Re: [CH] Homemade Hot Sauce
Jim Campbell (jim@wildpepper.com)
Thu, 16 Dec 1999 10:52:53 +0000
A rather lengthy post on making sauce....
With the ingredients you have listed, there isn't much danger of
botulism. Though not an expert on botulinum, you generally need oils
and a lack of air for the right conditions. A low pH (below 4.3) and
hot bottling are pretty effective safeguards.
Yes- you should cook it somewhat to deter molds & other nasties from
growing. I cook 185 F to 195 F for about ten minutes before bottling.
Several thousand gallons later & I've had no problems.
You already have preservatives in your recipe- garlic is one, vinegar
another, citrus juice a third, and salt a fourth. The reason so many
sauces are vinegar based is, not only is it good for you, it is an
excellent 'non-preservative preservative'.
Proportions are entirely up to you and your taste. You want enough
fluid to be able to carry the sacue, but not so much you end up with
something entirely watery. Tabasco runs about 25% solids, El Yuc about
50%, mine run about 85%. The more solids, the more expensive to
produce.
Salt is not a necessity unless you want it there.
Fermenting is also a personal choice. A lot of caution should be used
in fermenting a sauce as you can be dealing with some pretty powerful
forces. Gas production (from fermentation or chemical reaction) inside
of a closed container is what we in the public safety field 'a bomb'.
Also known as 'job security' ;-) Cameron Begg just sent me a bottle of
a fermenting/ed sauce that he made (Thanks Cardinal!) and you might
query of him for specifics there. I go to great lengths to make sure
things DO NOT ferment, although I am getting ready to produce one as
well.
pH and oxidation concerns are most what determine refrigeration or not.
The most common problem with not refrigerating sauces isn't mold
(although this CAN happen), it's oxidation. Just as you take a bite of
an apple & 10 minutes later it's brown, so too chile sauces can darken.
This is generally harmless but can make them appear pretty
un-appetizing. Tabasco has a pretty powerful preservative added to it.
My Ralphs' Righteous does not and is susceptible to this which is why I
say to refrigerate. Preservatives, most of which are primarily
anti-oxidants, are not necessarily bad things. Anti-oxidants (Vitamin C
for instance) are well proven to reduce the effects of aging (UCLA
studies on aging and anti-oxidant diets). It's also a lawyer thing- not
knowing any better, I put it on ALL my labels even though I have my
original bottle of Original Finishing Sauce, which has been opened
repeatedly and at room temp for over four years now, with nothing
seeming to bother it or growing.
Bottling should be done HOT! The cap should go on as quick after
filling as possible. Make no more ahead than what you can bottle before
the sauce starts to cool.
You also need to be aware about a few other things. Long cooking times
can raise the pH as high temps will boil off the vinegar or citrus. You
must not also confuse pH (a relative measure of strength) with
concentration. Some confusion exists over this. pH is NOT an absolute
guideline. I can have two fluids both measuring a pH of 3.0 One can
have a low enough concentration of acid to be easily drank without harm
(soda pop). The other can etch metal, destroy tissue, and kill you
(glacial acetic acid). Just because you have a pH of 3.0 doesn't mean
you have a sauce that will never spoil. It is just one piece of a much
larger picture that must be considered.
I'll leave it to others to add more to this. Happy to answer any other
questions you might have!
-Jim C
MWPH or is it MWpH ;-)