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in-the-kitchen Pepper components
- Thread starter spicy.curry
- Start date
That's my boy! 
@Voodoo 6 please explain more
Capsaicin is fat soluble so perhaps adding some oil to the sauce could help bump up the heat? Torchbearer includes oil in many of their sauces and many of them pack quite a punch so that may be a factor in it.
It can also help emulsify a sauce so that you don't have to use xanthan gum.
It can also help emulsify a sauce so that you don't have to use xanthan gum.
I like sauces that include the seeds because I prefer a chunkier more rustic texture and presentation in sauces. I want seeds and bits of peppers and vegetables in the sauce, not one that's super smooth and homogenized like a lot of Melinda's or Yellow Bird sauces are (not that there's anything wrong with liking that style though, just not my preference).
The seeds also have a bit of a bitter flavor element which can add a nice extra bit of depth to the taste of sauces. Bitter is a flavor that's way underutilized in hot sauces IMO.
I hate the hard woody seeds but I certainly don't mind soft seeds. There is a difference and I've had some really bad sauces texture-wise with some woody bits.
Using fats in a sauce, especially if trying to make something shelf stable is big critical factor. I can see where it might contribute to getting more OOMPH in the sauce. If making your own sauces with oils/fats, please be very careful. Torchbearer is a commercial product, they have very specific processes they have to follow which a home/hobby sauce maker likely can't follow. Torchbearer does have some pretty good sauces, and some pretty hot ones!
When getting approved for sauces over the years, they were all good until getting a BBQ sauce made with butter licensed. I had to get Better Process Control School certified because of the butter.
Seeds, no seeds... personal preference. Some peppers like Fresno have a (TON!) of seeds. I would not like a sauce with all them seeds. I have used Fresnos a couple times and always cut open and rip out the big wad of seeds. Others, like habs and superhots, There's not enough seeds to worry about. And those seeds are pretty small. Cooking and processing will soften them up. I do always cut each pepper open to check for bad spots, black seeds, etc.
I like a bit of texture in a sauce. That can also be achieved using a food mill with the appropriate size plate to sieve out the seeds but run pulp thru. I'm thinking a Classico Pasta sauce (which has 1/4" tomato dices) but with a blitz with a boat motor (immersion blender).
Personal Preference. Make what you like. The only time you have to worry about what other people think is if you are developing a sauce for sale to the public. Sheesh, think about Surströmming. Something for everyone...
SL
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