At a glance
Smoke a pound of stemmed chilies with onion and garlic at 225°F for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, then simmer them with vinegar, water, salt and a little sugar for 10 to 15 minutes. Blend until smooth, add lime, bottle it and keep it in the fridge for up to 2 months.
Smoked hot sauce adds depth that a plain chili sauce cannot match. The smoke rounds out the sharpness of the vinegar and brings out the fruity side of the chilies. Make it at the end of a barbecue session while the smoker is still warm, and you will have a bottle that goes with everything from eggs to tacos.
Choosing your chilies
- Mild to medium: red jalapenos, fresnos and red bell pepper for body.
- Hot: add habaneros or scotch bonnets for a fruity, fierce heat.
- Very hot: a ghost pepper or two, used with care.
Red, ripe chilies give the best color and sweetest flavor. Smoked red jalapenos are what chipotles are made from, so this sauce has a familiar chipotle character.
Smoking the chilies
A grill basket or perforated tray stops small chilies falling through the grates. Smoke them until they soften and the skins wrinkle slightly. Smoking onion and garlic at the same time adds sweetness and depth. Leftover smoked garlic works brilliantly here.
Recipe
Smoked Hot Sauce
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 1 hr 45 min
- Total
- 2 hr 5 min
- Makes
- About 2 cups (480 ml)
- Smoker 225°F (107°C)
- About 1 to 1 1/2 hours
- Simmer 10 to 15 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 lb (450 g) fresh chilies, such as red jalapenos, fresnos and a few habaneros
- 1 small onion, quartered
- 6 garlic cloves, peeled
- 1 cup (240 ml) distilled white vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) water
- 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 tbsp brown sugar or honey
- 1 tbsp lime juice
Equipment
- Smoker
- Grill basket or foil tray
- Blender
- Clean glass bottles or jars
- Gloves
Method
- Wear gloves. Remove the stems from the chilies. Leave the seeds in for more heat or remove some for a milder sauce.
- Heat the smoker to 225°F (107°C) with hickory, apple or mesquite.
- Put the chilies, onion and garlic in a grill basket or foil tray and smoke for 1 to 1 1/2 hours, until softened and slightly wrinkled.
- Transfer everything to a pan with the vinegar, water, salt and sugar. Simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
- Cool slightly, add the lime juice, and blend until very smooth. Add a splash more water or vinegar if it is too thick.
- Strain through a fine sieve for a smoother sauce, if you like.
- Pour into clean bottles or jars and refrigerate.
Notes
- This is a refrigerator sauce. Keep it in the fridge and use within 2 months.
- Blend with the lid vented and away from your face. Hot chili fumes sting.
Adjusting the sauce
Taste once blended. Add more vinegar for tang, more sugar or honey to balance the heat, or more salt to bring out the flavor. For a thicker sauce, simmer it a little longer before blending.
Storing smoked hot sauce
This is a fresh, refrigerator style sauce, not a fermented or canned one. Keep it in clean, sealed bottles in the fridge and use it within 2 months. It is not tested for storage at room temperature.
Frequently asked questions
What wood is best for smoking chilies?
Hickory and mesquite give a bold, classic smoke. Apple and cherry are milder and sweeter.
Can I ferment the chilies first?
Yes, but fermenting is a different process with its own salt and safety guidelines. This recipe is a quick, unfermented sauce.
Why is my hot sauce bitter?
It was probably smoked too long or with too much heavy smoke. Keep the smoke clean and thin, and do not let the chilies blacken.