Learn how to make hot sauce from dried peppers by easily rehydrating them. You can make just about any sauce or hot sauce recipe with this method. Very easy!
Hey, everyone! A question I get here on the site quite often is "Hey, Mike, can I make your hot sauce recipes with dried peppers?" The answer is -- Absolutely Yes!
You can very easily make hot sauce from dried peppers. In fact, you can make just about of the hot sauce recipes on my site with them, which is great because some times it is more difficult to get your hands on fresh chili peppers. I grow chili peppers in my home garden every year, but with my climate, I only get fresh pods on a limited basis.
To preserve my peppers, I often dry them whole, which allows me to keep them for years if I want. Whenever I want to make a hot sauce, no problem! I just rehydrate and hot sauce in on the way!
It really is a simple process. You only need to rehydrate the peppers, but there are a few other components to discuss to help you make the best hot sauce for you.
Let's talk about how to make sauces and hot sauce from dried peppers, shall we?
About the Chili Peppers
You can use any dried peppers to make hot sauce. You can also make sauces and salsas, like adobo sauce or chile de arbol salsa, with them. Dried peppers are extremely versatile and hugely flavorful.
When choosing peppers, choose good quality dried pods. Freshly dried peppers are best, but you can still make sauces and hot sauce from older dried pods. They don't spoil. They can lose flavor and potency, however, as they age.
Seeding the Peppers. You don't have to remove the seeds from the dried chili peppers, but most people do. Some people report a slight bitter flavor in the seeds. Also, the seeds can wind up floating in your final sauce, so they become a texture issue. For some, this is not an issue. The choice is yours.
How to Rehydrate the Peppers
The easiest way to rehydrate peppers is to add them to a bowl and cover them with very hot water. The peppers will steep and soften up in anywhere from 20 minutes or longer. Once they are softened, you can use them as desired.
Another method is to simmer the dried peppers in water or a mixture of vinegar and water until they are softened.
Steeping Water
You'll notice with some darker peppers that the water used to steep them and rehydrate them turns very dark. This is because some of the nutrients from the peppers leaches into the water. That nutrient rich water can be great to thin your sauces and hot sauce. However, some people feel it is somewhat bitter in flavor.
If you find it bitter, use fresh water or more vinegar or citrus to thin out your sauces.
Best Vinegar for Making Hot Sauce
You can use any edible vinegar for making hot sauce. I have made hot sauce with simple white vinegar, champagne vinegar, malt vinegar, apple cider vinegar and more. The key in choosing the appropriate vinegar is to consider the final flavors of your sauce. Some vinegars are sweeter and some are milder.
The best vinegar to use, in my opinion, is a good quality vinegar that you love. A better tasting vinegar will give you a better tasting hot sauce.
Ingredients for Making Hot Sauce from Dried Peppers
The only ingredients you need for making hot sauce is chili peppers, vinegar and salt. You can make some outstanding hot sauce with just those three ingredients, like this Homemade Tabasco Hot Sauce. However, that is only the beginning.
You can add in all sorts of other flavor building ingredients, like onion, garlic, other peppers. vegetables, herbs and spices, citrus, fruits, juices, alcohol, and so much more.
How to Make Hot Sauce from Dried Peppers - the Recipe Method
FOR METHOD ONE
- Lightly toast the dried chili peppers in a hot pan for a minute or 2 per side, until they become slightly pliable and loosen the oils in the skins. This step is optional and develops more flavor.
- Remove from heat and add enough very hot water to cover the peppers. Let them steep for 15 to 20 minutes to soften.
- Strain the peppers but keep the steeping water.
- Add the rehydrated peppers to a food processor or blender along with 1 cup of the steeping water (or use fresh water) vinegar (use anywhere from 2 tablespoons to 1 cup), garlic powder, salt, and other optional ingredients. Process until smooth.
- Taste and adjust with salt and vinegar. Strain if desired.
- Pour into bottles and enjoy, or simmer then in a pot for 10-20 minutes to develop the flavors even more, then cool and bottle. Store in the refrigerator.
FOR METHOD TWO
- Lightly toast the dried chili peppers in a hot pan for a minute or 2 per side, until they become slightly pliable and loosen the oils in the skins. This step is optional and develops more flavor.
- Add water and vinegar, garlic powder, salt and other optional ingredients. Use less vinegar or water for thicker hot sauce. Simmer the peppers for 15 to 20 minutes to soften.
- Add the mixture to a food processor or blender along with vinegar (use anywhere from 2 tablespoons to 1 cup), garlic powder, salt, and other optional ingredients. Process until smooth.
