Description
Spicy dill pickle hot sauce brings tangy heat to any dish with its zesty flavor profile. Home cooks can easily craft this condiment using fresh ingredients and simple techniques.
Ingredients
Scale
Fermentation Base:
- 1 lb green hot peppers (mix of jalapeno and serrano)
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 6 garlic cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon mustard seed
- 1 teaspoon dried dill
Fermentation Brine:
- 2 cups (473 milliliters) water, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon (15 grams) sea salt
Final Sauce Ingredients:
- 2 cups (473 milliliters) dill pickle brine, divided
- 5–10 large dill pickles
- 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) white vinegar
- 1/2 teaspoon xanthan gum (optional)
Instructions
- Sanitize a fermentation container thoroughly with hot, soapy water and allow to air dry completely.
- Coarsely chop peppers, onion, and garlic into uniform pieces. Transfer chopped vegetables to the clean fermentation vessel and sprinkle dried dill and mustard seeds over the mixture.
- Create a salt solution by dissolving sea salt in room-temperature water until fully incorporated. Gently pour the brine over the vegetable mixture, ensuring all ingredients are completely submerged. Prepare additional brine if necessary.
- Place a weight on top of the vegetables to keep them beneath the liquid surface. Seal the container with a tight-fitting lid. Position the fermentation vessel in a consistent room temperature environment (68-75°F), away from direct sunlight. Release pressure daily by opening the lid briefly.
- Monitor the fermentation process over 7-14 days. Watch for signs of active fermentation including bubbling, cloudy brine, and potential color transformations of the vegetables.
- Strain the fermented vegetables, reserving the brine. Combine fermented vegetables with dill pickles, selected brine, white vinegar, and pickle juice in a high-powered blender. Pulse until achieving a completely smooth consistency. If using, incorporate xanthan gum and blend thoroughly.
- Fine-tune the sauce’s flavor profile by adjusting ingredients: add more brine for saltiness, vinegar for tanginess, additional pickles for dill notes, or water to thin the consistency. Optionally, strain through a fine mesh sieve for an ultra-smooth texture.
- Transfer the finished hot sauce into sterilized glass containers. Refrigerate and consume within 12 months for optimal flavor and quality.
Notes
- Sterilize equipment thoroughly to prevent unwanted bacterial growth and ensure a safe fermentation process.
- Choose fresh, high-quality peppers and vegetables for the most vibrant and complex flavor profile.
- Maintain consistent room temperature during fermentation to promote even and successful bacterial development.
- Experiment with different pepper varieties to customize heat levels and create unique flavor variations.
- Prep Time: 7 days
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Snacks, Appetizer
- Method: Fermenting
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 20
- Sugar: 2 g
- Sodium: 300 mg
- Fat: 0 g
- Saturated Fat: 0 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 0 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 5 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg