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First hot sauce attempt

b3rnd

b3rnd

Hey there people! I just tried to make my hot sauce according to the following recipe:
 
  • 1 onion, chopped
  • 2 garlic cloves, chopped
  • 1 cup carrot, chopped
  • 2 cups water
  • 10 habanero peppers, seeded and fine chopped (more or less based on the heat level you desire.)
  • 3 tablespoons lime juice, can also use orange juice
  • 3 tablespoons white vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • optional papayas, prickly pear fruit or mango
Sauté garlic in coated sauce pan. Once the garlic starts to give off it's aroma, add the onion, carrots, and water.
 
Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer until the carrots are soft.
 
Remove from heat .
 
Add habaneros, optional fruits, lime juice and salt to the carrot mixture.
 
Place in a blender and puree until it reaches a smooth consistency.
 
Pour into sterilized bottles or jars and seal. Keep refrigerated.
 
Click to expand...
 
 
I followed the recipe exactly, although I had to change the measurements from US to metric so it could be a little bit off. I used a mango as the optional fruit. The sauce turned out spicy as hell so I succeeded on the hot part. But it had a very strong Chinense aroma, which I hoped to mask with the mango. I tried to add some honey to balance the heat a bit but it didn't help with the Chinense aroma and in the end I might have added too much honey.. Whoops.
 
Any tips here? I'd love to get good at making hot sauces. I have one planned with passion fruit and peaches, but I really need to find a way to mask the Chinense aroma...
 
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Jubnat said:
I don't know, maybe you could cook it longer to mellow the flavor.
 
But, every time I make hot sauce, I'm trying to figure out how to preserve or amplify that chinense aroma and flavor.
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Yeah opinions seem to be all over the place regarding liking the flavor or not. I'm not a big fan, although I like it if it's in the background. I have a store-bought mango-habanero hot sauce that I gobble up. But it doesn't have a noticeable Chinense flavor at all. I'm gonna let it cool down now to see if that changes anything. If it doesn't I'll cook it longer.
 
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Cook longer. Similar to garlic, the fresher, the harsher. You can add water as you lose water to get to the consistency you need.
 
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sirex said:
User less Habs. Perhaps a super or two instead. You aren't making a lot of sauce there so the heat from a couple supers instead will keep the heat level but diminish the overall chinense flavor.

Use some other peppers for volume. Maybe some bells or some type of sweet peppers.
Click to expand...
 
 
This..^^^
 
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Indeed, it basically marinates in its own juices, so to speak, so everything starts to meld as it lends flavors to surrounding flavors... and becomes much more incorporated.
 
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I have been making my own Hot Sauces for 6-8 yrs now. the one thing I stress is you cant taste the sauce right away.  If you let the sauce sit a few days after bottled it will taste completely different.  This heavy Chinense taste you keep commenting about is common after just cooking.  It will or should die down after a few days and then you should have a nice smooth and mellow tasting sauce. 
 
 
I am no expert but this is just what I have found over the years. 
 
 
cheers and good luck! 
 
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sirex said:
User less Habs. Perhaps a super or two instead. You aren't making a lot of sauce there so the heat from a couple supers instead will keep the heat level but diminish the overall chinense flavor.

Use some other peppers for volume. Maybe some bells or some type of sweet peppers.
Click to expand...
 
Thanks! I don't have superhots available right now unfortunately. Will try to use other peppers for volume though! 
 
The Hot Pepper said:
Cook longer. Similar to garlic, the fresher, the harsher. You can add water as you lose water to get to the consistency you need.
Click to expand...
 
Cool, thank you for the tip! Will try to cook longer. Hope to find the sweet spot because I do like the flavor, just nog when it's so prominent.
 
The Hot Pepper said:
Can also roast the peppers first which cooks but also adds a nice roasted flavor.
Click to expand...
 
That sounds good too! Any tips on roasting? I've tried it in a pan but it gave more of a burned flavor.
 
sirex said:
In the same vein as THP the longer you let it sit, the more the flavor will meld. There is a definite difference in fresh sauce and sauce that has been processed and melded for 2 weeks, 4 weeks etc.
Click to expand...
 
Well I hope to find out soon enough then! Gonna try to make some more sauce with different peppers and fruits to try some combinations.
 
The Hot Pepper said:
Indeed, it basically marinates in its own juices, so to speak, so everything starts to meld as it lends flavors to surrounding flavors... and becomes much more incorporated.
Click to expand...
 
That sentence just made my mouth water, lol!
 
Buzzman19 said:
I have been making my own Hot Sauces for 6-8 yrs now. the one thing I stress is you cant taste the sauce right away.  If you let the sauce sit a few days after bottled it will taste completely different.  This heavy Chinense taste you keep commenting about is common after just cooking.  It will or should die down after a few days and then you should have a nice smooth and mellow tasting sauce. 
 
 
I am no expert but this is just what I have found over the years. 
 
 
cheers and good luck! 
Click to expand...
 
Good tip, thank you! Hope to gain the same experience as you guys on here one day.
 
 
 
I have another question: how do I get a smoother texture? I've been blending my sauce for a long time but it still has that 'mashy' texture. 
 
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b3rnd said:
I have another question: how do I get a smoother texture? I've been blending my sauce for a long time but it still has that 'mashy' texture. 
Click to expand...
 
This goes back to cook time. Tomatoes eventually becomes tomato paste. ;)
 
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sirex said:
Most people skin the veggies after they roast them ( I don't though ). Put the peppers into a paper bag for about 10 minutes and then slide the skin right off.

Smoother texture. After you cook do you blend again? If not do that and then run it through a food mill. That'll smooth it right out.
Click to expand...
 
 
The Hot Pepper said:
 
This goes back to cook time. Tomatoes eventually becomes tomato paste. ;)
Click to expand...
 
Cooked it for a while more and it still doesn't quite have the texture I want. It helped a bit though! I guess I'll be buying a food mill tomorrow. Does it make any difference if I'm using a hand blender or a 'normal' blender?
 
Edit: Oh and cooking it more definitely helped with the Chinense flavor! Thanks for all the tips people. 
 
One more thing. I ordered some litmus strips to check my Ph, but the color of the sauce is the same as the color of a Ph of 4 on the strip. No money for an expensive Ph-meter right now. I added about triple the amount of acids it said in the recipe to be sure. Any tips on this?
 
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Put a lid on it for awhile on low so it cooks but does not lose moisture, this will also let you cook it until everything breaks down. You can add water if it loses too much, and manage the consistency this way, but if the texture is not there yet, cooking will do it. Apples make apple sauce, chunky or smooth, and eventually apple butter, it's all about cooking. I don't even use a food mill but others do.
 
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The Hot Pepper said:
Put a lid on it for awhile on low so it cooks but does not lose moisture, this will also let you cook it until everything breaks down. You can add water if it loses too much, and manage the consistency this way, but if the texture is not there yet, cooking will do it. Apples make apple sauce, chunky or smooth, and eventually apple butter, it's all about cooking. I don't even use a food mill but others do.
Click to expand...
 
So cooking it longer doesn't matter that much? I was really afraid to overcook it. How long do you think I should cook it for?
 
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b3rnd said:
So cooking it longer doesn't matter that much? I was really afraid to overcook it. How long do you think I should cook it for?
Click to expand...
 
Until you get the consistency/texture you desire.
 
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