Learn how to make classic Louisiana hot sauce at home, either with fresh or fermented chili peppers. Louisiana style hot sauce is the best, and so easy to make!
Homemade Louisiana Hot Sauce Recipe
There are many Louisiana hot sauces on the market. You probably have your favorite brand.
There are numerous artisan blends from smaller brand hot sauce makers, along with the big names like Texas Pete’s, Crystal Hot Sauce, Valentina, Melinda’s, Frank’s, and the biggest name of all when it comes to Louisiana Hot Sauce – Tabasco.
You can usually find them in grocery stores.
If you’ve dabbed the original Tabasco onto your food, you’ve tasted Louisiana hot sauce. It’s a gorgeous thing really, simplicity in its finest form, deliciousness delivered with only 3 ingredients – Chili Peppers, Vinegar, and Salt.
With those 3 simple ingredients, however, there are numerous variations, as you’ve most likely tasted.
- What types of chili peppers will you use?
- What type of vinegar?
- How much salt?
- What is your ratio of these 3 ingredients?
- How about a blend of peppers?
- Using more than one vinegar?
- What if we introduce other ingredients?
- What if we ferment it? Age it?
This is where your creativity comes into play, as well as your taste buds. Original Louisiana brand hot sauce used cayenne peppers, though Tabasco uses tabasco peppers, from which it coined its moniker.
You are free to use any peppers you’d like, though red peppers are ideal to retain the enticing red color. Consider red jalapeno peppers or red serrano peppers, which I can tell you from personal experience make EXCELLENT Louisiana hot sauce.
Let’s talk about the biggest factors that will affect the outcome of your Louisiana hot sauce.
Which Vinegar Should I Use to Make Hot Sauce?
This is the question with ANY hot sauce, as there are many choices, and each will compliment your chili pepper choice in different ways. Most common is Distilled White Vinegar, which is inexpensive and strong in flavor.
Use this if you are seeking to mimic the flavors of the larger commercial brands. White Wine Vinegar is a bit more mellow, and Rice Vinegar even more so, with a touch more sweetness.
Red Wine Vinegar is made from fermented red wine, which will introduce a slightly fruity flavor to your sauce.
Apple Cider Vinegar is quite fruity, and preferred for when you’re seeking a fruity sweetness. Malt Vinegar has a strong, distinctive flavor from its barley ale beginnings, and well worth experimentation.
There are others to consider, such as balsamic vinegar, coconut vinegar, raisin vinegar and more. Experiment to your personal tastes.
What Peppers Should I Use to Make Louisiana Hot Sauce?
As mentioned, traditional peppers include cayenne, tabasco, and red jalapeno peppers, though this style recipe can be made with ANY chili pepper. Carefully selected long cayenne peppers are great.
I have made Louisiana Hot Sauce from superhots and was quite happy with the results. Talk about heat!
Just consider that your end flavor, color and heat will be affected by your chili pepper choices.
To Ferment or Not to Ferment for Making Louisiana Hot Sauce
This is a big factor. Original Louisiana Hot Sauce is made with fermented peppers. Tabasco is famous for this. They ferment their peppers in oak barrels for up to 3 years before mixing the resulting mash with vinegar and salt. I have made Louisiana Hot Sauce with both fermented and fresh chili peppers and can tell you there is a noticeable difference in the final flavor.
Louisiana Hot Sauce made from fermented peppers is mellower and has more fully developed flavor.
That said, Louisiana Hot Sauce made from fresh peppers has a bit more bite to it, and doesn’t take nearly as long to make. I encourage you to make it both ways and see which way you prefer.
Because of this, I am including both ways for you to make simple Louisiana Hot Sauce, with fermented peppers and fresh peppers.
Fermented Louisiana Hot Sauce Ingredients
- Red Chili Peppers. 1 pound (use cayenne, tabasco, red jalapeno or others), chopped.
- Unchlorinated Water. 1 quart.
- Salt. 3 tablespoons.
- White Wine Vinegar. ½-1 cup, to your preference.
