• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube
  • About
  • Cookbooks
  • Shop

Chili Pepper Madness logo

  • Recipe Index
  • RECIPES BY TYPE
    • BBQ/Grilled
    • Burgers
    • Chicken Wings
    • Chili
    • Curry
    • Dehydrator
    • Game Day
    • Hot Sauces
    • Jalapeno Poppers
    • Marinades
    • Pickling
    • Preserving
    • Quick and Easy
    • Salsas
    • Sauces
    • Seasonings
    • Stuffed Peppers
    • Tacos
  • COOKING TIPS
  • Pepper Info
    • Chili Pepper Types
    • The Scoville Scale
    • Hottest Peppers in the World
    • Growing Chili Peppers
    • Preserving
    • Health Benefits
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Buy Plants & Seeds
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipe Index
  • All Recipes
  • Pepper Info
  • Chili Pepper Types
  • The Scoville Scale
  • Growing Chili Peppers
  • Preserving
  • Chili Pepper Health Benefits
  • Frequently Asked Questions
  • Cooking Tips
  • Cookbooks
  • Shop
  • About Us
×

Home » Carolina Reaper Hot Sauce Recipe

Carolina Reaper Hot Sauce Recipe

by Mike Hultquist · Sep 27, 2019 · 164 Comments

Jump to Recipe
Carolina Reaper Hot Sauce Recipe

This homemade Carolina Reaper hot sauce recipe is incredibly hot, made with roasted Carolina Reaper peppers, the hottest peppers in the world, garlic, and onion. If you love your hot sauce “hot”, it doesn’t get any hotter!

Carolina Reaper Hot Sauce Recipe

This is for you, my true chilihead friends. I know you love your hot sauce HOT, and it really doesn't get much hotter. I'm sure you have your own collection of artisan Carolina Reaper hot sauces in your stash, and there are a lot of great ones out there for sure. I've tried so many and enjoyed a lot of them

But like anything, it's fun to make hot sauces on your own, like this one - my Homemade Carolina Reaper Hot Sauce. Yes!

This hot sauce is made exclusively with Carolina Reaper Peppers, the official world's hottest pepper in the world at the moment, according to the Guinness world records. Yes, there are many other superhot peppers out there in the world and I have cooked with many of them. 

Some of them can match the heat of the reaper pepper when comparing pod for pod, and even seems hotter, but no other pepper has achieved the peak heat of 2.2 Million Scoville Heat Units. That is incredibly hot!

If you'd like a comparison, consider it next to a typical jalapeno pepper, which averages about 5,000 Scoville Heat Units, and you'll find that the hottest Carolina Reaper is up to 440 times hotter. Or consider the ghost pepper, which you know is very hot. It reaches around 1 Million SHU, making the hottest reaper over twice as hot. Talk about heat.

The Carolina Reaper is more comparable to other superhots like the Trinidad Moruga Scorpion Pepper or the Trinidad Scorpion Butch T. 

Here's a little information about the Carolina Reaper.

Carolina Reaper Pepper

About the Carolina Reaper

The Smokin’ Ed's Carolina Reaper® is currently the hottest pepper in the world. It is was developed by a grower named Ed Currie by crossing a Pakistani Naga with a Red Habanero type from St Vincents Island in the West Indies. It was bred in South Carolina and tested at over 2.2 Million Scoville Heat Units (with an aveerage of 1,641,000 SHU) by Winthrop University. It is also called HP22B pepper. As of 2013 it was over 7 generations old. 

Despite the heat, which some people love, it is surprisingly fruity with a touch of sweet. It makes an excellent hot sauce.

Learn more about the Carolina Reaper here, including flavor profile, heat levels, and much more.

Let's talk about how we make your own homemade Carolina Reaper hot sauce, shall we?

2 bottles of Carolina Reaper Hot Sauce

 

Homemade Carolina Reaper Hot Sauce Recipe

  1. First, heat your oven to 400 degrees. Set 8 ounces of Carolina Reaper peppers, 1 heat of garlic (top slices off) and halved onion on a baking sheet. Bake them for 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. You may want to turn on the oven fan and open some windows. See my safety notes below.
  2. Add the peppers and onion to a food processor. Squeeze garlic out of their skins and into the food processor they go.
  3. Add in the vinegar and salt. Process until you get a chunky mixture. Watch out for the fumes!
  4. Add in a half cup of water and process again until the sauce starts to smooth out. Check it for thickness. If you’d like a thinner sauce, add in a bit more water a little at a time, processing, until you reach your desired consistency.
  5. If desired, you can strain the sauce to smooth it out, or use it as-is. If you do strain it, you can discard the pulp or dehydrate it to make a superhot seasoning powder.
  6. Pour into sterilized bottles and enjoy. The longer you let it sit, the more the flavors will meld.

That's it, my friends! This is pretty much the hottest sauce around. It will truly bring on the heat! Go for it, you crazy chilihead, you! I know you love cooking with hot peppers.

Safety Tips for Working with Carolina Reaper Peppers & Other Superhots

  • Wear Gloves. Chili peppers, and superhots in particular, contain oils that can cause burning sensations on your skin if you touch them directly, particularly when you chop them or cut them open. It is best to wear gloves when working with them. Try not to touch other parts of your skin, like your face or elsewhere. If you do, see my page on How to Stop the Chili Pepper Burn.
  • Avoid the Fumes. You're most likely cooking indoors in your kitchen, so beware of the fumes. These peppers give off fumes that can make it difficult to breath, a bit like pepper spray wafting into the air. Open up as many windows as you can, and use a fan to combat the fumes. Try baking the peppers outside, on your grill, for example, if possible.

See my page for further tips on Cooking with Superhot Chili Peppers.

A bottle of Carolina Reaper Hot Sauce in my hand, ready to spice things up!

Recipe Tips & Notes

  • Cooking Method. I decided to roast my Carolina Reapers along with onion and a lot of garlic, but there are different ways to make this hot sauce. Alternative methods include chopping them and cooking them in a pan, boiling them and processing them, or processing them raw with other ingredients then cooking the resulting puree. You can also ferment the peppers to make hot sauce.
  • Other Ingredients. I kept this rather simple with few ingredients in order to focus on the flavor and heat of the Carolina Reapers. Consider this a basic starter sauce. Feel free to incorporate other ingredients to your preference that you feel will compliment the flavors. Some ideas include fresh or dried herbs, ginger, cumin, chili powders, fruit like mango or habanero, or perhaps a citrus like lime juice or lemon juice. Try it with roasted carrots. You'll be surprised at the resulting body and mild sweetness.
  • Vinegar. I've made this and recipes like it with a variety of different vinegars. It just depends on your flavor preference. Just make sure it is a good quality vinegar you enjoy. Using cheap vinegar will result in a cheap sauce. I often use white vinegar that is distilled, but I also enjoy apple cider vinegar for the extra tanginess and touch of sweet.

Frequently Asked Hot Sauce Questions

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

How long will my Carolina Reaper Hot sauce keep?

