This hot sauce recipe uses serrano peppers that have been fermented, then processed with vinegar, garlic, tequila and lime juice. It is juicy, tart and just the right amount of spicy.
Spicy Serrano Hot Sauce Recipe
More hot sauce coming at you, my friends. If you can believe it, our garden is STILL producing peppers because of this phenomenal weather we've been having. I know cold weather is on the way, but we've been a bit lucky here in zone 5 this year and I'm reaping the benefits.
I grew serrano peppers this year and HOLY WOW did they go wild. I only planted a single plant and that plant has produced marvelously. If you're going to grow peppers, be sure to include a serrano plant. One of the most productive plants in the garden.
The big question, though, when growing serrano peppers is...
What Can I Do With a LOT of Serrano Peppers?
Here's an idea for you. Make HOT SAUCE.
Yes!
This is a fermented hot sauce recipe and it requires an entire pound of serrano peppers, which may not seems like a lot of weight, but it takes quite a few serrano peppers to weigh 1 pound.
To Ferment or Use Fresh Peppers?
If you're not comfortable with fermenting (you SHOULD be, though), you CAN make this hot sauce with fresh serrano peppers. Just skip steps 1-4 in the recipe. Start by processing the peppers in a food processor, then jump to step 5 and make your serrano hot sauce.
It will still be a good hot sauce, for sure, but you'll have a fresher, greener flavor that is not quite as developed that you achieve by fermenting.
Check out my page on How to Make Fermented Pepper Mash to learn more about why you should be fermenting chili peppers.
Fermented hot sauces are mellower and have a deeper flavor, so I've been fermenting a LOT of chili peppers this year for hot sauces.
This is actually a hot sauce for Patty, because she tends to lean toward green hot sauces and seasonings. I tend to favor vibrant red and orange sauces, but Patty loves her serrano peppers.
So here you go, Patty! She loves this one. It is slightly garlicky and tart and distinctive with the addition of tequila, something else Patty loves.
Enjoy and check out my other Hot Sauce Recipes, too.
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
.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Process this hot sauce for longer storage. Just be sure to use proper canning/jarring safety procedures.
- Wondering what to do with this 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!
- After you strain out the solids to thin out the hot sauce, you can throw the solids away, OR --- dehydrate them and use them for seasoning. Or simply do not strain for a thicker sauce. Those solids still have plenty of life left in them, and hey, what a great way to make some homemade seasonings for yourself? Sprinkle it over foods or use it as a rub. It would be GREAT on chicken. Give it a little ZING, right?
Storage & Leftovers
This sauce should keep many 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.
Check out more Hot Sauce Recipes or learn more about How to Make Hot Sauce.
Check out These Related Recipes:
Try Some of My Popular Serrano Recipes
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.
Spicy Serrano Hot Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound serrano peppers
- 3 tablespoons sea salt
- 1 quart unchlorinated water
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 3 ounces white wine vinegar
- 1.5 ounces reposado tequila
- Juice from 1 lime
Instructions
- First, ferment the serrano peppers. Process your fresh peppers in a food processor. If you don’t have a processor, use a mortar and pestle or simply rough chop them. 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. Discard or save any remaining brine for another use. 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, sobe 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 serrano peppers, including the brine, into a pot along with garlic, vinegar and tequila. Bring to a quick boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. NOTE: If you feel the brine will make your hot sauce too salty, you can strain the peppers and use fresh water instead, just enough to cover the peppers in the pot. Or, use a combination of brine and fresh water.
- Cool slightly then add to a food processor with the lime juice. Process until smooth.
- Strain the mixture to remove the solids, if desired. Pour into hot sauce bottles and enjoy.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Marc says
We planted Serrano's this past spring. 5 bushes. I say "bushes" because they look like bushes ~ They are LOADED ! I've given away at least a pound or more and still have enough to make a few batches of this sauce!
Mike Hultquist says
Boom! I love to hear this! Lots of hot sauce!!
Alicia says
I've been scanning comments on this and the fermented directions and I can't find the answer, so I'll ask directly - can I use roasted peppers? I've got a chile roaster, and I was wondering if roasting and peeling the peppers would add flavor or if the slight smokiness would alter the fermentation or safety? Thank you. I've got enough serranos to try both ways, I was just curious about roasting versus not.
Mike H. says
Hi Alicia, check out the comment from another reader, Anna, here. 😉
Daree says
Excellent!! Followed the recipe including the fermentation. I love this stuff! Thanks!
Mike Hultquist says
Nice!! Thanks, Daree!
Laura says
can you substitute hot peppers in this recipe? i.e., poblano, c a yenne or habanero?
Mike Hultquist says
You certainly can, Laura. Works perfectly!
Mary Beth says
Huge fan of this site and the recipes on it! Had great success with the habanero/carrot/shallot one last year, tried this one with some unripe green cayennes this year but followed all other steps to the letter.
I made the hot sauce last night after letting the peppers ferment two weeks (I had to store them in the fridge at the very end for about a day during a heatwave—as even the basement was above 75 degrees).
Today I noticed some, not all, of my bottles of sauce (the ones that have thicker versus thinner contents, as I like chunky sauces and didn't strain) have a thing layer of white bubbles/foam inside them. I shook the bottles and it dissipated a bit but then returned. Is this normal, and is the sauce OK to consume? Could it be a result of moving the sauce into this fridge for a day, then immediately beginning the boil? Thanks!
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Mary Beth. It's hard to tell what that is. It sounds to me like fermentation activity, but could be kahm yeast, which is a whitish, smooth coating that can grow on top. It's not harmful but has a sour taste. If you see fuzzy growth or noticed a foul/bad smell, that could be a bad infection of mold, which would ruin the batch. Really trust your senses.
Mary Beth Nevulis says
It wasn't fuzzy, more bubbly, and everything smelled fine. I think you were right and it was fermentation (it mostly went away with a good shake of the bottle, and as the bottles aged and the sauce settled, it went away).
I made the hot sauce as described (same recipe, subbing in fermented unripe green cayennes for serranos) and brought two bottles to a bar to give them to friends, which resulted in an impromptu hot sauce tasting after my two friends tasted it and couldn't STOP tasting it. They started passing their bottles around for other friends to dab on their hand and taste. So definitely a BIG hit!
Thanks for all these recipes; I've tried (or modified with different but similar peppers) four so far and every single one has been amazing!!! Love this website!
Mike Hultquist says
Awesome to hear, Mary Beth! I love it! Thank you for sharing this!!!
Rhonda Kittredge says
Once done and in jars can it be canned for long time storage.
Mike Hultquist says
Rhonda, yes, you can process these in a water bath (or use a pressure canner). If using a water bath, check the pH. Shoot for 3.5 or lower for home canning. Enjoy!
Rhonda Kittredge says
Thank you
Linda says
Would this method of fermentation work for hatch green chilis?
Mike H. says
Hi Linda, check out my post on fermentation here, and I also suggest reading through the readers' comments as there have been a few who fermented hatch green chilis, too!
Greg DiCroce says
is it common for the top to have white almost like a mold on it during fermentation? its been 2 weeks now.
Mike Hultquist says
Greg, NO, that is not normal if is is mold. Mold is fuzzy and can contaminate your batch. It COULD be kahm yeast, which is smooth and white, which happens. It is not harmful, but can be sour. You an scrape it off later.
Rachelle says
So, just to be clear, the quantities in this recipe only make about one or two bottles of hot sauce if using the small 5 oz bottles?
Mike Hultquist says
Yes, this is a small batch recipe.
Julie says
Hi! Do you store this in the fridge? How long does it keep for?
Mike Hultquist says
I prefer refrigeration for mine, though you don't have to. I have a post on this here - Does Hot Sauce Need To Be Refrigerated? https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/frequently-asked-questions/refrigerating-hot-sauce/
Beth says
I just made this recipe and it was HOT HOT, too hot to have much flavor. Any advice to tune it up? My peppers from the garden were fully ripe and red.
Mike Hultquist says
Beth, the best way to dissipate the heat is dilution. You can make another batch with MILD peppers, then combine them. Or, you can mix in other ingredients, like onion, garlic, tomato, etc. Sorry it was too hot for you.
