Mandarin Hot Sauce

[InCider]

Hi Guys,

Here is a sauce I made a few months ago, and how I went about it. We all have lots of knowledge, and I'd appreciate any suggestions y'all have on how I do it.
On thing that I found frustrating was pouring sauce into a bottle...I've half solved it, and the 'how' is in the pics to follow.

This sauce is what I made from that chillies I had in the garden (I know, you call them peppers, I call them chillies )

Below are the frozen stocks from the freezer - Orange Habs, Scotch Bonnets, Bishops Hats, Yellow long ones and some Birds Eyes.

I then added the secret ingredient... GLOVES!

Coarse dicing and added to a bowl.

Ended up with this much...

Added some Mandarins from the garden - the older they are the juicier, so the ones that look worst taste best.

Peeled and de-seeded.

In a big SS pot to reduce down...

And add vinegar.. one metric handful. Not sure what the US imperial conversion is...

Then blend them to next week. My blender is kangaroo powered.


It's always annoyed me at bottling time that the viscosity of the sauce can take pouring to a whole new level of slow.
So what I do is make a funnel from a PET bottle (I know, 'soda bottle) and pour into another one, with McGuyver take to make a rough seal.
This way I can fill up the funnel, and gently squeeze the receiving bottle to create a vacuum. And bob's your uncle - filled easy and fast.

I filled PET bottles as I was giving a few away of this sauce, and plastic works. Glass is favorite, but not as practical.

When the kids help me I always let them lick the bowl when I'm finished.

 

[patrick]

Looks yummy and quite thick, good for dipping things.

I believe the conversion for a metric handful is a four second pour from the bottle. Or maybe three.

I might be wrong about this but it looks like the lovely young lady is helping to fill that jug, not bowl licking. Either way that's one tough little bird.

Nice post, thanks.

 

[InCider]

Cheers Patrick. I'd love to use it for dipping, but it's a tad hot, even after months in the ridgey didge. I has praying for the mandarin to stay a wee bit sweet, and not develop any bitterness or astringency and it's fine so far.

Sean.

 

[PIC 1]

I like the fact that you're able to grow mandarin oranges in the garden................... .

As far as filling the bottles , you may want to use a "funnel". When using one make sure to keep the tip end in the bottle but leave an air gap between the bottle rim and the funnel spread. Thus eliminating an "air-lock". Otherwise your sauce will not pour into the bottle smoothly.

.
Are the long peppers in the bag "Bulgarian Carrots"

Greg

 

[InCider]

Hi Greg, please to meet you!

I have a funnel for the sauce, but wasn't satisfied with the flow rate, hence the vacuum solution. As for the Bulgarian carrots - I'll take that name as I have no idea what they are the it's a top handle!

As for additives, I grow lemons & lychees also, and have a guava tree, but the the fruit tends to get hammered by fruit bats. So when the sauce is being made, whatever is ripe is fair game!

S.

I like the fact that you're able to grow mandarin oranges in the garden................... .

As far as filling the bottles , you may want to use a "funnel". When using one make sure to keep the tip end in the bottle but leave an air gap between the bottle rim and the funnel spread. Thus eliminating an "air-lock". Otherwise your sauce will not pour into the bottle smoothly.

.
Are the long peppers in the bag "Bulgarian Carrots"

Greg

 

[Emu]

I buy el cheapo hot sauce at Walmart then empty the bottles to use those. I accidentally got a kind with out a plastic reducer, so I had to try to fill it using a 1/4 inch (6mm) hole. I was making myself crazy trying to get it to work, then some one had the brilliant idea of using a meat injector. The needle is big enough to handle thicker sauces and it saved me a ton of time!

 

[InCider]

Hey Emu - like this one?

I buy el cheapo hot sauce at Walmart then empty the bottles to use those. I accidentally got a kind with out a plastic reducer, so I had to try to fill it using a 1/4 inch (6mm) hole. I was making myself crazy trying to get it to work, then some one had the brilliant idea of using a meat injector. The needle is big enough to handle thicker sauces and it saved me a ton of time!

 

[Emu]

Holy crap!!! That thing looks like a torture device!

The one I have is basically an over-sized syringe with a big ol' needle on it. It doesn't hold much more than a couple of ounces, but it worked a lot better than the contraption I was trying to use before, I had hot sauce everywhere...


Mine is very similar to this one.
http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/product.asp?SKU=11791182

 

[InCider]

When I googled the first time I saw that one from your link and though...'nah, too small' haha. It's a top idea Emu. We need to hit up the equine supplies place and get some of these (new of course! ) Will need a larger aperture mod etc.

 

[salsalady]

Hi InCider,

Your sauce looks good and HOT! Chops to the little cutie for getting in on the action also.

Couple of suggestions-
some people use a turkey baster (that funky tube with rubber bulb on the top) to transfer sauce to bottles.

