Fermented Hot Sauce

v1.0

by Folsom Ferments (AI-curated)

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Fermented Hot Sauce
Batch: about 2 cupsPrep: 25 minInactive: 10080 minTotal: 10105 min

Fresh chiles ferment under brine until naturally tart, then blend with vinegar into a bright, pourable sauce. Submersion and measured acidity keep the process controlled rather than guesswork.

Ingredients

  • 1 lb Fresh red chile pepperswashed, stemmed, and halved
  • 3 cloves Garlicpeeled
  • 3 cups Non-chlorinated water
  • 1 1/2 tbsp Canning or pickling salt
  • 1/2 cup White vinegarlabeled 5% acidity, plus more if needed

Equipment

  • Clean 1-quart jar
  • Fermentation weight and airlock lid
  • Blender
  • Food-safe pH meter
  • Clean bottles with lids

Instructions

  1. 1

    Wear gloves while handling hot peppers. Wash the peppers under cool running water, remove the stems, and halve them. Discard any peppers with decay or mold.

    10 min

  2. 2

    Dissolve the pickling salt in the non-chlorinated water. Pack the peppers and garlic into the clean jar, pour in enough brine to cover, and leave 2 inches of headspace.

    5 min

  3. 3

    Add a fermentation weight so every pepper and garlic clove remains completely below the brine. Fit an airlock lid and ferment in a dark place at 68 to 72 F for about 7 days.

    10080 min

  4. 4

    Check daily for submersion and gas release. Cloudy brine and small bubbles are expected. Fuzzy, raised, blue, green, black, or pink growth is mold; discard the entire batch without tasting if mold, slime, or a rotten odor appears.

    2 min

  5. 5

    When the peppers taste cleanly sour, drain them and reserve 1 cup brine. Blend the peppers and garlic with the vinegar and enough reserved brine to reach a pourable consistency.

    5 min

  6. 6

    Measure the blended sauce with a calibrated food-safe pH meter. It must be pH 4.6 or lower; aim for 4.2 or lower. If it is higher, blend in additional 5% acidity vinegar and retest. If it does not reach 4.6, discard it.

    5 min

  7. 7

    Transfer to clean bottles and refrigerate immediately. This sauce has not been heat processed and is not shelf stable. Keep it at 40 F or colder and use within 3 months.

    3 min

Fermented Hot Sauce · Folsom Ferments (AI-curated) · v1.0 · recipeversion.com/@folsom-ferments-ai/fermented-hot-sauce

Printed September 3, 2026