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Fermented Hot Sauce
Making your own hot sauce at home is a rewarding project that delivers complex, tangy heat. Fresh serrano peppers, carrots, shallots, and garlic ferment together in a simple saltwater brine to build deep flavor over a week. A strip of lime peel adds a bright citrus note to the mix. Once fermented, the vegetables are blended smooth with a splash of the reserved brine. The result is a bold, gut-friendly condiment you can keep in the fridge to spice up eggs, tacos, and roasted meats.
Ingredients
- 2½ cups (600 ml) water
- 1 tablespoon fine sea salt
- 8 ounces (225 g) small hot chile peppers (such as serrano)
- ½ carrot
- 1 shallot, sliced
- 2 to 3 garlic cloves, cut into quarters
- 1 lime
Instructions
- 1Combine the water and salt in a small saucepan over high heat. Stir until the salt dissolves completely, then set the mixture aside to cool.
- 2Put on gloves and slice the chile peppers in half lengthwise. Remove the stems and as many seeds as you prefer for your desired heat level, then pack the peppers into a clean 32-ounce wide-mouthed jar.
- 3Slice the unpeeled carrot thinly and place it in the jar with the sliced shallot and quartered garlic cloves. Peel a long strip of zest from the lime and drop it into the jar.
- 4Pour the cooled saltwater brine over the vegetables to submerge them completely.
- 5Weigh down any floating chiles with a clean small plate or a fermentation weight to keep them under the liquid.
- 6Cover the jar loosely with its lid or a piece of cheesecloth. Store the jar in a cool, dark place to ferment for five to seven days.
- 7Strain the mixture, reserving about one cup of the fermentation brine. Discard the lime peel and transfer the fermented peppers and vegetables to a blender.
- 8Add half a cup of the reserved brine to the blender and process on high speed until completely smooth. Blend in a little more brine if you prefer a thinner consistency.
- 9Pour the finished hot sauce into a clean jar or squeeze bottle. Store the sauce in the refrigerator for up to one month.
Notes
- Leave more seeds in the chile peppers if you prefer a spicier hot sauce, or remove them entirely for a milder flavor.