## fpnmf (Aug 16, 2011)

The refrigerator is sweating...

  Hahahahhaha


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## jirodriguez (Aug 16, 2011)

Man-o-man, that is one great looking jar of wicked goodnes! Don't forget to take a picture of your face in the mirror after you sample a big spoonfull of that sauce! 
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	




 


fpnmf said:


> Update!!
> 
> Pureed it tonite.
> 
> ...


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## pineywoods (Aug 16, 2011)

Where's the Habanero jar or did you mix them?  Have you sampled it yet?


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## fpnmf (Aug 16, 2011)

Pineywoods said:


> Where's the Habanero jar or did you mix them?  Have you sampled it yet?


This is just my first attempt from a few weeks ago..

The 2 gallon jars are under the sink.

No I haven't tried it yet.

The recipe sez let it sit until the vinegar rises and drain it.

   Have a great day!!

   Craig


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## michael ark (Aug 16, 2011)

Hottest iv'e eve'r had is 100%PAIN.http://www.originaljuan.com  Stupid hot.


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## realtorterry (Aug 16, 2011)

Wow I'm sure I couldn't take the habs, but I would love to try the jap. sauce!


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## africanmeat (Aug 17, 2011)

O M G Graig this looks hot hot thanks to Jemm i found this thread   i will start on my sauces  this weekend. thanks for this one

i can see all the food i will do with this hot sauces first i will do.


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## little smokey (Aug 17, 2011)

Man oh man, this forum makes a mans to-do list too damn long to handle.  Great job looks awesome.


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## sqwib (Aug 17, 2011)

Dude THAT IS AWESOME.


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## jemm (Aug 17, 2011)

Is the first pic you posted after 1 day of fermenting or before you put it in the cabinet?  That's basically what mine looks like today (1 day in), just wanna make sure that's normal and I shouldn't add more peppers to fill the jar.


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## fpnmf (Aug 17, 2011)

jemm said:


> Is the first pic you posted after 1 day of fermenting or before you put it in the cabinet?  That's basically what mine looks like today (1 day in), just wanna make sure that's normal and I shouldn't add more peppers to fill the jar.


Yup....about 2 days on it then.....it gets shorter as it ferments..

  Craig


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## fpnmf (Aug 17, 2011)

More new pics..

I strained it out and put it back in the fridge.

Yup..I tried it.....whhoooo hooo it is hot!!!

A little salty..so I am gonna read about what to put in to lose some of the salt.

Put it on a ritz..sweating from the forehead..



















Have a great day!!

  Craig


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## smoke eater5 (Aug 21, 2011)

Looks Good! Gonna give it a try myself! I am a hot sauce nut!


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## jemm (Sep 1, 2011)

Question, so I've pureed my peppers/vinegar/salt mixture and it's sitting in jars in the fridge now.  Basically it's layered so there is liquid on the bottom and the peppers are on top.  Is that normal?  How long did you wait before you strained it?  I did the puree, jar and fridge on tuesday btw.


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## sqwib (Sep 1, 2011)

jemm said:


> Question, so I've pureed my peppers/vinegar/salt mixture and it's sitting in jars in the fridge now.  Basically it's layered so there is liquid on the bottom and the peppers are on top.  Is that normal?  How long did you wait before you strained it?  I did the puree, jar and fridge on tuesday btw.




If you are "Fermenting" the peppers, the refrigerator will significantly slow the fermentation process.


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## lookwow (Sep 1, 2011)

That stuff just looks mean!


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## jemm (Sep 2, 2011)

SQWIB said:


> If you are "Fermenting" the peppers, the refrigerator will significantly slow the fermentation process.




I'm past that.  I'm almost 3 weeks in.  As I said, the peppers are pureed and jared and I'm waiting for the vinegar to seperate to skim it off but I want to make sure I don't need to strain it first before it will seperate...


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## alelover (Sep 2, 2011)

fpnmf said:


> Update!!
> 
> Pureed it tonite.
> 
> ...


I can't believe this is the first I've seen of this post. Been so super busy the last month. Is this what you were telling me about drove the wife out of the house? It looks awesome. I bet that that's some hot stuff. My eyes are burning looking at it.


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## roller (Sep 2, 2011)

That looks really good. I have never made Hot sauce...You can peel a whole potato and put it in there and it will draw some of the salt out of it in a few days...


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## smokin - k (Sep 10, 2011)

Very Nice... I was talking to a buddy about taking all of the fatali peppers I have coming off my plants soon and making a vinegar hot sauce. You have inspired me... Can't wait to hear the screams when you try it... Happy Times, Smokin - K


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## fpnmf (Sep 19, 2011)

Well I am a month late but here's the skinny..

After it sat pureed for a week I strained it again and put some potatoes in it as it was a tad salty.

It is awesome now. Got a bag of fresh Apalachicola oysters to celebrate this weekend and it made them absolutely marvelous.

Now for the bad news.....when hell broke loose here I forgot about the 2 two gallon jugs under the sink and they rotted.

Oh well....I think that I will make quart sized batches now anyway.

  Have a great day!!!

  Craig


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## michael ark (Sep 19, 2011)

If momma ain't happy nobody is.


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## roller (Sep 19, 2011)

Sounds great will have to try that some day....SOON !


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## joecue (Sep 21, 2011)

what can you use in place of cheesecloth on top?  would a coffee filter work?  I have a bunch of anahiem's on the plants at home and don't know what to do with them..  a green hot sauce sounds great!


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## reloadmike78 (Sep 21, 2011)

That stuff looks nuclear!  I love it!  I gotta try that!


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## fpnmf (Sep 21, 2011)

joecue said:


> what can you use in place of cheesecloth on top?  I have a bunch of anahiem's on the plants at home and don't know what to do with them..  a green hot sauce sounds great!


It's just a vent..Use a chunk of old t-shirt or something similar...

  Craig


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## sierra (Sep 21, 2011)

Just looking at the pictures is making my eyes water! 

Have you tried tossing some wings in the sauce yet?


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## hurriken (Sep 23, 2011)

I'm trying this now but I have a question. Why use white vinegar? Is there something about it that it needs to be white vinegar? Why not use a more flavorful vinegar?


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## fpnmf (Sep 23, 2011)

Sierra said:


> Just looking at the pictures is making my eyes water!
> 
> Have you tried tossing some wings in the sauce yet?


I have added it to the sauce I use for wings that I normally use a bottled pepper sauce with... It is way good..

And I don't need much...




Hurriken said:


> I'm trying this now but I have a question. Why use white vinegar? Is there something about it that it needs to be white vinegar? Why not use a more flavorful vinegar?


The recipe called for white vinegar.

Next batch I may use apple or some other vinegar..

I didn't post the recipe..here it is.... http://www.pepperfool.com/recipes/hotsauce/rich_hab.html  

  Have a great day!!

  Craig


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## hurriken (Sep 23, 2011)

But is there something "scientific" to using white vinegar?


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## DanMcG (Sep 29, 2012)

Great post Craig! I can't believe I never saw it before this.
 I got a boat load of Thai bird peppers that I got to pick soon and I'm going to give it a shot.


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## diggingdogfarm (Sep 29, 2012)

Great thread!!!

Hot sauce making in one of my passions!


~Martin


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## mike johnson (Sep 29, 2012)

Im so glad I saw this. I have never made hotsauce before but Im definately going to make some now. Thanks for posting this


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## kwats4 (Sep 29, 2012)

you really need a trap on the lid, like brewers use for beer and wine. http://www.northernbrewer.com/shop/...eab33525d08d6e5fb8d27136e95/i/m/image_366.jpg

you dont want air going into the container just co2 coming out


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## diggingdogfarm (Sep 29, 2012)

It is best to eliminate as much oxygen as you can because it can lead to the growth of some funky stuff.
No need for a special airlock.....I ferment in half gallon canning jars, filling the jar with peppers (or whatever else I'm fermenting) and topping off with brine...all the way up to the rim, so the jar is completely full...top with a canning lid without the ring, and top that with a weight.


~Martin


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## linguica (Sep 29, 2012)

When you bottle your hot sauce don't forget the warning disclaimer " Caution Weapons Quality Hot Sauce" I grow my own horseradish and when i grate up a bunch i have to wear a wet cloth over nose and mouth. Even the dog won't come into the kitchen.


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## timleo (Sep 29, 2012)

>


That looks like something my wife would spoon all over her dinner, and then complain she hates mexican food because it's too hot.   It looks good, but maybe a little too much for my medium (not hot) taste


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## fpnmf (Sep 29, 2012)

DiggingDogFarm said:


> I ferment in half gallon canning jars, filling the jar with peppers (or whatever else I'm fermenting) and topping off with brine...all the way up to the rim, so the jar is completely full...top with a canning lid without the ring, and top that with a weight.
> ~Martin


What's in the brine?? Recipes???..How tos??

Got any pichers???

I followed the recipe and it was great..I did have a batch I lost track of and it got nasty quite quickly tho..

http://www.pepperfool.com/recipes/hotsauce/rich_hab.html


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## mike johnson (Sep 29, 2012)

Well I just made the plunge. Went to the store after reading this and bought 3 lbs. of Jalepenos and just got done dicing and putting into jars. I probably had enough to do 3 but thought about doing some ABT's tommorow
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





. Cant wait to see how it turns out. Ill post some pics of the process starting at the next stage.


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## fpnmf (Sep 29, 2012)

Awesome...


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## diggingdogfarm (Sep 29, 2012)

fpnmf said:


> What's in the brine?? Recipes???..How tos??
> 
> Got any pichers???
> 
> ...



I'll start a thread next batch I make, in a couple weeks or so.

~Martin


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## shoneyboy (Oct 31, 2012)

Sounds good .....But I can't take the heat.......
	

	
	
		
		



		
		
	


	





.... I will have to give it a try with a milder pepper though......


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## fpnmf (Nov 1, 2012)

Shoneyboy said:


> Sounds good .....But I can't take the heat.......
> 
> 
> 
> ...


One of my favorite sauces is rated as mild..

The next time I make sauce it wont be quite so hot...

http://www.pepperpalace.com/Southern_Peach_Vidalia_Onion_p/q280.htm


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