- Taste and adjust with salt and vinegar. Strain if desired.
- Pour into bottles and enjoy, or simmer then in a pot for another 10 minutes to develop the flavors even more, then cool and bottle. Store in the refrigerator.
The Difference Between the Two Methods: The first method rehydrates the dried peppers with water only, allowing you to add other ingredients later as desired. The second method simmers the dried pods and other ingredients together in vinegar and water, then simply processes it all to make the final sauce. Both methods work great.
Check out my resource on How to Make Hot Sauce: The Ultimate Guide, with a great deal more information on history, hot sauce types, fermenting and more.
See my post on "Does Hot Sauce Need to be Refrigerated?"
That's it, my friends! I hope you enjoy your hot sauce. Let me know how yours turned out for you. I'd love to hear it!
Try Some of My Other Hot Sauce Recipes
- How to Make Hot Sauce from Chili Powders
- Carolina Reaper Hot Sauce
- 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
- Datil Pepper Sauce
- More Hot Sauce Recipes
Relevant Links
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.
How to Make Hot Sauce from Dried Peppers - Recipe Method
Ingredients
- 2 cups lightly crushed and seeded dried chili peppers
- 2 cups water or enough to cover the peppers - FOR METHOD ONE
- 1 cup vinegar or as desired, FOR METHOD TWO
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- *Other ingredients as desired. See notes.
Instructions
FOR METHOD ONE
- Lightly toast the dried chili peppers in a hot pan for a minute or 2 per side, until they become slightly pliable and loosen the oils in the skins. This step is optional and develops more flavor.
- Remove from heat and add enough very hot water to cover the peppers. Let them steep for 15 to 20 minutes to soften.
- Strain the peppers but keep the steeping water.
- Add the rehydrated peppers to a food processor or blender along with 1 cup of the steeping water (or use fresh water) vinegar (use anywhere from 2 tablespoons to 1 cup), garlic powder, salt, and other optional ingredients. Process until smooth.
- Taste and adjust with salt and vinegar. Strain if desired.
- Pour into bottles and enjoy, or simmer then in a pot for 10-20 minutes to develop the flavors even more, then cool and bottle. Store in the refrigerator.
FOR METHOD TWO
- Lightly toast the dried chili peppers in a hot pan for a minute or 2 per side, until they become slightly pliable and loosen the oils in the skins. This step is optional and develops more flavor.
- Add water and vinegar, garlic powder, salt and other optional ingredients. Use less vinegar or water for thicker hot sauce. Simmer the peppers for 15 to 20 minutes to soften.
- Add the mixture to a food processor or blender along with vinegar (use anywhere from 2 tablespoons to 1 cup), garlic powder, salt, and other optional ingredients. Process until smooth.
- Taste and adjust with salt and vinegar. Strain if desired.
- Pour into bottles and enjoy, or simmer then in a pot for 10-20 minutes to develop the flavors even more, then cool and bottle. Store in the refrigerator.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
William Bebout says
What about fermenting the dried peppers after re-hydration? Does this work? Is it beneficial?
Mike Hultquist says
You can ferment either dried or rehydrated pods, William, but you may need to use a starter or toss in some fresh peppers to get fermentation going. Benefits are the same.
Tal says
Hello Mike,
I'm so excited to have discovered your website, your zhug is out of this world!
Can you recommend an online source for buying quality dried peppers for those of us not lucky enough to be able to grow our own?
Thanks so much
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Tal! Check out my resources page for where to buy plants and seeds, as some of these companies also offer dried chilies. You can also order through Amazon. https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/resources/
quick question says
What are these three sauces from left to right?
https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/02/How-to-Make-Hot-Sauce-from-Dried-Peppers5.jpg
Mike Hultquist says
Hi, I'm not sure, as I make hot sauces constantly and go through them so quickly. I think the left is a scotch bonnet-curry hot sauce, the middle a LA style (probably a mix of red peppers of various heat, or maybe tabascos. The third, I believe, is a thick reaper hot sauce.
Kristian says
Hi Mike.
First of all I want to apologize for my poor English.
My name is Kristian and I'm from Denmark.
I have tried a couple of your Chili Sauce recipes and I am very satisfied.
This time I tried the recipe
"Making a hot sauce from dried chilies"
I had som dried red chilies I once bought in a supermarket.
I grow my own Chilies now so I had to find another way to use the dried ones.
After reading your recipe I had to try it myself.
I followed your recipe but instead of using salt and garlic powder I used garlic salt. I also added some steak rub and I must tell you, that it is one of the best chili sauces I have ever made.
