A sweet and spicy hot sauce recipe made with fiery ghost peppers, fresh mango, citrusy pineapple and more, perfect for chicken or fish.
Flat out - I can't keep these around the house long enough. They never last! Hot sauces get poured onto everything. It is AWESOME to have hot sauce around as a nice finisher. Plus, you can incorporate them into recipes.
How many times have I written, "Hot Sauce of your choice" in a recipe? While not all hot sauces are alike, this recipe produces an ideal level of both sweet and heat, the perfect combination.
Walking through the store the other day, I found this HUGE pile of pineapples and one accidentally spilled into my cart as I was passing by, so I figured, OK, fine, I will cook with you.
And then his friend the mango came along for the ride. I didn't want them to be alone, so into a sauce they went. Tropical fruit is so nice and friendly like that.
Especially with ghost pepper! Yes!
I know ghost peppers are hot, over 1 Million SHU, but I urge you to try this hot sauce recipe, even if you are afraid of the heat. You can always sub in some milder chili peppers, but in reality, this isn't quite as hot as you'd think.
The ghost pepper heat is tamed a bit from the sweet. This particular hot sauce is excellent on chicken, fish, or shrimp. It would also be a nice base for a glaze.
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.
Pineapple-Mango Ghost Pepper Hot Sauce Ingredients
- Olive Oil.
- Ghost Pepper. Chopped.
- Freshly Cut Pineapple. Chopped.
- Mango. Chopped.
- Cherry Peppers. Chopped.
- Water.
- Distilled White Vinegar.
- Cilantro. Chopped.
- Sugar.
- Paprika.
- Salt.
Pineapple-Mango Ghost Pepper Hot Sauce - The Recipe Method
Heat a large pan to medium heat and add olive oil. Add peppers and fruit. Cook to soften.
Add water, vinegar, sugar, cilantro and paprika and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer. Remove from heat and cool.
Add to a food processor and process until smooth.
Pour into sterilized bottles and serve it up!
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. Refrigeration is not required, but recommended for longer keeping, particularly for sauces containing fruit.
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.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- While not all hot sauces are alike, this recipe produces an ideal level of both sweet and heat, the perfect combination.
- You can always sub in some milder chili peppers, but in reality, this isn't quite as hot as you'd think.
- The ghost pepper heat is tamed a bit from the sweet. This particular hot sauce is excellent on chicken, fish, or shrimp. It would also be a nice base for a glaze.
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.
Pineapple-Mango Ghost Pepper Hot Sauce - Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon olive oil
- 1 ghost pepper chopped
- 1 cup freshly cut pineapple chopped
- ½ cup chopped mango
- 2 cherry pepper chopped
- 1 cup water
- ½ cup distilled white vinegar
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Heat a large pan to medium heat and add olive oil. Add peppers and fruit. Cook about 8 minutes to soften.
- Add water, vinegar, sugar, cilantro and paprika and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer about 20 minutes. Remove from heat and cool.
- Add to a food processor and process until smooth.
- Pour into sterilized bottles and serve it up!
Notes
Nutrition Information
Wendy says
Can I water bath can this?
Mike H. says
Wendy, yes, but be sure to check the acidity level. Aim for a pH of 3.5 or lower when using the water bath canning method. You might need to add extra vinegar or citrus juice to achieve this.
Karson says
Uhh how much of each ingredient do I need the ingredients list doesn’t cover measurements
Mike H. says
Karson, just scroll down to the recipe card - you will see all the measurements there.
NICOLE says
Hi Mike, I'd love to make this but I don't have any Ghost Peppers.
What ratio of Carolina Reaper powder would I use to get a similar heat?
Thanks in advance
Mike Hultquist says
Hi, Nicole. This recipe only uses 1 ghost, so you really only need maybe 1/4 teaspoon or so. You can include more. Enjoy!
Janice says
Hello, I made this and did add 1/2 fresh lime juice. This PH litmus paper showed dark amber which on the chart was 3 to 4. Once I have sealed the sauce in the sterilized bottles can it sit in my cupboard until I open it, then I will keep it in the fridge or.....should I keep them all in the fridge. Also what do you think of those PH litmus strips.
