Delicious, but simple, lacto-fermented hot sauce, with punchy chili heat, floral black pepper and fruity sweet blueberries. Goes great on just about anything!
Written Recipe down below↓
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Kitchen equipment:
THE BEST spice jars: [ Ссылка ]
Cheaper version of my knife: [ Ссылка ]
Bamboo cutting boards: [ Ссылка ]
Quart jars for pickling/fermenting: [ Ссылка ]
Non-stick pan: [ Ссылка ]
Cooking books I recommend:
The Food Lab, J Kenji Lopez Alt: [ Ссылка ]
Salt, Fat, Acid, Heat, Samin Nosrat: [ Ссылка ]
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Blueberry and Black Pepper Hot Sauce Recipe
Ingredients:
170 grams (approximately 53) fresh medium-heat chilies (e.g., Thai chilies)
2 tablespoons whole black peppercorns
500 grams frozen blueberries (divided)
Filtered Water (enough to fill a 1-liter jar)
43 grams sea salt
1/3 cup white vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
Optional: 1/8 teaspoon xanthan gum
Instructions:
Wash the chilies and remove the green caps from most, leaving a few on to help with fermentation.
Cut the chilies in half lengthwise to maximize contact with the brine.
Add 2 tablespoons of whole black peppercorns to the jar.
Add the chilies to the jar, compacting them gently with a wooden spoon.
Pour in as many frozen blueberries as you can fit, about half of the total amount.
Fill the jar with water, ensuring all contents are submerged, and leave some headspace at the top.
Weigh the contents and subtract the jar's weight to find the total weight. Calculate 3% of this weight to determine the amount of salt needed. For example, 1438 grams of total weight needs 43 grams of salt.
Pour the water from the jar into a jug, add the salt, and stir until dissolved.
Pour the salted water back into the jar, straining it to catch any loose seeds.
Add a weight to keep everything submerged below the brine. You can use a clean glass weight, stiff cabbage leaf, or bell pepper cheek.
Cover the jar with cling film and a rubber band, or use an airlock lid to allow CO2 to escape while keeping oxygen out.
Store the jar in a dark place at room temperature for 5-7 days.
Check the fermentation after 7 days. It should smell clean and fruity without any hint of contamination.
After fermentation, remove the cling film and inspect the mixture.
Add the remaining blueberries, 1/3 cup of white vinegar, and 1 tablespoon of sugar to the fermented mixture.
Transfer everything to a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring periodically to mix in the fruit solids.
Cook for 15-20 minutes until the blueberry skins soften and release their pectin, thickening the sauce.
Blend the mixture with a stick blender until smooth. Optionally, add 1/8 teaspoon of xanthan gum during blending for extra thickness and to prevent separation.
Pass the blended mixture through a sieve to remove any remaining solids.
Check the pH if desired. If below 4, the sauce should be shelf-stable.
Pour the sauce into sterilized bottles. Store in the fridge for freshness.
Tips:
Ensure all ingredients remain submerged during fermentation to prevent spoilage.
Adjust the salt content if the sauce tastes too salty by adding more unfermented blueberries.
Store in the fridge for the best shelf life.
