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Homemade Cayenne Pepper Sauce

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Homemade Cayenne Pepper Sauce

This spring, while my wife was at the garden center picking up some plants and flowers for our garden, I saw a cayenne pepper plant. I thought to myself it would be fun to grow a bunch of peppers and make some spicy Homemade Cayenne Pepper Sauce.

My little pepper plant did really well. But I have to admit I had to go to the farmers’ market late in the summer and pick up a few more peppers. I needed about 12 oz. and I came up a little short with my homegrown peppers.

Some of our green cayenne peppers made it also into our Homemade Canned Tomato Salsa that we made again this year. 

We use hot sauces like Frank’s and Tabasco in our house all the time. And as I feel that homemade is generally better than store-bought I thought I need to come up with a recipe and make my own homemade hot sauce.

 

Seal jars of cayenne pepper sauce with one open and a spoon scooping some sauce out

 

Helpful items for this Recipe

This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn a small portion from qualifying purchases at no extra charge to you.

4 oz 12 PACK Mini Mason Jars with Lids and Bands

3 Fine Mesh Stainless Steel Strainers

21.5-Quart Porcelain Canner with Rack

 

How do you preserve homemade hot sauce?

Canning hot sauce is pretty straight forward. It is very similar to canning other things from your garden. There are a couple of things to keep in mind when canning; sterilize your jars, wipe the rims so that the lid seats well, and process the jars for the correct amount of time.

We do a lot of canning in our house from tomatoes to carrots. This year we even canned our homemade Pomodoro sauce!

 

 

Canning is a hobby that we love and something that we can enjoy all year long. Here are a few of our favorite recipes that you can try too!!

OTHER CANNING RECIPES

Easy Pickled Carrots

Easy Pickled Beets

Simple Easy Homemade Canned Tomatoes

Homemade Canned Tomato Salsa

Tomato Jam Recipe

Pickled Green Beans

Garden Fresh Zucchini Salsa

Blueberry Rhubarb Jam

 

 

Look at how lovely these fresh peppers are that we saw at the farmer’s market. Who could pass those up!! The color alone catches your eye!!

How hot are cayenne peppers you ask? According to the Scoville Scale, they are 30,000 to 50,000 heat units, tucked in between a Thai pepper and Tabasco pepper. 

How to make hot sauce from fresh cayenne peppers

To start you need to put the peppers in white vinegar with some garlic, onion, lime juice, salt, paprika, and oil and bring to a boil. The heat of your sauce will depend upon the peppers you have.

Also, it will depend on how much of the seeds and ribs you leave in your peppers when you cook them.

You will need to boil it until everything is soft and tender. Then you need to blend the solids with a little bit of the liquid until smooth.

Put the remaining liquid through a fine-mesh strainer. Then add as much of the liquid as you like to the blended mixture to get to the consistency you like.

 

 

Fresh Cayenne Pepper Sauce Recipes

There are a lot of fresh cayenne pepper sauce recipes out there. If you follow them exactly you will generally have success with your canned hot sauce. But as with all cooking, there is one thing that you must do constantly while you cook, taste as you go!

So now is the time to taste your creation and adjust the flavors accordingly. You need to make sure you have the right amount of heat for your taste.

As each batch of cayenne peppers is a little different you may have to tweak your sauce just a little. I have some notes at the end of the recipe to help you get your hot sauce just the way you want it!

 

 

Canning

Firstly, you will need to thoroughly wash your canning jars. We always run ours through the dishwasher. You then need to sterilize everything in boiling water for 5 minutes, jars, lids and rims.

Fill the jars with the cayenne hot sauce to approximately ½ an inch from the top. Continue by wiping the rims with a paper towel making sure they are clean so the lids will seat properly. Then, screw the rims on fingertip tight only. 

Process the jars and the canning process is complete! Check out the recipe for full details.