Patrick says
Longer fermentation will help mellow everything out. I ferment with the peppers with the garlic and onions all in 1 jar for 6 weeks. That makes the final product still spicy but enjoyable
Melissa Case says
Hey, Mike… making this right now and it smells incredible. Can you tell me how smooth it should be when it’s good to go? I have a seriously high-powered food processor and it’s still pretty chunky after 30+ seconds. I may switch to a blender and see if that works a little better.
Mike Hultquist says
Great, Melissa. I like my hot sauces to be VERY smooth and pourable. I would process it much more, and possibly even strain a bit if needed.
Melissa Case says
You’re quick! And BINGO. Used the blender, added a splash each more tequila and lime juice. This stuff is SLAMMIN’! As the great Justin Wilson used to say, “It’s making my nose get all athletic.” LOL. Thanks for the great recipe (and the speedy response)!
Mike Hultquist says
Boom! Awesome! I love to hear it, Melissa. Glad to be helpful. =)
Jenny says
Question please: I screwed up and processed the peppers to a smooth paste in step 1. Is there anything I can do w/ it now? Dang it!
Mike Hultquist says
Jenny, you can still ferment it. Just be sure it all stays below the brine, which is harder as a puree. Use something to press it down, like a water-filled baggie.
Alyssa Caron says
Pro tip: open every window while simmering if you had especially hot peppers like I did. Haha! Loved this recipe!
Mike Hultquist says
Truth! The fumes can get you. Thanks, Alyssa.
Jeffrey Cooper says
Great recipe. Thank you
Mark A Feeley says
Made this last year, and the only problem is that everyone I gave a bottle to is now expecting more! I mixed varieties - serrano, jalapeno, Hungarian hot wax, and poblano. Even threw some sweet peppers in. Question is - has anyone used apple cider vinegar? I have plenty, and wondered if it would be ok. Thanks
Mike Hultquist says
Boom! Nice! Glad everyone is enjoying it. You can definitely use apple cider vinegar, and I encourage you to try and experiment. I use it for many hot sauce recipes. Adds a nice tang! Thanks, Mark.
Rose says
This is a great recipe. Ive been making it for 3 years now with the bumper crop from my serranos. It's got everything I want for a house green hot sauce.
Mike Hultquist says
Outstanding! Glad you're loving it, Rose!
Brian says
I only needed 1q of brine for 4.5lbs of peppers spilt into two large mason jars to cover the peppers. Should I add more brine in any case?
Mike Hultquist says
Brian, no need to add any more brine as long as the peppers stay completely submerged.
Brian says
I'm finding that the peppers are floating to the very top of the jar with a space of just brine at the bottom. Should I flip the jars over and back upright just to mix the peppers fully into the brine again?
Mike Hultquist says
Brian, you can try to do that, but they tend to float again. Best is to stick something in the top to press them down, like a baggie filled with water, or a thick cabbage leaf. I use glass weights to help keep them under the brine.
Dave PNW says
I just gave a co-worker your website address as they want to make your awesome serrano recipe! FYI my last batch was made Nov 2021 and I am working on my last bottle (6 lb batch plus jalapenos & anaheims added) and it has kept wonderfully in the refrigerator. Peppers didn't do as well this year but still planning on making this great recipe. Thanks so much!!
Dave In Marysville WA
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks so much, Dave! I greatly appreciate it!
William Bebout says
I haven't drank in over two years so I try to avoid alcohol. I want the tequila for flavoring. Is the cook time enough to boil off that little amt of alcohol?
Mike Hultquist says
William, the alcohol will boil off, but you can use a bit more lime juice instead to avoid any potential issues.
Laura Criss says
can I water bath can this hot sauce?
Mike Hultquist says
You can with this one, but check the acidity. Add vinegar if needed. Shoot for a pH of 3.5 or lower for home canning.
Shane Keene says
This is the first of your recipes I've gone rogue on and experimented with. I used about 2 cups fresh serranos, 4 dried red habaneros, 5 cloves garlic, 1/2 a white onion, 2 teaspoons of honey (after the fact, to turn the heat down a notch) 1 cup water, 1/2 cup white vinegar, salt to taste. Simmered 15 minutes, processed and strained half of it, simmered again (covered), blended. It's amazing, and very vivid green. Your recipes are always so on point, it's easy to focus on experimentation, knowing the base recipe won't let you down.
Mike Hultquist says
Perfect peppers, Shane! I love it!
Brenda says
I don't have a kitchen scale, so how do I measure 1 pound of serranos?
We don't drink, so I don't want to buy a bottle to get only 1.5 ounces. Is the tequila necessary, or could it be replaced with something else that would be just as good?
Mike Hultquist says
Brenda, a kitchen scale is best as sizes of peppers can really vary. It could be anywhere from 30-50 for serranos, so maybe use 40 or so. Instead of tequila, try white grape juice or a bit of lime juice instead, with maybe a touch of agave nectar. I hope you enjoy it.
Shane Keene says
Mike's suggestions are great, or you could buy an airplane bottle at a liquor store (it weighs in at 1.7 ounces).
Brenda says
Thank you -- great idea!
Katie says
This is THE best hot sauce recipe I've ever made. Three years in a row now, last year I also tried it with red jalapenos. I can't decide which one I like more, so I'll be making serrano and jalapeno hot sauce from now on. I like to pour the whole mixture, unstrained, into a mason jar for a chunkier sauce. The family doesn't eat tacos without it!
Mike Hultquist says
Outstanding! So happy you enjoy it, Katie! I appreciate it!
Jeremy says
I made this sauce and wow is it good! The only issue I had was it came out a bit watery. I did strain the solids so maybe that's where I went wrong. I'm assuming if I want a bit thicker sauce I would just leave some or all of the solids in correct?
Mike Hultquist says
Jeremy, yes, this a very thin sauce, but you can skip straining for a thicker sauce.
Kim says
Can this be made with fresh serranos instead of fermented?
Mike Hultquist says
Absolutely, Kim. Skip the water and only use 1/2 teaspoon of salt, or to taste. Enjoy!
Jennifer says
I made a small, trial batch early last season and then made a full batch at the end of the season. The first batch was a little salty, so I followed the recipe adjustments when I made the second one. My husband isn't normally a hot sauce guy, but really enjoyed this recipe. He's asking me to make a batch this season--when I didn't plant any serranos or jalapeños.
Mike Hultquist says
Glad you enjoyed it, Jennifer. Thanks!
William R Babcock says
So, I didn't quite have enough serranos yet, so I added some jalapeños and some green habaneros. I added some carrots and garlic and let it all ferment. After 2 weeks followed all your other steps, using an immersion blender to puree everything, then strained it. I also used a mezcal as opposed to the tequila for a little "smokey" flavor. YO....it came out dope. So good. Most of my friends (who are hot heads, like myself), were totally digging on it. Thanks so much for the inspiration. Cheers.
Mike Hultquist says
Outstanding! I love it, William. Nice.
Lauren says
First time hot sauce maker here! How long does the bottled hot sauce last on the shelf?
Mike Hultquist says
Laureen, hot sauces like this typically last 6 months out and 12 months in the refrigerator. I have a post on that here with more discussion: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/frequently-asked-questions/refrigerating-hot-sauce/
Cheryl says
I am looking for a recipe to use serranos for a spicy margarita. Would this work or do you have another suggestion?
Mike Hultquist says
Cheryl, I would use my Spicy Jalapeno Margarita Recipe, but use serranos instead. Here is the recipe: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/chili-pepper-recipes/drinks/citrus-jalapeno-margarita/
Malissa Dodds says
Can I reuse the brine? Drink it? Bathe in it?
I’d hate for it to go to waste
Mike Hultquist says
You can reuse brine, yes, though not indefinitely.
Malissa Dodds says
Do you have suggestions on how to reuse it? I mean like, repurpose it? Someone said to make bread, but I’ve never made bread. Marinade?
Mike Hultquist says
Malissa, yes, those are great uses. You can also use it as a starter culture for more fermentation batches, use it for making soups and stews, and even make drinks out of it. I'd love to hear how you wind up using yours.
Malissa says
First of all…..yum.
I didn’t follow the directions and added the garlic to the Serranos to ferment for 3 weeks, still turned out totally awesome!