How to Make Fermented Louisiana Hot Sauce - the Recipe Method
First, ferment the chili peppers. Chop the peppers then pack them into a jar, leaving at least 1 inch of head space. The peppers may rise a bit when fermenting.
Next, mix 1 quart unchlorinated water with 3 tablespoons sea salt. Pour just enough brine over the peppers to cover them, pressing them down a bit as you go. It is important to keep the peppers covered with brine to avoid spoilage. Check this daily.
Screw on the lid and set the jar away from direct sunlight to ferment for at least 1 week. Ideal temperatures are between 55-75 degrees F. The most active fermentation period is between 1-2 weeks, so be sure to monitor it during this time. “Burp” the jars often by unscrewing the lid a bit to let out some of the accumulating gases. Or, use an airlock or membrane for easier fermenting. See our page, “How to Make Fermented Pepper Mash”, for further instruction.
After 1-2 weeks, the fermenting activity will diminish and the brine will turn cloudy and taste acidic.
Pour the fermented peppers, including brine, into a pot along with the vinegar. Bring to a quick boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Alternatively, you can strain out the fermented peppers and discard the brine, then boil the peppers with 1 cup vinegar and 1/2-1 teaspoon salt. Some people prefer to use the brine.
Cool slightly then add to a food processor and process until smooth.
Strain the mixture to remove the solids. Pour into hot sauce bottles and enjoy.
Non-Fermented Louisiana Hot Sauce Ingredients
- Red Chili Peppers. 1 pound (use cayenne, tabasco, red jalapeno or others), chopped.
- Salt. 1/2 - 1 teaspoon
- White Wine Vinegar. 1 cup, to your preference.
How to Make Non-Fermented Louisiana Hot Sauce - the Recipe Method (with fresh peppers only)
Add the chili peppers, 1 cup vinegar and 1/2-1 teaspoon salt to a pot and bring to a quick boil. Be sure you are only using 1 teaspoon of salt.
Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes to soften everything up.
Cool slightly then add to a food processor and process until smooth. If it is too thick, add water a tablespoon at a time and process until smooth.
Strain the mixture to remove the solids. Pour into hot sauce bottles and enjoy.
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. Target level ph for shelf stable foods is below 4.6 ph, but should probably be lower for home cooks, around 3.5 or so, to account for errors. 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.
See my post on "Does Hot Sauce Need to be Refrigerated?"
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.
Why did my hot sauce separate?
Separation is normal for hot sauces. Just give it a good shake and it will come back together. A very good blender helps, but those will still separate eventually. You can look into thickeners as well, like xanthan gum, when making your hot sauce.
Check out These Related Recipes:
- Sweet Habanero Chili Sauce
- Pineapple-Jalapeno Hot Sauce
- Caribbean Style Mango-Habanero Hot Sauce
- Pineapple-Mango Ghost Pepper Hot Sauce
- Homemade Caribbean-Style Sweet Chili Sauce
- Sweet Pepper Chili Sauce
- Hawaiian Chili Pepper Water
- Homemade Sriracha
- Homemade Cayenne Pepper Sauce
- Homemade Tabasco Sauce
- How to Cook with Hot Sauce
You can also mix it with butter to make a great wing sauce. See my Homemade Buffalo Sauce recipe.
Check out more Hot Sauce Recipes or learn more about How to Make Hot Sauce.
If you try this recipe, please let us know! Leave a comment, rate it and tag a photo #ChiliPepperMadness on Instagram so we can take a look. I always love to see all of your spicy inspirations. Thanks! -- Mike H.
Homemade Louisiana Hot Sauce Recipe (fermented and non fermented)
Ingredients
- 1 pound red chili peppers chopped (use cayenne, tabasco, red jalapeno or others)
- 1 quart unchlorinated water (for fermented version only)
- 3 tablespoons salt (for the non-fermented version, use only 1/2 to 1 teaspoon salt, to your preference)
- ½-1 cup white wine vinegar to your preference
Instructions
FOR FERMENTED LOUISIANA STYLE HOT SAUCE
- First, ferment the chili peppers. Chop the peppers then pack them into a jar, leaving at least 1 inch of head space. The peppers may rise a bit when fermenting.
