Make your own ghost pepper hot sauce at home with this recipe, which includes plenty of chopped ghost peppers, tomatoes, vinegar and salt. Big flavor, big spice! With a pleasant blast of heat. Drizzle it over everything!
Ghost Pepper Hot Sauce Recipe
Ghost pepper hot sauce coming at you, baby! You GOTTA have some ghost pepper sauce in the fridge for times when you need that extra bit of heat.
Our ghost pepper plants weren't quite as productive as our 7-pot plants this year, but we still got plenty of pods for whipping up some hot sauce.
Hot sauces are one of my favorite foods to make. I've become a bit fanatical about it, really. I've come to need a big variety on hand for all the different types of meals I make. You can tell by the growing collection of Hot Sauce Recipes on the web site.
I've been moving into making flavors and combinations of all different sorts, but we're keeping it super simple with this sauce. Sometimes simple is best.
With only 7 ingredients, you can make this sauce in about a half an hour, not including chopping time. Most of the time is spent watching the ingredients simmer to cook down a bit and let the flavors meld.
How to Make Ghost Pepper Hot Sauce - The Recipe Method
In a nutshell, your cooking steps include: Chopping, Cooking, Simmering, Processing, Bottling. Done! Easy!
The unfortunate part of this recipe is that it is best to wait a few days or even longer to let the flavors mingle and mellow slightly in the bottle. Of course you can eat it right away, but I like the flavor that much more after waiting.
So have a little patience, will ya?
The flavor is spicy for sure, but somewhat fruity from the ghosts and savory with the tomatoes. This is one of my very favorites.
Safety Advice
When working with hotter peppers, including superhots, it is important to wear gloves when handling the peppers both in raw and dried forms. The oils can get on your skin and cause burning sensations. See above.
Need help? How to Stop the Chili Pepper Burn On Your Skin.
Also, the fumes from the chili peppers and/or the fine powders may get into the air if you are not working in a well ventilated room, so you may want to wear a mask and goggles. Superhot chili peppers, truly, are called superhots for a reason.
Here are some answers based on the many comments I get on other sauces. Here goes:
How long will this hot sauce keep?
It should keep a few months easily in the fridge, or even longer. It's all about the acidity. To be technical, target level ph for shelf stable foods is below 4.6 ph, but should probably be lower for home cooks, around 4.0 or so, to account for errors.
I have not measured the ph of this sauce, but I won't have it around very long anyway. If you're concerned, add more vinegar to lower the ph.
The best ph meters that I recommend are from Thermoworks. Get yourself a ph meter from Thermoworks today. I am a happy affiliate.
Where'd you get that hot sauce bottle?
I find them locally sometimes, but I also order through Amazon. Here is a link to some bottles I like (affiliate link, my friends!): Swing Top Glass Bottles, 8.5 Ounce - Set of 4. If you like the smaller bottles that most hot sauce makers use, here's another link: Hot Sauce Bottles, 5 Oz - 24 Pack.
Can I process this hot sauce for longer storage?
Absolutely. Just be sure to use proper canning/jarring safety procedures.
What should I do with hot sauce?
Aside from drizzling it over anything you please, here's a post I did about How to Cook with Hot Sauce. As if you need even MORE reasons to eat hot sauce. I hope you find it helpful!
Can You Die from Eating Ghost Peppers?
It is possible to overdose on capsaicin, the chemical that makes chili peppers hot. However, the only way you can die from eating ghost peppers is if you eat them in sufficient quantity.
A study performed in 1980 calculated that it would take consuming 3 pounds of superhot pepper powder, like ghost pepper powder, to kill a person weighing 150 pounds.
It is highly unlikely anyone could consume that amount, as their body would react before reaching such a limit.
Ghost Pepper Flavor
Ghost peppers offer a an intense sweet pepper flavor that is quite fruity. The heat is more of a blooming heat, taking 30 seconds or longer to kick in.
As they measure over 1 Million SHU, you can imagine that is quite hot. The burning generally rises in intensity over the next 10-15 minutes, then subsides after 30-40 minutes.
