Hot Sauce is one of my favorite condiments, and now my homegrown (from seed!) sauce gives my condiment shelf new levels of flavor that the store-bought versions simply can’t compete with. Homemade hot sauce is also surprisingly easy to make – I throw 4 ingredients in a stock pot, simmer, blend, and voila! Homegrown and homemade flavor ready to enjoy with any dish where hot sauce raises the bar in flavor.

Recipe below is available to email subscribers of Garden to Kitchen:

So here’s the deal – in this recipe it’s up to you what variety of chili pepper you enjoy for your hot sauce! My recommendation is to think about the final flavor and color you’d enjoy most. Do you like more smoky notes? Maybe consider some habaneros! Something milder? Jalapeños!

I grow nearly all my veggies from seed, and love finding unique varieties. My hot sauce features multiple pepper varieties including Aji Dulce, Peachadew, Hairy Bolivian, and California Wonder Bell Pepper. These varieties offer complex layers of sweetness, smokiness, and of course, spice, to my final hot sauce.

2 lbs. chili peppers (variety of choice, or a blend of multiple varieties), stems removed

2 bell peppers, cores & stems removed

3 cups distilled white vinegar

2T salt

2 heads of garlic, cloves pealed

Combine all ingredients in a stock pot, bring to a boil. Be careful, do not inhale the fumes/steam from the pot, it can sting! Turn the heat down and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 20-30 minutes until the peppers and garlic soften. Let cool. Blend until smooth (again, careful when opening the blender, fumes might sting). Add it to hot sauce jars and keep refrigerated, enjoy!