Thanks Janice. and....oh gosh I cannot stop making your recipes and home made spice mixtures. Love you site to bits. Janice
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Janice! Glad you're enjoying the site and recipes! Yes, with that level of acidity, you can process and keep it on the shelf until ready to open. It will keep a long time that way. Fruit based hot sauces don't last quite as long as non-fruit ones, but you'll still get plenty of longevity, really. The pH strips aren't always accurate, so I do recommend a pH meter for food. See Thermoworks. I appreciate it!
Janice says
Thanks for your quick reply.
I have ordered a PH meter. One more question.
If I freeze my sauces once bottled, will that change the taste and, once defrosted will it last the same length of time as non frozen sauces.
Thanks Janice
Mike Hultquist says
Janice, you can freeze hot sauces, no problem. I've done this with very large batches, and have had no issues. Glad to be helpful.
Renee B says
Hi! Any reason to not use a blender instead, I did make this but used my Vitamix. Was just wondering what the difference would be or is it just a preference. I may have used a little more fruit because I was scarred lol, its not an overwhelming heat but its lingers also have no idea what to use this on.
Mike Hultquist says
The blender is great, Renee! Anything to puree it into a sauce. Yes, there is quite a bit of heat. You can dilute it even more with more fruit and mild chilies, even bell peppers. This is great on seafood, fish or shrimp tacos, a glaze for anything off the grill, even to spice up grilled or steamed veggies. Also, Jamaican or Caribbean cuisine. Yum. So many uses! Enjoy!
Bill says
plan on making this as a base for my Hawaii chili. going to sub in pineapple juice for the water and some chocolate peppers for the heat.
Mike Hultquist says
Let me know how it turns out, Bill! Sounds interesting!
Bill says
I ended up making a pineapple mango with chocolate Bhutlah mixed with Hawaiian punch fruit drink and mango pineapple juice. that looked like like apple sauce. and told people that they could add to the otherwise mild chili. It was a hit.
Mike H. says
Happy to hear it, Bill. Thank you!
Marti A. Ingle says
Bill, I must thank you for a few reasons. First, WOW! Substituting the water with pineapple juice is BRILLIANT. I cannot wait to try this with a variety of hot sauces (pineapple, cherry, mango, orange, etc.; whatever matches my recipe the best).
Next, THANK YOU for including CHOCOLATE peppers. You see, I grew two different varieties of chocolate peppers this year, accidentally and without having a clue what they were. There was a big mixup at the nursery. We ate the chocolate bells and upon discovering the heat level of the Bhutans, we dehydrated the first batch and ground into powder. I picked another gallon yesterday & am planning on making hot sauce. I never learned the actual name of the peppers, and I must say, this was perfect timing, as I plan on making a few runs of this particular recipe.
I appreciate you and, of course, the recipe creator, Mike Hilquist. As you did, I will most likely alter the recipe, especially the SOAPY part. Erhhh.....I mean CILANTRO. LOL I hope everyone has a blessed day.
Jerome says
This was the first ghost pepper recipe I attempted to make. I made some changes due to taste preferences: brown sugar instead of sugar (1:1); and replaced cilantro with 1tbs oregano and 1/2tbs cumin; and I used apple-cider vinegar instead (1:1); red chilis (1:1). The cilantro I chose to replace because some people get the soapy taste, and I am just not much of a fan of cilantro. The red chilis was because I could not find the cherry peppers.
I haven't had anyone not like it. One guy in my building at work said he was a little bummed that it wasn't hotter, but later informed me that he couldn't stop eating it. Then he asked for some more. I've used it like a thin salsa with chips. Really good stuff!
Thank you for the great recipe! I know I swapped a lot out everywhere, but it was still really good!
Mike Hultquist says
Excellent! Glad to help, Jerome! I love to hear it.
Trina says
How many 5oz bottles would this recipe make?
Mike H. says
Trina, check out one of my readers' comments below: "This hot sauce is SO GOOD! I made it twice, one original and one with 2 ghost peppers instead of one. The normal recipe yielded 2 5oz bottles and the double pepper recipe yielded 2 and a half 5oz bottles. This tastes so good and I’m so excited to use this on everything!"... Hope you enjoy!