More Ghost Pepper Recipes to Try
- Homemade Ghost Pepper Chili Sauce
- Roasted Ghost Pepper Hot Sauce
- Fresh Ghost Pepper Salsa
- Ghost Pepper Salsa
- Ghost Pepper Jelly
More Hot Sauce Recipes to Try
- Pineapple-Jalapeno Hot Sauce
- Ti-Malice - Haitian Creole Hot Sauce
- Caribbean Style Mango-Habanero Hot Sauce
- Pineapple-Mango Ghost Pepper Hot Sauce
- Homemade Caribbean-Style Sweet Chili Sauce
- Fresh Jalapeno Hot Sauce
- Sweet Habanero Chili Sauce
- Sweet Pepper Chili Sauce
- Hawaiian Chili Pepper Water
Check out more Hot Sauce Recipes or learn more about How to Make Hot Sauce.
Got any questions? Ask away! I'm happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you'll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don't forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I'll be sure to share! Thanks! -- Mike H.
Ghost Pepper Hot Sauce - Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 6 bhut jolokia peppers ghost peppers, chopped
- 1 small onion diced
- 2 medium tomatoes chopped (I used Black Krims from the garden)
- 2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup water
Instructions
- Heat oil in a pan and add peppers and onions. Stir.
- Add tomatoes and stir. Cook about 10 minutes.
- Add vinegar, salt and water. Simmer 20 minutes to allow flavors to develop.
- Transfer contents to a food processor and process until smooth.
- Transfer to a container. Seal and refrigerate until ready to use.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
Sascol says
Question....I love the heat BUT can it be tamed down juuuust a little by subbing a few of the ghost peppers with a red bell pepper or would that throw off the flavor?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Sascol, absolutely. Ghost peppers are pretty darned hot, so you can very easily substitute some of them with milder peppers. You'll still get good flavor and a heat level you prefer. Let me know how it turns out for you.
Hunter says
Just made this with 5 ghost peppers, 5 reapers, and 5 seven pot bubble gum! Amazing sauce
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Great, Hunter! Thanks!
Kyle says
Just made this yesterday, and it turned out great! The tomatoes and onion i used were a little bigger that what was listed here, so i threw a couple extra ghost peppers in to compensate. Not sure i needed to do that because man this stuff is HOTTT! Will definitely be making this again! Thank you for helping me enter the wonderful world of superhot recipes!!!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Awesome, Kyle! Glad you loved it! YES, You'll DEFINITELY get some heat with this hot sauce. Enjoy!
Bob says
At the end of every year I take three leftovers from the garden. Smoke them all and make hot sauce. Carrots onions all the leftover peppers whether they be green or ripe.
Every year is different and every year I'm so happy.. problem is the neighborhood waits for that batch and I'm almost always running out by June!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
That’s great, Bob. I do the same with many of my unripened peppers at the end of the season. Great stuff!
Chris says
Can you make this with reapers?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Absolutely! I've done this with Reapers and it is AWESOME. Let me know how you like it. Check out this recipe, with superhots - The Hottest DA** Hot Sauce I Ever Made - Recipe.
Scott says
Wow, this sauce is seriously hot. It has a great aroma and taste for about 1 second before it starts to set your mouth on fire ????. Thanks Mike for another great recipe.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Scott! Glad you enjoyed it! Yep, definitely plenty of heat.
Anne says
Into my 20 minute simmer. The house smells fabulous and spicy! I tasted one tiny drop of the juice that dripped off the spoon and it is exactly what I was looking for. I just might grow more ghost peppers next summer. Thank you for the recipe. Now to make myself wait a few days after I bottle it!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
That's GREAT, Anne. Thanks! Super happy you like it! Waiting is the hardest part.
Paul says
My wife and I grow a lot of different types of peppers and are alway looking for new recipes to try. We doubled the recipe in order to use our ghost peppers both brief and fresh and WOW.! This is hot! Great flavor and excellent heat!
