Tabasco Pepper Sauce

This powerful hot sauce is made using Tabasco Peppers (Capsicum frutescens) which are first fermented in a brine before being blended with vinegar. This recipe recommends a high quality Apple Cider Vinegar, but it can be easily substituted for Rice or White Wine vinegar instead.

Tabasco Pepper Sauce

Ingredients

Brine

  • 3 tbsp Salt
  • 2 Cups Water

Sauce

  • 6 oz Tabasco Hot Chili Peppers Chopped
  • 1 Cup Apple Cider Vinegar

Procedure

Preparing the Brine

  1. Prepare the brine by bringing the salt and water to boil in a small saucepan. Once the brine is prepared, set aside and allow to cool while you prepare the peppers
  2. Wash and chop the peppers into small rounds, removing seeds if desired.
  3. Place the warm (not hot) brine over the chopped peppers in a small glass jar with a loose-fitting lid (e.g. a loose mason jar)

Fermenting the Peppers

  1. Set the jar aside in a cool, dark area of the kitchen and allow the mixture to ferment for 2-4 weeks, or longer if desired.
  2. Check the mixture periodically ensuring the brine is light and slightly cloudy. Discard if foul smells or clear signs of rotting are present

Preparing the Sauce

  1. Add the fermented peppers and brine to a saucepan along with the apple cider vinegar
  2. Bring to a boil and allow the mixture to simmer, open, for about 15-20 minutes
  3. Blend the mixture with a stick blender until smooth and consistent
  4. Strain this mixture into a glass jar using a coarse strainer