If canning at an altitude you can use this handy guide I borrowed from Noshing With The Noland to help!! We processed our cayenne hot sauce for 25 minutes. Here in Calgary, we are over 3,000 feet above sea level, at sea level you would process for 20 minutes. 

 

 

 

Grow your own peppers or pick some up and make some spicy Homemade Cayenne Pepper Sauce. #Pepper Sauce #Hot Sauce #spicy #homemade

Grow your own peppers or pick some up and make some spicy Homemade Cayenne Pepper Sauce. #Pepper Sauce #Hot Sauce #spicy #homemade

 

Homemade cayenne pepper sauce Recipe

Homemade Cayenne Pepper Sauce

Ken Noland
Homemade cayenne pepper sauce is a great way to preserve the spicy cayenne peppers you get all summer, and after all, what could be better than making your own hot sauce!
4.52 from 117 votes
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 30 minutes mins
Cook Time 20 minutes mins
Additional Time 1 hour hr
Total Time 1 hour hr 50 minutes mins
Course Miscellaneous
Cuisine American
Servings 5 x 125 ml Jars
Calories 33 kcal

Ingredients
 

  • 12 oz fresh cayenne peppers
  • 6 cloves of garlic peeled and crushed
  • 1 small onion coarsely chopped
  • 2 cups white vinegar
  • 2 TBSP fresh squeezed lime juice
  • 3 tsp Kosher salt
  • 1 tsp paprika
  • 1 tsp canola oil

Instructions
 

Instructions

  • Wash your jars and lids (I run them through the dishwasher)
  • Bring water to a boil in a canning pot and place your jars and rims in to sterilize for at least 5 minutes. You can take them out of the boiling water and put them on a baking sheet in a 200 F degree oven to hold until you are ready to fill them. I usually toss the lids in the boiling water for 30 seconds before placing them on the jars as you don’t want the rubber to be in the boiling water for too long and soften too much.
  • Cut off the stems of your peppers. You can leave all the seeds and rims in your peppers if you like your sauces spicy hot. If not, you can remove some of the seeds for a less spicy taste. To remove some seeds simply roll the pepper on the counter a couple of times. Some of the seeds will shake out into the garbage. Don’t worry if you remove too many seeds and your sauce isn’t as hot as you would like it to be, or it is too hot. You can adjust the level of heat before canning.

Time to Cook

  • Place all the ingredients in a stainless steel sauté pan and bring to a boil. Cover and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until the peppers have softened.
  • Remove from the heat and using a slotted spoon, place all the solids from the pot into the blender. Add just enough of the vinegar liquid to allow you to blend.
  • Blend well so that the mixture is very smooth.
  • Using a fine strainer, strain the remaining vinegar into Pyrex measuring cup.
  • Pour the blended pepper mixture back into the sauté pan and slowly stir in the reserved vinegar until you get the desired consistency.
  • Whisk well and then taste. Now is the time to adjust your sauce to taste; see the notes below for the different ways to adjust your sauce.
  • When you are happy with the taste it’s time to start canning. Pour the sauce into your sterilized jars leaving about ½ inch space from the top.

Time to Taste

  • Place the lid on and then screw the rim on just finger tight.
  • Place the jars in the canning pot of boiling water and proof for 20 minutes (at sea level). Note: DO NOT place the jars directly on the bottom of the pot of boiling water, they will crack. You must use a canning pot with a wire rack inside.
  • Once proofed remove the jars and place them on a tea towel on your counter to cool. You should hear a popping sound as the jars cool and seal. If a jar does not pop refrigerate and use within 3 days.
  • Your sealed jars should be stored in a cool dry place and will keep for 12-18 months.
  • Make sure you refrigerate any unused portions after opening your jars.

