If you try this recipe, please let us know! Leave a comment, rate it and tag a photo #ChiliPepperMadness on Instagram so we can take a look. I always love to see all of your spicy inspirations. Thanks! – Mike H. There are numerous artisan blends from smaller brand hot sauce makers, along with the big names like Texas Pete’s, Crystal Hot Sauce, Valentina, Melinda’s, Frank’s, and the biggest name of all when it comes to Louisiana Hot Sauce – Tabasco. You can usually find them in grocery stores. If you’ve dabbed the original Tabasco onto your food, you’ve tasted Louisiana hot sauce. It’s a gorgeous thing really, simplicity in its finest form, deliciousness delivered with only 3 ingredients – Chili Peppers, Vinegar, and Salt. With those 3 simple ingredients, however, there are numerous variations, as you’ve most likely tasted.
What types of chili peppers will you use? What type of vinegar? How much salt? What is your ratio of these 3 ingredients? How about a blend of peppers? Using more than one vinegar? What if we introduce other ingredients? What if we ferment it? Age it?
You are free to use any peppers you’d like, though red peppers are ideal to retain the enticing red color. Consider red jalapeno peppers or red serrano peppers, which I can tell you from personal experience make EXCELLENT Louisiana hot sauce. Let’s talk about the biggest factors that will affect the outcome of your Louisiana hot sauce. Use this if you are seeking to mimic the flavors of the larger commercial brands. White Wine Vinegar is a bit more mellow, and Rice Vinegar even more so, with a touch more sweetness. Apple Cider Vinegar is quite fruity, and preferred for when you’re seeking a fruity sweetness. Malt Vinegar has a strong, distinctive flavor from its barley ale beginnings, and well worth experimentation. There are others to consider, such as balsamic vinegar, coconut vinegar, raisin vinegar and more. Experiment to your personal tastes. I have made Louisiana Hot Sauce from superhots and was quite happy with the results. Talk about heat! Just consider that your end flavor, color and heat will be affected by your chili pepper choices. Louisiana Hot Sauce made from fermented peppers is mellower and has more fully developed flavor. That said, Louisiana Hot Sauce made from fresh peppers has a bit more bite to it, and doesn’t take nearly as long to make. I encourage you to make it both ways and see which way you prefer. Because of this, I am including both ways for you to make simple Louisiana Hot Sauce, with fermented peppers and fresh peppers. Next, mix 1 quart unchlorinated water with 3 tablespoons sea salt. Pour just enough brine over the peppers to cover them, pressing them down a bit as you go. It is important to keep the peppers covered with brine to avoid spoilage. Check this daily. Screw on the lid and set the jar away from direct sunlight to ferment for at least 1 week. Ideal temperatures are between 55-75 degrees F. The most active fermentation period is between 1-2 weeks, so be sure to monitor it during this time. “Burp” the jars often by unscrewing the lid a bit to let out some of the accumulating gases. Or, use an airlock or membrane for easier fermenting. See our page, “How to Make Fermented Pepper Mash”, for further instruction. Pour the fermented peppers, including brine, into a pot along with the vinegar. Bring to a quick boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Alternatively, you can strain out the fermented peppers and discard the brine, then boil the peppers with 1 cup vinegar and 1/2-1 teaspoon salt. Some people prefer to use the brine. Cool slightly then add to a food processor and process until smooth. Strain the mixture to remove the solids. Pour into hot sauce bottles and enjoy. Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes to soften everything up. Cool slightly then add to a food processor and process until smooth. If it is too thick, add water a tablespoon at a time and process until smooth. Strain the mixture to remove the solids. Pour into hot sauce bottles and enjoy.
How long will this sauce keep?
It should keep a few months easily in the fridge, or even longer. It’s all about the acidity. Target level ph for shelf stable foods is below 4.6 ph, but should probably be lower for home cooks, around 3.5 or so, to account for errors. If you’re concerned, add more vinegar to lower the ph. The best ph meters that I recommend are from Thermoworks. Get yourself a ph meter from Thermoworks today. I am a happy affiliate. See my post on “Does Hot Sauce Need to be Refrigerated?”
Can I process this hot sauce for longer storage?
Absolutely. Just be sure to use proper canning/jarring safety procedures. Check out more Hot Sauce Recipes or learn more about How to Make Hot Sauce. NOTE: This post was updated on 2/19/21 to include new information. It was originally published on 9/29/17.
