Session 212 — Fermented Hot Sauce
← Block 41–42: Fermentation & Preservation Overview
Skill: Chili fermentation; blending and straining; balancing heat, acid, and garlic Read first: Fermented Hot Sauce
What you're learning: Fermented hot sauce (like Tabasco and sriracha) gets its depth from a 5–7 day lacto-fermentation of chili peppers in salt before blending. The fermentation rounds out the raw heat and develops a complex sourness that vinegar-only sauces can't match. Use whatever fresh chilies are available — Fresno, serrano, habanero, or a mix. The ratio: peppers + garlic + 2–3% salt by weight. After fermentation, blend with vinegar to desired consistency.
Full Meal: - Tacos using whatever protein you have, topped with your fresh hot sauce - Compare your fermented sauce to a store-bought fermented brand (Tabasco, Yellowbird) and a non-fermented brand (Cholula, Valentina) — taste the difference fermentation makes
🎥 Compare Notes: Brad Makes Fermented Hot Sauce — Bon Appétit — Note Brad's pepper selection, salt ratios for lacto-fermentation, and how he blends and strains for texture.