Tabasco Imitation Hot Sauce

Hi Everyone!

This is my first Instructable (finally), so if I am unclear, feel free to leave a comment or anything to let me know

I am an avid pepper-grower and I love spicy things as well. This sauce can be made with any pepper: it's pretty basic. I used Tabasco peppers because I happened to be growing them in my garden at the time.

It took about 20 minutes of on hand time with picking peppers included, but simmering and cooling do make the process take around an hour.

When first made, the sauce is very hot, but it will mellow out a bit and develop a nice flavor over a few days. It'll keep for over a year. The more acidic you make it, the longer it will keep.

Enough intro, let's get to it!

You'll need:

• 1/2 lb of a pepper of your choosing (Tabasco peppers are what I used) 1
• cup white vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon Salt

Tools:

• Stirring Spoon
• Small pot
• Latex gloves
• Scale
• Blender
• Funnel (possibly)
• Storage Container (I used these)

PSA: WEAR GOLVES! If you have contact lenses, you know the struggle. Spicy residue sticks on the skin for a long time, and can even cause irritation on the hands. Please wear gloves, and while working, don't scratch an itch or wipe your eye!

Pick your peppers and wash them. I didn't have to cut off their stems because they just pulled right out as I picked them! It saved me a lot of time and aggravation.

Weigh them on a scale, and try to get a number to build a ratio of 2 cups of vinegar and two tablespoons of salt per pound of pepper.

Mix the ingredients into a pot, and stir to dissolve salt. Over a medium high heat, bring to a boil and simmer for 15-20 minutes to allow the mix to incorporate. Stir to keep peppers from sticking, and add water or vinegar if too much is boiling away.

The goal is to soften the peppers and release their heat into the liquid!

Allow the pepper mix to cool in order to achieve an accurate sauce consistency when pouring.

Throw the cooled mix into a blender, and puree the sauce. I ran mine for 60 seconds to ensure a fine chop.

Using a fine mesh strainer, filter out seeds and pulp to get a smooth sauce. I found that pressing the sauce in the strainer with a spoon helped it to go faster.

Using whatever container you have on hand, bottle your sauce. You may need a funnel if the opening is small. I always refrigerate my sauces for a few days before tasting to allow the flavors to mix and mellow out, but if you want a very spicy kick, then try right away.

Please Enjoy Responsibly, and leave a comment!