Hot Sauce ~ Home Canned

Hubby loves hot sauce and I use it in several recipes (and our steak marinade).  I decided it was time to try canning it.  I planted serrano hot peppers this year by accident, when I purchased my jalapeno plants.   They were mixed in and I didn't see the labels.

I drove down the road and bought some cherry bomb peppers from our roadside stand guy we rely on some days.  He was out of habanero, so I decided to try cherry bomb for the first batch.

Recipe states to use 4-6 habanero, I used 6 cherry bomb peppers.  I didn't have thai peppers, so I used what I had in the garden (jalapeno, hot banana).  With the extra peppers in it, I got more than 4 - 4 oz. jars as it stated I would.  We put the extra bit in the fridge and the others in the pantry.  They recipe states it's flavor is best if you let it set sealed for 2 weeks.

It was pretty easy to make and only a 5 minute boil time.  I read the label on the "organic" hot sauce we buy, and it has soybean oil in it.  It says it's organic, but my home canned hot sauce has nothing but peppers, organic vinegar, organic lime juice etc.  Just goodness.

The recipe is from Better Homes and Gardens Canning booklet.  They also have it online - Triple Pepper Hot Sauce.

We tasted it last night, and the heat tastes so much similar to the organic hot sauce we buy.  Hubby doesn't like stuff real hot either.  It's just right.  I'll be searching for some habanero at the Farmer's Market next, and making it again with my own hot peppers. 

Today?  It's back to tomatoes.  I'm not complaining.  I am down to making my decision on what I can, by what size jars I have available.  I am almost out of pints, so today, it's a second double batch of tomato paste. 

Oh, and my daughter tricked me.  She told me an earlier time, just to make sure I was out of bed.  Darn kids of mine.  I needed up to start tomatoes earlier anyway.  I think rain is on the way, and am in need of a motorcycle ride.  Go figure.