Spicy food is my jam. I put hot sauce, crushed red pepper flakes, or cayenne spices on 90% of my meals. True story. It’s a serious addiction that I’m okay with having. While I love all types of hot sauce, I love me the tanginess of the fermented kind. I’ve only seen them at specialty health stores, but usually they are not the easiest thing to find. And if I’m choosing to eating something as often as I do hot sauce, I’d rather choose the healthier version with all the ingredients I know with tons of probiotics.
After straining the hot sauce, you can use the leftover pulp in recipes like dips and sauces and they add a tasty kick to the dish. If you are a hot sauce fanatic like me, it’s so worth making your own. Not only can you control your own ingredients and have it taste just the way you like it, it’s a great way to boost your immune system!
Ingredients
- 1/2 lb jalapeño peppers
- 5-6 cloves garlic
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp fermented sauerkraut juice
- 6 tbsp filtered water
- 1 tbsp raw, unfiltered apple cider vinegar ("with the mother")
Instructions
- Take off the stems of the jalapeño peppers.
- Put the peppers, garlic cloves, salt, sauerkraut juice, and water into a food processor and blend into a paste. Careful not to get your eyes too close when you open the lid afterwards. The fume released can be quite strong and result in a burning sensation.
- Pour the jalapeño paste into a glass jar, and screw on the lid.
- Leave the jar in at room temperature away from sunlight for 1-2 weeks. The sauce will ferment, bubble, and fade in color. You can open the lid every other day to let it "burp."
- Once the hot sauce is fermented, pour over a cheese cloth or a fine-mesh strainer. Squeeze or press out the liquid as much as you can.
- Add apple cider vinegar and shake well.
- Store the sauce in a glass container in the fridge. You can also save the leftover pulp and add it to sauces and dips.
What size jar do you use? Thanks!
It’s an 8 oz jar.