Roasted Ghost Pepper Louisiana Style Hot Sauce

Well, it seems that "pepper season" is just about over for our impulse buy ghost pepper plant. The branches are full of peppers so I better get off my butt and figure out what to do with these. I've killed off all my friends already, so I gotta figure something out soon!

So far I've made some guacamole and BBQ Sauce, even infused vodka, I've even tried these in a stir fry.....talk about a butt burner. And yet, the initial flavor when you eat one of these is so good, flowery and fragrant.....

 So I decided I better make some hot sauces. I thought I'd start with a basic Louisiana style hot sauce, since it's pretty easy to make and all. Plus, a couple of these style hot sauces are always in our kitchen. Plus, it's pretty easy to make a basic version. There were a couple of things to contemplate. Because of the heat factor, there ain't no way I'd be using more than a couple of these for a batch, so I had to figure some way to maintain that reddish-orange hue. I wanted to emphasize a bit of smokiness as well without losing the integrity of the flowery-heat. I decided to roast the peppers and only use 4, seeds and all.....why waste all that heat, right?

Anyway, I looked in the fridge tonight and this is all I have left, so I thought I'd better get posting.......

You can, of course add more, or less peppers, or even mix and match. I figure I'd be using about a pound of regular chilies to about 2 cups of vinegar. I don't have to mention using gloves when working with these peppers, right? Be careful after as well.....contact burns are not fun.

As for uses. Well, anywhere you'd use Tabasco, Crystal, or Frank's..... I used some on a Lamb Loco Moco I made.

It was really good. The hot sauce goes well with eggs.......

Roasted Ghost Pepper Louisiana Style Hot Sauce:

4 Roasted Ghost Peppers
1 Red Bell Pepper chopped coarsely
1 1/2 Cup Distilled White Vinegar
6 Cloves of roasted garlic smashed
1 tsp Liquid Smoke

- Put everything in a non-reactive saucepan and bring to a simmer.
- Hot your breath, otherwise you'll start sneezing like crazy
- Simmer until red bell peppers soften about 7-8 minutes
- Pour into a blender...be careful with this!
- Process until smooth
- Pour into a sterilized jar, let cool, then steep for 10-14 days
- Once everything settles, strain into sterilized bottles

I'm saving the last of this batch for some wings and I'll probably do this again. Next though, I'm going to try to make that other indispensable hot sauce/condiment, Sriracha.

Stay Tuned!

Comments

[Lynnea]

oooh! wow, is that a full quart? you guys go through a lot of hot sauce =D I'll look forward to the sriracha recipe!!

[nhbilly]

ouch...

[Kirk]

Hi Lynnea - Oh no...goodness! It's just about 1 3/4 cups, less after waiting and straining.

Hi Billy - It's really not that spicy....pretty good and tolerable.

[Carrie miller]

Do you think this would work with Apple cider vinegar?

[Kirk]

Sorry I missed this Carrie. Yes, I think it would be fine to substitute Apple Cider Vinegar. Though I'm not sure if the ratios would change. And I'm fairly certain that the flavor profile would be different as well. If you try this approach; let me know how it turns out!

[Rich Newton]

Kirk, we have quite a few bhut jolokia, trinidad moruga scorpion and reaper peppers this season. This recipe sounds awesome. Question, will it affect the sauce at all if I strain it after the two weeks into a sauce pan, bring it up to 180 degress or so and use the Hot/Fill/Hold method of preserving?

Cordially,

Rich

[Rich Newton]

One other question if you don't mind - the steeping. In order to do this, do you place the sterilized jar on the counter or in the refrigerator for the 10 - 14 day period?

[Kirk]

Hi Rich - My method is meant to be consumed within a 2-3 months - so it goes in the fridge. Even for steeping.
If you're thinking about a more shelf stable product; there are other steps to follow - especially with regards to pH.
Here are some good resources:

https://www.growandmake.com/diy-hot-sauce-faq/

https://blog.bottlestore.com/how-to-preserve-your-hot-sauce-to-increase-shelf-life/

[Rich Newton]

Thank you so much! Does the sauce change color with the steeping? May have used a tad much vinegar - it's a bit too thin and orange. We'll see! After all, it's a Louisiana vinegar based sauce.

[Kirk]

I did have a couple of batches that were more orange in color than this one. But you're right Rich; it is Louisiana style hot sauce after all. Hope it turns out well for you!