I can't thank you enough for sharing all these recipes.
Your homepage really made my day
PS. I couldn't find out how to share a picture of my hotsauce.
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks so much, Kristian. I'm very glad to be helpful! Enjoy!
DG says
Thanks for this! 🙂
How long do you think the sauce will last in the fridge?
Have you tried any preserving methods with this recipe?
Mike Hultquist says
DG, this will last a good 6 months to 1 year, depending on the amount of vinegar/acid, and if you refrigerate. I have a post on this - Should You Refrigerate Hot Sauce? https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/frequently-asked-questions/refrigerating-hot-sauce/
Shelly says
First time dried cayenne pepper sauce maker…Can I get a little more info about canning the hot sauce by water bath? Is the vinegar enough to preserve them on the shelf with a 20 minute hot water bath would you say?
Mike Hultquist says
Shelly, I have some info on these pages where you can start:
https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/preserving-chili-peppers/canning-or-jarring-chili-peppers/
https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/preserving-chili-peppers/preparing-and-canning-fermented-and-pickled-foods-pickling-safety-information/
Mitch says
What is the yield on the above recipe. I am putting them in 5oz bottles for individual sale. Thanks!
Mike Hultquist says
Mitch, it depends on the amount of water or vinegar you use. You'll get 3-4 cups or so, depending.
Tom says
I've never used dried chilies to make hot sauces so this was really helpful for me. I was just using dried Arbol chilies as the main ingredient and a couple of Gua Jillo (sp?) chilies for there beautiful deep red color. These are pretty mild peppers so I didn't even think about your warning to make sure you have a very well ventilated area before toasting the chilies... Let me tell 'ya --after the sneezing, coughing, wheezing, feeling like I needed to drop and roll to escape the fumes and setting up the fans and opening all the windows and doors I was grateful for two things; 1.) the outdoor temps were only in the 30's F and not in the teens or lower and 2.) the rest of the family was out shopping so they don't need to know anything about this. Lol Beyond that, the sauce turned out great! Thanks for sharing.
Mike Hultquist says
Glad it was helpful, Tom! Take care.
Emily Maunatlala says
Good
Chitwan says
I got furry mould at the mouth of the jar 2 days into the fermentation. What did I do wrong?
Chitwan says
Sorry posted this on the wrong recipe. I used fresh green peppers.
Mike Hultquist says
Chitwan, somehow the batch got infected, so it could be that the jar wasn't thoroughly cleaned before starting, or some of the peppers were above the brine, which can get infected. Sorry to hear.
Anna says
Have you tried making Sriracha with dried peppers?
Mike Hultquist says
You surely CAN, Anna. If you want to ferment them, you may need to add some fresh peppers into the mix to get the fermentation going.
Denise says
Have tons of dried peppers. Giving this a try! Want to process them to be shelf stable. Does that reduce the flavor? Thanks
Mike Hultquist says
Processing does not reduce the flavor, Denise. Enjoy!
Ru says
Just made an absolute steamer, and very much thanks to you! I used Devils Penis chilli's from these guys (https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://thespiceshop.co.uk/devils-penis&ved=2ahUKEwjOi9zakrD5AhXMi1wKHZhVB0oQFnoECAwQAQ&usg=AOvVaw0Pgbtoo61wfHbuX_e9ScxG)
2 roasted tomato
1 whole clove of roasted garlic
3 anchovies
12x DP Chilli's - rehydrated
200ml Steep water
100ml balsamic
Zest and juice of 1 whole lime
300gm caramelised onion
Goes great with sliced beef and chicken kebabs. Proper zinger though!
All thanks to advice from from you, keep up the good work man 🙂
Mike Hultquist says
Awesome to hear, Ru! Devil's Penis peppers, Haha, I'll have to get some of those! Glad you enjoyed it.
Kevin says
Thanks for the recipe! Gonna try this with my harvest of Thai peppers. I live in the PNW, and we had a super wet spring which affected a lot of my crops. The corn didn't do anything this year for example, and a lot of my herbs drowned. The rest of the growing season was typical. Meaning pretty much no rain in July, August, September, and most of October. I'm in an 8b growing zone for reference. This year was my first attempt to see which peppers I could grow, and I hadn't discovered this website yet, so probably made some rookie mistakes 🙂 My Cayenne and Jalapeño did well. The Thai peppers exploded! Far and away the biggest yield. No luck with Habanero at all. Could have been a dud plant. Anyways, looking forward to next year and seeing what I can do with some other varieties and different sun exposure.
Mike Hultquist says
Sure thing, Kevin. Glad to be helpful! Good luck with the peppers moving forward!
Seaseas says
This information is so helpful. Haven't made hot sauce before but am now going to try it for sure. Thanks.
Mike Hultquist says
Enjoy! So many wonderful possibilities. =)
Renée says
Hello, I just made this with dried árbol chilies and I'm excited to taste it!
I do have a question, are there any uses for the leftover steeping liquid? Perhaps added to stocks or soup bases? Or should I just toss it?
Thank you
Mike Hultquist says
Renée, yes, you can use it for soups/stews, even sauces. It is somewhat bitter, but has lots of flavor and nutrients. Freeze it for later!
greg says
Great site and article.
Quick question, what is the best way to make hot sauce salt-free (or very low sodium) from dried chilis? Seems most/all the commercial sauces out there are full of sodium -- would prefer an in-house method I could control the sodium input.
Mike Hultquist says
Greg, honestly just don't include as much salt, or use a substitute. Salt is needed for fermenting, but you can make a hot sauce from fresh or dried peppers without salt if you want to. Use other seasonings to taste, vinegar/citrus, and either skip salt or replace it. Let me know how it goes for you.
Emily says
I grew up in California. I live in Germany now. Finding food with taste is hard to come by here. My brother in law sent me dehydrated peppers, as he found making his own sauce was the only way to recapture the CA salsa taste. Thanks for the guide as I was stumped as to how to rehydrate and prepare salsa. Both my sister and her husband were vague on the details. This is totally in my skill set. Yeah to having food that will shirly make my family cry and me sigh with contentment and hopefully a runny nose.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Great to hear, Emily! Yes, dried pods are a GREAT way to go for flavor building. Glad to help!! Thanks for sharing!
Kathleen says
Thanks! What a wonderful recipe to get me started. I am a huge fan of dehydrating foods so I have an array of flavors to choose from.
today I used fresh ghost peppers and dried fish peppers with a bit of dried orange, carrot, and 2 anchos. A dash of cumin and cinnamon . red wine vinegar and soaking water. Came out fabulous.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Awesome! Glad to hear it, Kathleen!
David says
Mike,
Your website and videos have long been an inspiration to me and have become my go-to place for all things chili. The best part, however, is how that inspiration has spurred me to action in an area of life that brings me so much joy. When blessed with a plethora of red jalapenos at the end of the season, I came here first to learn how to smoke them on my PitBoss. Then, once again, I turned to this site to learn how to make my own hot sauce from those peppers. I wish I could attach a picture of my first batch but my sincere thanks for all of your work here will have to suffice. May you have many more years of your own inspirations for this passion of yours and sharing it with the world. Is there any way I can order your books directly from you with an inscription?
All the best my friend!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks so much, David. I wish I could sign some books! Perhaps in the future!
JM says
I dried peppers from my garden and wanted to smoke them before rehydration to add a rich smoky flavor to my sauce. Would you recommend this process? Also, should I mess with fermenting the sauce or peppers afterword's?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Absolutely, JM! It is SO GOOD! I have a post here on How to Smoke Chili Peppers (https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/preserving-chili-peppers/how-to-smoke-chili-peppers/), so you can use them to make spicy powders and flakes. Yes, you can ferment them as well, though you may need a starter or mix them with fresh pods to get the fermentation process going. Enjoy!
Denise says
Hi. If you use method 1, steeping in just water (no vinegar), is there still a concern of leaching metal from the pan?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
No worries, Denise.
Bill says
My only comment is that if you are going to simmer and steep anything in vinegar, please use a quality ceramic or glass pot that can take direct heat such as Asian-style ceramic rice pots, or Corning's "Visions" glass cookware. The vinegar can and will leech heavy metals from metal pots into solution and then into your brain/body, and also pit your metal cookware to some degree.
If you must use metal, use one coated with traditional ceramic enamel that is not damaged or chipped.
Teflon, although indicated as being toxic itself, is actually very resistant to acids. I still wouldn't use it. At the very least, use a high-quality stainless-steel pot, although some leeching will still occur to some degree.
Never use cast iron, or any soft metal such as aluminum or copper.
Eric Nelson says
Hi Mike. I finally tried to take a mix of our dried chilies, cascabels, guajillos, pasillas, possibly anchos and chipotles as well (they're not labled!) and ferment them and make a hot sauce out of them. I rehydrated them then roughly chopped them and soaked them in a brine solution, from your recipe. The chilies were covered, but there was say 2 to 3 inches of air in the jar above them. They've been hanging out in the cellar for about 5, 6 weeks. I burped them often with no burp action. This definitely allowed air to get in though. I didn't notice the brine getting cloudy at all. I did notice some mold start to form on top though. I looked up and found this website: http://fermentationpodcast.com/five-questions-mold-food-safety/ . So I scooped out the mold and processed my chilies after fermenting, only adding one third of a cup of organic apple vinegar to about 2 cups combined brine, chilies - to keep the first batch simple. All seemed a-ok. But the sauce was a bit too thin. So I simmered it for about a half an hour (definitely no more mold spores now) and thinned it down to a third. It made a mess, got way more salty, is nice and thick now and the flavor is wonderful! This is a wonderful site!! Thanks for sharing all your knowledge! I've got more dried chilies in the cellar. . . Eric
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Eric. Glad it worked out as desired! Enjoy.
Andrew Corradini says
Got a bone to pick with you! (and I'm saying that with a really big smile and lots of love, so don't take it the wrong way!) I've been a happy/grateful ChiliPepperMadness-devotee for years -- been growing my own peppers (including superhots) forever, used all kinds of things about fermenting mash; recipes, etc. from here, and am eternally grateful. But I was just looking up something as a reference when this one stuck in my craw:
"The best vinegar to use, in my opinion, is a good quality vinegar that you love. "
Oh, come ON. All that's saying is (a) don't use crap, and (b) use stuff you like -- so, that's advice?
Here's my advice: if you're making basic pepper mash or basic hot sauce, use apple-cider vinegar: it's flavorful, and it's reasonably inexpensive. Using distilled plain white vinegar is going to give you no character/flavor -- it's cheap, and you'll get basically the vinegar equivalent of water in your sauce/mash. Next up is just ordinary white or red wine vinegar -- depending on how much you spend, and what you get, those will be significant alterations to the flavor of your hot sauce (especially the red) -- so choose wisely.
Now if you want to try to use something like malt vinegar? or something even fancier/more expensive like balsamic -- more power to you -- but that's going to really alter your flavor profile (way beyond even red wine vinegar). You're making hot sauce, here -- but if you're shooting for something *custom* - like a pickapeppa, or whatever - - this is where your choice of vinegar is going to significantly alter what you come out with.
Other'n that -- I can't imagine using much beyond basic white, cider, or white-wine (if that), for your *typical* hot sauce *bases*. Anything else is an *ingredient* in and of itself, contributing taste to the profile.
So -- "best vinegar to use is a good quality vinegar that you love" -- man, I love your site, but I'm still going to call that out as a dodge. You need to recommend something, and it's probably either just straight white bulk, straight cider bulk, or "if you prefer, better-quality cider vinegar", etc. Seriously -- just pick something and commit! 🙂
Again, love the site. About to make some mash - from your instructions. 🙂
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Hey, Andrew. I appreciate the nice comments and can certainly take criticism, but I'm not quite sure you read the entire paragraph on vinegar? I mean, I'm sure I could elaborate more (I'm usually much too verbose for most), but I do mention flavor profiles, etc. Think I should expand the discussion to detail particular vinegar flavors? I figured hot sauces makers could do that on their own. Much love, my man. Here is the vinegar section, including the final offending paragraph:
"You can use any edible vinegar for making hot sauce. I have made hot sauce with simple white vinegar, champagne vinegar, malt vinegar, apple cider vinegar and more. The key in choosing the appropriate vinegar is to consider the final flavors of your sauce. Some vinegars are sweeter and some are milder. The best vinegar to use, in my opinion, is a good quality vinegar that you love. A better tasting vinegar will give you a better tasting hot sauce."
I'd hate to discourage any hot sauce maker from trying a different vinegar, such as malt vinegar, which of course is not traditional, but that they might enjoy. Best!
Michael Rafferty says
Cheers Michael
I think I became accustomed to the pickled taste, but switching from distilled white malt to red wine vinegar seemed to mellow it out. I also added some cassia and cloves to the dried chilli soak, removing them before blending. It might all be in my head (it is chilli pepper madness after all) but I'm convinced that adds layers of subtle flavour.
I tried a very small batch ferment - UK supermarkets sell chillies in 30g to 50g packs (1 oz to 1.8 oz). It was excellent. I thought the dried chilli hot sauce might seem inferior after, but it was still good, just different.
I've found a UK supplier selling chillies by the kilo (2.2 lb). Happy Days! Have got half a batch of a cayenne cultivar bubbling away in a brine, and have just set the other half off in a mash. I'm following your ratios with both.