This hot sauce 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 3.5 or so, to account for errors. This particular sauce measured 4.3 pH for me, so if you'd like it to last even longer, add more vinegar or a citrus (such as lemon juice or lime juice) to lower the pH. Sauces made with fermented chili peppers will last even longer.

The best ph meters that I recommend are from Thermoworks. Get yourself a ph meter from Thermoworks today. I am a happy affiliate.

Where'd You Get those Hot Sauce Bottles?

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 (woozy bottles) that most hot sauce makers use, here's another link: Hot Sauce Bottles (Woozy Bottles), 5 Oz - 24 Pack.

Can I process this hot sauce for longer storage?

Absolutely. Just be sure to use proper canning/jarring safety procedures. Also, I would lower the pH to 3.5 if you're running them through a water bath.

What should I do with hot sauce?

Aside from drizzling it over anything you please, here's a post I did about How to Cook with Hot Sauce. As if you need even MORE reasons to eat hot sauce. I hope you find it helpful!

Try Some of My Other Popular Carolina Reaper Recipes

  • The Hottest Damn Hot Sauce I Ever Made (made with Carolina Reapers and other superhots)
  • 5-Alarm Superhot Chicken Wings
  • Reaper Chips (superhot tortilla chips)

Try Some of My Other Popular Hot Sauce Recipes

  • Homemade Sriracha (both fermented and non-fermented varieties)
  • Roasted Red Jalapeno Hot Sauce
  • Cayenne Pepper Sauce
  • Honey Roasted Hot Pepper Hot Sauce
  • Ti-Malice – Hatian Creole Hot Sauce
  • Ghost Pepper Hot Sauce
  • Habanero Hot Sauce
  • Datil Pepper Sauce
  • Devil's Tongue Hot Sauce
  • More Hot Sauce Recipes

A bottle of Carolina Reaper Hot Sauce in my hand

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.

Carolina Reaper Hot Sauce Recipe
Print

Carolina Reaper Hot Sauce Recipe

This homemade Carolina Reaper hot sauce recipe is incredibly hot, made with roasted Carolina Reaper peppers, the hottest peppers in the world, garlic, and onion. If you love your hot sauce “hot”, it doesn’t get any hotter!
Save Recipe Saved!
Course: hot sauce, Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: Carolina Reaper, hot sauce, sauce, spicy
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Calories: 2kcal
Author: Mike Hultquist
Servings: 60 teaspoons
Tap or hover to scale
4.95 from 39 votes
Leave a Review

Ingredients

  • 8 ounces Carolina Reaper peppers stems removed - NOTE: go by weight, not size. This was about 20 pods for me, but mine were small this year
  • 1 large bulb of garlic top sliced open to expose most of the garlic
  • 1 medium white onion sliced in half
  • 3 tablespoons good quality vinegar distilled white, champagne or apple cider vinegar for more tangy
  • ½ teaspoon salt or more to taste
  • 1 cup of water or more, as desired

Instructions

  • Heat your oven to 400 degrees. Set the Carolina Reaper peppers, garlic and onion 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.
  • Add the peppers and onion to a food processor. Squeeze garlic out of their skins and into the food processor they go.
  • Add in the vinegar and salt. Process until you get a chunky mixture. Watch out for the fumes!
  • Add in a half cup of water and process again until the sauce starts to smooth out. Check it for thickness. If you’d like a thinner sauce, add in a bit more water a little at a time, processing, until you reach your desired consistency.
  • If desired, you can strain the sauce to smooth it out, or use it as-is. If you do strain it, you can discard the pulp or dehydrate it to make a superhot seasoning powder.
  • Pour into sterilized bottles and enjoy. The longer you let it sit, the more the flavors will meld.

Video

Notes

This made a couple of 5 ounce woozy bottles for me, strained. It will make close to 1.5 cups, unstrained. Much will depend on the size of your onion and garlic. This is a KILLER HOT HOT sauce. So good! Reapers all the way!

Nutrition Information

Calories: 2kcal   Carbohydrates: 1g   Protein: 1g   Fat: 1g   Saturated Fat: 1g   Sodium: 20mg   Potassium: 15mg   Fiber: 1g   Sugar: 1g   Vitamin A: 36IU   Vitamin C: 6mg   Calcium: 1mg   Iron: 1mg
Carolina Reaper Hot Sauce Recipe
Did You Enjoy This Recipe?I love hearing how you like it and how you made it your own. Leave a comment below and tag @ChiliPepperMadness on social media.

Categories: Hot Sauces Tags: carolina reaper chili pepper, Chili Pepper Madness, chili pepper recipe, hot sauce recipe, mikes favorites

Reader Interactions

Comments

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




  1. Deon says

    January 01, 2023 at 5:37 am

    5 stars
    Hey Mike it's Deon I'm from south Africa and I will try your sauce I do have a lot of reapers and the sauces sounds amazing thank you for the recipe I was looking for a recipe for a long time now
    Tank you Mike and God bless

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      January 01, 2023 at 8:33 am

      Enjoy, Deon.

      Reply
  2. ann says

    December 21, 2022 at 12:58 am

    5 stars
    Woohoo! I finally got my hands on some fresh reapers! I've made a reaper hot sauce from dried with some fresh chocolate habaneros and berbere peppers. It was a darn hot sauce, not for the timid or uninitiated! These fresh ones I made a vinegar with. Just vinegar and salt so you can really taste the reaper flavor, something that's lost with the dried reapers. It'll be a great base for a number of things or to just use straight. I can see making a wing sauce, vinaigrette, on my eggs, in a bloody Mary, etc. The list is long and I can't wait to try it on EVERYTHING! Now I'm kicking myself for not buying more. I do know a place where I can usually find bhut jolokias.

    Btw, have you attended the National Fiery Foods & BBQ Show in Albuquerque? It's a blast. Luckily, I live in ABQ so I look forward to the show in March. The seasoned attendees bring their own milk with them. Personally, for me, a cold beer does the trick especially since I'm lactose intolerant. That combo of dairy and killer hot sauces just doesn't work for me. Lol!

    As always, I love your blog and love for the HOT Stuff!

    Thanks, Mike!

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      December 21, 2022 at 7:10 am

      Awesome, Ann! Glad you enjoyed it! I have not been to the show in ABQ, but it's on my bucket list!

      Reply
  3. Emily says

    November 22, 2022 at 9:27 am

    Thanks for sharing! I've been making homemade hot sauces for a while from peppers I've been growing and I finally have reapers ready to go (some regular and some chocolate reapers!). I'm looking for a new pH meter and curious which one you actually use from ThermoWorks?

    Really excited to try this recipe, love the idea of roasting everything together first!

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      November 22, 2022 at 3:02 pm

      Emily, this is my affiliate link to the pH meter I use at Thermoworks: https://www.thermoworks.com/high-accuracy-ph-meter-8689/?tw=CPM

      Reply
  4. Mike says

    November 20, 2022 at 9:00 pm

    I really want to try making this, but have had a hard time finding reapers, although, I do have access to Carolina reaper powder. Will using powder vs fresh or dried reaper peppers have the same effect? What would the equivalent measurement be powder vs pepper?
    Also, being a powder, does that mean I won't have to deal with fumes cooking indoors?
    Thank you! Looking forward to trying this!

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      November 20, 2022 at 10:07 pm

      Mike, I have posts on making hot sauce from both powders and dried pods. Here are the links:

      Powders: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/recipes/how-to-make-hot-sauce-from-chili-powders/
      Dried Pods: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/recipes/how-to-make-hot-sauce-from-dried-peppers/

      Let me know how it goes!

      Reply
  5. Tommy says

    November 15, 2022 at 9:04 am

    Does it got to be refrigerated

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      November 15, 2022 at 9:50 am

      Tommy, this has a lot of vinegar so will keep a long time. A lot of people like to keep hot sauce out of the fridge, and it will be OK with enough vinegar and salt, which are preservatives. Anything can go bad eventually, though, so refrigeration is safer in the long run.

      Reply
  6. Jean says

    November 08, 2022 at 6:51 am

    Hi,
    Someone gave me one dried Carolina reaper.
    What quantities for the other ingredients do you advise me to use to make hot sauce?

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      November 08, 2022 at 7:04 am

      Jean, I would fill in the remaining 8 or so ounces of peppers with other peppers that you enjoy. The single reaper will still add a nice level of heat.

      Reply
    • ann says

      December 21, 2022 at 5:30 pm

      You could use ripe Thai chilis, ripe serranos, habaneros, ghost chilis, manzanos. I find that the Capsicum chinense peppers which include the reapers have similar flavor profiles. Mike posted an article about them:

      https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/capsicum-chinense/

      Reply
  7. Beth Miller says

    October 21, 2022 at 8:12 am

    5 stars
    Please excuse me if someone already asked... can I freeze the hot sauce?

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      October 21, 2022 at 8:49 am

      You surely can, Beth! Enjoy!

      Reply
  8. Deborah says

    October 21, 2022 at 6:21 am

    I made this sauce last weekend. It's not for the faint of heart. Thank you

    Reply
  9. Patrick says

    September 25, 2022 at 12:51 pm

    5 stars
    Mike,

    I’ve always loved this particular recipe because it adapts to other peppers very well.

    I had an abundance of Primotaliis from this week’s harvest and swapped those for the reapers in this recipe. This sauce rivaled your “hottest damn hot sauce” recipe with the heat. It was a blooming heat, and kept getting more intense for about two minutes until it hit its peak.

    Thank you for all the awesome spicy recipes you put on this site.

    Reply
    • Mike H. says

      September 26, 2022 at 4:17 am

      Very welcome, Patrick! Thank you for sharing the love 🙂

      Reply
  10. Randy says

    September 22, 2022 at 12:26 pm

    5 stars
    Hey Mike,

    My first year growing the mighty Carolina Reaper! I was thinking about using pineapple juice or some sort of nectar as the thinning agent instead of water, to add a little sweetness to the pain!

    Reply
  11. Boo says

    September 17, 2022 at 4:54 pm

    5 stars
    This was my first attempt at making hot sauce and I loosely followed the instructions here. My variation was adding habaneros and red jalapeños to the Carolina reapers. I added juice from a freshly squeezed lime and a dash of apple cider vinegar.

    It turned out GREAT! Thank you for the videos and recipes. I can’t wait to try your other recipes.

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      September 18, 2022 at 7:55 am

      Perfect, Boo! Glad you enjoyed it!

      Reply
  12. Tyler says

    September 16, 2022 at 6:49 am

    Is it possible to swap the water for more vinegar to get the PH lower for shelf stable version?

    Thanks

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      September 17, 2022 at 10:10 am

      Yes, Tyler, absolutely.

      Reply
    • ann says

      December 21, 2022 at 5:43 pm

      I like to always add some citric acid powder along with the vinegar. It makes it more acidic without adding volume and imparts a somewhat citrus note.

      Reply
  13. Aaron says

    September 14, 2022 at 8:18 pm

    5 stars
    Hi Mike, this is my first year attempting to make some sauce/powder. Do you have instructions on how to turn the used pulp into the powder? Or is it as simple as drying it out and putting it in the food processor until finely processed? Thank you!

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      September 14, 2022 at 9:36 pm

      Hi, Aaron. I have a post for this exact thing. Here you go! https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/recipes/seasonings-from-hot-sauce-pulp/

      Reply
  14. William says

    September 05, 2022 at 12:16 pm

    4 stars
    I'm 70 years old and raised 6 plants from seed.
    Now I'm the type of person who like hot things hot and cold things cold. I made up a triple batch and was precise on my measurements tithe T !
    Well let me tell you I tried abouta half teaspoon after it reached room temperature and at first it was what I thought was delicious. 10 seconds later my lower lip began to burn then the back of my throat felt like it was on fire. Then my tounge and throat burned so bad Not only did tears came running out like a crying baby -then I got a nose bleed ! Never in my life have I ever had a burn like that and I swear I will never try or make it again. I gave a bottle to 4 different neighbors that are not nice people and I hope they went through what I did.
    Thank you for sharing but no thank you as far as making it again.

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      September 06, 2022 at 7:22 am

      Sorry it was too hot for you, William! Oops! They ARE the hottest peppers in the world.

      Reply
  15. Donnie says

    September 02, 2022 at 4:47 pm

    Thank you. Will let you know how it turns out

    Reply
  16. Leigh says

    September 02, 2022 at 1:43 pm

    5 stars
    My 16 year old decided to grow jalapeños and reapers in the garden this year. The reapers aren’t ripe yet but we have a ton of jalapeños. Made this recipe with the jalapeños to see how it would come out. It’s hot (I’m a wimp) but really good, added a bit more salt. Will make with the reapers when they’re ready. What is the shelf life for the hot sauce? I apologize if someone already asked that. Thanks for the recipe 🙂

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      September 02, 2022 at 1:48 pm

      Nice! Thanks, Leigh. The hot sauce will last months or longer because of the vinegar content, especially refrigerated. Enjoy the reaper version!

      Reply
    • William says

      September 05, 2022 at 12:19 pm

      5 stars
      Be careful what you ask for. HaHa.

      Reply
  17. Donnie says

    September 01, 2022 at 2:46 pm

    Do you think balsamic vinegar would do well in this

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      September 01, 2022 at 2:50 pm

      It will work, Donnie, though balsamic is pretty dark and is more sweet and sour, with a more complex flavor, which can affect the flavor of your final hot sauce. I'm sure it will taste good, but you'll get more pepper flavor with a simple white or white wine vinegar. Worth a try, though! Let me know how it goes! I'd love to hear.

      Reply
  18. Mia says

    August 29, 2022 at 1:20 pm

    Hi!

    Just found this when looking for recipes for our (my husband's...) soon-to-be ripe carolina reapers. I'm terrified of them, but even more terrified to let my husband handle them in the kitchen by himself
    Do you think I could use an airfryer? Thinking about using it on the balcony, in stead of gassing our small apartment. Hoping none of the neighbors will call the fire department, this kind of spicy food isn't so common in Denmark.

