Fermentation

Recipe: Fermented Pineapple Habanero Hot Sauce

2 min read

Recipe: Fermented Pineapple Habanero Hot Sauce - FarmSteady

You could say that we like to live on the edge when it comes to spicy foods. The hotter, the better. But we don't like sacrificing flavor for heat when we're making hot sauce (we're not looking for a blind burn here), so we're always experimenting with recipes that give us complex flavors in addition to a satisfying kick of spice.

Habanero hot sauces are by far the hottest we make around here, but that doesn't mean their only virtue is their potent burn. Lacto-fermenting the peppers with pineapple knocks a bit (a bit,this is still a really hot sauce) of the edge off the chiles while adding an umami complexity. Sweet, tart pineapple and bell pepper temper the spice with a touch of tangy sweetness and really amp up the gorgeous golden hue of the habaneros. After fermenting everything together, blend it up with some white vinegar to thin out your sauce and add some bright acidity.

The result is a hot, tangy, deeply complex and shockingly orange hot sauce that will satisfy your high-heat craving. Put it on your tacos and anything else that needs a boost of heat! (And if you're looking for a milder recipe, check out our Fermented Jalapeño Hot Sauce.)

Prep
20 min
Makes
128 servings

Ingredients

  • 1/2 pineapple, peeled, cored and sliced
  • 15-20 habanero peppers, seeds and ribs removed
  • 1 sweet bell pepper, chopped
  • 1/2 onion, chopped
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons salt
  • 1 quart water
  • 1-2 cups white vinegar, reserved

Directions

  1. Tip: habanero peppers are super hot, we strongly recommend wearing gloves while preparing this recipe.

  2. Pack pineapple, peppers and onion into fermentation jar.

  3. Combine salt and water, stir until salt is fully dissolved to make the brine.

  4. Add fermentation weight and pour in brine to cover, pineapple, pepper and onion should be fully submerged. Questions about fermentation weights? Check out our Fermentation Weight Guide.

  5. Top with lid and airlock (Need help? Check out our How to Assemble Airlock Video). Let ferment for 2-3 weeks at room temperature out of direct sunlight.

  6. Add pineapple, pepper and onion to blender with 1 cup of the fermentation liquid. Blend until smooth and then add white vinegar to taste. Hot sauce will keep refrigerated for at least 2 months.

Equipment

  • Fermented Hot Sauce Kit
  • Hot Sauce Bottles

3.7 · 162 ratings

Rate this recipe

More recipes like this

All recipes

6 comments

  • Just made this recipe. My first attempt at this type of fermentation! Uses 15 habaneros and added a mango, they are plentiful in FL. Delicious, even better as it aged.

    Capt Matt

  • Has anyone tried canning this wonderful hot sauce. I would love to make big batches of this but don’t have space in the fridge.
    Thanks for any advice!!

    Jen

  • Looks delicious would like more receipts for trying, thank you appreciate

    Gustav

  • Thankyou 😊

    Michael

  • I got this for Christmas and will start the fermenting process. I like it super hot, so I will be using seeds and membranes. I will probably add some granulated garlic and maybe a Carolina Reaper or 2.

    I am very concern with your knife skills. You need to curl your fingers and thumb when cutting items. Every time your thumb was sticking out, I was afraid you were going to cut it if the knife blade slipped.

    David Blair

  • Great recipe, really enjoy the hot sauce. For a sweeter version with a nice sweet/hot balance I added some honey and 1tbsp of sugar. It made a huge difference for me!

    Jeremy

Leave a comment

Comments are checked before they publish.