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!
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.
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?
Homemade Carolina Reaper Hot Sauce Recipe
- 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.
- 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.
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.
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
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
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
Nutrition Information
Jacob Blanchard says
What do you mean by "process for longer storage"
Mike Hultquist says
Typically boiling in a water bath. I have further information here with links to more: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/preserving-chili-peppers/canning-or-jarring-chili-peppers/
Howard Voris says
I got a bottle of your reaper hot sauce last week via ebay, UK. wow. it is good. Real good. You don't need much of it. Hot. Very Hot. But not just hot, it's got really great flavour. I use it in curries. I'd recommend it to anyone. They won't be disappointed. Thanks.
Mike Hultquist says
Glad you enjoyed it, Howard. Did you make the recipe? Or bought it from a seller on eBay?
Bob F. says
This recipe is really amazing. I personally used it as a base recipe. Instead of roasting in the oven I roasted everything on a kettle grill using two thirds chimney of hardwood lump charcoal with two chunks of apple and two chunks of pecan (for a little smokey flavor) for 40 minutes. I also added five sweet peppers and two carrots. Then a few spices during the food processor step. After which I poured everything into the Nutribullet to process into a smooth sauce, so no need for straining, though I did have to add a half of a cup extra of water and two more Tbs of vinegar. It turned out great. Flavor and heat is what I strive for. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe.
Mike Hultquist says
Awesome, Bob! I love it!
Eric says
Any thoughts on using beer in a sauce rather than water? maybe a 50/50 mix?
Mike Hultquist says
Eric, I use beer when making soups and stews sometimes, though I've never used it to make a hot sauce. I have used liquor - rum, tequila, bourbon, whiskey. I'm curious how it turns out if you try it.
Sally says
How long will this hot sauce remain shelf stable?
Mike Hultquist says
This will typically last a year in the refrigerator, or 6 months out.
Karl says
hey just tried to make the sauce but with a twist. if you want to try it here is what I did.
8oz mix of Carolina reaper, brain stains and scotch bonit
one whole white onion
one whole garlic
3tbs of apple sider vinegar
1/2 tsp of salt
2 full lime juice
2 full kiwi
have fun I love it.
Mike Hultquist says
I like the kiwi twist! Nice touch!
Marisa says
Another question! I made it and it looks and smells amazing. But idk if I properly mason jarred it. Does the whole water bath boiling have to be done if it’s sterilized ?
Mike Hultquist says
Marisa, you don't have to water bath process this unless you want to keep it stored in a pantry for a very long time without opening it. If you're going to start using it, you can still keep out of the fridge, though it lasts longer kept in the fridge. See: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/frequently-asked-questions/refrigerating-hot-sauce/
BRAD GOLDSMITH says
super easy to make.taste great.
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Brad!
Marisa says
Am I able to can in a mason jar? Or will the recipe be disturbed?
Mike Hultquist says
You should be able to, Marisa, yes.
Evan says
Hi Mike! I have some reapers coming out of the garden at different rates so I have been freezing them as I pick them. Can I thaw them out and still roast them? Also do you have any tips for roasting on a gas grill? Can’t wait to try this sauce!
Mike Hultquist says
Evan, absolutely. They may steam a little, though, as they roast after thawing. On the grill, you can set them on a baking sheet over indirect heat and let them roast. Let me know how it turns out for you. Enjoy!
Carl says
Mike,
How would this recipe taste if using, Carolina reaper, ghost, Serrano and habanero peppers?
What are your thoughts on using all four to make the hot sauce?
I have been making hot pepper spice for years now, I usually have 4 different pepper plants I grow, Habanero, Ghost, Serrano (sometimes Jalapeno) and Carolina Reaper. When the peppers are ripe I collect them until I have enough. I slice them in half just like you do but I put them in my dehydrator for 10-14 hours until they a like a potato chip, then I grind them up in a coffee grinder. It makes quite a tasty spice that last for over a year or until it's gone. It works good on anything you want to add a little zing to.
I tried making a sauce last year but for me the recipe called for to much vinegar and that's all I could taste was the vinegar.
Mike Hultquist says
Carl, I greatly enjoy mixing different peppers for hot sauce making. It's great. You can typically cut back on the vinegar for thicker sauces.