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      August 29, 2022 at 1:47 pm

      Hi, Mia! Yes, you can use an air fryer, but YES, doing it outside would be very wise. Inside you'll get a lot of fumes. You could also skip the roasting step, and just add all of the ingredients to a small pot, then simmer for 10 minutes to soften, then process until smooth. You can thin with more vinegar or water to your preferred consistency.

      Reply
  19. Annette Way says

    August 19, 2022 at 6:03 pm

    5 stars
    Hoe many average size Carolina Reapers should I use?

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      August 22, 2022 at 8:45 am

      Annette, try 12-15.

      Reply
  20. M says

    August 18, 2022 at 10:49 am

    Can I use ghost pepper instead or a combination of ghost nd Carolina reaper?

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      August 19, 2022 at 6:49 am

      You surely can!

      Reply
  21. Connie says

    July 27, 2022 at 9:55 pm

    Hello, I do not have a food processor, can I use a blender for your recipes? There are a few I want to try.

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      July 28, 2022 at 5:43 am

      Connie, absolutely. Blender is perfect.

      Reply
  22. David Dollard says

    July 17, 2022 at 6:25 am

    5 stars
    Hey Mike,

    Just making a second wave of your awesome recipe. I’m roasting everything first and hopefully the frozen state of reapers will not diminish flavours and heat too much. The recipe was so liked I got a request for 3 more jars from a co-worker. Thanks! -David

    Reply
    • Mike Hultquist says

      July 17, 2022 at 6:39 am

      Very nice! Thanks, David!

      Reply
  23. ann says

    March 22, 2022 at 1:34 am

    5 stars
    Inspired so ordered some reapers. I've been making and selling hot sauce for years. I prefer to use fresh chiles but can't find reapers anywhere except dried online. I don't mind dried chiles. They can easily be adapted. There's just something about tasting the fresh chile before it's made into sauce. When I finally got my hands onto some fresh bhut jolokia several years ago, I was elated. I cut one into thin strips including seeds, let briefly marinate in vinegar and salt, then ate it! Mouth on fire but I enjoyed the flavor. Well worth the pain and bragging rights.

    Thanks for the inspiration!

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      March 22, 2022 at 6:21 am

      Awesome! Thanks for sharing, Ann. Yes, quite hot for sure!

      Reply
  24. Seb Munsch says

    November 08, 2021 at 11:59 am

    Hi!
    I have a jar of dried Caroline Reapers, how can I adapt these to make a hot sauce. Can’t find much info online….?

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      November 10, 2021 at 6:30 am

      Seb, I have a recipe post for How to Make Hot Sauce from Dried Peppers here: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/recipes/how-to-make-hot-sauce-from-dried-peppers/. I hope this helps! Enjoy.

      Reply
      • Tim Bohmann says

        July 11, 2022 at 7:39 am

        Hi,
        Can you go into more detail on the amount or weight of dried peppers to use in this recipe? Would approximately 1 oz of dried reapers steeped and reconstituted be close? I've read elsewhere that dried peppers can be 1/10 the weight of fresh. This sounds like a great recipe. I would also like to try this sauce with dried chipotles or habaneros.

        What's a rule of thumb for fresh vs dry?

        Thanks for all you do for us chili-heads!

        Reply
        • Mike Hultquist says

          July 11, 2022 at 7:50 am

          Tim, these are the conversions I follow, based on my own measurements: 4 ounces fresh pods = 1 ounce dried pods = 3 tablespoons chili powder. I hope this helps.

          Reply
    • Matt says

      June 24, 2022 at 4:21 am

      5 stars
      I just made around one cup of this with fresh reapers and a habanero. I gassed out the house while making it. I can barely touch this chilli sauce and my wife who was in the kitchen at the time wants a divorce.

      Reply
  25. Sarah says

    November 05, 2021 at 3:54 pm

    Do you keep the seeds in when roasting and blending? I’ve heard it can cause bitterness

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      November 06, 2021 at 9:10 am

      Sarah, I usually keep them in, but you can remove them if you'd like. Some people do find the seeds bitter.

      Reply
  26. Randy says

    October 29, 2021 at 9:59 am

    I’m a canning rookie , if I get my ph at a safe level how long to I need to water bath my sauce to keep in in my pantry?

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      October 29, 2021 at 12:06 pm

      Randy, if you want to keep it in the pantry for a long time, it is best to process it in a water bath. It will probably still last long without it, but safer to process.

      Reply
  27. delia says

    October 26, 2021 at 12:41 pm

    cant wait to try this! - is it shelf stable if you follow the recipe or do you recommend using citric acid as well or something to assist?

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      October 27, 2021 at 7:26 am

      You can use that, or use any citrus or even vinegar for acidity.

      Reply
  28. Ann Marie says

    October 14, 2021 at 10:45 am

    Please help. First time going to try this Carolina reaper recipe. Am wondering if I can use white wine vinegar and in place of water if pineapple juice can be substituted to sweeten up the flavour

    Love all your comments and recipes

    Thank you.

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      October 14, 2021 at 11:48 am

      Hi, Ann. Yes, you can use white vinegar in place of the water. Also, yes, you can use pineapple juice or other juice to change up the flavor. Let me know how it goes for you. Enjoy!

      Reply
    • Andrew says

      June 28, 2022 at 4:56 pm

      5 stars
      Hi, I’m planning on making this recipe this weekend with reapers I’ve been growing at home. I’m concerned about the weight for the reapers. It calls for 8oz of reapers (about 20 for you) but I weighed some of my reapers and they range between .05-.10oz each which would mean I need around 100 reapers to get 8oz’s. They are fresh not dried so I have no idea why they weigh so little. Anyways, should I add 20 reapers (or more) then just add jalapeños to make up the difference in weight to get to 8oz?

      Reply
      • Mike Hultquist says

        June 28, 2022 at 5:31 pm

        Andrew, yes, you can do that. Or make a half batch.

        Reply
  29. Jim S. says

    October 09, 2021 at 10:34 pm

    5 stars
    This simple recipe has become my go-to for making sauce from superhots. I still have a few bottles from last year. I make sure the pH is below 3.4 or so (using cider vinegar) and the sauce is shelf stable. It as good now — or better — as when I made it last Fall. The beauty of this sauce is that it lets the flavor, not just the heat, of the Carolina Reaper take center stage. I believe roasting the peppers is key; it adds depth to the flavor that you won’t get from simmering on the stove.

    This year, I grew some of my own Reapers on three different plants. I have already bottled some sauce from those Reapers and I expect to get at least one more harvest before the Illinois Fall temps shut things down.

    Thanks for sharing this great recipe and the many others on your site!

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      October 10, 2021 at 7:25 am

      Thanks for sharing, Jim! Glad to be helpful!

      Reply
  30. Samantha says

    September 30, 2021 at 9:55 am

    5 stars
    I just made 2 batches for gifts, and cannot wait to share them! Wondering if you think a jar would be ok long enough to ship it to someone before going in the fridge? (2-3days)

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      October 01, 2021 at 7:22 am

      Samantha, people mail hot sauces all the time, but I think you should water bath these and seal them. Then wrap them up like crazy, because bottles are easy to break.

