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fermented hot sauce

Cowboy Candy Fermented Hot Sauce

Courtney
Cowboy Candy Fermented Hot Sauce is a bold, sweet-heat condiment made from fermented hot peppers and blended with the signature, syrupy goodness of cowboy candy brine. The fermentation deepens the flavor, balancing tangy spice with caramelized sweetness for a hot sauce that’s perfect on tacos, grilled meats, or anything that needs a spicy-sweet kick.
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Servings 1 Quart

Equipment

  • 2 Glass Quart Jars
  • 2 Cheese Cloths or Fermenting Lids + Rings
  • Glass Fermentation Weight
  • Kitchen Scale
  • Large Mixing Bowl
  • Small Mixing Bowl
  • Cutting Board + Knife
  • Medium Sauce Pan + Mixing Spoon
  • Food Processor or Blender
  • Strainer or Cheese Cloth
  • Liquid Measuring Glass

Ingredients
  

Fermentation Brine

  • 2 lbs Hot Peppers
  • Salt (not iodized)
  • Filtered Water

Cowboy Candy Brine

  • 1 cup White Sugar
  • 1/2 cup Brown Sugar
  • 3/4 cup White Vinegar (or Apple Cider Vinegar)
  • 1 tsp Garlic Powder
  • 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder
  • 1/2 tsp Mustard Powder
  • 1/4 tsp Salt (not iodized)

Instructions
 

Hot Pepper Fermentation

  • Sanitize your work surface, as well as the glass jars and utensils you will be using. Fermentation requires a clean, bacteria-free surface. Avoid touching excessive kitchen appliances and handles during this process.
  • Harvest 2lbs of Hot Peppers. Remove the seeds (or keep them if you want a spicier result) and discard them. Cut the peppers into pieces no smaller than 1 inch and no larger than 2 inches. Place them into a large mixing bowl.
  • Place one of your 2 Glass Quart Jars on the kitchen scale, ensuring the unit is in grams, and zero out the scale. Fill the jar with cut peppers until there's 1" to 1/2" headspace at the top.
  • Add 4% of salt (instructions to determine 4% in Step by Step guide above) to the jar filled with peppers. Then incorporate Filtered Water until there's 1" headspace left.
  • Using a wooden or plastic Mixing Spoon, release any air pockets stuck in the jar. Place the Glass Fermentation Weight gently on top of the mixture, ensuring it remains at the top. If it begins to sink, and food floats to the top, you need to add more peppers.
  • Top the jar with a Cheesecloth and Canning Ring, or a Fermentation Lid. This will ensure no pests can get into the ferment and keep the atmosphere free of undesirable bacteria. Place it in a dark, dry place for 4 weeks.
  • Check your ferment every few days to ensure there isn't bad bacteria developing. If you see a tan or yellow film on top, it's likely Kahm Yeast and can simply be scraped off to preserve the flavor and look of the ferment. Green, black or purple molds indicate your ferment went bad and it should be discarded. A terribly unpleasant scent is also indicative of a bad ferment.

Hot Pepper Blend

  • Once your peppers have fermented for a minimum of 4 weeks it's time to begin the hot sauce portion.
  • Separate your peppers from the fermented pepper brine. Place the peppers into a food processor or blender. Keep the brine in a bowl for future use.
  • Once all of the peppers are in the food processor, add 1 to 2 cups of brine and pulse. You should have somewhere between 6-8 cups of blended peppers at this point. Reserve adding any more brine until the cowboy candy mixture is incorporated.

Cowboy Candy Brine

  • In a medium sauce pan combine 1 cups White Sugar, 1/2 cup Brown Sugar, 3/4 cup White Vinegar, 1 tsp Garlic Powder, 1/2 tsp Turmeric Powder, 1/2 tsp Mustard Powder, 1/4 tsp Salt and bring it to a boil. Once boiling, lower the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Watch carefully and stir often to avoid bubbling over. Turn off the heat and allow to cool for 5 minutes.
  • Add 1 cup of cowboy candy brine to the blended fermented hot pepper mixture and pulse to combine. At this point, you will need to add more to achieve your desired flavor and texture.
  • Optional: If you prefer a Louisiana style hot sauce that is smooth and without clumps, filter the hot sauce through a cheese cloth. This can be done before or after you add the cowboy candy brine.
  • Once you achieve your desired flavor and texture it's time to store your hot sauce. There are two options: (1) Boil the bottled hot sauce for 10 minutes or (2) store in the refrigerator. Both options stop or slow fermentation, making it safe to store and enjoy for months.
Keyword Fermentation, Hot Sauce, Peppers