- Next, mix 1 quart unchlorinated water with 3 tablespoons sea salt. Pour just enough brine over the peppers to cover them, pressing them down a bit as you go. It is important to keep the peppers covered with brine to avoid spoilage. Check this daily.
- Screw on the lid and set the jar away from direct sunlight to ferment for at least 1 week. Ideal temperatures are between 55-75 degrees F. The most active fermentation period is between 1-2 weeks, so be sure to monitor it during this time. “Burp” the jars often by unscrewing the lid a bit to let out some of the accumulating gases. Or, use an airlock or membrane for easier fermenting. See our page, “How to Make Fermented Pepper Mash”, for further instruction.
- After 1-2 weeks, the fermenting activity will diminish and the brine will turn cloudy and taste acidic.
- Pour the fermented peppers, including brine, into a pot along with the vinegar. Bring to a quick boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Alternatively, you can strain out the fermented peppers and discard the brine, then boil the peppers with 1 cup vinegar and 1/2-1 teaspoon salt. Some people prefer to use the brine.
- Cool slightly then add to a food processor and process until smooth.
- Strain the mixture to remove the solids. Pour into hot sauce bottles and enjoy.
FOR NON-FERMENTED LOUISIANA STYLE HOT SAUCE
- Add only the chili peppers, 1 cup vinegar and 1 teaspoon salt to a pot and bring to a quick boil. Be sure you are only using 1 teaspoon of salt.
- Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes to soften everything up.
- Cool slightly then add to a food processor and process until smooth. If it is too thick, add water a tablespoon at a time and process until smooth.
- Strain the mixture to remove the solids. Pour into hot sauce bottles and enjoy.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
Homemade Louisiana Hot Sauce with Fresh Peppers – Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound red chili peppers use cayenne, tabasco, red jalapeno or others
- 1/2-1 teaspoon salt or to your personal taste
- ½-1 cup white wine vinegar to your preference
Instructions
- Roughly chop the chili peppers and add them to a pot with the salt and vinegar.
- Bring to a quick boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Cool, then add to a food processor. Process until smooth.
- Strain the solids out through a strainer and discard (or keep them for dehydrating – they make great seasonings).
- Pour into bottles and use as desired.
Notes
Nutrition
NOTE: This post was updated on 2/19/21 to include new information. It was originally published on 9/29/17.
Susan says
First: Thank you for sharing your knowledge and recipes! This is my first year growing peppers hotter than Jalapeños (Serranos, Habaneros, Ghost Peppers) and your guidance has been priceless!
I’m glad that I chose the fermented pepper method for this recipe. The flavor is amazing! I went with all red Serrano peppers, seeds and all, and let them ferment for 2 weeks. Well worth the wait! My husband tasted it about 10 minutes ago and is still making comments about how good it is and he’s very picky :-). Now I’m looking at the mash and wondering how hard it will be to breath if I choose to dehydrate it in the house…
Mike H. says
I am so happy to read this, Susan! I would suggest starting with little first to see how your body reacts and then moving on with the desired quantities. Enjoy!
Andrew says
I never thought I'd make a hot sauce that I liked better than Crystal, but after fermenting for 2 week, I used a cup of brine and a quarter cup of ACV, pureed in a blender and ran it through a wire strainer. It is delicious.
Mike H. says
I am glad to hear that Andrew. Enjoy!
Becky zelinski says
Do you remove the seeds before chopping? Recipes doesn’t say but since it doesn’t say to seed the peppers, I assume we leave them?
Mike Hultquist says
You can if you'd like, Becky, but I usually do not.
Alan Dunlop says
hi Mike,
I've a query around fermenting mash, I've just harvested one of my Cayenne plants and put down a ferment for 2 weeks, my other plant is still mainly green but the peppers are turning.
I was wondering if I could harvest the other Cayenne at 2 weeks, brine and then add to the existing mash and age it for another two weeks?
