Homemade Hot Sauce | SEE RECIPE BELOW | “The Perfect Hot Sauce”

A comment from a well-known hot sauce lover:
“This is the perfect Country & Western hot sauce. I had some with chicken today and it sure was good. It has a good spicy flavor but is still not so hot that it’s overpowering. It is thin enough that it will still pour while remaining thick enough that it stays on your food. Thank You!”

HOMEMADE HOT SAUCE
Yield: Approximately 4 Cups
INGREDIENTS
40 Fresh Hot Peppers of Choice (a mix of cayenne, jalapeno, habanero, hot banana, etc.)
3 C. White Vinegar (plus more for consistency preference)
1 t. Salt
2 T. Minced Garlic (fresh or in water)
DIRECTIONS
Wash and slice peppers into rings. In a large pot, add peppers, salt, garlic, and vinegar. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a low boil until the peppers are soft.
Using an immersion blender, regular blender, or food processor, puree the pepper mixture until smooth. The seeds will remain and will be strained out using a wire mesh strainer.
To the seedless hot sauce, add additional vinegar and/or salt to your taste preference. Additional vinegar may be necessary to obtain the consistency you prefer.
Store in the refrigerator for up to a year. If you want to store the hot sauce longer, see the next steps for water bath canning.
Fill half-pint or pint mason jars to within ½ to ¼ inch headspace. Apply lids and bands, fingertip tight. Process in a water bath canner for 10 minutes. When the processing time is up, turn the heat off and remove the lid from the canner. Allow jars to remain in the water for 5 minutes before removing them from the canner onto a towel.
Let jars cool for 12-24 hours and the lids are sealed. Remove bands, wash jars if needed, label, and store in your pantry.

*You can tailor this hot sauce to suit your preference, whether that is mild, medium, or hot. Choose fresh peppers as such to control the intensity.

Recommended Ultimate Home Canning Essential: Ball Blue Book Guide to Preserving (in print)

Visit our website:
https://www.freedomharvestfarm.com/

Altitude Adjustments for Water Bath Canning:
1,001 to 3,000 feet, increase processing time by 5 minutes.
3,001 to 6,000 feet, increase processing time by 10 minutes.
6,001 to 8,000 feet, increase processing time by 15 minutes.
8,001 to 10,000 feet, increase processing time by 20 minutes.

Our canning process meets modern recommended methods. Check out this website, healthycanning.com, for more information.

FAQ: What is the shelf-life of home-canned goods?
As long as the lids/seals are intact to the jars and there is no evident content spoilage (discoloration, foam, froth, malodorous, or any other obvious signs), they are good for many months or years. “Looks good, smells good, is good”. We have eaten our home-canned foods that are upwards of 10 years old from the original processing date. When in doubt, throw it out.

FAQ: What happens if you don’t sterilize canning jars before canning?
Sterilization of canning jars is not required for safe food preservation if the food item is processed for at least 10 minutes in a water bath or pressure canner. Any harmful microorganisms will be destroyed during the canning process (National Center for Home Food Preservation).
It is important to start with clean canning jars. Wash jars in hot soapy water, rinsing well leaving to air dry on a towel. You may also use a dishwasher to wash the jars. Inspect each jar before filling, looking for any cracks or chips to the rim, body, or bottom.

Our Pressure Canners/Cookers: We use All American Models No. 921 and No. 930. Heavy Cast Aluminum Pressure Canners/Cookers. Professional quality with “metal to metal” seal.

Our Water Bath Canners: We use Ball Collection Elite 21 Quart Water Bath Canners. Made with 18/10 Stainless Steel. Superior quality and performance with a triple layer base.

Our portable burner is made by Cadco/Broil King, a solid cast burner in stainless housing. Model PCR-1S, 1500 watts, commercial cooking appliance. Purchased from Amazon.

Why we store our home canned goods without the bands/rings on the jars:
1. The rings are designed to keep the lid on during the processing and cooling phases of canning. Beyond that, they serve no purpose. The lids/seals are held on by suction, not the bands/rings.
2. If the bands/rings are left on the jars, this could result in a false seal, causing the contents to spoil.
3. Bands/rings eventually rust if left on the jars, making them quite difficult to remove.
4. It’s a proper technique and a safety issue.

#canning #hotsauce #homesteading