Hello Everyone!

Today, I have an announcement this is the first week of many to come, its my first mini-series. The topic, is Capsicum- All Things Spicy. Throughout the next several weeks, there will be specific topics on the health benefits of compound found in peppers. Topics will include, weight loss, joint pain, and overall health benefits for those who like and can handle some spice in their life.

This topic I am highly knowledgeable and have done a lot of research in this area. It is essentially an area of expertise for me.

There will also be weeks where I will have recipes and/or reviews. To start this off, I am including in today’s post a recipe for my homemade hot pepper sauce/mash, along with the Scoville Scale for reference for those who want to try to make it and do not know what peppers they want to use (I will also post this under recipes). But stay tuned for the next several weeks, I am very excited for this.

Hot Pepper Sauce/Mash

3/4 pound fresh peppers (Recommend three varieties at equal parts)

1 tsp sea salt

5-6 garlic cloves
½ cup or more depending on taste of vinegar (Red Wine or Cider, I find works best for flavor)

Trim the stems from the peppers (Optional, if you want the sauce hotter, take off the main stem, but leave the seeds). Combine the peppers, salt, and garlic in a food processor and pulse until the mixture resembles a coarse mash. Pour the pepper mash (and all the liquid) into a quart jar. Tamp down with a spoon or rubber spatula to expel more liquid from the bits and pieces, and cover the jar with a lid. You want to allow the fermentation gases to escape, so don’t seal it tightly

Store the jar at room temperature out of direct sunlight, but in a spot where you will see it every day. Stir it up with a clean utensil once a day, and tamp the mixture down with a spoon to submerge the peppers in liquid again. When you start to see bubbles inside the jar that is a sign that fermentation is actively taking place.

The peppers will slightly expand and continue to release liquid as they ferment. If the mash does not seem “juicy” enough to keep most of the peppers sitting in liquid, you can add a few spoonful is of vinegar to the jar, but keep it light — you do not want to dilute the hot sauce too much.

Do this for one week.  After the week is ended, you can use as a mash OR strain the mash and use as hot pepper sauce.