Homegrown Hot Chili Sauce Recipe

HAVE YOU EVER MADE YOUR OWN HOT CHILI SAUCE? 

[SPOILER ALERT: IT'S RIDICULOUSLY EASY.]

As for growing your own ingredients, that's taking "local food" to a whole new level. Time to turn up the heat!

Check out our favorite hot sauce recipe below, with the perfect balance of spicy, aromatic & sweet, for topping everything from crispy fried eggs to hot chicken wings. For Hot Sauce growing tips, see our blog post here.  

Pro Tip: Before you start cooking up this spicy concoction, make sure you remember not to touch your eyes when handling the cayenne peppers. If you do-- apply some olive oil on the burning area to soothe the sting. You've been warned!

Ingredients:

• 4 cayenne peppers 
• 1 large carrot (or 2 small carrots) 
• 2 purple bunching onions (or scallions) 
• 1 1/2 cup vinegar (white or apple cider) 
• Salt to taste 

Instructions:

1. Roughly chop carrot and onion into 1-2" pieces and place into the bowl of a food processor. 
2. Slice** cayenne peppers open lengthwise from the stem to the tip, exposing seeds. 
3. Remove seeds from peppers depending on your desired heat. For a hot but enjoyable sauce, we recommend using seeds from 2 peppers, and discarding the other two. You can always add more seeds later! 
4. Add peppers and vinegar into the food processor and blend until smooth. You'll want this mixture to be as consistent as possible for a smoother sauce. 
5. Transfer raw hot sauce mixture into a saucepan, place on the stovetop on medium-low heat and bring to a gentle simmer. 
6. Cook sauce for 15-20 minutes to allow the flavors to combine and the vegetables to break down.
7. Remove from heat and let cool, adding a pinch of salt if desired. 
8. Once cool, transfer your hot sauce into a jar or empty squeeze-bottle for easy access. Store in refrigerator for up to one month (if it lasts that long!). 

How many cayenne pepper seeds do you put in your hot sauce? 

Tell us in the comments below!