Notes

For Taste Adjustments:

Don’t be afraid to add a little more salt if you think it needs it.
If your sauce tastes bitter it might be because your peppers were picked a little too early or were too old. Not to worry, you can add some maple syrup or brown sugar to get rid of the bitterness. Start with a ½ TBSP at a time. Make sure you simmer your sauce for a few minutes so as to make sure the sugar is dissolved.
If you find that it is not quite as hot and spicy as you would like you can add some cayenne pepper powder to your sauce. Start with a ½ tsp at a time. Again make sure you simmer and stir your sauce for a few minutes to make sure that the cayenne powder blended well.
If you find that your sauce is too hot for your tastes you can add some white sugar a 1/2 TBSP at a time. This will help to remove a little of the heat. As mentioned make sure you simmer your sauce so that the sugar dissolves completely.

Nutrition

Serving: 1TBSPCalories: 33kcalCarbohydrates: 5gProtein: 1gFat: 2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 178mgFiber: 2gSugar: 1g
Nutrition calculation is an estimation only. If you need nutritional calculations for medical reasons, please use a source that you trust.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
Recipe adapted from Kitchen Trials.


25 Comments

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Comments

  1. Guillaume says

    September 12, 2020 at 7:28 pm

    This recipe appears to be stolen from here: https://www.kitchentrials.com/2018/05/29/hot-sauce-recipe

    Almost verbatim.

    Reply
    • lA9wlgu5F9 says

      September 12, 2020 at 10:54 pm

      There are a lot of things different from our recipe to make it to our liking but it was adapted from that one using the same ingredients. We adjusted it to our liking. It has been noted and linked and it was our omission to have not done that, to begin with. Thank you for bringing that to our attention. We do loads of preserving here so we are very knowledgable about the canning process. The site was still in its infancy last year with a new author, again our apologies.

      Reply
  2. Ray S. says

    October 28, 2020 at 3:24 pm

    If the jar didn’t seal it will last more than 3 days in the fridge. Just like when you open a sealed jar. The vinegar does the trick. Just like pickles.

    Reply
    • Ken Noland says

      October 28, 2020 at 3:56 pm

      I would say yes, the vinegar will certainly help to preserve the sauce, I would think that it would be good for a week to 10 days in the refrigerator.

      Reply
      • Anonymous says

        June 14, 2021 at 2:22 pm

        Actually, years. And no, you don’t need to keep it in the fridge. I have an unsealed, opened jar of Franks that has been in my desk drawer for 2 years. I use it regularly and it tastes the same as it did the day I opened it. Please learn about food preservation before spouting lies on the internet. Something with a PH of 2.5 is incapable of spoiling at room temperature stored in a drawer. Hell, leave the lid off. It won’t matter.

        Reply
        • lA9wlgu5F9 says

          June 14, 2021 at 7:09 pm

          This is from Franks website. “We recommend that Frank’s RedHot Sweet Chili® and Frank’s RedHot® Slammin’ Sriracha® Chili Sauce be refrigerated after opening; All other sauces do not have to be, but, doing so will keep the product fresher for a longer period of time.” But all hot sauces are not made the same.

          Reply
  3. Marilyn Johnson says

    July 8, 2021 at 2:23 pm

    Can I blend the solid peppers in a Nutri Bullet? (Can you also mix in other hot peppers such as jalapenos?)

    Reply
    • Ken Noland says

      July 8, 2021 at 2:46 pm

      You certainly could add any other type so peppers in, like jalapenos. Regarding using the bullet to blend the peppers, you may want to break the peppers down or chop them up slightly before you blend them. I know those bullet blenders a pretty powerful.

      Reply
      • Marilyn Johnson says

        July 9, 2021 at 4:59 pm

        My husband is curious to know what all you use this sauce on? We have never tried anything like it, but we have an abundance of cayenne and jalapeno peppers. Thanks.

        Reply
        • Ken Noland says

          July 10, 2021 at 8:09 am

          You can use this sauce anywhere that you would normally use Tabasco sauce or other store-bought hot sauce like Frank’s. I like to use it when we make hot wings, but I also add it into our homemade chili or other sauces. Mixing it with mayo makes a spicy dipping sauce for veggies, you can also put the mayo mixture on your hamburgers or even dip your fries.

          Reply
      • Marilyn Johnson says

        July 9, 2021 at 5:00 pm

        What do you use this sauce on?

        Reply
    • Nicki says

      August 12, 2021 at 1:33 pm

      WHAT CAN I DO TO PRESERVE MY PEPPERS THAT HAVE TURNED RED WHILE I WAIT FOR THE OTHERS ON THE PLANT TO TURN RED?

      Reply
      • Ken Noland says

        August 13, 2021 at 5:37 pm

        You can store the red peppers in your vegetable draw in the fridge, they should last 2-3 weeks, hopefully, the remainder of your peppers ripen in that time.

        Reply
  4. Carl says

    August 31, 2022 at 6:26 pm

    Can I use frozen cayenne peppers from last years crop to make this? It looks great!

    Reply
    • Ken Noland says

      August 31, 2022 at 8:15 pm

      Yes, you could use your frozen peppers as you cook the sauce before canning.

      Reply
  5. Anders says

    September 27, 2022 at 10:31 am

    I was excited to find this recipe since I currently have a glut of cayenne and Serrano peppers. I would like to pass along that It is no longer recommended to sterilize jars, lids, and rings before canning as long as they will be placed in a boiling water bath for at least 10 minutes or pressure canned. Just wash the jars well in hot soapy water or run them through the dishwasher. In fact most lid companies now advise against boiling the lids as they have changed the compound used to create the seal. Boiling it softens it too much and can actually prevent it from sealing properly. I learned this the hard way after I had a few jars go bad within months of canning and I discovered in my research that the lids should not have been boiled. In fact my brand recommends just washing them in hot soapy water, drying them, and then putting them on the jar at room temperature. I’ve been doing that for a few years now and haven’t had a Jar go bad since.
    https://www.healthycanning.com/sterilizing-canning-lids-jars/

    Reply
    • Ken Noland says

      September 28, 2022 at 9:00 am

      Interesting, I have always washed and then sterilized my jars before filing them and then processing them in a water bath. I think I will continue to do that, old habits are hard to change.

      Reply
  6. Dianne says

    October 16, 2022 at 10:10 am

    I made this recipe for the first time this summer, first year growing just 1pot of cayenne peppers. Yes I played with adding a some extra flavors to it, a little chipotle and some other spices. Hot sauce without depth is just hot sauce. I recently gave a jar to my brother in the states, his reaction…” HOLY CRAP THAT’S GOOD”. ” This is seriously the best hot sauce I have ever had”. Thanks for the inspiration and posting
    Dianne
    Edmonton AB

    Reply
    • Ken Noland says

      October 16, 2022 at 10:50 am

      Very happy you liked it! Thanks!

      Reply
  7. Gordon Beebe says

    November 25, 2022 at 12:14 pm

    Thank you for such a comprehensive recipe. The sauce I made following your instructions was great, and all your tips on adjusting flavour and consistency are well explained and easy to follow. As recipe writers go, I would rate you a 10 out of 10.

    Reply
    • Ken Noland says

      November 25, 2022 at 2:24 pm

      Thanks, glad you enjoyed it!

      Reply
  8. Kelly says

    August 18, 2023 at 5:22 am

    Have you used this recipe using Tabasco peppers?

    Reply
    • Ken Noland says

      August 18, 2023 at 10:52 am

      No I have not, I would assume they would work. If you try them let me know how it turns out.

      Reply

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  1. Fresh Cayenne Pepper Recipes - Homemade Cayenne Pepper Sauce - Recipe - Chili Pepper ... says:
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Hi, I’m Ken thanks for stopping by BBQing with the Nolands! I was born and raised in Western Canada. I grew up on the great wide open farmlands that produce some of the worlds’ best livestock and grains.
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