      Reply
  31. Cheryl Ashbaugh says

    September 26, 2021 at 4:50 pm

    I just made this. This is my first time growing Carolina Reapers and the plant was super prolific! Didn't know what to do with them. Ive never made hot sauce before. Does it need to be refrigerated after being bottled? Will it last several months. I was thinking to give some away for Christmas.

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      September 27, 2021 at 5:36 am

      Cheryl, yes, best to keep it in the refrigerator and it should last several months. Technically, with enough acidity (3.5 pH or lower for home preserving), you could keep it out of the fridge, but refrigeration is more guaranteed. You could also process with a water bath to be shelf stable.

      Reply
  32. Sandy says

    September 11, 2021 at 7:58 pm

    I know this is just a “base” recipe to get us started. Do you like to add fruit? If so, what kind and how much with your measurements above? I’m looking to try to make a sauce with tomatoes as the “fruit”. I’ve been told and have read to not ferment the tomatoes with the peppers because of how the sugars breakdown and you lose the flavor of them. Any advice, suggestions, and/or opinions are much appreciated!

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      September 12, 2021 at 6:15 am

      Sandy, yes, I add fruit quite often and all sorts of other ingredients. It's really easy to combine peppers with just about anything else you'd like to create a new sauce. I have a lot of other Hot Sauce Recipes that you can review here: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/chili-pepper-recipes/hot-sauces/. Just swap in reapers. Let me know what you come up with. Enjoy!

      Reply
    • John says

      September 21, 2022 at 1:52 pm

      5 stars
      well its hot outside. Carolina reapers are red and ready. Today I tried this recipe and its hot sauce for sure.
      My face and nose are burning from cooking these up. I haven't tried the sauce yet and I am still canning them for long term use. I cut garlic but it didnt seem ready. I just peeled them and added to blender. I very sure that this will be a sauce to spice up about anything. Thanks for tips and recipe.

      Reply
      • Mike Hultquist says

        September 21, 2022 at 1:59 pm

        Enjoy, John!

        Reply
      • JayCee says

        October 19, 2022 at 11:51 am

        5 stars
        I want to make this sauce just hot and also incorporate into another one like a sweet flavor but unsure of how to do it

        Reply
        • Mike Hultquist says

          October 20, 2022 at 5:59 am

          JayCee, you can swap out some of the reapers with milder peppers easily. Works great. I do this all the time.

          Reply
  33. Christoffer says

    September 11, 2021 at 7:14 am

    Just made it out of homegrown chocolate Reapers. Tried a couple of drops. Brutal.

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      September 11, 2021 at 10:03 am

      Yeah, that's some heat right there!

      Reply
  34. Jeff says

    August 23, 2021 at 7:10 pm

    What is the purpose of roasting the peppers? Is it for flavor?

    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      August 23, 2021 at 9:03 pm

      Yes, Jeff. Flavor. However, you can make this recipe by simmering the ingredients instead.

      Reply
  35. Ben Willis says

    August 08, 2021 at 7:22 pm

    5 stars
    Mike,
    Thanks so much for this awesome recipe. I just made my second batch. Unfortunately, our reaper plant got a form of blight where all of the leaves were wilted even though it was well watered. Other plants in our garden doing fine though, but sadly, had to take out the reaper. But first, it produced dozens of little tiny red reapers! They are _so_ hot!
    So in honor of our lost reaper plant, I went a little nuts today. Using your base recipe, I also added fresh lemon juice, and a fresh mango. I used apple cider vinegar. I also added some bright yellow Fatali peppers, thankfully the Fatali plant is doing great! Got almost 5 bottles and I still have some tiny red Reapers left! Had a few tastes already, OMG it is soooo good and hot!!
    In closing, I'd like to make a recommendation - I roast my peppers outside on our barbeque, to keep the fumes out of the house. I use a cast iron skillet and just put it on the grill. I setup a little table in our back yard and have a little outdoor hot sauce making party!
    Thanks again!!
    Ben

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      August 09, 2021 at 5:27 am

      Awesome, Ben. Thanks for sharing. And yes, roasting peppers OUTSIDE is a great idea. Glad you enjoyed it!!

      Reply
  36. adam smith says

    August 07, 2021 at 11:42 pm

    I'm curious how you would do these recipes with crushed Reaper peppers. I know it can't be the same 8 ounces of that. I started buying Reapers and Chocolate Bhutlahs about two years ago, dehydrated them, crushed them, and put them in a jar. I still have probably 95% of the jar, and I'd guess there's about 2 pound's worth of crushed Reapers and Bhutlahs. I've bought a few sauces from Amazon that are actually really good, but not quite as hot, and since I have the crushed peppers I'd love to make my own. Using is "raw" is difficult, because as much as I love the heat, dried Reapers are even hotter than fresh, and I can literally only use what probably works out to be 1/10th of a teaspoon in a bowl of chili.

    The other thing I'm wondering is how long do these keep jarred?

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      August 08, 2021 at 7:03 am

      Adam, I have a post on this for How to Make Hot Sauce from Dried Peppers you can review: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/recipes/how-to-make-hot-sauce-from-dried-peppers/. It will detail measurements and steps. Hot sauces will last a very long time if you include vinegar or some other acid, which preserves them. I hope this helps.

      Reply
  37. Dwayne says

    August 05, 2021 at 10:55 am

    5 stars
    I made this but did not bottle right away. Left it in the blender in the fridge. Since then I added about six fresh ghosts and reapers. Should I simmer this with the addition of fresh peppers or just bottle as is? THanks!

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      August 05, 2021 at 12:22 pm

      Dwayne, you could do either, really - either simmer or use as-is. Simmering would blend it a bit more, but using as-is would give a touch of fresh heat and flavor. Watch for activity if you use as-is, or keep refrigerated. Let me know how it goes.

      Reply
  38. Dwayne says

    August 05, 2021 at 10:50 am

    I roasted everything and blended to a paste but realized I did not have any bottles to I just put the blender in the fridge for a few days. SInce then I have threw in probably five fresh ghosts and three fresh reapers. I added half a cup of water and it is thick but I am fine with the consistency. My question is would you add a little more water and let it simmer for ten minutes for the fresh peppers that were added or just bottle as is. Thanks! Love your recipes.

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      August 05, 2021 at 12:23 pm

      See the comment above, Dwayne. Thanks!!!

      Reply
  39. Big Daddy says

    July 20, 2021 at 9:50 am

    5 stars
    All of y'all are crazy! I made something similar going off of this recipe but I literally only used 1 pepper and my shit is on FIRE!!!!! Whoo hoo!!!!!! I can't imagine using 20!!

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      July 20, 2021 at 12:05 pm

      Haha, I hear ya, Big Daddy! Go BIG or go home, LOL. Definitely use sparingly! Crazy hot.

      Reply
  40. Cole says

    June 29, 2021 at 5:05 pm

    How does the sauce do with fermenting after? I've used similar recipes thta end up spewing.

