Embark on a tantalizing journey of taste with our Habanero and Berries Fermented Hot Sauce, a culinary masterpiece that marries the fiery intensity of habanero peppers with the sweet symphony of blueberries and blackberries. This artisanal blend takes hot sauce to new heights, as the bold and complex flavors of the peppers intertwine with the natural sweetness of the berries, creating a harmonious balance that dances on the palate. Carefully crafted through the ancient art of fermentation, each bottle encapsulates the essence of patience and precision. The result is a sauce that not only ignites the senses with its heat but also delights with the nuanced sweetness of ripe berries. Elevate your culinary creations with this uniquely crafted hot sauce, where spice meets sweetness in a celebration of flavor that leaves an indelible mark on every dish it graces.
Cooking time
Prep time
Servings
Ingredients
For The Mash:
- 8 ounces (225g) blackberries
- 8 ounces (225g) blueberries
- 5 1/3 ounces (150g) habanero chile peppers (about 25 peppers), stemmed
- 3 tablespoons (30g) Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt use half as much by volume or the same weight
To Finish the Hot Sauce:
- 1/4 cup (60ml) distilled white vinegar
- 2 teaspoons (10g) sugar
Steps
For The Mash:
- In a food processor, pulse blackberries, blueberries, peppers, and salt in a food processor until berries release liquid and mixture is coarsely pureed, about 12 to 15 pulses.
- Transfer mash to wide-mouth, 1-quart canning jar. Tap jar lightly on palm to remove any air pockets. Cover surface of mash with plastic wrap, pressing gently to ensure full contact, and weigh down with fermentation weight or small jar lid. Seal jar with airlock lid following manufacturer's instructions.
Store pepper mash in dark area away from sun and let ferment, maintaining an ambient temperature between 55°F (13°C) and 75°F (24°C), for 7 days; check mixture daily for signs of gas formation (mash will climb up sides of jar; this is a good sign). Starting on the 7th day, taste mash daily until it has reached a pleasantly sour flavor; the total fermentation time can take anywhere from 7 to 10 days.
To Finish the Hot Sauce:
- Transfer mash to a blender. Add vinegar and sugar, and blend on high speed until smooth and emulsified, about 1 minute. Measure pH using strips or pH-meter to make sure sauce is about 3.4; if it is too high, lower pH to 3.4 with more vinegar as needed.
- Strain sauce through a fine-mesh strainer set over a nonreactive bowl or large container, pressing on solids to extract as much liquid as possible; reserve solids for another use (see note).
Transfer strained hot sauce to glass bottles or jar, cover, and keep refrigerated until ready to use. The sauce can be refrigerated for up to 1 month (note that because of additional sugars from the fruit, it can continue to ferment as it sits; this shouldn't be an issue under refrigeration, but can cause bubbling if left at room temperature for a while).
Special equipment
food processor, 1-quart wide-mouth jar, small fermentation weight or small lid, airlock, blender
Notes
If you prefer a slightly spicier sauce, increase the amount of habanero chiles to 7 ounces (200g), and decrease the blackberries and blueberries to 7 ounces (200g) each. For a much milder sauce, decrease the chile amount to 3 1/2 ounces (100g), and the berries to 8 3/4 ounces (250g) each. It’s best not to exceed 14 days of fermentation; the vibrant color will begin to fade.
Reserved strained solids from the fermentation can be mixed into a bloody mary, a salsa or relish, or blended into mayonnaise.
Make-Ahead and Storage
The hot sauce can be refrigerated for up to 1 month (note that because of additional sugars from the fruit, it can continue to ferment as it sits; this shouldn't be an issue under refrigeration, but can cause bubbling if left at room temperature for a while).