How To Ferment And Make Your Own Hot Sauce, Easily

habanero peppers

🥗Healthier: jalapeño peppers

💰Cheaper: banana peppers

Jalapeños offer a milder heat, while banana peppers are more economical.

blueberries

🥗Healthier: blackberries

💰Cheaper: frozen blueberries

Blackberries are lower in sugar and frozen blueberries are often cheaper.

vinegar

🥗Healthier: apple cider vinegar

💰Cheaper: white vinegar

Apple cider vinegar adds a fruity note, while white vinegar is less expensive.

lime juice

🥗Healthier: lemon juice

💰Cheaper: bottled lime juice

Lemon juice provides a similar acidity, while bottled lime juice is often cheaper.

Remove the tops from 1 and 1/4 pounds of red Fresno chilies and slice them in half lengthwise.

Place the chilies in a half-gallon mason jar.

In a separate container, mix 1 and 1/4 quarts of filtered water with 51 grams of fine sea salt to create a brine.

Pour the brine over the chilies in the mason jar, ensuring they are submerged. Use a ramekin or plastic bag filled with water to keep them down.

Let the jar sit at room temperature for 5 days to 2 weeks, checking for a white webby film (called calmness) on top, which is safe.

Once fermented, strain the chilies through a mesh strainer, reserving the brine.

In a small saucepan, combine 8 cloves of peeled and thinly sliced garlic with 1/2 cup of neutral oil and cook over medium-low heat until golden brown.

Strain the garlic from the oil and reserve both separately.

In a blender, combine the toasted garlic, the fermented peppers (not the brine), 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons of white vinegar, and 3 tablespoons of the reserved brine. Blend on high speed.

Once smooth, stream in half of the reserved garlic oil and add salt to taste. Adjust seasoning as needed.

Optionally, strain the sauce through a fine mesh strainer for a smoother texture and refrigerate.

To make buffalo wings, toss 2 pounds of chicken wings with 2 teaspoons of baking powder and a little salt in a bowl.

Place the wings on a baking sheet lined with a wire rack and bake at 425 degrees Fahrenheit (218 degrees Celsius) for 30 to 40 minutes.

In a saucepan, combine 2 and 1/2 tablespoons of unsalted butter, 1/4 cup of the homemade hot sauce, 2 dashes of Worcestershire sauce (optional), 1/2 tablespoon of honey, and a pinch of salt. Heat over medium until it comes to a boil, stirring often.

Toss the cooked wings in the buffalo sauce and serve.

Cooking Techniques

Equipment Needed

Spice Level: