Red Hot Sauce

(Anna Ewa Bieniek/Shutterstock)

Red Hot Sauce

This homemade hot sauce mimics many of the hot sauces found on grocery store shelves. The big difference? This sauce is not fermented, which means it has a much shorter shelf life. Use or freeze this sauce within a week of preparing.

To make a green hot sauce, substitute 12 jalapeños for the cayenne peppers. Throw in a habanero or Thai pepper for extra heat. Oh, and wear gloves to protect your hands when working with raw chiles.

Makes 2 cups

• 15 cayenne peppers
• 1 cup apple cider vinegar 
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt

Remove the stems from the peppers and slice in half lengthwise.

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 to 12 minutes or until peppers and garlic are tender. Let stand for 5 minutes, then pour mixture into a blender. Cover the blender and also put a cloth over the top. Blend until mixture is smooth. 

Pour mixture into a pint jar and refrigerate, or divide into freezer-safe containers to freeze for later.