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Aji Amarillo hot sauce

J

jhc

I thought it might be interesting to make a sauce with these peppers even though I have no experience with them. So I've acquired dried pods (aka aji mirasol) and a small jar of the paste. Fresh pods are impossible right now and I'm not totally sure if I could get them in the summer locally (maybe by mail?)
 
But I've also noticed there are precious few commercial hot sauces with this pepper. I've seen exactly 2 and both of them combine aji amarillo with habanero and fruits/spices that seem to be more Caribbean in style. Might be delicious but 1) I just made a topical/Caribbean habanero sauce and want to try a different profile and 2) this method would seem to make it unusable in any kind of traditional Peruvian cuisine except maybe a non-traditional version of ceviche. 
 
So I'm wondering... has anyone made an actual hot sauce with these? Should I even try? My current thoughts are: if I do, keep it as simple as possible. Either wait for fresh pods (if I'm lucky) or use the paste and/or dried pods. If the latter, maybe add a few fire roasted yellow bells to bring back some of the freshness? Then maybe garlic and little else to preserve the aji flavor and keep it as versatile as possible. Another possibility would be an aji amarillo citrus (I really like the idea of mandarins/tangerines to complement the description I keep seeing as "liquids sunshine) but again I think I'd be limited to ceviche/escabeche type dishes if I went that route.
 
If anyone uses these peppers I'd greatly appreciate some guidance. Thanks.
 
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jhc said:
I thought it might be interesting to make a sauce with these peppers even though I have no experience with them. So I've acquired dried pods (aka aji mirasol) and a small jar of the paste. Fresh pods are impossible right now and I'm not totally sure if I could get them in the summer locally (maybe by mail?)
 
But I've also noticed there are precious few commercial hot sauces with this pepper. I've seen exactly 2 and both of them combine aji amarillo with habanero and fruits/spices that seem to be more Caribbean in style. Might be delicious but 1) I just made a topical/Caribbean habanero sauce and want to try a different profile and 2) this method would seem to make it unusable in any kind of traditional Peruvian cuisine except maybe a non-traditional version of ceviche. 
 
So I'm wondering... has anyone made an actual hot sauce with these? Should I even try? My current thoughts are: if I do, keep it as simple as possible. Either wait for fresh pods (if I'm lucky) or use the paste and/or dried pods. If the latter, maybe add a few fire roasted yellow bells to bring back some of the freshness? Then maybe garlic and little else to preserve the aji flavor and keep it as versatile as possible. Another possibility would be an aji amarillo citrus (I really like the idea of mandarins/tangerines to complement the description I keep seeing as "liquids sunshine) but again I think I'd be limited to ceviche/escabeche type dishes if I went that route.
 
If anyone uses these peppers I'd greatly appreciate some guidance. Thanks.
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I haven't tried it, but I think they would make an awesome sauce or jelly. I grew Queen Laurie last year, which is very similar. The flavor is good, fruity, similar heat to Jalapeno. I have a bunch frozen, so will make something with them at some point.
 
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Inca's Food and Goya both sell canned Aji Amarillo. Inca's also sells canned rocoto and frozen Amarillo.. They both also sell the paste.
Some Walmarts carry them too
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Goya-Aji-Amarillo-Yellow-Chili-1-lb/46161551
 
I got a can of these just for a hot sauce test.
lamarillo.gif
 
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Edmick said:
My local grocery store sells a "private selection" aji amarillo hot sauce. It's a Kroger store brand. I was very surprised to see a generic store brand aji amarillo sauce. I have not tried it yet though.
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That's one of the two I've seen. Online that is, never in person. They add habanero powder and a bunch of tropical fruits to it.
 
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ShowMeDaSauce said:
Inca's Food and Goya both sell canned Aji Amarillo. Inca's also sells canned rocoto and frozen Amarillo.. They both also sell the paste.
Some Walmarts carry them too
https://www.walmart.com/ip/Goya-Aji-Amarillo-Yellow-Chili-1-lb/46161551
 
I got a can of these just for a hot sauce test.
lamarillo.gif
Click to expand...
I have the paste version of this. I should see if local Walmart has it so I don't have to order it online if I want some more, thanks.
 
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If you've ever been to a Peruvian joint, the orange/yellow hot sauce is what you need to make. Goes excellent with grilled chicken, fish, etc.
 