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      June 29, 2021 at 9:55 pm

      Cole, you can do a fermented version of this recipe. No problem. Check out this recipe as a model, and use reapers - Fermented Hot Sauce Recipe: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/recipes/fermented-hot-sauce/. Let me know how it goes.

      Reply
  41. Matthew Cowie says

    June 15, 2021 at 3:22 pm

    Super excited to try this recipe! Finally able to grow my first reapers after 3 years of trying. I don’t have a bunch coming off all at once. One or 2 every few days. Can I freeze the peppers until I have enough then thaw and follow recipe?

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      June 15, 2021 at 5:35 pm

      Great, Matthew! Yes, you can make hot sauce with frozen peppers. I would not roast them, though. I would just process all of the ingredients in a food processor, then simmer them for 10 minutes or so to let the flavors develop. Then cool and use. Let me know how it goes for you.

      Reply
  42. Valeria says

    April 16, 2021 at 12:47 pm

    Hi!
    Can I use dried Carolinas?
    What about the amount?
    Thanks a lot!

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      April 17, 2021 at 6:36 am

      Valeria, yes, you can. Check out my post on How to Make Hot Sauce with Dried Peppers: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/recipes/how-to-make-hot-sauce-from-dried-peppers/

      Reply
  43. Hammond Sally says

    April 09, 2021 at 5:49 am

    My son is a great fan of this sauce - even took some on an overseas flight so would not have to miss out on using it.

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      April 09, 2021 at 5:54 am

      Nice! Glad he enjoyed it!

      Reply
  44. Slim says

    March 26, 2021 at 6:01 am

    Have around 50 Oz Brain Killer and Scorpion Chillies coming through at the moment, going to give this recipe a crack but will roast the chillies in the bbq and add Cherrywood to smoke them.

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      March 29, 2021 at 8:27 am

      Nice. Good idea roasting them outside. Those fumes can really get you! Enjoy!

      Reply
  45. Michael J Pophal says

    January 04, 2021 at 9:23 pm

    Mike, Since I am using Pepper puree, how about using liquid smoke for extra flavoring?

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      January 05, 2021 at 7:59 am

      Michael, you can definitely flavor with liquid smoke. I would use only a touch to start, then adjust. Let me know how it goes for you. Enjoy!

      Reply
  46. Kevin Moser says

    December 17, 2020 at 1:13 pm

    5 stars
    The roasted garlic and onion really worked well with my smoked reaper, habanero, scorpion mix. Amazing flavor!

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      December 17, 2020 at 1:26 pm

      Very nice! Get some extra smoky flavor! I love to hear it, Kevin. Bring on the heat!

      Reply
  47. Jim says

    November 10, 2020 at 4:00 pm

    I made this with 24 Reapers; I first harvested the seeds for my attempts at germinating and growing these indoors over the winter. For me, the recipe yielded abut 18 oz. of sauce. (I added a bit of extra vinegar to get the pH really low so my bottles will be shelf-stable.) This makes a wonderful sauce; with the roasted flavors of the peppers, onion and garlic, it really is a fairly complex flavor (until the heat hits!).

    One think I did that turned out to be a good idea was not taking a chance with roasting the peppers indoors. We have a largish toaster over and I took it on the back porch to roast. I'm glad I did... the fumes from the roasting peppers are powerful!

    This is just a great recipe. The only downside is the expense of getting Reapers. Since I haven't grown any yet, I have to buy them, and they are ridiculously expensive. Still, it's worth it!

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      November 10, 2020 at 10:14 pm

      Thanks, Jim. Yes, great idea using the toaster. Perfect because YES, powerful fumes! Glad you are enjoying it.

      Reply
  48. Adam says

    October 28, 2020 at 6:21 am

    5 stars
    Amazing recipe to tweak to your own taste!

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      October 28, 2020 at 7:27 am

      Yes! Thanks, Adam!

      Reply
  49. Mark says

    October 19, 2020 at 12:07 pm

    Hi Mike, just wanted to clarify you need 8 ounces of reaper to make this sauce. To get eight ounces of reaper that takes me
    to 453 grams of reaper which is about 196 pods. that seems pretty high amount of peppers. When I weight 20 pops I get about 90g's of reaper. Please advise if my calculations are off.

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      October 19, 2020 at 12:27 pm

      Mark, 8 ounces is about 226 grams. I would just use about 15-20 reapers, though you could include more and thin the sauce if needed with more liquid. Let me know how it goes.

      Reply
  50. AMBRA DOBBINS says

    October 19, 2020 at 7:07 am

    I have canned some Carolina readers in a hot water bath. Can I use them to make a hot sauce?

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      October 19, 2020 at 7:12 am

      Ambra, absolutely. They're perfect for this. You can just cook them down with the other ingredients, then process per the recipe. Let me know how it turns out for you.

      Reply
  51. Patrick says

    October 16, 2020 at 6:03 pm

    5 stars
    Mike,

    I'd like you to know that this sauce has brought all sorts of joy to my household. My daughter and I are blown away at not only the level of heat, but the flavor of it as well. This is an amazing recipe. My wife, on the other hand, finds it funny watching the wonderful pain this is causing the two of us who were brave enough to try it. Your recipes never disappoint.

    -Patrick

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      October 19, 2020 at 5:49 am

      Thanks, Patrick! Super happy you enjoyed it! LOL, I can see the look on your wife's face. Haha.

      Reply
  52. Bryan says

    October 15, 2020 at 6:51 pm

    5 stars
    Perfect, simple recipe! Plenty of room to play around. I just doubled it with another 8 oz. of Scorpion peppers and I absolutely love it! Thanks!!

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      October 19, 2020 at 9:38 am

      Great, Bryan! That'll bring the heat! Glad you enjoyed it.

      Reply
  53. Ken says

    October 14, 2020 at 5:04 pm

    I smoked the vegetables on the grill and get them nice and charred instead of putting them in the oven. Flavorful!

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      October 15, 2020 at 6:24 am

      Very nice!!

      Reply
  54. Sean says

    October 11, 2020 at 12:00 pm

    5 stars
    Sauce was great! My second batch I played with. Used red onion instead of white, and used 1/4 cup pineapple juice. Hot and sweet!

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      October 12, 2020 at 2:04 pm

      Very nice! Glad you enjoyed it, Sean!

      Reply
  55. Kevin says

    October 04, 2020 at 12:07 pm

    5 stars
    YOWZZZA!!
    I smoke, vacuum seal, and freeze my peppers fresh from the garden. I figured leftover grilled onions would also be perfect.
    What I wasn't thinking (until the taste test) was smoking the peppers takes most of the water weight out. So, I weighed out the 8 oz, but it was probably more like double that of fresh. Holy Cow!! This will make you sweat!

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      October 05, 2020 at 7:26 am

      It sure will, Kevin! Very nice!

