This is my go-to hot sauce recipe. It's simple, with all of the ingredients complementing the natural chilli flavour.
You can play around using this recipe as a starting point and come up with your own version. I like to always include some habaneros/scotch bonnets as they have a distinct flavour and a searing heat, but you can use whichever chillies you can find.
Full recipe below video
Makes approximately 1 litre.
100g habaneros, halved and deseeded
100g long red chilies, halved and deseeded
800ml water
100ml white vinegar (distilled is good - and cheap)
150g sugar
25g salt
1 tbsp cornflour, mixed with a 1 tbsp cold water
2 tsp tomato puree (optional - it makes the finished product more vibrantly red, and thickens it slightly).
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- Add all ingredients to pan, cover and bring to a simmer. It's worth using your extraction or opening a window. If the chillies are very strong, the steam can be a bit cough-inducing.
- After 45 mins, blitz in a liquidiser or using a hand blender. Be VERY careful not to splash your face! (learned that one the hard way - hot chilli sauce in the eye is no joke).
- Return the pan to the heat and slowly stir in the cornflour. Simmer briefly and it's done.
- Transfer to a clean bottle or jar and store in the fridge. I don't bother sterilising the bottle as this doesn't last too long in my house.
- Optional:
+ sieve out any remaining bits of chilli skin for a smoother sauce.
+ omit the tomato puree an cornflour for a thinner tobasco style sauce.