This Superhot Hot Sauce Recipe is made with a variety of superhot chili peppers including carolina reapers, 7-pot peppers and scorpion peppers. It's extremely hot and not for the faint of heart. For true chiliheads only!
Superhot Hot Sauce Recipe
OK, my friends. It's time to reveal one of the hottest hot sauces I have ever made in my own kitchen. Yes, it's homemade and it's crazy hot. Crazy hot in a good sort of way, the way only a serious chilihead can enjoy. This might just be the hottest hot sauce in the world that you can make right at home!
I grow a big variety of chili peppers every year. I love a range of heat and flavors, from flavorful sweet peppers all the way up to superhots with their incredible heat.
I use them in so many ways, and one of my favorites it making homemade hot sauce. I do enjoy milder sauces that focus on flavor over heat, but every now and then, I want some seriously heat in my hot sauce. That's when this hot sauce comes in - a hot sauce made from superhot chili peppers.
Superhot Hot Sauce Ingredients
- Superhot Chili Peppers - Use reapers, scorpions, 7 pots - use your favorite varieties - stems removed – use a mix! Anything over 1 Millions Scovilles, baby!
- Garlic
- Basil Leaves
- Vinegar
- Salt
Hot to Make Superhot Hot Sauce
Roast the peppers. Heat an oven to 400°F. Set the superhot chili peppers and garlic on a baking sheet and bake them about 15-20 minutes, or until the skins slightly char. Keep an eye on these. You don't want them to burn, and watch out for any fumes.
NOTE: Alternatively, do this on your grill outside.
Process the ingredients. Add peppers to a food processor. Squeeze garlic out of their skins and into the food processor they go. Add basil leaves and process.
Vinegar. While processing, add in vinegar until it is nicely pureed. Watch out for the fumes!
Salt and strain, if desired. Add salt and stir. Push the sauce through a strainer or use a food mill to really strain it, if desired. Adjust with more vinegar or water to your desired consistency.
NOTE: I don't always strain. It really depends on how thick you want your hot sauce.
Bottle it up. Pour into bottles and enjoy. Give to your friends! The longer you let it sit, the more the flavors will meld.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Protect yourself from fumes. Aside from the obvious heat you will achieve with this sauce, you must also beware of fumes in the kitchen. Make this sauce in a well ventilated room. Open the windows if you can. Pepper fumes can be rough, especially with superhots. Consider a mask and/or goggle to protect your eyes.
- Also, wear gloves. I cook with superhots all the time and the oils usually do not bother my skin, but when cooking with a large amount, cutting them open, handling them, you will get some on your skin. It may burn, but if not, it can still burn other parts of your body that you touch.
- Let it sit. Once you've made the hot sauce, jar or bottle it and let it sit a week or two for the flavors to truly meld, though you can eat it right away if you'd like.
Where did you get that hot sauce bottle?
I find them locally sometimes, but I also order through Amazon. Here is a link to some bottles I like (affiliate link, my friends!): Swing Top Glass Bottles, 8.5 Ounce - Set of 4. If you like the smaller bottles that most hot sauce makers use, here's another link: Hot Sauce Bottles, 5 Oz - 24 Pack.
How hot is this superhot sauce?
With superhots, you can expect a wide range of heat, though the majority of them start at over 1 Million SHU. Some will approach or surpass 2 Million SHU, which is somewhat insane, but again, these are ranges so you can typically expect your pepper heat to fall in the middle somewhere.
The heat depends on many factors, such as soil and growing conditions of the particular peppers. Well, my peppers must have been grown under some ideal conditions, because they were HOT. I didn't want them to go to waste, so I turned the majority of them into a hot sauce that I still have today.
This is a Louisiana style hot sauce with a few extras added in for flavor. A Louisiana style hot sauce consists of peppers and vinegar, and they're extremely popular.
With good reason. This superhot version brings in the variety of superhots and adds in roasted garlic and basil. That's it, with a bit of salt. You can expect variable results depending on the chili peppers you choose to work with.
To push for the top end of the scale, use only Reapers or 7-Pot Brain Strains if you can get them. Pure Scorpions would be crazy killer hot. Or vary it up like I did. You can also make this with roasted jalapenos, or pretty much any pepper you prefer.
Choose your peppers with love. That is always a good place to start.
Storage
It should keep a few months easily in the fridge, or even longer. It's all about the acidity. To be technical, target level ph for shelf stable foods is below 4.6 ph, but should probably be lower for home cooks, around 4.0 or so, to account for errors.
I have not measured the ph of this sauce, but I won't have it around very long anyway. If you're concerned, add more vinegar to lower the ph.
The best ph meters that I recommend are from Thermoworks. Get yourself a ph meter from Thermoworks today. I am a happy affiliate.
See my post on "Does Hot Sauce Need to be Refrigerated?"
Enjoy More Hot Sauce Recipes
- Homemade Sriracha (both fermented and non-fermented varieties)
- Cayenne Pepper Sauce
- Ti-Malice – Hatian Creole Hot Sauce
- Ghost Pepper Hot Sauce
- Habanero Hot Sauce
- How to Make Hot Sauce: The Ultimate Guide
- More Hot Sauce Recipes
If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you'll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don't forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I'll be sure to share! Thanks! -- Mike H.
Superhot Hot Sauce Recipe (The Hottest Hot Sauce I Ever Made)
Ingredients
- 1 pound superhot chili peppers (reapers, scorpions, 7 pots - use your favorite varieties) stems removed – use a mix! Anything over 1 Millions Scovilles, baby!
- 4 cloves garlic
- 12 large basil leaves
- 1 cup vinegar + more as needed
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Heat an oven to 400 degrees. Set the superhot chili peppers and garlic on a baking sheet and bake them about 15-20 minutes, or until the skins slightly char. Keep an eye on these. You don't want them to burn, and watch out for any fumes. Alternatively, do this on your grill outside.
- Add peppers to a food processor. Squeeze garlic out of their skins and into the food processor they go.
- Add basil leaves and process.
- While processing, add in vinegar until it is nicely pureed. Watch out for the fumes!
- Add salt and stir. Push the sauce through a strainer or use a food mill to really strain it, if desired. Adjust with more vinegar or water to your desired consistency.
- Pour into bottles and enjoy. Give to your friends! The longer you let it sit, the more the flavors will meld.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
NOTE: This recipe was updated on 11/26/21 to include new information, photos and video. It was originally published on 11/20/15.
Mikey says
Oof! That'sa spicy meat-a-ball!
I was actually doing pretty good until I started washing the bowls and stuff. It was like I set off a CS grenade in the sink. An hour later, I think I'm finally done coughing and sneezing. Wow.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Yeah, it's a hot one for sure, Mikey!
Phil Koenig says
Just made this sauce with 1/2 lb of Bhut Jalokians and it is just what I was looking for! Tasty, lots of flavor and hot as hell!
One thing: After I had scraped all the sauce I could get off the blending container and put all the implements in the sink to wash the fumes that came off when the water hit it damn near choked me! Really hadn't expected that so just a word to the wise.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Phil. I'm glad you like it. Yes, often times there are the fumes that can get you. Best to work in a well ventilated room. Thanks for the reminder!
Jim Fluri says
I rinse all of the utensils and dishes in cold water first, not nearly as bad.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Jim!
Sue says
Do you store this in the fridge or pantry immediately after bottling?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Sue, I store mine in the fridge. I feel it is safer that way, despite the acidity. Some people keep their hot sauces in their pantry.
Darlene says
I I do not have a scale. Approximately how many peppers is a pound?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Darlene, the sizes vary with peppers, so weighing is best, but with most superhots, you'll use anywhere from 30-60 or even more if they're fairly small.
Tony says
Mike,
Going to try this recipe out today with some peppers out of the garden. Going to be using Trinidad Moruga Scorpion, Devil's Tongue, Reaper and Ghosts. I prefer grilling my peppers whole. My question is being that I am going to be using a couple of beastly peppers I have considered adding sugar to the recipe to give it a sweet kick. Any recommendations on whether I should brown or white sugar? As for vinegar which would help the flavor profile more. - I have white, champagne and apple cider that I can use. U look forward to hearing your thoughts.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Great, Tony. Let me know how it turns out for you. If you're going to use sugar, I would use white sugar for this one over brown, or instead try honey. For the vinegar, I would use champagne vinegar, though either would work with this recipe. Looking forward to hearing how you like it.
Tony says
Hi Mike. Made the hot sauce and used light brown sugar and white vinegar since I couldn't get the page here to load and see your recommendation. It definitely has a good flavor profile with the sweet blending nicely with the heat. I have had a more than a few compliments on it from true heat lovers (and even lit up a few who thought they knew hot LMAO). Will definitely try your recommendation next batch.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Tony! I'm super happy you enjoyed it. It's definitely one of my favorites. Have a good one!