I did equal parts water and brine and I added some lime zest to the party and wow!
I didn’t like the consistency of the final product w/ the food processor so I used my immersion blender
This recipe is stupid delicious! Love the spice. I want to drink it all
Thank you! I can’t wait to share with my spicy friends!
Mike Hultquist says
Glad you enjoyed it, Malissa!
Tripoutski says
I wanted to chime in and say that this is a good recipe. I have a pepper plant in my garden that went nuts towards the end of the year, so we searched and found this recipe. We gave some away (I bought the little jars pictured here) and people loved it. I had one person say it was a tad salty (as another did here), but I only salt while cooking and generally avoid it, but this did not bother me at all.
I picked enough today to get a pound, so we will do it again this weekend!
Good stuff, thanks for posting this.
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks!!
Beak Cosenza says
Good afternoon,
I was trying this recipe for the first time got a batch of 3 lbs. of serrano peppers marked down to $1.50 at the local market. I roasted about a third on the BBQ looking for a smoky flavor do you think it will work? they are presently fermenting.
Mike Hultquist says
Absolutely, Beak! Great way to add a smoky element! Let me know how it turns out for you. Enjoy!
Jessie says
Time to make hot sauce again! I have made this and the ancho receipe the last couple of years and like both! But my question is about fermenting: I have some trouble keeping pieces from floating in the brine and then worry about spoilage. I have a spring in the jar pressing them down but it doesn’t always hold all of the pieces. Any suggestions? Thanks!
Mike Hultquist says
Great, Jessie! Yes, I like small glass weights, but you can use a small baggie partially filled with water to press into the top, which will help keep the peppers submerged beneath the brine. Let me know if this helps.
wayne mays says
I have a pint of pickled Carolina Reaper Peppers. What do I do with them? They are so bloody hot it is insane!!! I made Ghost Pepper salsa last year and no one could eat that. These Reapers are even hotter?
Mike Hultquist says
You can try to mix one (or even part of one) into a larger pot, like stew or chili, or with a lot of other milder vegetables to make a hot/spicy sauce. They're pickled, so they will last a long time. Definitely something to use sparingly.
Wayne Mays says
I pickled and canned my serranos in quart jars. Will this receipe work for processed peppers?
Mike Hultquist says
Yes, you can make this recipe with processed peppers, Wayne. You may notice a flavor variation, but will work great. You may need to use a fermentation starter, though, or add in some fresh pods to get fermentation going.
wayne mays says
Cool, I'm ready to make a batch
Mike Hultquist says
Enjoy!
Ashley Mackin says
I love this recipe so much! I’ve made it a few times fermenting my Serranos for a week and it was fabulous. This time I fermented them for almost 3 weeks and it came out super salty. Could that be because I fermented them too long? How can I fix the sauce or is it too late? Thanks so much for the recipe!
Mike Hultquist says
Glad you enjoyed it, Ashley. I'm not sure why the later batch came out salty if you used the same proportions. You could always make a fresh batch without fermenting/salt and combine them. That will dilute the salt and have a similar flavor. Let me know if that works if you try it.
Michael Burgin says
Most fermented peppers require brine whether using bring or mashed method with salt equivalent of 2 t0 4% weight of the peppers. For 1 kg of peppers (a little more than 2 lbs), 3% salt would be about 30 grams of salt. Weight measures are far more accurate and consistent than using measuring spoons.
Mike Hultquist says
Yep, more accurate, though the spoon measurements work well enough.
Victor Baisley says
I should add I used green and red serranos and some jalepenos because I didn't have enough serranos. Fermented for 2 weeks. I made the sauces in June, its now February and they still taste great. Did not can, just stuck the bottles in the fridge. Have gone through about half the batch.
Victor Baisley says
Best hot sauce I have ever had. left some of the brine in it and it was hot and a little bit salty. Perfect!!!!!!!!
Mike Hultquist says
Boom! Awesome! Very happy you enjoyed it, Victor. Thanks for sharing. =)
Mark Stenseth says
This is my favorite hot sauce recipe. Thank you! It’s actually the only one I’ve ever made, but it’s so good. I’ve been making it for about 5 years and everyone I’ve ever given it to has complemented the flavor.
Mike Hultquist says
That's awesome, Mark! Very happy you love it! Thanks for sharing!
Kellie says
So does the boiling not kill the ferment? I'm hoping not because this hot sauce really is delicious.
Mike Hultquist says
Kellie, yes, cooking it will stop fermentation and remove probiotic benefits, but it does meld the flavor. You can skip the cooking part if you'd like.
Bryan B says
Hello Mike, from the great white north. Bottled a small batch this afternoon. I substituted jalapeno peppers for serrano only because I didn't have serrano peppers and was looking for an alternative recipe for the jalapeno's. I also had to use apple cider vinegar as white wine vinegar was not available. Fermented the peppers for 6 weeks and bottled at a ph of 3.0
My wife loves the flavour, as do I and as you described tangy and just the right amount of heat. Hoping all the substitutions didn't change the flavour profile too much. They're all close in their own right. Great recipe as always. Thanks.
Mike Hultquist says
Hello, Bryan. I love it. Very happy you're enjoying it. Definitely similar flavors, and you'll get a comfortable heat as well. Thanks for sharing!
Pauline Tanaka says
In a rush and didn’t read the recipe carefully. I didn’t pack the pepper mash in jar before pouring in brine. Should I abandon fermentation and just make sauce fresh? Or can it still be saved?
Mike Hultquist says
Pauline, if all the peppers are below the brine, you will be fine.
Joel says
Does the length of fermentation make a difference in the taste?
Mike Hultquist says
It can, Joel, yes. Tabasco ferments for 3 years, though the wood barrels make a difference, too. You'll still get plenty of flavor from a shorter fermentation.
Frederick Garrett says
Just finished making the Serrano pepper hot sauce. after blending i had my first taste. Amazing! Tons of flavor, and it brought the heat. I wanted to try it even though im not a big green sauce fan, the garlic, and tequila gave it an amazing flavor. I did ferment the peppers. love the fermenting process.
Mike Hultquist says
Awesome! Glad you enjoyed it, Frederick!
Graham says
Mike
Thanks for the recipe and the site very informative.
I just harvested a kilo of Serranos and want to make sauce. I don’t have Abe jars, can I use ziplock bags for the fermentation?
What is the best way to remove the seeds after fermentation?
Thanks
Mike Hultquist says
Graham, I've never fermented in bags, but seems you could do it. You might want to remove the seeds/innards before fermenting to make it easier.
Janet says
Do you process the peppers whole or do you desert them?
Janet says
Deseed not desert!
Mike H. says
Janet, you can ferment peppers whole, or you can slice them in half or rough chop them to better fit them in your fermentation containers. You can also leave in the seeds and innards, no problem. Let me know how it goes!
Sandy says
I grow my own Serranos and pick them when they are bright red. Does this make a difference in taste or heat>
Mike Hultquist says
Sandy, red serranos are riper, and usually a bit more sweet.
Heather Koelling says
Wowza! Just finished my hot sauce and uff-da what a kick it's got! Now to dehydrate the mash, but I don't have a dehydrator. Can I just put it in the oven at a low heat, like 125 degrees? And for how long? Thanks for the recipe, can't wait to try it on food! (rather than from the spoon I've been sampling it with)
Mike Hultquist says
Yes, you can, Heather. You might keep the door cracked to get some air flow. 125 degrees F is good, maybe 135 F. Several hours, or until completely dried.
Elynore says
I have on ongoing Serrano ferment with this base recipe. But I only have aniejo at the moment. I wonder if it will still work. Anyone tried?
Mike Hultquist says
You can make this with anejo, Elynore. No problem.
Mari says
Hello, I made the recipe exactly. It fermented for 2 weeks and 2 days. The mash floated to the top as others have noted. I would invert the jar twice a day.
When I took the lid off I could see it was still "working", a faint hint of bubbling. The brine was still fairly clear. I forgot about drying the mash, darn it! So will have to try that next time. I didn't want to, but the seeds and all made me go ahead and strain the mash. What a beautiful thick sauce! I put it in the fridge and tasted this morning. WoW! It has an odd flavor, thinking that's the serrano which I've never had much experience with. The spiceness is in the forefront and most noted then you get just a hint of "heat" in the back of mouth. I have a hispanic friend coming over Saturday and I can't wait for him to taste it and give me his opinion.
