The Spice of Life – Hot Sauce, Salsa, etc.

Discussion in 'Food and Drink' started by Syzygy, Jan 12, 2019.

Tags:
  1. GoodEnoughGear

    GoodEnoughGear Evil Dr. Shultz‎

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Oct 25, 2015
    Likes Received:
    3,070
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Cape Town, South Africa
  2. crazychile

    crazychile Eastern Iowa's Spiciest Pepper

    Pyrate BWC
    Joined:
    Jan 19, 2016
    Likes Received:
    2,512
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Eastern Iowa
    Just a warning to any newb that might think about making their own hot sauce. Do it outside on a gas grille that has an auxiliary gas burner. You don't want to cook that stuff in the house, even at low heat. Unless you want to know what getting tear gassed feels like. I'm not joking. This is real.

    Apple wood or hickory are good woods for smoking chiles. You dont need to do more than about 1/2 hour on the smoke. I split and deseed bigger chiles like Anchos or NewMex beforehand. After smoking you can put thenm in a dehydrator for a few hours to get out some of the moisture. Then put them in the freezer, double bagged. This is how I survive the Winter months in the Midwest.
     
  3. sphinxvc

    sphinxvc Gear Master (retired)

    Staff Member Pyrate BWC
    Joined:
    Sep 28, 2015
    Likes Received:
    3,320
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Cool man, my mom makes something very similar to go with dosas. She varies the main vegetable: either roasted tomatoes, or onions, or onions & garlic, or raw shredded coconuts. Also pan flashes standard Indian finishing thingies like mustard seeds, curry leaves, etc.

    Have you ever tried to make a 'sauce' (although I think the term sauce is stretching it now for all the things discussed in the thread, it varies from like vinegary pickled chilis, to immolation oils, to sauces) incorporating szechuan peppercorns? I bet it would have a really interesting flavor. I can't afford to tear gas myself in my little NYC apartment, so I'll have to live vicariously for now. Also, ever incorporated alcohol? The rum infused thing is such a different thing too flavor wise.
     
  4. crazychile

    crazychile Eastern Iowa's Spiciest Pepper

    Pyrate BWC
    Joined:
    Jan 19, 2016
    Likes Received:
    2,512
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Eastern Iowa
    Ive never tried that, although I used to make asian chile oil that I learned from an old professor of mine that was Korean.

    szechuan peppercorns....I need to research those. That sounds really good.
     
  5. GoodEnoughGear

    GoodEnoughGear Evil Dr. Shultz‎

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Oct 25, 2015
    Likes Received:
    3,070
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Cape Town, South Africa
    What was the chilies to rum ratio approximately? Was there anything else in there?
     
  6. sphinxvc

    sphinxvc Gear Master (retired)

    Staff Member Pyrate BWC
    Joined:
    Sep 28, 2015
    Likes Received:
    3,320
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Didn't seem like it. Half, half.
     
  7. Kernel Kurtz

    Kernel Kurtz Friend

    Pyrate Contributor
    Joined:
    May 19, 2018
    Likes Received:
    1,680
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Winnipeg, Canada
    You know it. I've inadvertently pepper sprayed myself a number of times cooking with, or even just crushing dried hot chilis in the mortar and pestle. Little bit of airborne dust and waaaaa!!!
     
  8. Kernel Kurtz

    Kernel Kurtz Friend

    Pyrate Contributor
    Joined:
    May 19, 2018
    Likes Received:
    1,680
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Winnipeg, Canada
    One of my favorite things to make with my hot peppers is jerky. Store bought stuff is ridiculously expensive, but you can make it at home for less than 1/4 of the price. I usually start with an eye of round or inside round. You want to avoid heavily marbled cuts. If you partially freeze it (or freeze it and partially defrost it) it is much easier to slice. If you have a meat slicer all the better.

    [​IMG]

    For the marinade, it's whatever goes. I usually use a combination of soy sauce, teryaki sauce, some liquid smoke, and of course dried hot chilis. Commercial pepper sauces work OK too. You can use sugar, garlic, or any sort of spice you can imagine here.

    In this case a couple small Trinidad Moruga Scorpions will make this jerky fiery hot. Don't hurt yourself with this step LOL

    [​IMG]

    [​IMG]

    2-3 cups of marinade should get soaked up completely by a typical size roast. I usually let it sit in the fridge at least overnight. Give it a stir now and then so the marinade is evenly absorbed.

    [​IMG]

    Arrange on the dehydrator trays. You can do this in the oven on really low heat also, but dehydrators can be had pretty cheap for a basic one. You can also do things like fruit leather and dry herbs with it as well.

    If you are sensitive you may find doing this step in the house with hot pepper marinade may be irritating. I usually do it in the garage.

    [​IMG]

    Depending on your dehydrator and whether you like your jerky softer or chewier it may take 16-24 hours and voila!

    [​IMG]

    Seriously, Oberto and Jack Links just can't compare.
     
  9. Clemmaster

    Clemmaster Friend

    Pyrate Contributor
    Joined:
    Sep 28, 2015
    Likes Received:
    3,268
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Trader Joe’s green dragon sauce is the best with eggs (brunch etc.)
     