Richard says
Hello, Mike. Great recipe: I added cumin and doubled the water. Hell Fire! This is Weapons Grade material. Burns on the tongue, but subsides rather quickly. The garlic really enhances the flavour.This woüld be great as a pepper spray ,-)
Mike Hultquist says
Haha, thanks, Richard! Super hot for sure!
Bob koseba says
I cook my hot sauce, then hot pack it in pint jars. Makes nice gifts. I grow my peppers,
Ashlee says
This looks great! How long can the hot sauce be stored for?
Mike Hultquist says
Ashlee, this will last many months because of the vinegar content, 6 months easy, longer in the fridge.
Deon says
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
Mike Hultquist says
Enjoy, Deon.
ann says
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!
Mike Hultquist says
Awesome, Ann! Glad you enjoyed it! I have not been to the show in ABQ, but it's on my bucket list!
Emily says
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!
Mike Hultquist says
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
Mike says
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!
Mike Hultquist says
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!
Tommy says
Does it got to be refrigerated
Mike Hultquist says
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.
Jean says
Hi,
Someone gave me one dried Carolina reaper.
What quantities for the other ingredients do you advise me to use to make hot sauce?
Mike Hultquist says
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.
ann says
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/
Beth Miller says
Please excuse me if someone already asked... can I freeze the hot sauce?
Mike Hultquist says
You surely can, Beth! Enjoy!
Deborah says
I made this sauce last weekend. It's not for the faint of heart. Thank you
Patrick says
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.
Mike H. says
Very welcome, Patrick! Thank you for sharing the love 🙂
Randy says
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!
Boo says
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.
Mike Hultquist says
Perfect, Boo! Glad you enjoyed it!
Tyler says
Is it possible to swap the water for more vinegar to get the PH lower for shelf stable version?
Thanks
Mike Hultquist says
Yes, Tyler, absolutely.
ann says
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.
Aaron says
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!
Mike Hultquist says
Hi, Aaron. I have a post for this exact thing. Here you go! https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/recipes/seasonings-from-hot-sauce-pulp/
William says
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.
Mike Hultquist says
Sorry it was too hot for you, William! Oops! They ARE the hottest peppers in the world.
Donnie says
Thank you. Will let you know how it turns out
Leigh says
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 🙂
Mike Hultquist says
Nice! Thanks, Leigh. The hot sauce will last months or longer because of the vinegar content, especially refrigerated. Enjoy the reaper version!
William says
Be careful what you ask for. HaHa.
Donnie says
Do you think balsamic vinegar would do well in this
Mike Hultquist says
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.
Mia says
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.
Mike Hultquist says
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.
Annette Way says
Hoe many average size Carolina Reapers should I use?
Mike Hultquist says
Annette, try 12-15.
M says
Can I use ghost pepper instead or a combination of ghost nd Carolina reaper?
Mike Hultquist says
You surely can!
Connie says
Hello, I do not have a food processor, can I use a blender for your recipes? There are a few I want to try.
Mike Hultquist says
Connie, absolutely. Blender is perfect.
David Dollard says
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
Mike Hultquist says
Very nice! Thanks, David!
ann says
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!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Awesome! Thanks for sharing, Ann. Yes, quite hot for sure!
Seb Munsch says
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….?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
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.
Tim Bohmann says
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!
Mike Hultquist says
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.
Matt says
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.
Sarah says
Do you keep the seeds in when roasting and blending? I’ve heard it can cause bitterness
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Sarah, I usually keep them in, but you can remove them if you'd like. Some people do find the seeds bitter.
Randy says
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?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
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.
delia says
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?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
You can use that, or use any citrus or even vinegar for acidity.
Ann Marie says
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.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
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!
Andrew says
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?
Mike Hultquist says
Andrew, yes, you can do that. Or make a half batch.
Jim S. says
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!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks for sharing, Jim! Glad to be helpful!
Samantha says
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)
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
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.
Cheryl Ashbaugh says
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.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
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.
Sandy says
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!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
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!
John says
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.
Mike Hultquist says
Enjoy, John!
JayCee says
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
Mike Hultquist says
JayCee, you can swap out some of the reapers with milder peppers easily. Works great. I do this all the time.
Christoffer says
Just made it out of homegrown chocolate Reapers. Tried a couple of drops. Brutal.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Yeah, that's some heat right there!
