Learn how to make tabasco hot sauce with this homemade tabasco sauce recipe, using garden grown tabasco peppers, vinegar and salt. Fermented and non-fermented versions.
Homemade Tabasco Sauce Recipe
If you've ever considered making your own Tabasco hot sauce at home, I have the perfect recipe for you right here.
I've been making my own hot sauces for years, and I grew tabasco peppers in my garden this year just so I could make this sauce.
I'm a big fan of Tabasco Sauce. Some people in the chilihead community bash Tabasco Sauce because of its vinegary flavor and its low level of heat compared to other hot sauces on the market, but I personally have a huge amount of respect for the Tabasco brand and McIlhenny Company, as they've been around since 1868 on Avery Island, Louisiana, founded by Edmund Mcilhenny.
They practically started the hot sauce industry by bringing it to the masses.
Any company with such longevity and unquestioning popularity deserves respect in my book. Besides, I personally enjoy vinegary hot sauces, so here we are, making some at home.
Join me, will you?
I'll show you how to make it two different ways - fermented and non-fermented versions.
Let's discuss how to make homemade tabasco hot sauce at home, shall we?
Tabasco Sauce Ingredients
- FOR FERMENTED TABASCO SAUCE
- 5 ounces tabasco peppers, roughly chopped
- 2-2.5 tablespoons sea salt (.67 ounce or 19 grams by weight) (+ 1/4 teaspoon salt, if draining your brine)
- 1 quart unchlorinated water
- 1 cup white wine vinegar
- FOR NON-FERMENTED TABASCO SAUCE
- 5 ounces tabasco peppers
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup white wine vinegar
How to Make Tabasco Sauce - the Recipe Method
FOR THE FERMENTED VERSION
First, ferment the tabasco peppers. You can process them to coarsely chop them or rough chop them with a knife. Pack them into a jar, leaving at least 1 inch of head space.
The peppers may rise a bit when fermenting.
Next, mix 1 quart unchlorinated water with 2 tablespoons sea salt. Pour just enough brine over the peppers to cover them, pressing them down a bit as you go.
It is important to keep the peppers covered with brine to avoid spoilage. Check this daily.
Screw on the lid and set the jar away from direct sunlight to ferment for at least 1 week. Ideal temperatures are between 55-75 degrees F.
The most active fermentation period is between 1-2 weeks, so be sure to monitor it during this time. “Burp” the jars often by unscrewing the lid a bit to let out some of the accumulating gases.
Or, use an airlock or membrane for easier fermenting. See our page, “How to Make Fermented Pepper Mash”, for further instruction.
After 1-2 weeks, the fermenting activity will diminish and the brine will turn cloudy and taste acidic.
Pour the fermented tabasco peppers, including brine, into a pot along with vinegar.
Alternatively, you can strain and toss the brine, then add the solids to a pot with vinegar and 1/2 cup water or more as desired + 1/4 teaspoon salt.
Or use only a part of the brine for a thicker sauce. More brine = more salty. Bring to a quick boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
Cool slightly then add to a food processor. Process until smooth.
Strain the mixture to remove the solids. Pour into hot sauce bottles and enjoy. You can adjust the volume with additional water and/or vinegar.
FOR THE NON-FERMENTED VERSION
Add the tabasco peppers, vinegar and ¼ teaspoon salt to a small pot.
Bring the mixture to a quick boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes to soften.
Cool slightly, then add to a food processor. Process until smooth.
Gorgeous red pepper sauce right there already, much like the Tabasco original red sauce, but brighter in color.
Strain the pepper seeds and pulp mixture to remove the solids. Look at how much of the seeds and pulp remains.
You don't need to seed the peppers first, as we're straining the hot sauce.
Pour into hot sauce bottles and enjoy. You can adjust the volume with additional water and/or vinegar.
NOTE: Each version makes about 1 cup unstrained and ½ cup strained. I added in more vinegar to fill up 2+ woozy bottles and get the consistency more like original Tabasco hot sauce.
Boom! That's it, my friends. Now you have your very own homemade tabasco sauce, ready to drizzle and splash over all of your favorite foods.
Add a bit of spice to your lives! I hope you enjoy it.
Recipe Tips & Notes
Making hot sauce in general is easy, but there are a number of factors that can affect the overall quality and flavor of your finished hot sauce.
If you want to make tabasco hot sauce at home, consider some of these factors.
Fermented vs. Non-Fermented Tabasco Sauce
McHilleny Company ferments tabasco peppers for their original Tabasco Sauce brand in white oak barrels for up to 3 years. The longer you ferment, the more the flavor develops.
You'll have a difficult time duplicating the exact flavor of Tabasco without time, oak barrels, and trade secrets.
However, it is still worth making a fermented version at home.
The fermented version is quite a bit mellower than the non-fermented version. Fermenting breaks down the peppers chemically.
