Name: Homemade Ghost Pepper Chili Hot Sauce - Recipe
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 6 bhut jolokia peppers (ghost peppers, chopped); 1 small red bell pepper (diced); 1 14- ounce can whole tomatoes; 1 small onion (diced); 3 cloves garlic (chopped); 2 tablespoons cider vinegar; 1 tablespoon sugar

This extra-hot hot sauce recipe is made fresh from ghost pepper chili peppers, aka the bhut jolokia, but is also has a sweeter side.

Here we go again. More homemade hot sauce! This one is not for Patty, though she’s been enjoying hotter anad hotter chili peppers. This one is more for me, using some nice and spicy ghost peppers, aka the bhut jolokia chili pepper.

Ghost Peppers top 1 Million Scoville Heat Units, which is pretty darned hot. In a good way. That is if you’re like me, who likes it crazy hot sometimes. I’m including a version of this recipe in the superhot cookbook I’m working on.

I’ve made versions of this particular hot sauce recipe with other peppers and it always turns out because of its simplicity. It is a tomato-pepper-based sauce with only 7 ingredients, pretty hard to go wrong.

It works with habanero peppers, Scotch Bonnets, larger sweet peppers, Serrano peppers, jalapeno peppers, though I tend to lean toward the more Caribbean style peppers that are sweeter. It also works with dried chili peppers if those are all you have on hand. Just be sure to rehydrate them as needed.

I included a bell pepper here for substance and to balance out the ratio of peppers to tomato. You can omit the bell, but I personally would add in more ghost peppers, or you’re hot chili sauce will have more of a tomato base.

Shake this on everything! I mean everything! Everything you eat, I mean.

Don’t splash it on your neighbor or anything. Bring on the ghost pepper hot sauce!

Safety Advice

When working with very hot chili peppers peppers, including superhot chili peppers, 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, pepper fumes may get into the air if you are not working in a well ventilated room, so you may want to wear a mask and possibly eye goggles. Superhot chili peppers, truly, are called superhots for a reason.

Homemade Ghost Pepper Chili Hot Sauce Recipe - Nice and hot! Drizzle it over everything. — Homemade Ghost Pepper Chili Hot Sauce Recipe – Nice and hot! Drizzle it over everything.

Frequently Asked Hot Sauce Questions

Here are answers to some of the most common questions I get on other sauces:

How long will this 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. If you’re concerned, add more vinegar to lower the ph. Sauces made with fermented chili peppers will last even longer.

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 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. LOL. I hope you find it helpful!

Check out more Hot Sauce Recipes or learn more about How to Make Hot Sauce.

Check Out Some of These Other Popular Ghost Pepper Recipes

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.

Homemade Ghost Pepper Chili Hot Sauce - Recipe

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5 from 8 votes