And I notice some mandarin seeds in the mandarin pieces before cooking. Maybe try cooking just the mandarins first with the vinegar and even a splash of water if needed (you can reduce it later to get rid of the water if you want). When they are soft, run them through a food mill to remove the seeds and any larger bits of membrane. The membrane might put a little bitterness in the sauce if there's too much in the sauce.

After running the mandarins through the food mill, back into the pot with the chillis and whatever else.

Here's one-
http://www.lehmans.com/store/Kitchen___Canning_and_Preserving___Food_Mills___The__Foley__Food_Mill___H620971?Args=

keep an eye out at garage sales and thrift stores, you can find 'em for cheap.

BTW, you're fortunate to have the fruit trees in your yard. YUM!
salsalady

 

[busamadman]

I bet this is similar to the Torchbearer #42 sauce I love so very much. My next batch of indoor habs are going to get this treatment for sure (though I'll have to buy the mandarins or tangerines since I can't really do that in USDA zone 6 without bringing 'em in and out)

Thanks for the recipe!

 

[InCider]

Hi InCider,

Your sauce looks good and HOT! Chops to the little cutie for getting in on the action also.

Couple of suggestions-
some people use a turkey baster (that funky tube with rubber bulb on the top) to transfer sauce to bottles.

And I notice some mandarin seeds in the mandarin pieces before cooking. Maybe try cooking just the mandarins first with the vinegar and even a splash of water if needed (you can reduce it later to get rid of the water if you want). When they are soft, run them through a food mill to remove the seeds and any larger bits of membrane. The membrane might put a little bitterness in the sauce if there's too much in the sauce.

After running the mandarins through the food mill, back into the pot with the chillis and whatever else.

Here's one-
http://www.lehmans.c...___H620971?Args=

keep an eye out at garage sales and thrift stores, you can find 'em for cheap.

BTW, you're fortunate to have the fruit trees in your yard. YUM!
salsalady

Hi Salsalady (had to use a capital 'S' to prove that I am a chivalrous gent!) The turkey baster looks good, as does the lehmans mulcher! With the mandarins, I did deseed the ones you saw, and great eyes you have too I was surprised that none of the bitterness came to the fore, it was just hot with a nice pre-bite sweetness - but I will cook them down first next time and see how that goes. Lemons are starting to show on the tree so it will be a race between the mangoes and lemons to see who gets in the next sauce

Sean.

I bet this is similar to the Torchbearer #42 sauce I love so very much. My next batch of indoor habs are going to get this treatment for sure (though I'll have to buy the mandarins or tangerines since I can't really do that in USDA zone 6 without bringing 'em in and out)

Thanks for the recipe!

Hey Busamadman, I've never had #42, but googling it now. Tangerines would be delicious in HS too. I am going to see if I can get some kind of saffron HS going too to mix it up a bit.

Sean.

 

[busamadman]

Hi Sean,

I love all kinds of hot sauce and your recipe looked the most similar to my favorite. It's Called Torchbearer #42 Slaughter sauce (link here: http://www.torchbearersauces.com/our-sauces/slaughter-sauce/ )

Ingredients are listed as: Habenero Peppers, Mandarin Oranges, Carrots, Onions, Tomatoes, Vinegar, Garlic, Sugar, and other all-natural spices.

If I could recreate some, I would make enough to bathe in it. Unfortunately, I'm in the opposite hemisphere and there are no red habs nowadays, even in the specialty stores. However, I'll try and find some orange ones and see what happens. I'm thinking ~50% by volume of peppers, 20% by volume carrots, 15% each of onion and tomato, then the garlic vinegar and salt. I'll post results when I find some orange (or preferably red) habs.

Here's what's in the mix for me tonight for hot cooking: Zhuk

It's Yemeni in origin and it's just throwing the following in a food processor:
- 7-15 hot green peppers (I like to use 15 if using serranos, 12 if using good sized habs, and if I'm feeling bland, 7 large jalapenos in the off season. Tonight are some thai-type green chiles I picked up at the store)
- a nice-sized bunch of cilantro ('bout an overflowing fistful)
- 3-5 cloves of garlic
- heaping teaspoon of cumin (I like cumin so I use up to a tablespoon)
- 3 tablespoons of olive oil
- enough salt to feel comfortable - usually around 2 tsp

I hold down the processor button until it resembles a nice basil pesto. From start to finish is about 10 minutes. Zhuk is addicting, much like the sauce you just made probably is, though this isn't has hot as what you made. Sometimes I'll make a spread with a little mayo to put on sandwiches or burgers and put some of my pickled serranos as a topping - really yummy!

Take care,


Busamadman

 

[InCider]

Whoops! Just deleted my post before posting... FAIL!

Love the Zhuk recipe... I'll sub out the cilantro (coriander for us Downunder folk) with Vietnamese mint. It has a peppery bite to it. Thanks for the recipe and link to the Torchbearer Busamadman. I'd bathe in it too