Question, what is the point of the 1.5 oz of tequilla. I had to send my DH to the store for some and now I have a nice bottle of Patron' in the freezer, but just wondered what this ingredient does. Thank you for the recipe, I'm going out to pick more peppers and make another bottle or two!!
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Mari. I love the rich, sweet flavor addition of the tequila here. It's like cooking with wine in that way. You can skip it if you'd like.
Mari says
Hello Mike. I have 3 plants that are producing beautiful peppers that are deep green, but will turn red with time. The nursery tag says Ancho peppers. Everything I'm reading on the internet says an ancho is a dried poblano. I'm confused. What kind of peppers did I grow? Also, not crazy about drying them for future rehydration. What can I do with them fresh, is there a sauce that I could make? Thanks for your help.
Mike Hultquist says
Mari, you are correct, an ancho is a dried poblano. A lot of places label poblanos as ancho or ancho types, but you have a poblano. You can freeze them, roast them, make sauces. Search "poblano" on the site and you'll find a lot of recipes for using fresh poblanos. Enjoy!
Nicole Curran says
After I make and bottle the sauce do I have to can it for longer shelf life? I have an abundance of Serranos! 3 plants and they just keep coming! I have never made hot sauce before so not sure how to can? After I have a pressure cooker for other things but curious on the hot sauce to extend shelf life thank you!
Mike Hultquist says
Nicole, yes, you can preserve hot sauces through canning. You start with this page: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/preserving-chili-peppers/canning-or-jarring-chili-peppers/
Keith says
I made this sauce today! I used 3 bulbs of garlic instead of 3 cloves. Good thing I like garlic. It tastes great! Thanks for the inspiration to make my own!
Mike Hultquist says
Great! Thanks, Keith! Happy to be helpful.
Peter F Preciado says
Hello Mike. Wow your site is such a hit! And an amazing resource. Thank you. This years harvest came and went and I never made any salsa, so now I am practicing with store bought so I can be a pro by next harvest. I am a week in and am wondering if I should have or could have added garlic to the fermentation process? I always put way more garlic than any salsa recipe calls for. Or is it best to put it in the hot sauce, after the fermentation?
Also, I forgot to add non chlorinated water and used tap, even thought I bought a bottle of bottled water just for it! DOH! Is that going to mess up the fermentation?
It seems to be doing great, I can sit and watch the bubbles rising. I have had to burp at least twice a day or the pressure starts leaking out brine. I've have to top up with more water and salt twice to keep it under the brine.
Thanks again for any advice. You da man!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Hey, Peter. Thanks, I appreciate your taking the time to comment. You can ferment with garlic, though I love to add it to the salsa or sauce either raw or roasted, depending. But yep, you can ferment if desired. The water is likely fine, as most cities/sources use a lot of filters and such. Sounds like it's just fine. Thanks again, and keep up the great work!
Donnie McClellan says
Trying my first batch. After 2 week fermentation process the water is not cloudy. Went ahead and took peppers out to process. They smell a lot like sauerkraut. Not sure if this is normal or not??? Kinda scared to move forward.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Donnie, some ferments are quiet and don't produce a lot of cloudiness. However, if you are concerned, you can try using a fermentation starter next time.
Andy says
DOH! Yep. That's exactly where I read it.
Well - all true about dehydrating the solids. It's a must!
Micheal, you know your stuff! 🙂
Thanks again. We really do love it.
Andy says
This hot sauce is really so great! It was a happy accident find for me when I had a bumper crop of serranos a few years back. Finished bottling my 3rd batch today. I follow the fermentation recipe exactly and have not been disappointed yet! I cannot remember if I read it in the comments here or elsewhere - but I use the immersion blender and make it not quite smooth then strain out the solids. Here's the big secret ---dehydrate the solids and grind them finely for an AMAZING seasoning mixture. Meat rub, add oil and lime juice for marinade, sprinkle on tater tots, etc. THE BOMB. Just careful, it's dynamite. (I literally where a mask and goggles when grinding it because that powder is kinda, ummm... HOT.)
I honestly don't know which should be considered the "byproduct" because at this point I consider both the sauce and the powder essential in my kitchen. Thank you for the awesome recipe and for teaching me how to ferment peppers. LOVE IT!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Awesome, Andy. Thanks. Yes, I have post on dehydrating the pulp to make seasonings. Great way to use them! https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/recipes/seasonings-from-hot-sauce-pulp/
Dave PNW says
Good eve!
Last year was my 1st pepper fermenting try. Did 3 qt jars of serranos and the hot sauce was fantastic! Sunday I started 6 lb serranos with a few jalapenos and anaheims; filled 4 qt jars and doing the salt brine method. They are starting to ferment well, but noticing a liquid band of 2-3" in the bottom of the jars that push the mash to the top of the lids; don't remember this happening last year. I have been gently inverting the jars to mix the brine back in the mash. Hope tis is ok - any suggestions appreciated.
Thanks, Dave in Marysville WA
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Hi, Dave. Yes, this should be fine. Whatever you can do to keep the peppers below the brine is ideal. Should be good to go! Happy Fermenting.
Becky says
Does the final sauce require refrigeration?? Asking because I have several people who would like me to ship them some, and I want to ensure it won't go bad. Otherwise, I suppose I could can it, but I was hoping to not have to do that. Thank you!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Becky, you don't HAVE TO refrigerate, but it does help to keep things longer. Some people don't like to refrigerate. If there is enough acid in the batch, or if you don't cook it down after fermenting, you can leave it out and it should last a long, long time. But anything can go bad eventually. Refrigeration is best if you don't have enough acid, or are looking for a safer treatment.
Jacob says
Haven't made it yet but I read your post about fermenting the pepper mash and had a question in relation to this recipe. In the fermenting post you list two ways of doing it, fermenting with the juices of the peppers OR fermenting with brine (water). In this recipe you specifically use the method with brine water. Is this necessary or can I just do the natural juices method without brine water?
Thanks in advance,
-Jacob
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Jacob, you can use the other method. Just make sure the peppers wind up submerged below the brine. Enjoy!
Ayako Monier says
It's been a week for fermentation. I found a white layer on top of the brine, which is harmless Kahm yeast. The brine below is muddy and bubbly, I tasted it a little bit - sour and shockingly HOT! I cannot wait another week to complete the fermentation. Thank you so much for such an authentic hot sauce recipe!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Enjoy, Ayako!
Andy says
Real good!
Is there anything you can put in the recipe to keep it green, by the time I bottle after fermentation it looks a little brown. Still good though!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Glad you enjoyed it, Andy!
Peter F Preciado says
Is pink Himalayan Sea Salt okay in this recipe? I'm starting tomorrow!! whoot whoot!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
You sure can, Peter. Enjoy!
Peter says
Followed the recipe pretty much exactly as written, except didn’t strain out the solids and they are perfect - just a wonderful consistency with great flavor.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Yep, straining is always optional, Peter, as noted in the recipe. I love this one. I don't always strain either. Enjoy!
Deborah says
Hi there - I followed the instructions to the letter but when I went to check the ferment there were a whole bunch of tiny white bits in there. I wasn't concerned until I saw that they were all moving! It was some kind of worm! Omg how do you think that happened and how on earth would they survive in that spice and brine? Needless to say I sadly discarded it all which I assume was the right thing to do. Would love your thoughts on this and how that could have happened! I have made kombucha and other ferments successfully. Will try another recipe.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Sorry to hear, Deborah. It is possible an infection occurred if the jar was opened at all, or if anything poked above the brine, or if the jars weren't completely cleaned, which all can happen. Ugh, I have when I lose a batch.
Bobby says
I'm in day 2 of fermenting with brine. I did a very fine chop of the peppers in a food processor, put in a 1 qt mason jar, covered with brine, used a pickle weight and the masontops burping membrane. Looks like the peppers are rising above the brine. Should I have to keep pushing the peppers down every day, or did I do something wrong?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Bobby, yes, be sure to keep the peppers below the brine, otherwise they will run the risk of infection. Enjoy!