Daphne says
Thankyou! This sauce is amazing! We just had it with chicken wings. Didn't change anything in recipe. Will definitely be making more. Family loved it! Great website too.
Mike Hultquist says
Nice!! Thanks, Daphne! You must like it nice and spicy! I appreciate it.
Ole says
Love the site 🙂
Have you had any experiments with making Hot Sauces from Bananas, or Blackcurrant?
Keep making interesting articles!
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Ole! I've made sauces that include banana, like Mexican mole, but not a hot sauce. I'm sure you can do it, but would have to play with the amounts and ratios, and would likely need some straining. Curious! I may need to try this soon.
Ole says
You're welcome 🙂
Yeah i am curious how such a thing would turn out 🙂 I will keep an eye on the site and see if you get around to try it out 🙂
Keep up the good work! ♥
Gerard Walker says
Hi Mike.
Just made your recipe. Love how it came out.
Only alteration I made was (as I have a plant growing in my garden) was 3 Scorpion Chillies in leu of the Ghost Pepper.
Must try to grow some Ghost peppers.
The Coriander is an essential to this recipie....just makes it!
Can't wait to try this as a glaze on some BBQ chicken.
Mike H. says
Thank you, Gerald. It will be an amazing glaze - let me know when you do try it with bbq chicken. Enjoy!
Jamie Kaigler says
I made this yesterday and the flavor was great. I have a few ghost peppers left from my last harvest of the season I will be trying a couple of other recipes.
Mike H. says
Sounds like a plan to me, Jamie. Enjoy!
Kirk says
I don’t have a pepper garden, so wherbe able to source the variety of peppers needed to make these awesome sauces of yours?
Mike H. says
Hey, Kirk. Try your local farmers' markets or grocery stores. If you can't find them there, consider buying them online - Amazon, for example. See if it works.
Alexis says
Hey! How long is the sauce good for in the fridge??
Mike H. says
Alexis, it should keep a few months easily in the fridge, or even longer.
Patrick says
What if you want to use 25 ghost peppers
Mike Hultquist says
You can use more, though that's a lot more. Check out these recipes as baselines:
https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/chili-pepper-recipes/hot-sauces/ghost-pepper-hot-sauce-recipe/
https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/recipes/roasted-ghost-pepper-sauce/
Gail says
This is yummy! I can taste all the ingredients. It is sweet and hot, but not overpowering. It lingers (that's a good thing). The only change I made was to use smoked paprika. If I could eat dairy, I would put this on vanilla ice cream. Instead, I will be putting it on my grilled tilapia (fish) this evening. A big THANK YOU for the recipe.
Mike Hultquist says
Awesome to hear, Gail! Very happy you're enjoying it!
Torben says
Hi Mike.
I have today tried to make my own version of your Pineapple - Mango Ghost Pepper Hot Sauce.
I have used Pineapple from a can and combined it with 6 Trinidad Moruga Scorpion Yellow.
The taste was fruity and a little bit strong, but good.
In the following weekend I will try to make more your chili sauce receip with cilandro and Scotch Bonnet Yellow, Habanero Red and Yellow
Mike Hultquist says
Boom! Sounds awesome, Torben! Great combo.
Angel says
I only have some frozen pineapple chunks would that work? also why use oil to cook the peppers and fruit? could I just add it to a pan with the vinegar would it turn out same? just worried about the oil affecting the ph and shelf life of the sauce. New to sauces
Mike Hultquist says
Angel, yes, frozen pineapple would be great here. Also, yep, you can just simmer the fruit in vinegar. I do that with a lot of recipes and it works perfectly.
Kevin says
I’ve been making this recipe for a few years now. I’ll make a triple batch just to accolade everybody who has requested a bottle.
Mike Hultquist says
Outstanding! Thanks, Kevin!
Kathy says
So, when you triple the recipe, it doesn’t make it triple the heat?
J says
They are tripling the recipe, so it makes 3 times as much...? The spice level would be the same
wayne says
are you able to can this recipe
Mike Hultquist says
Wayne, you can, though check the acidity. Shoot for 3.5 or lower for home canning with the water bath method. You may need to add more vinegar or citrus.