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Surely been asked before...

Dr Pacheco

Dr Pacheco

I suppose this is the proper forum (?).  
 
Question: what hot sauces need to be refrigerated after opening?
 
We probably agree that a basic "Tabasco Sauce" is fine in a cupboard (or, in my case, desk drawer).
 
That's why I'm asking - I like a few bottles of sauce at the office.  
 
But we've got interesting sauces with mango, bourbon, mustard, you name it.  I'd like to load up at Zestfest, but I'm dubious that the small business offerings have all of the preservatives of a corporate behemoth.  That's great for freshness and taste, but durability?
 
I've "googled" this topic every so often and never got anything definitive.  Thanks!
 
 
 
I would look in the hot sauce making post.Wicked Mike makes a lot of hot sauce check with him. Rocketman and SasaLady also makes a lot of sauces.They all have posts in hot sauce making 101.Everyone has different feelings on this topic. Rocketman has some killer posts own his sauces.Some with bacon in them and a sour dough recipe you can use as a hot sauce starter. SasaLady has some killer recipes too in there.  :drunk:
 
If a sauce has a pH below 4.6 it is considered shelf stable or "safe" to sit on the shelf if proper sanitation procedures and temp procedures are followed. That means its too acidic for the nasties to grow in. Most sauce makers here shoot for below 4.0 just to be safe.

I, personally, keep them all in the fridge.

Some people keep in fridge and let warm before use.

Good rule of thumb: if you don't know be safe.
 
+1 RM and SL are grand masters, seek the best, get the best answers!

To your original question, shelf stability relies on acidity level. Commercial sauce producers are generally governed by 4.6 or lower, but home producer are looking for < 4.0 and the lower the better.

But more to your point all commercial hot sauce, in theory, should be shelf stable, but the one thing you can count on is legality. Does the label say "refrigerate after opening"? If not then you should be gtg!

Keep calm and pepper on! :)
 
Very good question. All my sauces say "Refrigerate after opening" more as a protection from the whole "there was no warning" fun stuff. I have regular local customers that I have stopped to drop off orders and seen open(cap on of course) bottles on their tables or counters and I always inquire. They have no problem with it and the longest I have heard from any of them is a week from open to empty. So I guess it is up to the person and of course the pH level.
 
If a sauce has a pH below 4.6 it is considered shelf stable or "safe" to sit on the shelf if proper sanitation procedures and temp procedures are followed. That means its too acidic for the nasties to grow in. Most sauce makers here shoot for below 4.0 just to be safe.

I, personally, keep them all in the fridge.

Some people keep in fridge and let warm before use.

Good rule of thumb: if you don't know be safe.
 
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