Jeff says
What is the purpose of roasting the peppers? Is it for flavor?
Thanks!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Yes, Jeff. Flavor. However, you can make this recipe by simmering the ingredients instead.
Ben Willis says
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
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Awesome, Ben. Thanks for sharing. And yes, roasting peppers OUTSIDE is a great idea. Glad you enjoyed it!!
adam smith says
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?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
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.
Dwayne says
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!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
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.
Dwayne says
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.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
See the comment above, Dwayne. Thanks!!!
Big Daddy says
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!!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Haha, I hear ya, Big Daddy! Go BIG or go home, LOL. Definitely use sparingly! Crazy hot.
Cole says
How does the sauce do with fermenting after? I've used similar recipes thta end up spewing.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
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.
Matthew Cowie says
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?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
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.
Valeria says
Hi!
Can I use dried Carolinas?
What about the amount?
Thanks a lot!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
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/
Hammond Sally says
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.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Nice! Glad he enjoyed it!
Slim says
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.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Nice. Good idea roasting them outside. Those fumes can really get you! Enjoy!
Michael J Pophal says
Mike, Since I am using Pepper puree, how about using liquid smoke for extra flavoring?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
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!
Kevin Moser says
The roasted garlic and onion really worked well with my smoked reaper, habanero, scorpion mix. Amazing flavor!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Very nice! Get some extra smoky flavor! I love to hear it, Kevin. Bring on the heat!
Jim says
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!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Jim. Yes, great idea using the toaster. Perfect because YES, powerful fumes! Glad you are enjoying it.
Adam says
Amazing recipe to tweak to your own taste!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Yes! Thanks, Adam!
Mark says
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.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
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.
AMBRA DOBBINS says
I have canned some Carolina readers in a hot water bath. Can I use them to make a hot sauce?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
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.
Patrick says
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
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Patrick! Super happy you enjoyed it! LOL, I can see the look on your wife's face. Haha.
Bryan says
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!!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Great, Bryan! That'll bring the heat! Glad you enjoyed it.
Ken says
I smoked the vegetables on the grill and get them nice and charred instead of putting them in the oven. Flavorful!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Very nice!!
Sean says
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!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Very nice! Glad you enjoyed it, Sean!
Kevin says
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!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
It sure will, Kevin! Very nice!
Tyrone Corey says
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
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
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.
Hendrik says
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..
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Hendrick, you can supplement with other peppers if desired. You'll still get plenty of heat.
John Coen says
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.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Awesome, John! Glad you're enjoying it! Haha, yeah, extra hot!
Jim says
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!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Hey, Jim. Oh yeah, this is some seriously HOT stuff with pure reapers!
Gloria O. says
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.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
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!!!
Melissq says
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 🙂
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Melissa, I have a link for making powders from strained pulp here: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/recipes/seasonings-from-hot-sauce-pulp/
Sherri Dodson says
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.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Excellent, Sherri! Yeah, this is some dang good HOT sauce for sure! I love it, "off the chain!". Most definitely. Glad you enjoyed it.
Nadim says
I wanna try this at the end of summer.
Can you do it with canabis oil?
Thanks for the recipe!!!!!!!!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Great, Nadim. I'm sure cannabis oil would work here. If you try it, let me know how it goes! Curious!
Karen says
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?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
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.
Georg Mendrina says
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.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Georg. Cheers! Sounds like some awesome hot sauce right there! Enjoy.
kevin says
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
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
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/
kevin says
Thanks Mike. Your website is great by the way.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Kevin!
Nathalie says
Can I use dried Carolina Reaper peppers? I don't have fresh ones here in Quito 🙁
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
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.
Dylan Williams says
Broil ½ cup of water with the dried peppers for about 5 - 7 minutes to gain moisture
Rob says
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!!!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Awesome! Thanks, Rob! Yeah, this one will really heat things up!
Scott Shaver says
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.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
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.
Chris says
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 ????
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
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!!
Chris says
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 ????
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
AWESOME, Chris! Great to hear. Yes, definitely great heat with this one. I hope you like my book!
Terry Ashby says
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.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
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.
Dana says
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.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
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.
Brensgrrl says
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.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks for the comments, Brensgrrl. Much appreciated. Enjoy.
Jim Feeney says
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!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
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.
Duarte Rodrigues says
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?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
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.