Thanks again for a brilliant site.
Michael
Northumberland, England
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Outstanding, Michael. Yes, Madness it all is. I love to hear how others experiment with and develop flavor. It helps everyone else get ideas. Flavor first! Cheers, sir!
Chad says
Nice, my hot sauce addiction is costing too much so I'm giving this a first try. Question: is it easiest to remove the seeds from the dried peppers before rehydrating or after?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Chad. Yeah, you can make your own anytime! I find it easier to remove them before, especially with larger pods. You can always strain if you want as well. Good luck with your hot sauce making!
Hariet says
I just finished a batch of habanero hot sauce, guajillo hot sauce and California chili hot sauce all from dried peppers with this method and they are absolutely wonderful. Thank you so much for another great recipe.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks so much, Hariet! Super happy to be useful!
Maggie Mehaffey says
Oh my God! How do you get through this process without making the air in your house toxic?! I just drove me and my husband out of the house, eyes streaming, noses running, coughing!! I finally removed the toxic cauldron outside and opened all the doors and windows! I don’t dare complete the next step of blending. Thinking about setting a table up outside for the blender! Even with 15” of snow on the ground.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Maggie, yes, you can get fumes from hot peppers in the house, as you are experiencing. It is best to work with the kitchen fan on, and open windows if you are able. This is more of an issue in smaller spaces, though I have had some issues in a giant kitchen when working with superhots. It can happen. Try to get a box fan going and keep air circulating if you can, or yes, outside or in a garage is always an option if it gets too bad for you.
Katie says
Great recipe! I used dried cayennes that I grew last year. The finished product definitely has some heat to it, are there any milder varieties you can recommend? Thank you for the recipe!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Katie, not sure what you have access to, but Fresno peppers make for a great jalapeno-level hot sauce. There are a lot of great aji peppers you might grow. Or, next time try mixing your cayennes with dried bell pepper to really cut the heat.
Fleischman says
Hello Michael,
Two questions:
1. So, if I wanted to make hot sauce out of dried crushed red pepper flakes, would you suggest rehydrating them first? What about straight mixing the flakes with vinegar in a pot, simmering, then straining, done?
2. If you wanted to add hot sauce (say your homemade Tabasco) to ground beef while cooking it, what amount of hot sauce would you start with for every pound of beef?
Thank you,
Fleischman
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Fleischman, I'm not sure if you'd get much directly from the chili flakes, though if there are enough of them (flesh, not seeds), they will rehydrate in the simmering liquid. You can then process it to blend it more. For ground beef, I would start with a tablespoon or 2, then taste and adjust from there. Let me know how it goes. Enjoy!
fleischman says
Thank you, Michael.
Interesting. Do the seeds not add hotness or flavor?
Also, are you concerned about long term gastrointestinal issues from routinely using hot sauces? Should I be? 😉
F
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
The seeds don't add any heat or flavor. You can remove them if you'd like. Some people find them bitter and don't like them floating in their sauces. I have no gastro issues! Haha, though some people may! I eat hot peppers every day. No issues!
B says
I use red pepper flakes for hot sauce. What I did was I ground the flakes in a grinder and then I simmered them in olive oil to bring out the heat. Then I followed the recipe. You only need like an eighth of a cup or less as the seeds are really hot. You could probably just strain the sauce after if you don't have a grinder. Also, the seeds are pretty hot just boiled in water. I know because I make a cayenne pepper tea when I get the flu in the winter.
I also want to mention I like to use bay leaves in my hot sauce recipe.
Charlotte Molrine says
I just finished bottling my first batch of fermented chili peppers; I had both red and green serrano peppers from this year's garden. I was very impressed with the quality of the finished product.
I have LOTS of dried peppers and want to make your hot sauce with dried peppers. Could I ferment them for a week or two like the fresh chili pepper sauce or would that long soak time degrade the dried chili too much?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Charlotte. You can ferment dried pods, no problem, but you might need a fermentation starter or some fresh pods to get fermentation going. Let me know how it goes for you.
John says
Love this recipe and can't wait to try it. Would toasting the peppers on a gas grill impart any added flavor, as opposed to using a frying pan? Thanks!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
John, you can toast them on the grill, no problem. It would be a great way to loosen them up. Enjoy!
Randy says
I just made this using chili de arbol's and one ghost pepper (all dried). I added juice of a 1/2 lime to boot.
I go to your site and roam around almost every day.
Fantastic recipe.
Randy
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Randy! The sauce sounds great! I love. Thanks for roaming!
Adal says
thank you my dear Is there a way to keep a longer period out of the fridge?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Adal, if you have a low enough pH (meaning a lot of vinegar and/or citrus, some form of acid), many people don't store their hot sauces in the refrigerator. Shoot for 3.5 or lower. I still like to refrigerate mine, but many don't. You can also process the hot sauce in a water bath or pressure canner to store them, unopened, until ready to use.
Josh v says
Hey quick question. For method two do you use any water, or only vinegar? Thanks
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Josh, you can use vinegar or a combination of both vinegar and water, really to your taste preference. You CAN use only water, but the pH won't be low enough for longer keeping and it would only last a week or so. It will last much longer with vinegar. Let me know how it turns out for you.
Arsalan says
Hey Mike. I would like it to be thicker.. How i can make it with thickness? what i should add?? for example some flour or...???
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Arsalan, you can thicken up hot sauces in a few ways. You can add more ingredients to it, like more peppers, tomato, chili powders, or other more substantial ingredients. Or you can heat it through and simmer to remove some of the liquid. It will evaporate and the sauce will thicken overall. Adding flour can work, though it will greatly affect your flavor, so not sure that is the route you want to go.
Michelle Scott says
This site is very informative and complete. Really well done. All the links works, pictures are appropriate, the recipes are simple and the commentary is interesting but not lengthy. Good job!
I am wondering if there is a section on Xanthan Gum? I noticed it's in several different bottles of hot sauce I have (all are commercial). How much would you add so that you don't have to refrigerate?
Also, I have no idea what a ph meter is. Do you have a link about that specifically?
I used the dried arbol pods I bought as a back up spice when everyone was hoarding for the corona virus out break. Everyone calmed down and I had a huge bag of them so I thought why not try some sauce. It turned out pretty decent even tho I forgot to saute' them. Next time I will use my juicer to strain the batch. This will allow me to extract the liquid and add in the pulp to my personal taste.
Thank you for sharing. Have a great day!
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks so much, Michelle. I really appreciate it. I don't have a post on Xantham gum, but I should. It's use as a sauce thickener and helps to keep it from separating. Most commercial hot sauces use it. It isn't really for preserving, though can improve shelf life. Refrigeration is a big hot button topic in hot sauces. Many people don't do it, but many do. It's up to you. However, for longer keeping, get your hot sauce to 3.5 or lower for home use. It's really 4.6 but 3.5 is better to account for errors. If it is over 4, definitely keep it in the refrigerator. The pH meter I recommend is through Thermoworks. I am an affiliate there, FYI, and use their products. Very great quality. Here is my affiliate link to their site: https://www.thermoworks.com/pH-Humidity/pH?tw=CPM. Let me know how it goes for you and if you have any other questions. Thanks!
brent says
Mike,
I've made cooking sauces with dried chiles for many years---but it never occurred to me to make hot sauce.
Have some new mexico reds and arbols I want to use--I'm excited.
I have an odd question(s) for you. I have some red wine vinegar I bought for some dressing and I know I'll never use it all.
You are the vinegar expert---
1) what kind of chilies agree with red wine vinegar the best?
2) what is RWV good for? fresh salsas? vinegar-based hot sauces? cooked salsa? cooked sauces? fermenting? chile pastes?
I've only use White Distilled and ACV for sauces so I'm clueless here. Thank you.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Hey, Brent. Super interesting question, actually, and I could probably talk to you for a long time on this. Think of vinegars like wines, where reds pair better with certain things. It's not as pronounced with hot sauce, as the heat and flavor of the peppers take over mostly, but the vinegar has a pretty big influence. Red wine vinegar is a bit more robust, and you might appreciate a hot sauce or sauce made with RWV with beef dishes, or a good steak. White vinegar tends to influence the final flavors of your hot sauce less, where red will more so, as it is a bit more distinctive. ACV as well. It's a wonderful dance of flavor, isn't it? Nuance upon nuance. I always encourage experimentation. Make some sauces with different components. Taste, discover. Keep making the ones you love. I hope this helps. Let me know what you wind up making! Curious!!
brent says
Thanks for that Mike. It's easier to conceptualize the influence of the Vinegar in the end product, as you said so well. ":White influences less"--I agree. And Balsamic overwhelms so.. To classify the vinegars in my head this way is very helpful.
That said. 5 stars sauce recipe.
Filled a small bottle, followed method #1, toasted them, skipped the 10-min simmer because everything was cooked.
(Your method #2 is similar to many recipes in the Southwest except no vinegar in the simmer: but onions and garlic and chiles often simmer together in that water).
