Peppers: Louisiana Hot Sauce

One thing that I have come to realize over last few seasons is the intimate link between growing and preserving.  With an edible garden, you are constantly trying to figure out new and different ways to utilize what your garden is providing.  Generally you can only keep up with the production to a degree and sometimes you have so much of a particular fruit or vegetable you are left with giving it to friends and neighbors, putting it back into your compost pile or preserving it.  This winter we have had a bumper crop of peppers (both regular and hot versions) and it has forced us to figure out ways to preserve to bounty.

Right around Christmas time, in midst of the holiday crunch, I saw that our pepper plants were overflowing.  We weren't going to be around and I was worried about them going to waste, so I picked the plants clean and  made a quick batch of Louisiana Style vinegar hot sauce.  Similar to Tabasco or Frank's Red Hot  but without the fermenting step, it is really quick and easy to make, ready immediately, improves with age, and has tremendous flavor.

ingredients:

• 1/2 cup peppers (I used Serranos and Rooster Spur)
• 1 3/4 tp salt
• 2/3 C white vinegar
• half a carrot (Rachel suggested we try this out on the second batch)

method:

• Cut the tops of the peppers and seed depending on hotness.  Be careful with the eyes here.  Some people use gloves.

• Toss peppers in a kitchen blender with the carrot, salt and vinegar.  Cover and blend for about 5 minutes until completely smooth.

• Pour into prepared canning jars and seal.  I did not process the filled jars as I put this batch directly in the fridge.  Use immediately or let it ferment in the fridge over time.

Voila!  We now have plenty of hot sauce whenever we need it.  Next time, I would really like to use empty hot sauce bottles, though this might be a problem as the finished product is so good I can't imagine ever buying hot sauce again.

final notes:

The carrot was an idea Rachel had for our recent second batch.  It was a great addition, giving a touch of sweetness, cutting the overt presence of the vinegar and adding some complexity to the flavor.  I can't wait to try pickling jalapenos or trying to replicate one of the Chinese chili oils from 99 Ranch Market that we are so fond of using in our stir fries.