      Reply
  56. Tyrone Corey says

    October 01, 2020 at 8:38 am

    Awesome recipe!! how long do you Dehydrate the left over pulp? I bought a new food Dehydrator appliance for the kitchen and wanna do it right!
    thanks

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      October 01, 2020 at 8:44 am

      Thanks, Tyrone! I do 8-10 hours at 125 degrees F. I have a post on Dehydrating Hot Sauce Pulp to Make Seasonings: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/recipes/seasonings-from-hot-sauce-pulp. Let me know how it turns out for you! Enjoy.

      Reply
  57. Hendrik says

    September 30, 2020 at 1:21 am

    8 ounces (around 225 gram if i'm correct) with 20 pods? Mine really aren't that small and with 20 pods I get up to 120 gram. I plan to make 2 litres so I will be needing a lot more peppers in any case..

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      September 30, 2020 at 5:36 am

      Hendrick, you can supplement with other peppers if desired. You'll still get plenty of heat.

      Reply
  58. John Coen says

    September 18, 2020 at 6:37 pm

    This is Super Hot Death Sauce and I LOVE IT!!!!! Wow!!! My family had to close their bedroom doors and open the windows while I was making it. Everybody was coughing including myself!!! It was Awsome. I love this hot sauce. Thank you soooo much for the recipe. I will definitely be making this again in the future.

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      September 22, 2020 at 12:02 pm

      Awesome, John! Glad you're enjoying it! Haha, yeah, extra hot!

      Reply
  59. Jim says

    September 01, 2020 at 8:56 pm

    5 stars
    I just made a batch of this. I only had a few ounces of Carolina reapers and ghost peppers, so I substituted Serano peppers for the rest. Even so, this is ferociously hot! Just a drop of it from a toothpick on my tongue left my mouth on fire for quite a while. Great burn, great flavor but I cannot imagine making it with a full 8 ounces of Carolina reapers! Thanks for the great recipe!

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      September 02, 2020 at 5:46 am

      Hey, Jim. Oh yeah, this is some seriously HOT stuff with pure reapers!

      Reply
  60. Gloria O. says

    August 21, 2020 at 4:42 pm

    5 stars
    Let me first say that I LOVE your website, This has become my go to for info/recipes. My question about this recipe is this: how long does it last? How long can I keep it in the fridge? It would be very helpful if you shared with us how long these awesome hot sauces last. Thank you so much, and thanks again for such a great website.

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      August 22, 2020 at 8:19 am

      Thanks, Gloria! I appreciate it. This recipe has a lot of vinegar so should last many months in the refrigerator. I have a paragraph on this in the middle of the post. I hope you enjoy it!!!

      Reply
  61. Melissq says

    August 04, 2020 at 9:33 am

    In the instructions you said after straining the sauce, you can save the pulp to make a super hot seasoning powder. How do you do that?? I hate wasting any of my precious reapers 🙂

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      August 05, 2020 at 3:02 pm

      Melissa, I have a link for making powders from strained pulp here: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/recipes/seasonings-from-hot-sauce-pulp/

      Reply
  62. Sherri Dodson says

    July 29, 2020 at 12:34 pm

    5 stars
    Just made my first batch and it is off the chain. Can't wait to make another batch. I used apple cider vinegar for the extra twang. Definitely 5 stars.

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      July 29, 2020 at 12:41 pm

      Excellent, Sherri! Yeah, this is some dang good HOT sauce for sure! I love it, "off the chain!". Most definitely. Glad you enjoyed it.

      Reply
  63. Nadim says

    July 21, 2020 at 6:27 pm

    I wanna try this at the end of summer.

    Can you do it with canabis oil?

    Thanks for the recipe!!!!!!!!

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      July 21, 2020 at 10:19 pm

      Great, Nadim. I'm sure cannabis oil would work here. If you try it, let me know how it goes! Curious!

      Reply
  64. Karen says

    June 15, 2020 at 1:54 pm

    5 stars
    Hi Michael I live in Florida and I have a Carolina reaper plant that has been growing for two years and is out of control so I decided to make hot pepper sauce and used your recipe. Can’t wait to try it . My question is ,everything I have read said that unless you boil it , it only has a shelf life while kept in the refrigerator of three months , but then I read that someone says it will keep a year any suggestions?

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      June 15, 2020 at 2:51 pm

      Karen, cooking really combines and develops the flavors, but you don't have to cook it if you'd prefer more of a raw pepper flavor. The preserving is really from the vinegar content. It's all about pH. Shoot for a pH of 3.5 for home hot sauce making to help preserve your sauce. Get a good pH meter to test it. If your sauce isn't low enough pH, you can easily add more vinegar to it. It will last a year easily in the refrigerator at 3.5 or below. Some people keep theirs out of the fridge.

      Reply
  65. Georg Mendrina says

    April 26, 2020 at 4:30 am

    5 stars
    Hello Michael

    Thanks for your display of different ways to make a hot sauce.

    I did just that, had 60 reaper and 40 scorpion homegrown pods and made 2 varieties, a oven dried and a fresh version both with onion, garlic, vinegar and red wine to measure.

    The version with fresh pods has a more pleasant flavor and I look forward to the 1 month timeslot to open both bottles. Cheers Mate.

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      April 26, 2020 at 9:19 am

      Thanks, Georg. Cheers! Sounds like some awesome hot sauce right there! Enjoy.

      Reply
  66. kevin says

    April 18, 2020 at 10:09 am

    Hi Mike, I have some dried CR powder and would like to follow your recipe, can you tell me how much powder to chillies you would recommend i use? Thanks

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      April 18, 2020 at 12:35 pm

      Hi, Kevin. Try 4-5 tablespoons of powder. I have a post for how to make hot sauce with chili powder you might check out. With a video: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/chili-pepper-recipes/hot-sauces/how-to-make-hot-sauce-from-chili-powders/

      Reply
      • kevin says

        May 12, 2020 at 4:36 pm

        Thanks Mike. Your website is great by the way.

        Reply
        • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

          May 13, 2020 at 6:37 am

          Thanks, Kevin!

          Reply
  67. Nathalie says

    February 10, 2020 at 10:04 am

    Can I use dried Carolina Reaper peppers? I don't have fresh ones here in Quito 🙁

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      February 11, 2020 at 7:37 am

      Nathalie, yes, you can use dried peppers to make hot sauce. Whole dried pods would be best. Just rehydrate them in very hot water until they are softened. I wouldn't roast them, though. Just process them in a blender with other ingredients then simmer the whole thing in a pot to let the flavors meld. Strain if desired. Let me know how it turns out for you.

      Reply
    • Dylan Williams says

      February 22, 2020 at 2:55 pm

      Broil ½ cup of water with the dried peppers for about 5 - 7 minutes to gain moisture

      Reply
  68. Rob says

    November 30, 2019 at 6:22 am

    5 stars
    I want to thank you for this website, your book, and most of all, this Reaper recipe.
    I used it as a guideline to make my first ever hot sauce with a batch of mixed superhots I found at the market, and WOW!
    I expected hot, but the amazing flavor knocked my socks off. All my coworkers love it, too.
    Now I look like I know what I'm doing. Thanks!!!

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      November 30, 2019 at 2:40 pm

      Awesome! Thanks, Rob! Yeah, this one will really heat things up!

