Name: Grandma's Secret Hot Sauce
Cook time: P0Y0M0DT0H10M0.000S
Total time: P0Y0M8DT0H0M0.000S
Yield: 6 cups (1440 ml)
Ingredients: 2 cups (480 ml) soy sauce; 2 cups (480 ml) Bomb-Ass Homemade Sriracha (recipe follows); 2 cups (400 g) sugar; Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl and whisk together until the sugar is dissolved.; 3/4 pound (340 g) red jalapenos or Fresno chiles, stemmed and roughly chopped; 1/4 pound (115 g) red serranos or red finger chiles, stemmed and roughly chopped; 1/2 pound (230 g) green jalapenos, stemmed and roughly chopped; 4 cloves garlic; 2 tablespoons (25 g) sugar; 2 tablespoons (25 g) brown sugar; 1 to 2 teaspoons (5 to 10 g) kosher salt; 1/2 cup (120 ml) distilled white vinegar; 1 teaspoon xanthan gum (optional, to help stabilize the sauce for long holding)

Directions

Place the peppers, garlic, both sugars and salt in a food processor and pulse until roughly chopped. Transfer the mixture to a clean container, cover and let sit at room temperature. A mason jar with a loosely fitting lid or a clean bowl with plastic wrap will work.
Fermentation should begin in about 2 days. When bubbles begin to form, stir your "mash" once or twice a day to combine and help it settle. Continue until the mixture stops bubbling, about 6 to 8 days.
Transfer the mash to a blender, add the vinegar, and puree until very smooth. Strain the sauce
through a fine-mesh sieve. Add the xanthan gum and puree again until smooth and thick. Store your sauce in squeeze bottles in the fridge for up to 3 months!
2 cups (480 ml)

Cook’s Note

If you love really spicy Sriracha, reverse the proportions of the serrano and jalapeno peppers. And if you think that's not gonna be hot enough for you, sub the chiles for Scotch bonnets and Thai chiles. I'm not responsible for the burning of your mouth or bottom if you go this route! This is also a great way to preserve your once-a-year chiles like New Mexico Hatch or home grown.

Adapted with permission from "101 Asian Dishes You Need to Cook Before You Die" by Jet Tila, Page Street Publishing Co. 2019. Photo credit: Ken Goodman 