Hot Recipe

Seasonings & Sauces

1. 1

   Prep chiles

   Rinse the chiles and pat dry. Wearing gloves if desired, trim stems and halve larger chiles. If you want a milder sauce, remove most seeds and membranes; for hotter sauce leave seeds. Toss the chiles with 1 tbs vegetable oil to coat.

2. 2

   Roast chiles

   Place the oiled chiles on a baking sheet and broil on high or roast under the broiler about 8–12 minutes, turning occasionally, until skins are blistered and charred in spots. Alternatively, char them directly over a gas flame or on a hot cast-iron skillet. Remove from heat and let cool 5 minutes.

3. 3

   Sauté aromatics

   While chiles cool, heat 2 tbs olive oil in a small skillet over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 4–5 minutes. Add the peeled garlic cloves and cook 1–2 minutes more until fragrant and lightly golden — do not brown them heavily. Remove from heat.

4. 4

   Combine in blender

   Transfer the roasted chiles (including any juices), sautéed onion and garlic to a blender. Add 1 cup distilled white vinegar, 1/4 cup water, 1 tbs brown sugar, 1.5 tsp kosher salt, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1/2 tsp ground cumin, 1/4 tsp black pepper, and 2 tbs fresh lime juice. If using cilantro, add 2 tbs now. Blend on high until completely smooth, about 45–60 seconds. If the mixture is too thick to blend easily, add up to 1–2 additional tablespoons of water.

5. 5

   Cook to meld flavors

   Pour the blended sauce into a small saucepan and bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 6–8 minutes to meld flavors and slightly thicken. Taste and adjust seasoning: add up to 1/2 tsp more salt for seasoning, more sugar if it needs balancing, or a splash more vinegar for brightness.

6. 6

   Optional strain

   For a very smooth, restaurant-style hot sauce, pass the simmered sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into a bowl, pressing solids with a spatula to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard solids. If you prefer a chunkier sauce, skip this step.

7. 7

   Finish and store

   Let the sauce cool to room temperature, then transfer to a clean jar or bottle. Refrigerate — the flavors will continue to develop over 24–48 hours. Keeps well in the refrigerator for up to 2–3 weeks. Shake before using.