Lee says
I made this sauce by the book the first time a few years back, but since have gone way rogue on it, and use it mostly as a baseline to start at. Now I almost always smoke my peppers first using a charcoal/wood smoker, and tend to mix in different hot and/or sweet peppers to get new and different flavors. My go to is to add jalapeños and habaneros, as well as some red bell peppers. I usually ferment the garlic along with the peppers too. Thanks for your recipe to kick start my imagination and flavor creation!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Nice. I love when you can start from a recipe and really make it your own. Sounds perfect!
Darren Brothwell says
I made this a few years ago from fresh Serrano's that I grew. I skipped the brining and didn't have any Tequila. I'll admit I wasn't impressed when it was first made, very salty and lacked flavor, so it got pushed to the back of the fridge where it got forgotten about. Six months or more latter my wife was clearing our fridge out and came across the bottle "you don't use this its going" she said. So I gave it one more try before I tipped it away. And boy was I glad I had tried it, it was stunning! Its now my "go to" sauce and in short supply and has left me wishing I grew more Serrano's!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Darren! Guess it had time to develop a bit! Glad you enjoyed it.
Jessi Dalton says
Hi Mike,
I bought a pound of serranos and want to make the fermented hot sauce. Can I use Diamond Crystal Kosher salt for fermenting? Thanks for all the recipes. They are awesome!!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Jessi, I would stay away from Kosher salt, as it can contain anti-caking agents. I'm not sure about that specific brand, though.
Christina says
Hi, thanks for this recipe, I am starting it now! I do a lot of fermenting, but this is my first hot sauce. I am going to use your suggestion to not cook the chili mash, to preserve the probiotics, but I will probably cook the garlic/vinegar/tequila to cook off the alcohol, then let that cool before combining. I have some frozen pineapple, and thought it might go well with the flavors and lower the spice level a bit. If I want to add pineapple, should I ferment it with the chilis, or add it after with the other ingredients? I know you said people sometimes add fruit or honey. My concern is that I don't want to throw off the pH or add sugar at the wrong time, and cause mold to grow. What do you think?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Christina, you CAN ferment the fruit if you'd like. You'll likely get more fermenting activity from the sugars in the fruit. I do this for kombucha all the time. You might try it both ways with the fruit to see if you notice a flavor difference in the final sauce, then adjust accordingly.
Chelsea says
Is there a way to make it without heating it? I wanted to keep more of the health benefits from the fermentation.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Chelsea, absolutely. Just process it and refrigerate. People do this all the time. You may need to still burp the bottle, though. Refrigeration will greatly slow any fermentation, if there is any left, but it may still occur, so burp here and there to release gas build up, just to be safe. Enjoy!
Dana says
Thank you! I happen to have another load of serranos, most of which got knocked of the plant due to crazy wind. I’ll give it another try.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Excellent!
Dave PNW says
Another question - is it ok to use iodized sea salt or is the iodine a problem flavor-wise?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Dave, it's best to use salts without additives. Sea salt is best. Skip table salt or iodized salt. See my post on Fermenting Peppers here: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/cooking-with-chili-peppers/how-to-make-fermented-pepper-mash
Dave PNW says
Great recipe. Used it last year with fresh peppers; this year one week into my 1st fermentation attempt. Harvested 3 pounds this fall. Smells great when they get burped! Can I add additional brine to the jars to keep mash covered, or is it better to add the described bag weights?
Thanks for creating this great recourse.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Dave, you can add more brine if needed, or just use weights to push them down. Either will work, as long as they stay under the brine. Enjoy!!
Kevin McKercher says
I have made a lot of beer. I am curious what will cause this to ferment so quickly. 1 to 2 weeks isn't very long, especially since its been 3 days already and I don't see anything happening. Did I miss the part where you add yeast ?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Hey, Kevin. The fermentation is lacto-fermentation, done by creating an anaerobic environment for the peppers. I have information on How to Ferment Peppers here that details the process. I hope this helps! https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/cooking-with-chili-peppers/how-to-make-fermented-pepper-mash
Peggy Waltz says
I want to make a Cayenne hot sauce. I have a ton in the garden. I want to roast a few and add to the rest. I don’t want to ferment them but I do want to can them with a hot water bath. The bottles I ordered have hard plastic caps. Is it okay to put them in a hot water bath? Thanks for your help. I have researched and can’t find an answer.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Peggy, I have a number of cayenne sauces on the site. Try these:
How to Make Hot Sauce: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/recipes/how-to-make-hot-sauce/
Homemade Tabasco Sauce (Just use Cayennes): https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/recipes/tabasco-sauce/
Homemade Louisiana Style Hot Sauce: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/chili-pepper-recipes/hot-sauces/homemade-louisiana-hot-sauce/
Regarding the caps - a lot of times those plastic caps can crack or stretch, making them not so ideal for home canning. You might look into bottles with metal caps, or use jars for canning. Good luck!
Dana says
Hi Michael,
Here we are 3 weeks later, and fermentation went great after I took the jars out of the refrigerator. The hot sauce tasted fantastic after simmering for 15 minutes. Then after blending, it turned incredibly bitter. Do you have any idea why this happened? We’re so disappointed. I’m thinking that if I try this recipe again, I will skip the blending after simmering. Other than the minced garlic, no additional solid ingredients were added, so maybe that last blend is unnecessary? Would love your input. Thanks.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Sorry to hear, Dana. It could be from any included seeds, or if you had any bitter kahm yeast in the batch. Cooking does stop the fermenting process, but is not necessary. You can enjoy the uncooked, fermented peppers on their own.
sarah says
I don’t know what I did wrong. I tried fermenting my green Serrano
for 2weeks, but I am not certain it came out right. When I went to boil/simmer the mix with tequila and garlic, it never reduced. It was just a thin liquid with pulp. Then put in processor which made a mess. I ended up with really thin liquid and pulp.
Suggestions? So happy I found your site I obviously have A LOT to learn .
Thank you
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Sarah, this is meant to be a fairly liquidy, thin sauce. However, when you boil and simmer, you can leave it on the heat longer until it reduces to your own preferences. You probably just needed a longer simmer. I hope this helps.
Colin O'Grady says
I'd like to roast the Serranos instead of fermenting them just to get a little bit of a different flavor going. What do y'all recommend to account for the lack of the brine? Just add some water before cooking? Add more lime juice and/or vinegar? If anyone has tried anything, or has successes to share, they'd be much appreciated!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Colin, yes, I would just add in some liquid (water, citrus, vinegar, a combination of) along with seasonings, then process and simmer. Let me know how it turns out for you.
Dana says
Thank you for the quick response! They are now on the countertop with a couple extra whole peppers submerged. It’s hot where I am, so we’ll see what happens! I’ll touch base in a couple weeks. Thanks for your help!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Great, enjoy!
Dana says
So I was thrilled to find this recipe, as my Serrano plant has been producing like crazy. Two weeks after I put them in the jar per the recipe to ferment, there’s no fermentation happening. I just reread the recipe and somehow I thought the jars needed to go in the refrigerator, rather than what I now see is a temp of 55-75. Have I completely screwed this up? It’s been sitting in brine this whole time. Please let me know if and how I can salvage this, thanks!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Dana, you are fine and they are still usable. If you want fermentation to occur, just take them out of the refrigerator. If fermentation doesn't start, add in some fresh pods. Let me know how it goes.
Anders says
This was my first time fermenting and couldn't see much happening so I was afraid I wasn't doing it right. I was burping every night and did not see any growth or excess air coming out. After 10 days fermentation, I cooked for 15 minutes and blended and it turned out quite mild. I am very happy with the result and the flavors are amazing, but could have done with a slightly spicer sauce.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Anders! Glad you enjoyed it!
Grace says
Do I need to ferment the peppers or is it ok to just cook them down straight from the garden?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Grace, you don't need to ferment if you don't want to. You can just cook them down straight from the garden. Let me know how it goes.
shelly says
Great, thanks for quick reply.... I love growing peppers, but can never use all them...
Shelly says
Michael, exited to try this recipe.
As Andrea asked could you ferment the peppers whole, or at least just halfed? I think this would be easier to keep summered in container.
And how do you prep? do you take seeds out or keep in?
Hate to discard all these peppers i have this season, as there is no way i can eat all of them.