  10. Syzygy

    Syzygy Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Jun 13, 2018
    Likes Received:
    2,144
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    DFW, Texas
    Also wear food gloves if you're skinning peppers, like roasted Hatch green chile, if it's hot (spicy). One year I peeled a whole sack of extra hot with bare fingers. Chemical burns on the fingers.

    Luckily I had Silvadene cream from years of working in restaurant kitchens.

    Alcohol is able to pull out other flavor components from any fruit, that can't be had otherwise.
     
  11. Boops

    Boops Friend

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Nov 8, 2015
    Likes Received:
    3,179
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    New York
    Just got these as a gift from my brother. They increase in heat from left to right. The habanero and coffee is probably my favorite, although I love the taste of scotch bonnet. I’ve never had it combined with ginger before. Really nice.

    C3401C55-84BF-4B87-B3DC-C174B5DD8CBB.jpeg
     
  12. Kernel Kurtz

    Kernel Kurtz Friend

    Pyrate Contributor
    Joined:
    May 19, 2018
    Likes Received:
    1,680
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Winnipeg, Canada
    There is another thing I do with my hot peppers. Take a bottle of vodka. Throw in a fresh hot pepper. Leave it for a week or so until the color (and flavor) has bleached from the pepper. Then I use it to make really spicy Bloody Caesars.

    This requires experimentation. Usually I find myself using about 1/2 oz of pepper vodka and 1 oz of regular for a standard drink, or it is just waaaay too hot.
     
  13. penguins

    penguins Friend, formerly known as fp627

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 26, 2018
    Likes Received:
    3,451
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    SouthernCA
    Updated my original post in the thread (#2).

    Also, does anyone have any good recommendations for a primer/introduction to central or west African cuisine and spice?
     
  14. Cspirou

    Cspirou They call me Sparky

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    Likes Received:
    8,200
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Northwest France
    I found a Rick Bayless habanero salsa recipe and it is NUTS. Here's the ingredients list

    • 8 medium fresh habanero chiles, stemmed (about 3 ounces)
    • 2 large garlic cloves, unpeeled
    • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
    • Salt, to taste
    • NO TOMATOES
    Roast the the chilies and garlic and crush everything in a mortar and pestle
     
  15. Cspirou

    Cspirou They call me Sparky

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    Likes Received:
    8,200
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Northwest France
    20108357-E108-46BF-BCC5-8CEFDE2B43B4.jpeg

    So goddamn hot
     
  16. Cspirou

    Cspirou They call me Sparky

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    Likes Received:
    8,200
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Northwest France
    FOLLOW THIS ADVICE! I charred a couple scotch bonnet peppers in a cast iron pan and I was coughing up a storm. Pissed off the rest of my family too. I've been relegated to doing hot pepper activities on a grill instead.

    However, the resulting salsa I made was totally worth it. This recipe is the real deal

    https://mexicanfoodjournal.com/habanero-salsa/
     
  17. spwath

    spwath Hijinks master cum laudle

    Pyrate BWC
    Joined:
    Dec 13, 2015
    Likes Received:
    7,894
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Madison, WI
    I'm thinking about making a salsa or hot sauce or something. I like hot stuff, want to try making my own.
    Any suggestions on easy recipies that I can make with minimal kitchen items?
    I like things nice and hot
     
  18. ultrabike

    ultrabike Measurbator - Admin

    Staff Member Pyrate MZR
    Joined:
    Sep 25, 2015
    Likes Received:
    8,960
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Irvine CA
    Last edited: Oct 27, 2019
  19. Cspirou

    Cspirou They call me Sparky

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    Likes Received:
    8,200
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Northwest France
    Easy way to start is pico de gallo. Basically chopped onions, tomato and jalapeños with lime juice and salt.

    Most other recipes require roasting and a blender (or molcajete).

    Here's a sort of generic recipe I've come up with after making a bunch of different salsas. The SBAF brain trust can comment if it's crap

    - 1 or 2 fresh peppers stemmed (take seeds out for less spice)
    - 3 medium tomatoes
    - half a white onion
    - 1 or 2 cloves garlics
    - 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro
    - juice from half a lime
    - salt (1/2 tsp)

    Blend everything except the cilantro, lime and salt. Get a small pot with hot cooking oil (1-3 tbs) ready and pour in the blended mix to fry. It will sputter a bit so be careful, but it's an essential step for flavor. Lower heat and allow to simmer for up to 20 min. Transfer to a bowl and allow to cool (unless you like warm salsa) and then add cilantro, lime juice and adjust salt to taste.

    Note: the pepper to tomato ratio is kind of important, so if you want a hotter salsa change to a hotter pepper instead of adding more. (Or just add more. It's YOUR salsa)
     
    Last edited: Oct 28, 2019
  20. Cspirou

    Cspirou They call me Sparky

    Pyrate
    Joined:
    Sep 27, 2015
    Likes Received:
    8,200
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Northwest France
    I found something more insane

    https://www.seriouseats.com/recipes/2016/05/extra-hot-yucatan-style-salsa-recipe.html
     

Share This Page