Essentially, lactic acid bacteria breaks down the carbohydrates in peppers and converts them to acid. It is a bit like a controlled decay process, and there are numerous benefits to fermentation, including more digestible foods, more vitamins, and more desirable flavors.
The non-fermented version, however, is much easier to make and tastes wonderful as well.
Comparatively, it has a stronger flavor with a bit more bite. Plus, you don't have to wait a week or more for fermenting. You can have it ready in less than half an hour.
Don't ask me to choose which version I enjoy more. I love them both!
The Vinegar
Your choice of vinegar will make a big difference in your resulting flavor. The key is choosing a good quality vinegar, and especially one of which you enjoy the flavor.
Using a cheap white vinegar will give you a cheaper tasting hot sauce.
Can I Make Tabasco Sauce without Tabasco Peppers?
You can make this recipe with any type of chili pepper you like. The original Tabasco Hot sauce, however, uses tabasco peppers, so using other peppers won't give you the same flavor.
If you use other peppers, you're technically making a Louisiana Style Hot Sauce, which is a larger category of hot sauces.
But go for it! I make hot sauces with different peppers, and also mix and match them, all the time with great results.
Learn more about tabasco peppers (capsicum frutescens) here.
Customizing Your Homemade Tabasco Sauce
Consider this a base recipe. It tastes great with only 3 ingredients - peppers, vinegar and salt.
After that, you can customize it to your own preferences with other ingredients.
Consider adding other flavors like garlic or onion, fruits like pineapple, mango or papaya, as well as herbs and seasonings such as cilantro, basil, chili powder or cumin.
You can also introduce other peppers for more flavor and heat, like the smoky chipotle pepper or fiery ghost pepper.
How Hot is Tabasco?
Even though tabasco peppers are very hot, actual Tabasco Hot Sauce is not quite as hot as the actual peppers, measuring in at 2,500–5,000 Scoville Heat Units. That is about as hot as a mild to medium-heat jalapeno pepper.
That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy the sauce. If you make it, shoot me a pic or post it on social. I'd love to take a look!
Try Some of My Other Hot Sauce Recipes
- Homemade Sriracha Hot Sauce
- Homemade Cayenne Pepper Sauce
- Aji-Garlic Hot Sauce
- Datil Pepper Sauce
- Fermented Hot Sauce
- Ghost Pepper Hot Sauce
- Carolina Reaper Hot Sauce (Very Hot!)
- Habanero Hot Sauce
- Spicy Serrano Hot Sauce
- How to Make Hot Sauce from Chili Powders
Check out more Hot Sauce Recipes or learn more about How to Make Hot Sauce with lots of answer to frequently asked questions, such as pH and acidity, processing, and where to buy hot sauce woozy bottles.
Grab a couple bottles of tabasco sauce!
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.
Homemade Tabasco Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
FOR THE FERMENTED VERSION
- 5 ounces tabasco peppers roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons sea salt (.67ounce - 19 grams)
- 1 quart unchlorinated water
- 1 cup white wine vinegar or more as desired
FOR THE NON-FERMENTED VERSION
- 5 ounces tabasco peppers
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup white wine vinegar or more as desired
Instructions
FOR THE FERMENTED VERSION
- First, ferment the tabasco peppers. You can process them to coarsely chop them or rough chop them with a knife. Pack them into a jar, leaving at least 1 inch of head space. The peppers may rise a bit when fermenting.
- Next, mix 1 quart unchlorinated water with 2 tablespoons sea salt (4% brine solution). Pour just enough brine over the peppers to cover them, pressing them down a bit as you go. Discard or save any unused brine. It is important to keep the peppers covered with brine to avoid spoilage. Check this daily.
- Screw on the lid and set the jar away from direct sunlight to ferment for at least 1 week. Ideal temperatures are between 55-75 degrees F. The most active fermentation period is between 1-2 weeks, so be sure to monitor it during this time. “Burp” the jars often by unscrewing the lid a bit to let out some of the accumulating gases. Or, use an airlock or membrane for easier fermenting. See our page, “How to Make Fermented Pepper Mash”, for further instruction.
- After 1-2 weeks, the fermenting activity will diminish and the brine will turn cloudy and taste acidic.
- Pour the fermented tabasco peppers, including brine, into a pot along with vinegar. Alternatively, you can strain and toss the brine, then add the solids to a pot with vinegar and 1/2 cup water or more as desired + 1/4 teaspoon salt. Or use only a part of the brine for a thicker sauce. More brine = more salty. Bring to a quick boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
- Cool slightly then add to a food processor. Process until smooth.
- Strain the mixture to remove the solids. Pour into hot sauce bottles and enjoy. You can adjust the volume with additional water and/or vinegar.
FOR THE NON-FERMENTED VERSION
- Add the tabasco peppers, vinegar and ¼ teaspoon salt to a small pot.
- Bring the mixture to a quick boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes to soften.
- Cool slightly, then add to a food processor. Process until smooth.
- Strain the mixture to remove the solids. Pour into hot sauce bottles and enjoy. You can adjust the volume with additional water and/or vinegar.
