Homemade Sriracha

[Caitlin McGrath]

I haven't had a chance to try this yet myself, but I thought some of the sriracha addicts here on Chowhound might be interested in doing up their own.

http://www.food52.com/recipes/6441_fr...

[rainey]

I have 6 words for anyone contemplating this recipe:

slap chopper
wide-mouth funnel
Christmas presents

I barely had to touch the peppers. Didn't bother with gloves. I was done with the portion that went in the jar to mellow in 10 minutes.

And just think how perfect the color of this tied with a green bow will be for Christmas. Unique and pretty. I think this is a winner!

[rainey]

Sounds so interesting. I'm off to see how available Fresno chiles are.

BTW, how difficult is it to locate palm sugar?

And any idea how long this stores in the fridge without preservatives?

[morwen]

There's a cup of vinegar in 1 1/2 cups of the finished Sriracha. It should hold for a very long time (months) in the fridge.

Fresno chilies may be the recommended variety for making Sriracha, but I use whatever spicy pepper is available in my garden.

I can get palm sugar in the natural foods section of our chain grocery store. You should be able to find it in a natural/health/gourmet foods store. Our local Mennonite bulk foods store has it as well and if you have one of those nearby, they'll probably have it at the best price. Lots of places to order it online.

[HillJ]

Asian markets carry palm sugar as well. Come to think of it, last time I went to Wegman's they were selling it in the international food section.

[rainey]

Good point about the acid/vinegar!

[ipsedixit]

I've always considered Sriracha along with ketchup as things best left to the experts. It's not only cheaper to buy it, but 999 out of 1001 times it tastes better.

[HillJ]

On this we disagree for sure. While the bottled version often goes in my cart the homemade I just whipped up is divine. My homemade roasted ketchup has won state fairs and my pesto is headed in that direction. Pls. don't discourage the home cook.

[ipsedixit]

Please send me a bottle of your best ketchup.

I have yet to find a good homemade (or house-made) ketchup that I prefer over Heinz. Maybe it's just a personal defect on my part.

[morwen]

I'm with you HillJ. When the ingredients are in the garden the home made version may cost slightly more than store bought but the cook/preserver has ultimate control over the quality and taste of the end product. My sauces and condiments contain the best and freshest ingredients I can find, no additives or inferior sweeteners (although I totally agree with cowboyardee's explanation of those above, I just don't use/need them), and taste superior to commercial versions. And, like HillJ, I have the ribbons to back them.

OTOH, ketchup is one of those things that if you were raised on something like Heinz, that's what you want if you're unwilling to explore. I admit I experimented a long time until my home made mayo was close to Hellman's.

[HillJ]

While @ Urban Outfitters this weekend, I stumbled upon this book and took to the www for some resources. http://leitesculinaria.com/67202/reci...
This recipe works really well and the book offers a really fun approach to this popular condiment.

[zzDan]

I have often made a quickie Sriracha with just the cayenne, raw garlic, apple cider vinegar, sea salt and honey (or molasses) I had around. Tasted better the next hour and the next day as flavors melded. First mix cayenne and water to make a thick slurry. Then add the rest how you like it

Fresh hot peppers can be unpredictable as far as heat. I know the heat of my cayenne which I always get at an Indian store. Now I see my local Korean store has it cheaper. If you don't want raw garlic then briefly (one minute) boil the (skin on) cloves before cutting up and adding. It is not a bad idea to mince up mild green pepper and add for more body

I never buy the real hot cayenne. Better to use more of the less hot cayenne. Fuller flavor. Anyways Sriracha has two heat dimensions and you don't want the pepper to overwhelm the garlic. The real Sriracha has a lot funky preservatives in it to keep that cooked mass of peppers and garlic from rotting at room temperature. On internet it says "Sriracha has sodium bisulfate, potassium sorbate, or xanthan gum."

[cowboyardee]

Sodium bisulfate and potassium sorbate are both (generally) preservatives. They are both considered quite safe as food additives, both having been in use for a long time with no demonstrable negative effects, though there is some concern that certain individuals can be allergic or sensitive to sodium bisulfate. Xanthan gum is not a preservative, but is used as a thickener and to help stabilize the suspension (keep the sauce from separating). It is also considered quite safe as a food additive. In fact, it might even prove useful in making sriracha at home for the same reasons it's used commercially.