Habanero Oil? [moved from Boston Board]

[Johnresa]

A month or so ago I was at Fire and Ice and they had some habanero oil they were using to spice up the dishes. I love spicy food. Does anyone know where I can find something like this in the Boston area I can use on my food at home? Any spicy oil would be fine with me.

[munch_kin]

I roast my home grown chilis and use olive oil to cold infuse them.

[jenniferdines]

Super 99 carries Lee Kum Kee brand chili oil. I use it, combined with apple cider vinegar and scallions, to make dipping sauce for steam dumplings. It's really good!

[onefoodguy]

Here are some instructions on how to make hot chile oil, I also prefer the hot infused method. Enjoy!

http://www.urbanchiles.com/harvest/05...

[Bostonbob3]

I love to put habanero oil on chinese noodles. Good stuff. Here's an online resource for a Habanero Tequila Oil:

http://www.riverparkgeneralstore.com/...

BTW, good to be back with you hounds. Vacation plus business trip plus being-swamped-at-work equals no fun online.

[wax311]

like hotoynoodle said, chili oils and for that matter infused oils in general are very easy to make. dice up your habeneros (MAKE SURE YOU WEAR GLOVES), put them in a squirt bottle or empty olive oil bottle, and fill said bottle with canola oil. let it infuse for a few days. if it comes out too hot, you can always dilute it with more oil.

this takes all of five minutes to do, and you can do it with any fresh chili pepper you find at the grocery store.

[C. Hamster]

But, like all oils infused with fresh ingredients, chili oil runs the risk of botulism unless you keep it refrigerated and use or throw away within two weeks.

[A.A.]

Not positive about this, but wouldn't pan-roasting the habaneros first (if you can stand the heat) reduce or eliminate that risk?

[C. Hamster]

As far as I know, the toxin can be destroyed by heat but the spores that produce the toxin can be very heat resistant. This is why even roasted garlic should not be stored in oil. The acidity of what you are working with matters too -- the higher the acid the lower the heat needed to kill the spores. But peppers are a low acid, right? Thus more heat needed. Not something to monkey with, IMO.

Make a small amount, keep it refrigerated and toss it after 2 weeks.

http://www.ext.colostate.edu/pubs/foo...

[hotoynoodle]

botulism is extremely rare and unlikely to occur if the oil is refrigerated. i make flavored oils and pantry items like lemon curd all the time and have never had a problem.

[hotoynoodle]

sesame oil, hot or not, has a pretty pronounced flavor, and i use it sparingly.

spiced oils are easy enough to make, simply with slivered peppers (are you brave enough to include the habanero seeds?) marinating in a neutral oil like canola at room temp. for a week or so.

[oilgirl]

Boyajian also makes a Spicy Sesame Oil which is a combo of their Toasted Sesame Oil with their (hot) Asian Chili Oil. Can be found at Roche Brothers, Whole Foods and www.boyajianinc.com

[BobB]

You can get hot sesame oil at Asian stores, and even in the international foods aisle of places like Shaw's. I like it because it doesn't change the underlying flavor of foods as much as most hot sauces - and, of course, is perfect for "hotting up" take-out Chinese.

[Taralli]

BB, do you mean hot pepper oil vs. hot sesame?

[nfo]

I think the hot chili oils are often sesame based - some probably taste more neutral than others.

edit: correction, the oil in my own house isn't a sesame oil version

[BobB]

I have two bottles on my shelf, one labeled Toasted Sesame Oil and the other Hot Pepper Sesame Oil. The toasted one is not hot but had a great sesame flavor, the other adds heat but a minimum of additional flavor.

I agree with nfo, I think you can pepperize any oil but sesame is often used in Chinese cooking.

[fullbelly]

John Boyajian makes a roasted chile oil.

http://www.boyajianinc.com/oils.html#...