I'd have some fermented for 4 some for 2 hopefully would work out well?
ta
Alan
Mike Hultquist says
Hi, Alan. Yes, some people do that. You can combine them and continue fermenting. The main thing is to be as clean as possible to avoid infection. Let me know how it goes for you.
Alan Dunlop says
hi again Mike here's an update
I did top up my mash and gave it another 2 weeks fermentation so 1/2 was 2 weeks 1/2 about 5 weeks total.
processed as per recipe.
I've had a good hot sauce all winter, spring & summer (I'm in England) & I've just opened my last bottle - flavour is good a little mild for me but the Mrs loves it - and checked pH and it's 4.0 so it's lasted a year and is still safely preserved.
so I'll play around with recipe to jazz it up within the parameters you outline. You have given me a real confidence boost in my preservation my friend.
thanks so much Mike.
Alan
Mike Hultquist says
Excellent! Glad to help, Alan! I love to hear this!
Guy Bayle says
Have you ever tried to add a little yeast to start up the fermentation process. I brew my own beer and mead and was wondering if it would help get it started quicker and push out any bad yeast on the peppers. ?
Mike Hultquist says
Guy, yes, you can use a fermentation starter if needed.
Barb says
How long will this last in the fridge with 4 ph or lower?
Can’t wait to try this tomorrow!
Mike Hultquist says
Barb, it should last a few months or longer. Shelf stable is 4.5 or lower. Enjoy!!
Barb says
I’m so glad I found this recipe! I followed you for dehydrating, but I used the peppers from the garden so jalapeño, poblano,green, banana. It is delicious! My peppers were sitting on the counter not knowing what to do with only a small batch. Hasn’t been a good growing season here in Texas. My sauce came out delicious! Not as hot as my family would like, but I used up the peppers I had. This is definitely a keeper! Thank you!
Mike Hultquist says
Awesome! Thanks, Barb!
Marcel says
Why do you cook the fermented version? That kills the probiotics of course. Do you find that cooking is necessary for preservation purposes?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
It does, Marcel, and you don't have to cook it. A lot of people ferment for the flavors, and cook to stop fermenting, so the bottles don't explode later. You can definitely skip cooking and keep refrigerated to slow continued fermentation if desired. Just remember to burp your containers as needed.
Conrad says
Hey, love your recipes! Should I be testing the pH level?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Conrad, definitely if you want the sauce to keep for a long time, or if you plan on processing in a water bath. It's not as important if you use it up with a few months and keep it refrigerated.
William Higgins says
Can I use dried peppers? I guess more specifically, can I ferment dried peppers?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
William, yes to both. I have a post on How to Make Hot Sauce with Dried Peppers here: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/recipes/how-to-make-hot-sauce-from-dried-peppers/. Also, you CAN ferment dried peppers, but you might need to use a starter, or ferment them with some fresh peppers to make sure the process gets going.
Pierre says
Just made the fermented (3 weeks) Louisiana for the third time with a glorious mix of homegrown chillies (birds eye, cayenne, jalapeño, sweet pepper) and apple cider vinegar. Blended it seeds, skins and all in my vitamix and simmered it down nice and thick. Heavenly flavour and heat!!! Thank you, Mike. Love your work
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Pierre!
Darren Rollins says
Mike - You Sir, are some kind of great American. So happy I found this recipe and your page. I feel like I’ve found a trove of kindred spirits. Thanks a million.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Awesome! Thanks, Darren!
Rosebud says
OH baby! is this stuff GOOD! I had to share with my friends and I’m now making another batch. I did not strain, choosing to leave the seeds in and using like salsa!
Thank you!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Oh yeah, nice! Glad you like it, Rosebud! All the best!
Lauren Maitland says
What sized jar do you use for this quantity of chillies? I'd like to give this recipe a go this weekend and want to make sure I have everything I need 🙂
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Hi, Lauren. This recipe makes about 2 cups (16 ounces) with the ratios I've used, so plan for that. A typically hot sauce woozy bottle is 5 ounces, so you'd need 3+. Or use a larger bottle. Let me know how it goes for you. Amounts can vary depending on the amount of vinegar/liquid you use.