Thanks for sharing. We can’t wait to try more.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
That's GREAT, Paul! I'm glad you loved it. Thanks!
Paul says
My sauce came out very vinegar-y. It smells and tastes just like vinegar. Does that fade with time? Did I not let it simmer long enough? I only used 2 tablespoons
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Paul, if it is too vinegary for your tastes, I would cook down some more tomato and/or peppers and process them with the finished sauce to dilute the vinegar. Then cool and bottle it back up. Let me know how that turns out for you. I don't believe the vinegar flavor will fade much otherwise.
KEITH GOULD says
I only have 2 Ghost Peppers ripe on the plant, but I have 1 Carolina Reaper and 1 Trinidad Scorpion also ready. If I use those to replace some of the Ghost peppers and also a couple of Scotch Bonnet do you think that will work with the same of everything else?
Thanks
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Keith, absolutely. Subbing in a reaper and scorpion would totally work. Just expect some extra heat! I'm actually sort of jealous. Let me know how it turns out for you!
KEITH GOULD says
Michael,
After writing I left for a 9 day trip and when I returned I had 3 Ghost peppers ripe, 3 Carolina Reaper and 4 Trinidad Scorpions, 20 Scotch Bonnet. Along with about 55 other peppers of various kinds. I made the Ghost pepper Sauce with a half recipe. The Scotch Bonnet Sauce, The hottest sauce with the reapers and scorpions, the Chili Oil and the Pique. All the peppers, Basil and Culantro instead of Cilantro was from our garden. I have to say they are great and hot. THANK YOU! Had to post on Instagram and show off the sauces from your recipes.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Keith! I love it! Super happy you enjoyed them.
Joe says
Hey Mike -
I am wanting to make this but had a quick question. I was gifted three bags of dehydrated peppers (2 bags of ghosts and 1 bag of scorpions) and was wondering if you had a good method for rehydrating them?
Thanks!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Hi, Joe - Great gift!! I'm jealous! Here is a page that can help you: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/cooking-with-chili-peppers/how-to-rehydrate-dried-chili-peppers/ -- Good luck! Let me know how it turns out.
Joseph says
Getting ready to make this sauce. Question? I’m looking to make about 8 bottles of 5.5oz and don’t wanted to be extremely hot what should I do?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Hey, Joseph. If you're concerned about the heat, try dialing back on the ghost peppers and sub in an equivalent amount of milder peppers. You could easily make this with half ghost peppers, half red bell peppers. Let me know how it turns out for you.
Ryan says
My second time making this recipe now. I substitute IPA for water and throw in some poblanos. It's dankness to the max. My eyes are burning in the living room.
Patrick says
L
gage russel orvis says
Im making my own ghost pepper sauce can I have feedback on the prep and ingredients?
8 stemmed dried ghost peppers Ingredients & Instructions
7 diced jalapeno chile pepper
2 ½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 ½ cup diced onion
2 teaspoons garlic
6 anaheim chile peppers stemmed, halved
9-10 habanero peppers, stemmed, halved
2 teaspoons tabasco
1 pound tomatoes, diced (about 3 cups)
4 ½ teaspoon lime
1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
2 ½ teaspoons salt
3 teaspoons sugar
2 1/2 teaspoon Cholula
3 1/2 tablespoon salt
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
Preparation
Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add onion, chile peppers, habaneros to taste and garlic and cook, stirring, until the onion is soft and beginning to brown, 3 to 4 minutes.
Reduce heat to medium. Add tomatoes, vinegar, salt and sugar to taste. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes break down, about 5 minutes.
Carefully transfer the tomato mixture to a food processor or blender. Puree until smooth. (Use caution when pureeing hot ingredients.) Set a fine-mesh sieve over a medium bowl; pour the pureed mixture through the sieve, pushing on the solids with a wooden spoon to extract all the liquid. (Discard solids.) Let the sauce cool to room temperature, about 1½ hours.
REPLY: I think this sounds great! -- Mike from Chili Pepper Madness.