Thanks much in advance.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Shelly, yes, you can ferment peppers whole, or you can slice them in half or rough chop them to better fit them in your fermentation containers. They are easier to keep submerged when in larger pieces. You can leave in the seeds and innards, no problem. Let me know how it goes for you. Enjoy.
Andrea says
Hey, I'm really excited to try this recipe. I have a whole lot more serranos than I ever thought would produce.
I'm curious, what is the benefit to fermenting after processing the chilis. Could you ferment them whole and then blend and process? I'm just wondering if that might be a less messy route.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Andrea, fermenting will mellow the flavors in ways you won't get without fermentation. Cooking them stops the fermenting process. You don't have to cook after if you don't want to. Just process and use. You may need to burp your containers occasionally, though. I hope you enjoy it.
Josh says
Just started this recipe, if I have bits of mash floating at the top do I need to scrape them out, or are they fine / will they settle? The weight/spring that came with my lids is not a solid piece.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Josh, it's important to keep the bits submerged, or you run the risk of contamination. Try using a plastic baggie partially filled with water. Stuff it into the top to see if that will work.
Julie says
That was an interesting experience, resulting in a hot sauce I can handle and husband likes. I only had 3/4lb of serranos and cut the recipe down to fit. Used rum, but honestly can't taste it. Perhaps I will have to buy a small jar of tequila for the next batch.
My fermenting, in a Ball jar, kept on spilling out the brine. Yes, I burped it....more than once a day. Definitely recommend putting the jar of fermenting peppers sitting in a plastic container that will keep any spill from surfaces that you don't want it on. In my case, the inside of my cabinet.
All in all this was a really fun way to try something new with little risk involved. Grew my own serranos so very little investment at risk if the batch got put down the drain. Instead, my husband is headed to grab the nacho chips and sauce. Ours came out more like a salsa since I left the solids in.
Thanks so much!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Excellent, Julie! Glad you guys are enjoying it!!
Andy says
Delicious hot sauce and a great intro to fermenting chilis. Was able to make ALOT of this from two Serrano plants last summer and it kept with no problem in the fridge for 7 or 8 months.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Great, Andy! Thanks for sharing!
Jason says
Hello I just made your pepper sauce I didn't have quite a pound of serrano so I added a few jalapeno and a few Tabasco Peppers. Using my food processor it may have blended it too thin and almost into a mash. Is that okay?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Absolutely, Jason. No issue at all. Let me know how you enjoy it.
Marcia Clark says
I fermented the peppers for 8 days and just made the sauce exactly as the directions. Delicious! It is hot but not killer like the cayenne sauce recipe I followed from this site last week. All good! Thanks Mike.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Great to hear, Marcia! Glad you enjoyed it!
Cherie says
Can this recipe be canned? If so, what do you recommend? Thank you.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Yes, Cherie. Absolutely. Just be sure to use proper canning/jarring safety procedures. A water bath process would be sufficient.
Grace says
So made the mash, jarred it and have checked everyday trying to keep it below the brine. On a couple jars I tried the baggies filled with water. All three jars have developed a very thin white layer even on the jars with the baggies the thing white layer is on the sides of the jar between the baggie and the glass. I’m thinking it’s probably spoiled but before I throw it out I thought I’d double check here first. Is my mash spoiled??
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Grace, often that thin white layer is kahm yeast, which is not bad for you. You can usually scrape that away. If the layer is fuzzy and smells bad, then there is some infection. If it is very smooth and doesn't have a spoiled/rotten smell, it's probably just kahm yeast.
Grace says
Can the tequila be left out or something else substituted?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Grace, yes, you can use another booze, like rum. For a no alcohol version, use either more vinegar, a citrus juice, or just water to thin. Let me know how it goes for you.
Aaron C says
I haven’t tried the recipe yet, but I’m super excited to. I love green chili peppers. I was wondering if it would be possible to make the sauce without cooking it after fermentation? I’d love to keep the probiotic value and cooking the sauce will kill off the good bacteria. Would it still taste good if you didn’t cook it? Would you ferment everything together or just the peppers and brine? How would you do it? Sorry. Just looking to maximize the nutrition as well! Thanks!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Aaron, absolutely. You don't have to cook it. Many people stop before cooking for the probiotic benefits. Refrigeration will slow it down, though you may still need to burp your bottles/containers, as fermentation activity will continue. Let me know how it goes.
Anna says
I roasted the peppers on the grill and after peeling and seeding them (great quarantine time filler) proceeded directly to the puree stage, adding salt, vinegar, lime, garlic and tequila gradually since the roasted peppers are so much less in volume. Pretty much ended up with the proportions in the recipe! Yum.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Anna! I hope you enjoy the heat!
Al says
HI,
Made your Serrano hot sauce but found the recipe a little unclear.
I mixed a quart of brine, but only used about half to cover the peppers to ferment. When it came time to add everything to a pot (including brine) I wasn't sure if you meant the whole quart, including the stuff I hadn't used to cover the peppers, or just the stuff that was in with the peppers. I used the qhole lot and ended up with a lot of thin sauce.
Tastes ok, but a little salty.
Perhaps you could update your recipe to cover this off 🙂
Also, unsure when you say to simmer for 15 minutes - is this with the lid on or off? Are we trying to reduce the sauce or just cook everything for 15 minutes?
Looking forward to your response
Thanks
Al
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Al, you really only need to add the water from the ferment, not the whole quart. I'll adjust the NOTES to make it clear that you really only need enough brine to cover the peppers. Regarding saltiness - you can discard the brine altogether and just use fresh water, or use a combination. Simmer with no lid, which is meant to stop the ferment and help meld the flavors even more. It is not necessary. I hope this is clear. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Andrew Biddle says
Thank you for the recipe. I've made hot sauces before but never tried fermenting until now. My 3qt jar of sliced serrano peppers has stopped fermenting, mostly noticed by less bubbles and the mash isn't floating to the top anymore. There are little white curly worm-shapes floating throughout, which are either worms or seed embryo. I'm suspecting the latter because I never saw anything moving or hatching, but is this something I should expect?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Andrew, no, not at all. It sounds like the batch has been infected and should be thrown out. Sorry to say.
Troy says
I have a question about dehydrating. When you dehydrate mash, what kind of dehydrator do you use? Does it have a special style of tray to contain the liquidy mash? We we going to keep an eye out for a dehydrator on black friday and wondering what to look for.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Hi, Troy - I have two models, a smaller Nesco and a larger Excalibur. The Nesco comes with some solid trays that let you add things like mash or pulp so it won't fall through the mesh. The Excalibur uses trays, so I use some dehydrator sheets that lay over the mesh trays, keeping the mash from leaking through. There are some links to Amazon for the ones I use on this page, under the "Get a Dehydrator" section: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/chili-pepper-recipes/hot-sauces/seasonings-from-hot-sauce-pulp/. I hope this helps! Enjoy!
Troy says
Michael,
when i look at the nesco you recommended on your link, it does not look like it comes with solid trays. Are you using the "fruit roll " sheets to do the mash, or am I missing something? It looks like the mesco model with the "pr" at the end of the model number come with these sheets. Sorry for the questions, but not in a place to buy the excalubur at this time and want to make sure I order the right thing to do the mash. Maybe Nesco has changed the way they sell the FD-75a.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Troy, mine came with some solid trays, and yes, you can make fruit leathers on them, so that is most likely what you need. As long as they are solid. You can also buy reusable teflon liners for the round trays. Let me know how it goes.
Mike says
Hi Mike - This is more of a question for fermentation process. Donyou have some recommendations to help keep the solids below the liquid line to avoid spoilage. I’m finding that my processed peppers are creeping up above on top Of the liquid in the mason jar.
Thanks!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Hi, Mike. There are a few ways to keep the peppers submerges beneath the brine. One quick method is to fill a baggie with water, seal it, and place it into the jar to force everything down below the water. See if that works. It is important to keep everything submerged to avoid contamination, like mold, from growing on the exposed peppers. I use small glass weights that work well. Grape leaves are another method, where you can drape grape leaves over the top of the ferment to not only keep the peppers submerged, but to also help keep any developing yeast (like kahm yeast) away from the peppers.
