During the cold months, there are many ways of creating concoctions that keep us warm. Some people make home made soups or stews, secret recipes for cocoa, yummy coffees, etc.
We like to make our own homemade hot sauce. My favorite part of this process is playing with different ingredients. Their are various peppers available at the local supermarket and the sky is the limit when it comes to combining ingredients.
First you have to choose your source of heat. Our favorite is orange habaneros. They have a Scoville heat rating of 100,000-500'000. Scoville heat units are an old school way of assessing the heat that comes from a pepper. Though science has come a long way and their are various other advanced technology to measure heat units, many sauces still use this as face melter units.....LOL!
Next is the best part! Going through your pantry and deciding what other flavors you would like to incorporate into your sauce is what holds the magic key. A couple of our favorites are garlic and hot mustard.
We also add a variation of spices and fresh herbs that really make it incredible. If possible, always use fresh ingredients. Fresh is best and makes your hot sauce soooo much better!
The actual process of making hot sauce can vary. We like to use a food processor and standard canning equipment. But do not hesitate to search on line for recipes and procedures to help get you started.
Once you have spent some time thinking about ingredients, it's time to get your hands dirty. It is very important to take very specific precautions when handling hot peppers. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE use gloves when handling the hotter peppers such as Habaneros, Sorrenos, Anaheim and any others with a high Scoville heat measure. If your not sure, do your research. It only takes one touch to your nose, eyes or other sensitive skin area's. The burn will last for a long time and it is very uncomfortable.
Have fun with your recipe. Like I said before this can be a magical process for a creative mind. Mix and match ingredients to get your favorite flavor and desired heat. Whether it is for personal use, for gifts, or your looking to be the next best sauce, this is a great way to experiment.
Have fun with your sauce and remember to record your variations just in case you find the perfect combo.
No comments:
Post a Comment