Hot Pepper Sauce Small Batch Question
 

I was thinking of trying to make a sauce with tequila and peppers.

Do you completely leave out the vinegar and replace with the tequila?

Here is what I was thinking. Take about 10 hot chilis pureed, about 2 ounces of tequila and a dash of onion and garlic powder and simmer for about 20 minutes. Set up for 3 months.

Am I on the right track?

I dont know but I hope someone answers the question. That sounds good.

I think you need the acid to keep it stable. I'd guess your would ferment.

Maybe I could drop in a camden tablet?

Nice avatar pic Doc. Is that you with Michael at the Royal?

We were over at my folks last night and my dad did some pickling of about 6 jars with fresh yellow japs, carrot, cauliflower, garlic etc. He used about 1 part vinegar to 3 parts boiled then cooled salt water.
I've seen bottles of beer and tequila with whole peppers in them to infuse flavor to them, but I don't think tequila alone will do the trick in a hot sauce. I'm thinking the end result may work, but will be on the bitter side. Since it's an experiment, I'd try two batches, one with and without the vinegar. I'm also thinking, 3 months would be too long a time to set up. But then I've never done anything like this. THe jars my dad made will be ready in about 2 weeks, but will be at their best in more like 3-4.

Blair's Heat makes what your looking for...Ingredients are: purified water, jalapeno chillies, fresh tomatillo,white vinegar, cilantro,smashed garlic,shallots, green habanero chilies, cane sugar,onion,lime juice,olive oil, agave tequila, black pepper,and vitamin c. So it's good for you! It's a very,very good sauce. A strong garlic flavor, with a medium bite! The name oddly enough is Jalapeno Tequila. I half full bottle I,m looking at now. If you make a batch, let us know how it turns out. Shucks, make a big batch and send me a bottle!!
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Alan

Thanks nolaman, I think I can come close to that. is that the order the ingredients are listed in on the bottle? If so they should be listed largest quantity first in descending order. i'll try something like this, 1 cup water, chilies, a couple of little tomatillos, 1/2 cup white vinegar, a little cilantro, 2 cloves garlic, some onion powder, 2 green chilies, 1 tsp sugar, 1 tsp lime, black pepper and 2 ounces tequila.

I might do this in the next day or two.

Hugh, get yourself some pH strips and check to make sure you stay acidic, that will allow you to keep it longer in the jar. If you go lower than 4.5, you should not keep it longer than a month. It will peak at a month no matter what, longer than that it just stays stable.

Thanks Bob. I have some of those strips somewhere.

Yes, They are listed in that order. It is a fairly thick sauce in a open mouth bottle. Un like regular hot sauce w/ a dropper top.

Yeah sure is. We had a great time.

Hugh, I've tried to use tequila only. I had a hard time boiling off the alcoholic taste... I didn't like the tequila taste in the sauce at all. I added water to help boil off the alcohol, but found that after simmering the peppers so long the flavor wasn't to my liking. I think it would have done better with fresh peppers as opposed to smoked ones that I used.

I did find that tequila produced a very smooth flavor. I think it would work well with citrus tasting peppers like habaneros. I'm going to try it again here soon and use mostly vinegar... adding the tequila for flavor not liquid base.

If ya do, You'll get a head-ache whenever you eat the sauce. lol

Better watch out, future competitor right there. Look's like that guy's gonna be hardcore. :wink: