We are experimenting with a Caribbean style hot sauce with scotch bonnets as the pepper. I'm interested to know any suggestions to help enhance the finished color of the sauce from its yellowish color to a more orangish color. We use mustard, molasses and brown sugar as some of the ingredients.
Hot Sauce Color Question
- Thread starter Todd's Inner Beauty HS
- Start date
ground annatto seed would work too w/o impacting flavor too much. iirc annatto is one the main ingredients of anchiote so either would work. both are deep orange tinged w red and would help cut some of the yellow. Hope that helps, and good luck with your sauce! 
Use some red Scotch Bonnets.
Thanks guys for these responses. A few follow up comments: The Achiote sounds like an interesting item to try and we will. (widely available?) Whole Foods maybe? The tomato sauce and red bell were ideas in the background but not sure of their impact, large or small on flavor. And regarding just red scotch bonnets; have not been able to find them directly maybe we just are not seeing them here yet as the growing season is early.
I might be 'pouring gas on a fire' but we've heard the debate about habaneros and scotch bonnets being very similar and interchangeable. I'm not a believer personally as we are looking for more of the 'citrus' from the scotch bonnets. Any false truths we should extinguish right away here? Or in other words if we think our recipe calls for scotch bonnets just use them in lieu of habaneros.......
I might be 'pouring gas on a fire' but we've heard the debate about habaneros and scotch bonnets being very similar and interchangeable. I'm not a believer personally as we are looking for more of the 'citrus' from the scotch bonnets. Any false truths we should extinguish right away here? Or in other words if we think our recipe calls for scotch bonnets just use them in lieu of habaneros.......
Beet juice is a natural food color for red, which should turn this orange.
Turmeric is a yellowish orange also used for color, but I think you want more red.
Achiote aka annatto is orange.
Play with those but beet juice may get you where you need to be, or a combo.
PS. Yellow sauces rock, if it's a bright yellow maybe don't change it.
Turmeric is a yellowish orange also used for color, but I think you want more red.
Achiote aka annatto is orange.
Play with those but beet juice may get you where you need to be, or a combo.
PS. Yellow sauces rock, if it's a bright yellow maybe don't change it.
The Hot Pepper said:
Thanks for your ideas too. We thought about beet juice as well. There was concern about getting an 'earthy' flavor. Maybe not since it's only juice. Your thoughts? Color isn't bad now as taste is right where we want it but it could adjust towards a more orange to give it a better 'visual' appearance.
Beet juice is used by natural bakeries to make pink frosting for cupcakes you'd be surprised how neutral it is since you only need a little!
The Hot Pepper said:Beet juice is used by natural bakeries to make pink frosting for cupcakes you'd be surprised how neutral it is since you only need a little!
Depending on how large the batches they are making getting the color right with beet juice could indeed impact flavor. Annatto is the path I'd walk, but I agree that yellow sauces rock as someone said above.
annatto seed/powder will bring you where you need to be going from yellow to orange
Its a staple in regional Texas/Mexican cooking.
No I didnt mean Tex/Mex,whole nother critter there.
Being in NE you wont find it I promise,I ship to a friend up in RI and he has the bug(taste) for Achiote now,loves it.
Its a staple in regional Texas/Mexican cooking.
No I didnt mean Tex/Mex,whole nother critter there.
Being in NE you wont find it I promise,I ship to a friend up in RI and he has the bug(taste) for Achiote now,loves it.
You can get it in pretty much any spice aisle even McCormick makes it.
He wants it for color not flavor. In fact he doesn't want it to change the flavor at all. He should have no problem finding a various brand in the container or in the plastic pouch in the regular or ethnic section.
Annatto, achiote, urucul, achuete, and roucou are all the same exact thing with regional names.
The ground seed is usually used for color and the prepared paste is usually used for color and flavor.
The ground seed is usually used for color and the prepared paste is usually used for color and flavor.
Sweet.
Do you make puerco pibil and stuff or what are your main uses? I like it on chicken too especially chicken fajitas.
Do you make puerco pibil and stuff or what are your main uses? I like it on chicken too especially chicken fajitas.
Yes,its better known as cochinita con achiote or Cochinita pibil
I was raised by legit old world Mexicans in south west Texas where the peasant influence was strong thru the 70's.
Pibil tacos with pineapple guacamole salsa is just wicked(Pineapple,Avocado,red onion,lime juice,salt etc)
My main use for annatto seed is crushed for brines and wet marinades
Achiote is more for wet rubs on brined pieces(pork,chicken and fresh caught catfish)
I havent tried the Achiote Bloody Mary yet but will some day
I was raised by legit old world Mexicans in south west Texas where the peasant influence was strong thru the 70's.
Pibil tacos with pineapple guacamole salsa is just wicked(Pineapple,Avocado,red onion,lime juice,salt etc)
My main use for annatto seed is crushed for brines and wet marinades
Achiote is more for wet rubs on brined pieces(pork,chicken and fresh caught catfish)
I havent tried the Achiote Bloody Mary yet but will some day
