Sriracha Sriracha Sriracha

Have you gotten on the bandwagon with sriracha?  Most people have.  If you notice in the grocery store sriracha is added to all kinds of products.  You have sriracha mayo. sriracha ketchup, sriracha salsa, sriracha chips, sriracha peanuts and even sriracha bloody mary mix.  I think you get what I am saying that sriracha has really hit it big with people.  Sriracha is a yummy spicy red sauce that you can add to almost anything when you are cooking.

 One summer I had so many peppers I did not know what to do with them. In my research, I found a recipe for sriracha.  You know me, I thought why not.  Plus have you ever looked at the price of sriracha?  It is pricey for a small bottle, so why not make it at home where you know what you are putting in your condiment.  If you grow your own peppers you will know if they are organic or not.  We garden with no pesticides so everything we grow is organic. 

It really is easy to make.  You need some peppers.  I do not use a specific pepper but I do personally think you need a lot of red peppers for the color and flavor.  I have made a green sriracha that I did not like at all. The flavor was off and I think that was due to the raw green taste verse the nice delicious taste of a ripe red pepper. So, if you are growing your peppers be patience for them to turn red.  I also throw in other colors but stick to the majority of red peppers.

Here are a few peppers I grew a couple of years ago

The first step in making my recipe is peppers and salt.
Cut your peppers up and then add salt and chopped garlic. Use fresh garlic. 
Do not be lazy and use the crap you buy at the store already chopped in a jar.
I promise the sriracha will love you for it.
 Put your mix into a container.  
Do not close your lid.  Just put it on top of your container.

   

How long to let it sit will depend on the temperature in your home.  This is lacto fermented which means you are producing a good bacteria to ferment your food.
It may be 3 days but up to 7 days for your peppers to ferment.
Once you are done with the fermenting process, you will need to drain the liquid off.
If you chose not to do this step you will find your sriracha may be overly salty.
I have even rinsed mine before.  
After doing this you need to bring out your food processor and chop the mix up to a consistency you like.  If you do not want a sauce with seeds, remove your seeds prior to the first step.

As you are chopping your peppers you need to add a bit of sugar or honey.  

The honey will help reduce the heat of your sauce. 

You will also add vinegar.  I have used white vinegar and cider vinegar.  

Both are nice in the sriracha sauce.

Below are 2 pictures of a sriracha that are almost seedless.  

Another picture is a sriracha sauce I made with the seeds.  

I personally prefer it without the seeds but Scott likes it with the seeds

If you wish to keep the good bacteria with Lacto fermenting at this point just your sauce in the fridge.
If you want to can your sauce you will lose the good bacteria but it will become shelf-stable and you can keep it for several years.

I have 2 different recipes I am going to share with you.  


Sriracha #1
3 lbs hot red peppers (or at least 90% red)
4-6 cloves of chopped fresh garlic
7 C white vinegar
1/8 C sea salt
1/2 C sugar or honey

Chop the first 2 ingredients
Add the chopped peppers and garlic to a large container with salt
Toss the mix around then add your vinegar
Cover with plastic wrap and let sit 
Stir this mix every day for 5 days
Ater 5 days add your mix to a large pot and add sugar
Bring to boil, then simmer for up to 20 minutes
In batches process your mix in a food processor to your desired consistency
This recipe calls for water bath canning
You will need to have half pint or pint jars sterilized
Pour your sauce into your sterilized jars
Put on your lids and rings 
Place your jars in your boil water bath canner
water bath for 10 minutes for half pints and 15 minutes for pints


Sriracha #2
1 lb hot red peppers
2 -4 cloves chopped garlic
3 t sea salt
2 T sugar or honey
1/2 C white vinegar

Slice/chop peppers and garlic
Put the mix into a bowl and sprinkle with salt
Place either a lid on container or plastic wrap.  If using a lid do not close the lid
Place on the countertop and let sit 3 to 7 days, stir twice daily while it ferments 
Once done stain liquid out 
Add to food processor with sugar and vinegar
At this point, you can put the sriracha in the fridge and keep your good bacteria

I normally use the sriracha #2 and triple the recipe then I water bath can the mix.  If you chose to do this remember you will lose the good bacteria.  You will also need to do one more step by warming your sriracha sauce prior to canning.  You need warm sauce to add to warm sterilized jars in order to not shock your jars causing them to break.  
If you chose to water bath can use, remember to bring your water to a boil in your canner.  
Fill your sterilized warm jars to the canner.  Half pints can for 10 minutes and pints for 15 minutes.

Suggestions of things to use sriracha on.  Sriracha on eggs, sriracha on pizza, sriracha on fried chicken, sriracha on popcorn, sriracha on watermelon and sriracha on your partner just watch where you put it ... ;p)`

Enjoy!!