      Reply
  69. Scott Shaver says

    November 20, 2019 at 2:49 pm

    So you may not be able to answer this but I thought I'd try 🙂 I've been growing CRs from seeds for a few months. The three plants I have are now producing peppers. The leaves are identical on all of the plants. One is producing green Reapers that eventually turn red and have the little tail on them. The other two are producing peppers that are considerably bumpier, have no tail and are a very pale light green, almost yellowish. I'm wondering if this is normal and if the pale ones will change color. I'm not sure if I should pick them due to the color.

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      November 20, 2019 at 3:30 pm

      Hi, Scott. Where did you get the seeds? They actually sound like they could be different peppers. Usually peppers of that color will darken and turn red or orange. Pods do vary, though, even on the same plant.

      Reply
  70. Chris says

    October 31, 2019 at 12:13 pm

    5 stars
    I really want to make this hot sauce right now! I have grown my own Reapers and I’m ready to go 🙂

    Does anyone know how long it lasts in sterilised bottles?

    Thanks ????

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      October 31, 2019 at 12:31 pm

      Thanks, Chris! Let me know how it goes! To answer your question - 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 3.5 or so, to account for errors. This particular sauce measured 4.3 pH for me, so if you’d like it to last even longer, add more vinegar or a citrus (such as lemon juice or lime juice) to lower the pH. Sauces made with fermented chili peppers will last even longer. Enjoy!!

      Reply
      • Chris says

        November 01, 2019 at 11:55 am

        5 stars
        Thanks for the reply Michael 🙂

        I made this sauce and it’s a big 5 stars from me. The flavours are so good, but when the burn kicks in it’s amazing!!

        Can’t wait to try more of your recipes / oh and I’ve got one of your books on the way as a birthday present ????

        Reply
        • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

          November 01, 2019 at 2:24 pm

          AWESOME, Chris! Great to hear. Yes, definitely great heat with this one. I hope you like my book!

          Reply
  71. Terry Ashby says

    October 05, 2019 at 7:26 am

    5 stars
    I like your recipe and have just a few comments. If you keep the hot sauce in the refrigerator , the lifespan is as long as 1 year or more as this is not a medium that bacteria grow on. I am from Southern Louisiana so Hot Sauce is serious business and put on most everything. This year I had a bumper crop of Carolina reapers, Ghost peppers and Cayenne. I blend all these together when I make sauce by the quarts but I don't roast anything. I'm a minimalist so its peppers, 2 Pineapple rings,vinegar, salt, water Cardamon and other seasonings . Dump everything into the blender and voila Southern Louisiana Death Sauce. Simple but destroying mouth cells since 1956.

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      October 05, 2019 at 7:53 am

      Thanks, Terry. I appreciate it! Yes, hot sauce usually keeps quite a long time, especially with low acidity. I love hot sauce! Yours sounds great.

      Reply
  72. Dana says

    September 29, 2019 at 2:28 pm

    I have some dried Reapers, would rehydrating them work for this? I assume the hydrated ones wouldn't roast as well. Also not sure how the weight would be affected as dried lose a lot of mass.

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      September 29, 2019 at 2:38 pm

      Dana, yes, you can use dehydrated pods. I make hot sauce from dried pods all the time. Dehydrated peppers are about 1/4 the weight of fresh peppers, but when you rehydrate them, they gain water weight back. For dried pods, I would first rehydrate 2-3 ounces of dried pods in hot water until they are soft. Do not roast them after, though you CAN give them a light pan roast in a dry pan for only a minute or two. Then add them to the food processor when you start to process the sauce. Let me know how it turns out for you. Happy to help further if needed.

      Reply
  73. Brensgrrl says

    September 28, 2019 at 7:29 pm

    4 stars
    Recipe sounds good. I also make my own hot sauce from home-grown peppers, and this is the first year I have made and CANNED my own Sriracha using Carolina Reapers. What you said about the pH of foods is true--if one is going to preserve food that will be shelf-stable, it must be remembered that the pH of the food must be modified (if necessary) so that the pH is no higher than 4, whether or not it is being stored in a refrigerator or shelved. That is what the addition of the vinegar does. The natural pH of all Hot Peppers (including the Reaper) is about 5 and the addition of vinegar brings that down to about 3.5. So far, I have not been able to find any bottles that I trust to withstand the canning process, so I use pint and half-pint jars. 10-15 minutes in a water bath canner or steam canner and done! Keeps for 2-3 years on the shelf, no refrigeration needed.

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      September 29, 2019 at 8:10 am

      Thanks for the comments, Brensgrrl. Much appreciated. Enjoy.

      Reply
  74. Jim Feeney says

    September 28, 2019 at 10:16 am

    5 stars
    Thanks for posting all this great info Michael. I’m just at the end of my ‘harvest’ up here on the north shore of Lake Ontario so will enjoy making some of these recipes. One plant I’ve been impressed with is the ‘Paper Lantern’ habanero. Very productive and good heat (300-350k scoville) .Wonder if you’ve used it yet? Cheers!

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      September 29, 2019 at 8:07 am

      Thanks, Jim! I've cooked with a lot of different habaneros and have love them all. That's a great pepper you've got! Enjoy.

      Reply
  75. Duarte Rodrigues says

    September 27, 2019 at 12:30 pm

    Commercial sauces of Carolina reaper can have at least 18 months preference consumer out of the fridge, and 3 months after opening in the fridge.
    Can I do it?

    Reply
    • Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says

      September 28, 2019 at 7:03 am

      Duarte, it's really about the acidity. If you get to 3.5 or below for home cooking, you should be fine. I personally like to keep mine in the fridge, as anything can eventually go bad. A lot of people keep their hot sauce out of the fridge.

      Reply

Primary Sidebar

ALL. SPICY. RECIPES. Hi, I’m Mike and I LOVE Spicy Food! Say goodbye to bland and boring food with my easy-to-follow recipes. Let’s get cooking!

More about me →

Mexican
Cajun
Sauces
Seasonings

5 ESSENTIALS FOR SPICY COOKING

Subscribe and receive my FREE email series with tips for spicy cooking and new Recipes

Order The Spicy Food Lovers' Cookbook by Mike Hultquist

AMAZON / BARNES & NOBLE / INDIEBOUND / BOOKS A MILLION

Order The Spicy Dehydrator Cookbook by Mike Hultquist

AMAZON / BARNES & NOBLE / INDIEBOUND

Most Popular Recipes

  • Bang Bang Chicken
  • Jamaican Curry Chicken
  • Mexican Birria Recipe
  • Homemade Blackening Seasoning
  • Michelada Recipe - Spicy Mexican Beer and Tomato Juice Cocktail
  • Pollo Guisado Recipe (Chicken Stew)

Footer

NEVER MISS A RECIPE

Receive my "5 Essentials for Spicy Cooking" email series & new recipes

  • Facebook
  • Pinterest
  • Instagram
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

↑ back to top

About | Contact | Travel-Food | Stories | Privacy | Disclaimer | © 2022 Chili Pepper Madness

EXCLUSIVE MEMBER OF MEDIAVINE FOOD