I trust Thegreenchilemonster when he says, this is a good recipe:
 
(for when you get fresh pods, or you can rehydrate the dried)
 
https://youtu.be/M6XaBH2H_rw
 
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Edmick said:
My local grocery store sells a "private selection" aji amarillo hot sauce. It's a Kroger store brand. I was very surprised to see a generic store brand aji amarillo sauce. I have not tried it yet though.
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Mine does too, and I was pleasantly surprised by how good it was! (Stop & Shop, not Kroger)

I think it was only like $1.99 or something too. Made with passion fruit juice, and they add some hab powder and other stuff. Not the greatest sauce I've ever had, but for 2 bucks......sheeeeeeyit, definitely worth it

IMG_6220.PNG


Ingredients
Water, Yellow Pepper Puree (Yellow Bell Peppers, Water), Aji Amarillo Puree (Water, Aji Amarillo Chili Peppers, Spice), White Vinegar, Sugar, Passion Fruit Juice Concentrate, Garlic Puree (Garlic, Water), Ginger Puree, Salt, Soybean Oil, Rice Starch, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Habanero Pepper Powder, Allspice, Nutmeg, Clove, Cinnamon, Xanthan Gum.
 
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The Hot Pepper said:
If you've ever been to a Peruvian joint, the orange/yellow hot sauce is what you need to make. Goes excellent with grilled chicken, fish, etc.
 
I trust Thegreenchilemonster when he says, this is a good recipe:
 
(for when you get fresh pods, or you can rehydrate the dried)
Click to expand...
That doesn't look shelf-stable ;)
 
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MikeUSMC said:
Mine does too, and I was pleasantly surprised by how good it was! (Stop & Shop, not Kroger)

I think it was only like $1.99 or something too. Made with passion fruit juice, and they add some hab powder and other stuff. Not the greatest sauce I've ever had, but for 2 bucks......sheeeeeeyit, definitely worth it

attachicon.gif
IMG_6220.PNG

Ingredients
Water, Yellow Pepper Puree (Yellow Bell Peppers, Water), Aji Amarillo Puree (Water, Aji Amarillo Chili Peppers, Spice), White Vinegar, Sugar, Passion Fruit Juice Concentrate, Garlic Puree (Garlic, Water), Ginger Puree, Salt, Soybean Oil, Rice Starch, Onion Powder, Garlic Powder, Habanero Pepper Powder, Allspice, Nutmeg, Clove, Cinnamon, Xanthan Gum.
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Haha! That the same thing as Edmick's sauce, just re-branded. Here's the Private Reserve ingredients
 
NGREDIENTS: WATER,YELLOW PEPPER PUREE (YELLOW BELL PEPPERS, WATER), AJI AMARILLO PUREE (WATER, AJI AMARILLO CHILI PEPPERS, SPICE), WHITE VINEGAR, SUGAR, PASSION FRUIT JUICE CONCENTRATE, GARLIC PUREE (GARLIC, WATER), GINGER PUREE, SALT, SOYBEAN OIL, RICE STARCH, ONION POWDER, GARLIC POWDER, HABANERO PEPPER POWDER, ALL SPICE, NUTMEG, CLOVE, CINNAMON, XANTHAN GUM.
 
here's the other one I found online
https://www.humblehousefoods.com/online-store/Habanero-%26-Aji-Amarillo-Hot-Sauce-p57990963
 
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The Hot Pepper said:
"keep refrigerated" on label if gifts.
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I think I might make a real basic shelf stable sauce - the paste, the rehydrated pods, a couple yellow bells, a little onion and garlic, and citric acid to het the pH down. 
 
If it tastes ok, it could be versatile enough to add to make some of these peruvian dishes or add to ceviche and maybe some other things too, not sure. If it seems to work ok I could do a better version later with fresh pods. 
 
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Aji amarillo is one of my absolute favorite peppers to grow. I've made plenty of hot sauces, jellies, paste, pickled slices, and even added them to home brew. For my taste, a pepper garden is not complete without at least one aji amarillo plant.

They also freeze well, so you can cook with them year round. A good 1/4 of my freezer is dedicated exclusively to bags of aji amarillo pods from the garden.

FYI that store bought paste usually has preservatives, so doing a fermented sauce is a bit tough. If you have to use the paste for a sauce, at least get one that has citric acid as the preservative. I would recommend hitting up your local latin market frozen section for some frozen pods, since they are unadulterated, and ready for your hot sauce desires!
 
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Thegreenchilemonster said:
Aji amarillo is one of my absolute favorite peppers to grow. I've made plenty of hot sauces, jellies, paste, pickled slices, and even added them to home brew. For my taste, a pepper garden is not complete without at least one aji amarillo plant.

They also freeze well, so you can cook with them year round. A good 1/4 of my freezer is dedicated exclusively to bags of aji amarillo pods from the garden.

FYI that store bought paste usually has preservatives, so doing a fermented sauce is a bit tough. If you have to use the paste for a sauce, at least get one that has citric acid as the preservative. I would recommend hitting up your local latin market frozen section for some frozen pods, since they are unadulterated, and ready for your hot sauce desires!
Click to expand...
 

 
I froze a gal bag o AA's this past season...They are so good I hardly use the other peppers from the freezer for cooking.  I'm doubling the seedling count this year. 
 
I was thinking a vinegar based with peaches for a stable sauce with some of the frozen pods I have left...maybe mix in some yellow rocoto's..
 
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