Need an easy homemade hot sauce recipe? This one is fermented for 2 weeks minimum for an incredible salty, sour, spicy sauce that tastes better, and fresher than one bought from a store.

Fermenting the chillies in brine produces so much more flavour and complexity in your homemade hot sauce, and is so well worth doing.

Easy Homemade Hot Sauce Recipe – Fully Fermented For Chicken Wings or on Anything!

Although this fermented hot sauce recipe makes you think of chicken wings, it really can go on anything – from pizza to burgers, eggs, hot dogs, the list goes on and on.

What to Put in Homemade Hot Sauce

• Chilli Peppers (we used Thai Bird’s Eye Chillies and Scotch Bonnets but there are SO many options here)
• Vinegar (we used apple cider vinegar for a little sweetness)
• Salt
• Water

How Long to Ferment Hot Sauce

For best results ferment your chillis for 2+ weeks – the longer you leave it the better. Some say 1 week, but not a lot of fermentation will occur in just 1 week.

What Equipment do I Need for Homemade Hot Sauce

• An airtight container to ferment in
• Blender
• Saucepan
• Sterilised bottles to store sauce in

How Long Does Homemade Hot Sauce Last?

Homemade hot sauce will last for months in the fridge because vinegar is a natural preservative. If you are worried about it going bad add a little more vinegar. Sterilise the bottles you will store the hot sauce in first for longer preservation.

How Long to Ferment Hot Sauce

Although you will get some fermentation within a week, it makes a real difference to leave it for 2 weeks at the very least. The longer you leave it the more fermentation will occur. Depending on the container you use you may need to ‘burp,’ (open the lid of) the hot sauce regularly to stop the build up of gases in the container.

Do I Have to Use Vinegar for Hot Sauce?

You can definitely leave out the vinegar if you wish, skipping the fermentation process and substituting it for lemon juice or just water. You will have to consume it within 2-3 days however because the vinegar is necessary for preservation and fermentation.

Do You Remove the Seeds When Making Hot Sauce?

If you want extra heat in your hot sauce leave the seeds in. If you would like your hot sauce to be milder you can remove them.

How to Make Fermented Hot Sauce

• Cut the stalks off 1 pound (2.2kg) of chillies and chop them in half
• Place in an airtight container with 5 cups water + 6.25 teaspoons of salt (salt to water ratio = 1.25 teaspoons salt to 1 cup of water)
• Add 2-3 tablespoons of vinegar (apple cider or white vinegar)
• Seal the lid and leave to ferment for 2+ weeks
• Open the lid regularly to stop the build up of gases
• When you are ready to make the sauce, strain the chillies and keep the brine
• Place strained chillies in a blender with a tablespoon of the brine and blitz
• If your sauce is too thick or not salty/vinegary enough add more of the brine to taste and desired consistency
• Place in a sterilised bottle with a lid that is tight but NOT airtight and place in the fridge or enjoy straight away

What Can I Use My Homemade Hot Sauce For?

Use it like you would use Frank’s Red Hot Sauce or Tabasco to make Buffalo Hot Sauce, as a vinegarette in a salad, put it on grilled cheese, eggs, burgers, pretty much anything to improve the taste!

If you enjoyed this hot sauce recipe, you will definitely enjoy our sauce for Buffalo wings recipe.

It’s also worth checking out our dips for chicken wings article.

For another good article on homemade hot sauce recipes try here:

https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/chili-pepper-recipes/hot-sauces/