Video
Notes
Nutrition Information
NOTE: This post was updated on 10/6/23 to include new information and video. It was originally published on 1/27/20.
Will P. says
I want to make a low sodium version of the fermented version. Knowing the salt is important, how little could I use to get good results? Will salt substitute work the same? Any suggestions would be helpful. thanks.
Mike Hultquist says
Will, you can make a non-fermented version without salt. The vinegar will preserve it. You can use a salt substitute for flavor. Let me know how it works for you.
Zack says
I am currently fermenting my Jalapeno chillis to make a fermented hot sauce similar to this one. What is the purpose of fermenting the chilies if you are just going to boil them and kill all the beneficial bacteria?
Surely you just mix the chilies, brine, and vinegar cold, then blend?
It's all so acidic anyway and at such a low PH level that it should stay preserved regardless of heating.
Mike Hultquist says
The purpose is for the flavor. You don't have to cook the sauce after fermenting if you don't want to in order to keep the probiotic benefits. Cheers.
Josh says
How long are each version good for before they spoil?
Mike Hultquist says
Josh, there are variables here. I have a post about this for how long hot sauce will last, and should it be refrigerated: https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/frequently-asked-questions/refrigerating-hot-sauce/
HY says
About how many peppers is 5 oz? I’m trying to figure out how many plants I need to start.
Mike Hultquist says
It's hard to estimate, as they vary in size, but about 60-100 or so. You can supplement with other peppers if needed. My plants were VERY productive, so I got a lot of pods from them.
Valerio says
thanks for all the recipes. i always salivate looking at them. my chili plants are giving me a lot of produce this year so i've decided to make a tabasco style fermented sauce as per your recipe above but using a mix of birds eye and habanero. the little twist i will add to my recipe however, will be to cold smoke the chillies overnight to give the sauce a nice smokey flavour.
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Valerio. Yes, the smoke will be an AWESOME addition. I love it.
Anthos says
I love this recipe! Bottled our second batch just now and im thrilled to be making our out hot sauce. I swear I add it to like everything savory, delicious. Thanks for publishing this. 🙂
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Anthos. Glad you love it! And glad to be helpful.
Dr Dr Don Edgerton says
How long will the Tabasco Sauce remain safe while stored on the bottle? Is it necessary to “can” by boiling water submersion?
Mike Hultquist says
I have a post on this you can review here - Does Hot Sauce Need to Be Refrigerated? https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/frequently-asked-questions/refrigerating-hot-sauce/. In general, for this particular sauce, it will last quite awhile because of the acidity. You can process it in a water bath for shelf storing for a very long time. Once opened, it will still last months, and even longer in the refrigerator. I hope this helps!
Kristen Wyman says
how long should this be water bath canned?
Mike Hultquist says
Typically 10 minutes is enough, though up to 20 minutes for higher elevation.
Calvin says
Do you have a recipe for the green Tabasco sauce Thank you7
Mike Hultquist says
Calvin, you can just use unripe tabasco peppers for this, or use other green peppers to your preference. Same recipe, just different peppers.
John says
How long does it keep is refrigerated?
Mike Hultquist says
John, this homemade tabasco sauce will last for many months in the refrigerator due to the vinegar content. Enjoy!
Brad says
I will be making the Tabasco Sauce fermented recipe for added flavor. I also will be adding fresh garlic and corriander for a nice finish. I will be following you on other pepper recipes as well. Thanks, Brad Willis
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks, Brad! Enjoy!
Sandi says
So, this is the first time I tried making your recipe for tabasco sauce. Like usually happens to me the first go around I made a faux pas. I used caution to measure everything out exactly then poured all the salt water into the jar. Went back and reread my instructions and discovered that I should have only poured to cover. Because I have canned for many years I decided to double the peppers to accommodate for the extra salt water. But, here's my concern. In theory this makes it seem like I made two batches and put in one jar. But, I would like to make sure that I don't need to add additional salt. Do you recommend adding additional salt due to a larger batch and jar?
Mike Hultquist says
Sandi, if you used 3 tbsp salt to 1 quart water, you should be fine.
Sandi says
Thank you! I wanted to be sure since doubling the salt isn't good either. Looking forward to making the sauce and trying it out.
Joel says
I have made several batches of this tabasco sauce. all have been good. this last batch, I have added some garlic and other stuff.
My first batches, I used more salt than your recipe, then I studied the ratio and this last batch, I think I got it right.
I appreciate you posting these recipes. It is fun to make your own.
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks for sharing, Joel! Yes, definitely fun to make your own hot sauce. I love it! Glad to be helpful.
Fred says
Great recipe and a great sauce. Mine is much hotter than the original tabasco sauce but that's the way I like it. I've made several batches this year as I had an abundance of Tabasco peppers. Thanks for the recipe.
Mike Hultquist says
Nice! Glad you enjoyed it, Fred! I really love this one and make it all the time.