Kate P says
Hello there! I found your site while researching recipes to use up my surplus of Serrano peppers. I am super interested in this recipe but before I start, I need a little clarification. Bear with me, I have a lot of questions.
My primary confusion is regarding the brine fermentation process mentioned in this recipe. The recipe calls for mixing 1 QUART of brine. But the recipe also says "Pour just enough brine over the peppers to cover them, pressing them down a bit as you go." Since this recipe is really only yielding 1 cup of hot sauce, I was envisioning fermenting it in a pint mason jar or a pint and half at most. So if I just cover the hot pepper mash with brine, I can't imagine it will require a lot of brine liquid. Reasonably, how much brine do you think will be used throughout the fermenting process? Does it really require a whole quart of brine? How often do you typically have to recover it with brine in the 1-2 week fermentation process?
Can you share a picture of what your fermentation set up usually looks like? Or better yet, make a video about the process? In the comments of other people's questions, you mention that you have to cover the mash with a glass weight. What kind of weight do you have? Where do you find one? What kind of jar do you use that will hold a glass weight?
Finally, in this recipe, you reference your other page for "How to Make Fermented Pepper Mash". That article references a 2nd way to ferment, which involves mixing the salt directly into the mash without covering it with a liquid brine. Is there any reason that this method would NOT work for this Serrano hot sauce recipe? You only list the brine method for this particular recipe, so I'm just curious.
Those are all of my questions. Thank you in advance for your assistance.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Kate, I usually make more brine than needed and toss what is not used. It's just water and salt, so not an issue for me. Make half and see if it fits in your jar.
You need to cover the peppers with the brine. If any peppers are not covered, they run the risk of contamination and rot. Be sure to cover them. I'll try to share photos in upcoming recipes.
There is no reason you can't use the second fermentation method. Give it a go.
Good luck! Enjoy.
Rebecca Cossio says
Hi there, this sounds delicious, since I won't be doing the fermenting process, should I blanch the peppers first or would you recommend keeping them fresh?
Thanks so much!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Rebecca, you don't have to blanch the peppers, as you will still be cooking the ingredients down for 15 minutes to bring the flavors together, though you can if you want to. Let me know how turns out for you.
Chris says
Hi, if I don’t have a mason jar is it ok to ferment the peppers in a clean plastic yogurt container with a lid on it? It’s not as airtight as a screw top jar but all I have.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Chris, I have not fermented in plastic containers. Plastic isn't ideal as it is permeable to oxygen, so not good for long term. I would use glass or jars made specifically for fermenting.
Chris says
Thanks!
Frank says
Hi Mike,
I had 3 plants that produced Serrano peppers and I looked up a hot sauce recipe and this one jumped right out at me! I started to brine the peppers last Saturday and plan to make the hot sauce this Sunday.
Looking back just now at your directions I hope I didnt mess up. I only cut the peppers into slices instead of processing them before fermenting. I also added the garlic cloves into the brine mixture while fermenting. I hope it doesnt effect the taste too much.
Thank you for the recipe!!!
Frank
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Hey, Frank. Slices is totally fine. They're actually easier to keep below the brine. You just can't fit quite as many, but all good. Garlic is good, too. Let me know how it turns out for you.
Thomas says
This looks like an excellent base recipe.
I have 4 serrano plants in the greenhouse with so many peppers I don't know what to do with them all. Already pickled a nice big batch but have loads left. Will get the rest picked in the next few days and start fermenting.
Not too big on tequila personally but my mind is already racing with slight variations.
Many thanks for the recipe, I'll let you know how mine turns out and what other flavours I add.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Thomas! I love it!
Emily Ferri says
My hubby and I made this recipe with two variations in ingredients! I'll start with mine and describe some of the problems I ran into - and how we conquered it!
My recipe:
I followed the recipe almost to a t, adding a bit of honey (1 tablespoon) and distilled water to the food processor step, and I produced roughly three 5 fl oz bottles. The recipe is definitely spicy, but super flavorful.
My hubby:
From the start, he added Thai Basil to the fermenting process, roughly 2 condensed cups of Thai Basil. After the fermenting process ended, he also put a full bulb of garlic in the oven to roast it with oil and pepper for one hour, while roasting the garlic he sauteed about a 1/4 cup of onions and combined all other ingredients into the pot for cooking. Once the garlic was ready to go, we followed steps 5-7 as listed above. He also added about 3 tablespoons of honey to his during processing.
Both hot sauces came out great! #chilipeppermadness
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Great, Emily! Glad you enjoyed them, and I love your variations. Very nice! Thanks for sharing!
BRIAN LEMERE says
I added too much brine. My sauce is good but too watery. What should I do.?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Brian, you can try to strain out some of the liquid through a fine mesh sieve, or you can process the batch with more peppers and ingredients to thicken it up. Or, add the sauce to a pot and simmer it to reduce the liquid, then cool and re-bottle. Let me know if this helps.
keri says
Hi. Can you store it in a plastic squeeze bottle set?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Keri, you should be able to if you can seal it properly. It's best kept in the fridge in bottles that you can cap.
Bu says
I followed the instructions and made this recipe including fermenting the serranos for 12 days. I did not have reposado tequila but had a white tequila which I used. The end product tastes very bitter. Was it the tequila?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Bu, some peppers can produce a bitterness from fermenting, especially the greener peppers. You can cut some of that if you reprocess the batch with a bit of sugar or honey.
Eli says
Do you use an airlock lid for the jar, or will a regular Mason jar lid suffice?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Eli, I used an airlock system to ferment the peppers, though you can make this without fermenting. Check out my page on How to Make Fermented Pepper Mash for information and a link to the one I use.
Katherine Gaspar says
Hi Mike,
I made this last year since I had a bumper crop of serrano peppers. This was the best hot sauce I every had. My family can't wait till I make some more. I am trying it this year with a combination of peppers, cayenne, banana and serranos. Can't wait to try it. It is fermenting now. Thanks again for such clear instructions. I have tried fermenting before but here I am at it again!!!
Kathy
Katherine Gaspar says
Oops should say I never have tried fermenting!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Katherine!!
Mark Akins says
Hi Mike,
I really want to try this one using a mixture of green and red serrano peppers. Is the recipe as is at the pH level for BWB canning? It makes a lot, and I need to be able to store it at room temperature.
Take care,
Mark
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Mark, it should be, though it is best to measure with a good pH meter to be sure.
Robin says
Hey! I’m straining my batch right now and I’m super pumped to dehydrate the solids. I was going to use my dehydrator, should I use parchment paper under it? How do you do it?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Robin, you can use parchment paper if you don't have solid sheets. I use little dehydrator sheets that I purchased. Let me know how it turns out for you.
Maria says
Hi. I’m slightly confused. Do you use a mash or do you ferment them with the method described? And, if you use the mash, do you cook it thereafter or just mix in the remainder of the ingredients? Thank you.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Maria, yes, you first ferment the peppers. Then, after fermentation, cook them with the other ingredients to stop the ferment and let the new ingredients meld. Let me know how it turns out for you.
Jen says
DUDE. I'm super stoked to find your website and cannot wait to try this recipe. All the best! Keep it spicy!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Awesome, Jen! Glad you found us! I hope you enjoy the sauce.
Kris says
Simply amazing! Allow the sauce to render until your desired viscosity it achieve! 3rd time making and it never fails.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Kris! Glad you're loving it! I love this hot sauce recipe. Great stuff!
Toni says
What do you suppose I use instead of tequila if I don’t like that flavor? More vinegar or water?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Tony, you can skip the tequila and use a bit more vinegar if you'd like. Or, try using a light rum.
Steven W Taylor says
Okay This is amazing. I can definitely attest to the goodness of the fermented peppers. Dang this stuff rocks! Thanks so much for it!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Steven!!
Scott says
Hi, wondering if the peppers should be stirred during fermentation
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Scott, no, there is no need to stir them as long as everything is submerged under the brine.
Sam says
I would not stir. Oxygen bad plus potential for infecting your batch.
Maggie says
After I boil the mixture and strain it, Does the resulting hot sauce need to be refrigerated?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Maggie, I like to keep mine in the refrigerator for safe keeping. Some people leave theirs out. Be sure to check the PH. It should be below 4.0 minimum.
Steve says
Michael, how do you test the pH level?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Steve, you can use ph strips, but it's better to use a ph meter.
Steven says
Hey Mike,
I’ve made a couple batches using ghosts and various other peppers and found it to be too thick (almost a paste). Is there a good rule of thumb for a liquid (water/vinegar) to solid ratio?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Steven, not really a rule of thumb, but you can easily add in water to thin it out to your preference. Let me know how that works out for you.
PCLAR says
Amazing recipe, thank you! Just wondering if straining is necessary or can it be left chunky (the pepper mash, that is)?
Thanks in advance!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Hey, PCLAR. Yes, you can leave it chunky. No problem at all. Enjoy!
Bonnie Menard says
I have some mold on top of the fermenting peppers. Can I still use? Would you just skim the top and continue to follow the recipe??
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Bonnie, if it's a whitish film, it's most likely kahm yeast, which can be scraped away. If there is a mold that smells really bad, then you may have some spoilage. Trust your nose. If it smells really bad, discard it.
Christie says
Hello! Quick question - whats the estimated yield on this recipe? Thanks!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Christie, this should make you about a cup or so, though you can yield more if you don't strain it. Let me know how it turns out for you.
Steve says
Michael, I like the idea of not straining. Is there a reason you recommend straining?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Steve, straining is not required. I don't always strain. It really just depends on your preferred consistency. The flavor will remain the same.
Stephanie says
Hi Ryan,
I’m making your sauce for the first time. I’m in Australia and our limes are a different variety and somewhat larger than the ones available in Mexico and America I was wondering how much lime juice to use as given the size difference could vary substantially. Thanks in advance. Stephanie
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Stephanie, I would use about 2 tablespoons (1 ounce/30 ml) and then you can adjust the recipe from there with more if you'd like. Let me know how it turns out for you.
Stephanie says
Thanks. I will. I am making it today.
Angela says
I love the sound of this recipe. I have fermented sliced veggies in the past, but I am not sure how the minced will work to keep under the brine? Everything floats as it ferments. And if it is too fine it will work its way to the top, resulting in mold. How do you get the peppers to stay below the brine?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Angela, I use a small glass weight that keeps everything under the brine. People use different things, like a large onion slice, thick cabbage leaves, even balloons. If you're concerned, you can use larger pieces of peppers, though you'll get more activity with smaller chopped peppers. I hope this helps!
Anna says
Hello there. I love this recipe! I fermented red Serrano with the garlic and a little bit of dill stems. Quick question. After I fermented them I didn’t boil or add the other ingredients. I just put them into the food processor. Can I still use this hot sauce? Also what to do with the extra brine.
Thank you.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Anna, you don't need to boil it. It can be used without the boil. You can use the extra brine to start another ferment, or use it to flavor something else, like a salad dressing or soup. Or it can be composted. Take care.
Rene says
What happens if I use tap water, rather than unchlorinated water?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Rene, tap water often is unfiltered or contains chlorine, which can totally ruin a ferment. Unchlorinated water is needed. If using tap water, you can boil it for about 30 minutes, which should help to evaporate the chlorine. Give that a try and let me know how it goes for you.
ryan luce says
Wondering how accurate the 1 pound of peppers is.
Should I be weighing out the mash before fermentation to get the correct amount or just wing it, or is there a approximate pepper count to come to about a pound?
thanks
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Hi, Ryan - 1 pound is accurate. I used 1 pound for the recipe. By weight is the best way, as the peppers can vary in size. Figure it's about 5 serrano peppers per ounce, so about 80 pods roughly. It may sound like a lot, but when you process them down and brine them, it isn't as much as you think. You can reduce the number of peppers and adjust the recipe ratios accordingly.
Dawn Lowe says
Can I use frozen Serranos? I had so many last year and not enough time to deal with them.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Dawn, yes, you can use frozen serranos. You might need a fermentation starter, though. Let me know how it turns out for you.
Susie says
I tried this recipe and my hot sauce seems to be very acidic. Is their something I can do to change this or is it supposed to be this way? I used the fermented process.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Susie, there can be a somewhat acidic taste with fermented peppers. I suggest adding in a bit of honey to sweeten it just a bit. Not too much, but enough to balance out any acidic flavor. You can also mix in other ingredients, such as fruit (like pineapple or mango) or other veggies/seasonings. Let me know how it ultimately turns out.
Scott says
Great recipe Mike! My wife and I just harvested our Serrano pepper plant and found your recipe online. We fermented them for one week and followed your instructions. All we can say is WOW! Amazing flavor. I strained this batch and dehydrated the seeds and pulp. This made one of the best seasonings we have ever had as far as a spicy one. Thank you for sharing your knowledge and experience with us. Keep up the great work.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
That's GREAT, Scott! Thanks for letting me know!
Peter says
Can’t wait to try this recipe since my Serrano plant has about a zillion peppers I didn’t know what to do with. Any difference if the Serranos turn red on the plant?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Peter. Glad I can help. The red serranos tend to be a slight bit sweeter than green, but you can use them interchangeably. Let me know how it turns out for you!
Peter says
Loved making this and will definitely try it again, but my final product has a bit of a yeasty/beer-y flavor note, after fermenting for about two weeks. Any idea what I should try next time? Thanks for the recipe!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Peter, sometimes fermented sauces can have some bitter notes, so I would counter those with other ingredients, such as honey or fruit. You can also incorporate some different seasonings to balance that out as well. Let me know if that helps.
Kyle says
Do you need to seed the peppers before putting in food processor?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Kyle, you can core out the peppers if you'd like. I usually do not. Some people do not like the floating seeds in their sauces. You can strain later, too. Note that if you core out the peppers, much of the heat is in the whitish innards, so you will likely be reducing the overall heat.
Aaron says
I used sea salt and it is a bit too salty.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Sorry to hear, Aaron. You can always combine this batch with another to reduce the salt levels.
Ahmed Yusuf says
Hi
what can i substitute with tequila because of religious reasons.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Hi, Ahmed. You can skip the tequila and include a bit more vinegar and lime juice to compensate. Also, a bit of honey or agave nectar would add a touch of sweetness. Please let me know how it turns out for you.
Justin says
Hi, belated thanks for this recipe and your replies to my questions. My sauce, made with the scotch bonnet mash instead of the Serranos turned out extremely hot (at first, right on the verge of my spice tolerance!), but surprisingly over time I have grown to like it, not sure if I have got used to it, or if it has mellowed out over the last couple of months. Will be making another batch soon!! I did have to add a bit more tequila and lime to my mixture than recommended, maybe because the scotch bonnets are more overpowering than serranos. Anyway, I recommend this recipe.
ken says
I have a lot of serranoes in my freezer can I use them instead of fresh ones
REPLY: Ken, yes, you can absolutely use frozen peppers in this recipe, though if fermenting, you may need to use a culture starter. -- Mike from Chili Pepper Madness.
jim Peterson says
Is that 15oz tequila, or 1.5oz?
REPLY: 1-1/2 ounce.
Tabb says
I've found that 15oz is the correct amount when preparing with a friend.
1.5 of that goes into the recipe, the remainder is shared between the cooks.
Justin says
Hi, at last, I found a recipe using peppermash, lime juice and tequila!! Thanks so much for posting that, I will be trying this one out, although will peppermash made from scotch bonnets I already have in the fridge. As I I already have the mash made, and I made a large batch of it, can you please advise how many litres/ pints of pepper mash I should measure out to keep in ratio with the measurements of the other ingredients listed above?
Also, how long can I keep peppermash in the fridge, as it will take us a while to get through it all. it is in Kilner type jars, with the 2 part screw top lids (seperate screw ring and centre round piece). Should think about freezing it, if it is going to be kept for more than a few months? Thanks again for an interesting website, I am new to this pepper mash and hot sauce making.
REPLY: Hey, Justin. I would use about a cup of prepared mash for this recipe. Also, mash will last a long time in the fridge, at least several months and up to a year or longer. Just be sure to keep it covered. If you're concerned, add in a bit of vinegar to the mix. -- Mike from Chili Pepper Madness.
Dr ROK says
How often do you burp the jars. Is once a day sufficient?
REPLY: Once a day is good, maybe twice/day in the first week or 2, when the ferment is most active. -- Mike from Chili Pepper Madness.