Small bottle.
2 dried red new mex
2 dried guajillos
"un puno del arbol" ("a handful of chile arbol" in spanish)
little charred white onion
3 charred garlic cloves
chile water
ACV
Now I understand what you were talking about. The Numex and guajillos had that super strong fruity flavor. In hindsight I'd back off on the ACV because the ACV made the fruity chile taste sweeter. But the garlic and arbols were a nice equalizer.
From one chile-head to another, this is starting to become my favorite site.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks so much, Brent! Happy to be helpful.
Magdalena Abdon says
What is another acid option for inpreservation, that doesn't impart flavor? Is tomato enough?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
You can try citrus or citric acid. Pretty much anything will impart flavor of some sort. Tomato may work, but be sure to measure pH. Other options to consider are wine, beer, other milder vinegars, even cultured dairy (but that will very definitely change flavor). Let me know what you wind up making. Enjoy!
scott miller says
After years of making great salsas, finally decided to try sauces...and making them from dried chilis is the way to go!
First batch was made with chili puyas, garlic and onion powders, salt, a tiny bit of sugar and quite a bit of cider vinegar.
Blended it all up and simmered it awhile, strained it then checked for flavor, and simmered it about 20 minutes more.
It's absolutely the most delicious I've ever tried.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Yes! I love to hear this, Scott. It really is super easy, isn't it? I have a TON of dehydrated peppers from my own stock and make sauces and hot sauces this way all the time. Love it, and happy others can do it, too!
Michael Rafferty says
Brilliant! Had just started making hot sauce, before reading this. I used chillies, garlic, soaking water, vinegars, sugar and salt - soak and blend, no cooking.
I used fresh garlic soaked with the chillies and there is a slight 'pickled' aftertaste. It's not unpleasant - a bit like a Vinha D'Alhos marinade - but it's not what I want.
Do you think I should should cook the sauce through? I do this with Piri Piri and it stays 'fresh'
Or do you think I should use only dried ingredients? I've got an Eastern N Carolina BBQ sauce mellowing nicely after 4 or 5 years!
Best Wishes.
Michael,
Northumberland, England
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Hi, Michael. The pickled aftertaste is from the vinegar, which gives that tartness/pucker factor. You can cook it to mellow that a bit, or add a bit more sweet, like honey, to balance it. You can also batch up by adding more liquid and peppers, no vinegar, then combine them to sort of dilute the vinegar. I like to cook mine a bit usually to more fully meld and develop the flavors, but not always. Let me know how it turns out for you. I hope this helps.
Vicky says
I have had great pepper crops last two years and dried a lot of them. I've been just adding to soups and stews. Now that I know how to rehydrate them and not loose flavor I can make hot sauces and salsas all year long. (Canned tomatoes too).
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Yes! It's a great option, isn't it? I dry a LOT of peppers ever year, too, and do the same, tossing them into soups, stews, make seasoning blends, etc. Hot sauces and salsa are another great way to use them. So many ways! Thanks for commenting, Vicky.
Damien C. says
This worked perfect for me. Now I know what to do with all of these dried pods. Thank you.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Thanks, Damien! Yes, perfect use for them. Glad you enjoyed the hot sauce!
Mike Austin says
Hi Mike,
Have ground all my chilis after dehydrating them, into powder.. Can you use the Chili powder to make sauces? if so how?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Mike, yes, you can make hot sauce from chili powders. Just combine all of the ingredients and simmer them to your liking. You'll get more separation with powders, but it is still good. I am working on a different post for making hot sauce with powders so I can have all of the proper ratios, etc. Forthcoming.
Dustin Bess says
I use dried peppers for my sauces, I just use a spice grinder to turn them into powder, no need for soaking.. enough salt and vinegar and your sauce can last a year in the fridge.. maybe more but it does not last that long with me lol.
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Yes, you can make hot sauce from powders, of course. The process is not much different, but there are other considerations that starting with whole dried pods. I plan on making a separate post on making sauce from powders alone. I appreciate the comments, Dustin.
Jamie Parisi says
Would there be enough vinegar to hot process this recipe and can it or will it last long enough in the fridge?
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Jamie, there is, but it is best to measure the pH with a good pH meter. Shoot for 3.5 or lower for home canning. It will last quite a long time in the refrigerator, however, without canning or hot processing.
Russ says
Have Chipotle sauce hot water bath processed , 5 years old. Tastes great
Michael Hultquist - Chili Pepper Madness says
Outstanding! Thanks, Russ! I appreciate it.