Fermented Louisiana-Style Hot Sauce

Let's Cook

1. Step 1.

   Have ready: Fresh hot red chiles, stemmed, seeded, and coarsely chopped

2. Step 2.

   Wearing protective gloves, stem, seed, and chop the chiles with a pair of kitchen shears for minimal contact with the peppers. You can chop the chiles in a food processor or with a knife instead. Sterilize a pint, quart, or half-gallon jar that will fit the chopped peppers. Place the jar on a digital scale and tare the scale. Add the chiles and just enough water to cover and record the weight in grams. Multiply that number by 0.02 and add the resulting amount in grams of: Pickling salt, fine sea salt, or Diamond kosher salt

3. Step 3.

   Mix and mash the chiles thoroughly with a wooden spoon. Cover the vessel with a cloth and rubber band, a loosely screwed-on lid, or an airlock.

4. Step 4.

   Check the ferment daily for signs of activity. If white mold appears, remove it with a spoon, stir the chile mixture and cover again. You will eventually see bubbles forming in the pepper mash. Let the mash ferment until the bubbling stops, for up to 6 weeks, though some ferments will need much less time.

5. Step 5.

   Place a food mill over a bowl, pour the pepper mash and brine into the mill, and work the flesh and seeds, rotating the handle in both directions to push as much liquid and pulp from the mash as possible (if desired, reserve what is left in the food mill, dehydrate it, below, coarsely grind, and use as a seasoning at the table). Measure the volume of the liquid and add half that amount of: Cider, white wine, or rice vinegar

6. Step 6.

   Feel free to experiment here with something more flavorful, like a dash of sherry, banana, or pineapple vinegar. If necessary, add: (Salt to taste)

7. Step 7.

   Transfer to bottles. To store, see here.