Elpidio Amayo says
Tony.
Instead of sugar' try molasses, and for a Mexican touch add mezcal or Tequila to the vinegar.
Cheers!
Angela J says
My son loves this sauce!! I dried all my pepper from last year. How can I translate dried peppers into what I need for this recipe? Thank you
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Angela! You can easily rehydrate dried pods to make hot sauce. Here is a link to help you - How to Rehydrate Dried Chili Peppers.
John C says
Okay, so I used this recipe for my very first attempt ever at making hot sauce... I just didn't use super hot peppers. I used a mix of habaneros and sweet bells. I used an entire bulb of garlic, less basil, and just a titch of orange blossom honey... maybe a tablespoon at most. Ran it through a food mill at the end... OMG it's absolutely amazing! This technique is the bomb! I'll be doing it again with different peppers, and eventually with the superhots I'm sure. I have a buddy who has a bunch of them... but yeah, thank you for the recipe! I wish I could post a pic! 🙂
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Awesome, John! Truly, you can make any hot sauce with this technique, as you've proved! Thanks for shouting out. Wish I could taste your hot sauce!
Daniel says
Has anyone ever tried smoking these chillies like a Chipotle because I love the smokiness of Chipotle sauces but they are not as hot usually being made of jalepeno.. also what kind of protection do you use when making these insane hot sauces? I'm kinda scared to cook up any of these concoctions in my home..
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Daniel, yes, I have smoked superhot peppers. I then ground them into a powder for some smoked chili powder seasoning. Works great! For protection, wear rubber gloves. That will keep the oils from touching your skin. You can wear eye protection if you're worried about getting anything in your eyes. Also, open a window and have good ventilation to let the fumes dissipate. You can also cook outside if possible. Let me know if this helps. Here are some links to help you:
10 Tips for Cooking With Superhot Chili Peppers.
How to Smoke Chili Peppers.
Ma Gora says
Great Recipe ....
What would the shelf life be.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Ma. This will easily last a year in the refrigerator. If you're concerned, check to ph to get it below 4.0, preferably 3.5, by adjusting the amount of vinegar. Enjoy!
Rico Fielder says
I have 64 plants almost tall enough to be transferred outdoors. T scorpions, bhut, Carolina Reapers, chocolate scotch, habanero, and ghost this year. Should be a good season for peppers in Mississippi.
Mike Hultquist | Chili Pepper Madness says
I would say a GREAT season! Good luck!
gage russel orvis says
Im making an insanity sauce, do you think this recipe will make a good hot sauce?
Ingredients
8 stemmed dried ghost peppers
8 stemmed dried ghost peppers
5 stemmed carolina reapers
½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons garlic
6 trinidad moruga scorpion peppers stemmed
3/4 cup tomatoes
3 teaspoon lime
1 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 cup diced cilantro
5 stemmed carolina reapers
½ tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 teaspoons garlic
6 trinidad moruga scorpion peppers stemmed
3/4 cup tomatoes
3 teaspoon lime
1 teaspoons salt
3 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1/2 cup diced cilantro
REPLY: Gage, sounds good to me! -- Mike from Chili Pepper Madness.
Bd247 says
OK here we go, made this with(using metric measurements),
Round one:
170g trinidad scorpion, 110g scotch bonnets, 60g 7 pod(brain strain) ,40g carolina reaper, 60g cayenne, 60g birds eyes, + garlic salt ,vinegar , basil as per recipe.. = 15-15.5 /10 ,super hot but tasty almost borderline uneatable(undiluted), ticks the 3 boxes( numb lips ,throat burn + head sweat!!) .
Round 2:(under construction) I try for 500g of scorpions, 300g reapers , 400g 7 pods:) we'll see!!!
REPLY: Awesome! Keep me posted! -- Mike from Chili Pepper Madness.
Sean McGrath says
I just harvested a bunch of my Chocolate Trinidad Moruga Scorpions (grown in New Zealand) and made one bottle (I halved your recipe). I just stupidly did a taste test (tip of a teaspoon) with no food. These little beasts are displayed in all their dangerous glory in a small bottle of death. This is moronically hot! I would call this sauce a chemical weapon. Many thanks! (FB post with photos in link)
https://www.facebook.com/sean.mcgrath/posts/10155151853971105
REPLY: Nice! Yes, quite hot!!! -- Mike from Chili Pepper Madness.