Homemade Hot Sauce Made From Dried Chile Peppers

Ingredients:  Recipe makes around 2-1/2 c hot sauce

2 oz arbol chile peppers, dried - seeds removal optional

2 limes juiced and zested

1 shallot

1/4 c brown sugar

5 cloves garlic

2 c water, plus 1/2 c more for blending

1 c vinegar

1/2 tsp cumin seeds

1 tsp kosher salt

1 stem fresh oregano leaves, chopped (about 2 tsp worth)

Tools needed:

Cutting board

Sharp knife

Fine mesh strainer

Mixing bowl

Wire whisk

Measuring cup

Measuring spoon

Large saute pan with lid

Blender or Nutri bullet

Wooden spoon

Microplane zester

How to make it:

Rinse arbol chiles under cold running water, air dry on clean kitchen towel.  Cut off stem ends if they are present and remove the seeds if desired. The seeds can taste bitter to some people. Since the ingredients are all going to be blended, this may be a step you want to take.  Rough chop garlic and shallot, outer paper layer removed/root ends cut off.   Zest and juice the limes keeping seperate.  Pick leaves of oregano stems, rough chop.

Heat up large saute pan over medium low.  Add chiles and cumin seeds.   Lightly toast for 3-5 minutes, carefully stirring frequently.  This is to extract the volatile oils in the peppers and cumin, intensifying their flavors.  The peppers will have darker spots on them and will smell much more fragrant.

Add water, vinegar, garlic, shallot and pinch salt to the pan with the peppers and cumin.  Turn up the heat to high to bring the liquid up to a boil.  Once boiling, reduce heat to medium low and cover pan with lid.  Simmer for 15 minutes.  Once the 15 minutes is done, add oregano and lime zest.  Cover once again and simmer additional 5 minutes.  Total simmer time is 20 minutes.  The chiles, garlic and shallot will be soft at this point.  Turn off heat and allow to cool with lid on for 5 minutes.

Add all ingredients to a blender, adding more water if needed.   The water level is to be level with the ingredients for a good consistency. Of course, you can add more or less water depending on how you like your sauce thickness.  Blend on high for 30 seconds to 1 minute.   Be careful as this is still pretty warm.

I like to smoother sauces, therefor I like to strain them out.   Place a fine mesh strainer over a mixing bowl.  Pour sauce in the strainer, carefully stir the sauce with a spoon or small ladle to lightly force the sauce through the mesh.  The pulp will be left behind and a smooth sauce is in the mixing bowl.  Add lime juice and brown sugar to the bowl, mix with a whisk to incorporate.

Allow sauce to cool completely to room temperature.  I test the pH on my sauces with digital pH meter.  It should read around 3.6 - 3.7 pH for a sauce that is safe in the refrigerator for 3-6 months.  BUT, I highly doubt you’ll have it for that long.  Pour your sauce into mason jars or hot sauce bottles.  Label and date if desired.

Enjoy!

Logan