Fresno Pepper Hot Sauce

Are you looking for a hot sauce that delivers fruity flavor, vibrant color, and satisfying heat without overpowering your taste buds? Let us introduce the Fresno pepper hot sauce. This sauce could be a kitchen essential for you if you want to avoid harsh hot sauce but love to enjoy mild heat.

However, preparing the perfect homemade Fresno hot sauce requires a proper guideline. If you’re interested in learning the Fresno chili sauce recipe, we recommend reading this article with close attention. 

We are here to tell you how you can make the authentic spicy Fresno chili sauce at home with useful tips and tricks. Therefore, keep reading for ingredient details and the making process of the sauce.

Fresno Pepper Sauce Ingredients

You will require only a few common ingredients to make this sweet and spicy pepper sauce. Here, I have attached an ingredient list for you.

1. Fresno Peppers – 12 (medium-sized, washed, and stems removed)
2. Garlic Cloves – 4 (Peeled)
3. Kosher Salt – 1 ½ teaspoons
4. White Vinegar – 1 cup (to make acidic) 
5. Lime Juice – 1 tablespoon (for tanginess)
6. Water – ½ cup
7. Olive Oil – 1 tablespoon (for smooth texture)
8. Sugar – 1 teaspoon (optional, for balancing the acidity)
9. 3% Brine for fermenting the chills 

How to Make Fresno Hot Sauce: Easy 6 Steps

The homemade Fresno chili recipe is quite easy to prepare. But if you want the original taste, then you have to follow our recipe.  The reason is that we will tell you about the fermented hot sauce in this article.

Step 1: Ferment the Fresno Pepper

Fermentation of the Fresno pepper elevates the flavors of the Fresno pepper hot sauce. To ferment the peppers, do the following:

• Take a glass jar and put the peppers into the jar.
• Then, pour 3% brine into the jar to fully submerge the peppers.
• However, you have to leave at least 1 inch of headspace.
• Now, cover the lid loosely or use a cloth to cover the jar.
• Lastly, keep the jar at room temperature for up to a week.
•  After a week, drain the brine, and you will get the fermented Fresno peppers that are enriched with vibrant flavors.

Note: Brine is a solution of salt and water. The process of making 3% brine is simple. You can remember a simple equation to make the brine. 3 grams of salt per 100 ml of water. That means, if you require 500 ml of brine, you have to add 15 grams of salt.

Tip 1: Experts suggest using non-ionized salt, like kosher salt, and filtered water to reduce chlorine because chlorine can inhibit fermentation.

Step 2: Prepare the Peppers

• Slice the Fresno peppers in half lengthwise.
• Then, remove the seeds as we are making the sauce with mild heat.
• Anyway, if you are a spicy lover and want extra heat, you can use the whole Fresno pepper with seeds.

Trick 1:  We recommend wearing hand gloves if you have sensitive skin or an allergy problem. Because the heat of the Fresno pepper may burn your hands. 

Step 3: Cook the Base

The Fresno peppers and all other ingredients are ready. Now, it’s time to cook the base of the sauce.

• Take a saucepan over medium heat.
• Heat some olive oil.
• Then, add garlic cloves and prepared Fresno peppers.
• Sauté them for a few minutes until fragrant.
• Then, add salt, sugar, water, white vinegar, and lime juice into the saucepan.
• Now, boil them over medium heat.
• Now, reduce the heat to low and simmer for about 10 minutes until the peppers and garlic become soft. Besides, the consistency will become quite thick.

Tip 2: Professionals use a small roasted red bell pepper to balance the heat by adding a sweetness. So, if you want sweetness in this red pepper hot sauce, we recommend adding some roasted red bell peppers.    

Step 4: Blend

The sauce base is ready. Now, you need to blend them to get the spicy homemade sauce.

• Take a blender or food processor.
• Add the sauce base into the blender jar.
• Then, blend for a few minutes.
• The Fresno pepper substitute is ready.

Tip 3: Before blending the sauce base, our experts suggest cooling the base properly at room temperature. If you blend the hot sauce base, it can reduce the flavors. Additionally, heat can damage the electronic food processor.

Tip 4: We suggest tasting the sauce after blending. Then, you can customize the sauce according to your taste. You can add some more lime juice to get a tangier sauce. On the contrary, add more sugar and salt to balance the tanginess. Similarly, if you want more heat, you can add some chili powder to the sauce. After adding these ingredients, blend the sauce for 1 more minute.   

Step 5: Strain (Optional)

Straining is an optional step. Straining will help you to get a smooth texture with even consistency. If you use the Fresno pepper with seeds, don’t forget to perform this step.

• Take a strainer and place it over a bowl.
• Then, strain the sauce.
• You will get a smooth, homemade, and fresh Fresno pepper hot sauce.

Trick 2: To strain perfectly, you can use a spoon. You need to provide gentle pressure using a spoon or whisk to get the maximum quantity of the sauce from the sauce base. 

Step 6: Store the Hot Sauce 

You can store the homemade Fresno hot sauce for up to 3 months if you apply a proper storage method.

• Pour the hot sauce into a sterilized glass bottle or jar.
• After that, cool the bottle at room temperature.
• Then, refrigerate the sauce.

Trick 3: You don’t need any sterilizer to sterilize the bottle. Boil the water in a large saucepan, then immerse the bottle in the boiling water and heat for about 10 minutes. Then, remove the bottle from the boiling water and dry it. Your sterilized bottle is ready.

Conclusion

Fresno peppers are not readily available for all seasons. Therefore, the Fresno pepper hot sauce is a great substitute for fresh Fresno peppers. It provides a vibrant taste, mild heat, and attractive color.

We hope you can now prepare the Fresno hot sauce at home after reading this article. Our recipe is simple and customizable to your spice preference. So, do follow our recipe and give it a try to make the best homemade Fresno hot sauce.

FAQs

How Hot is a Fresno Pepper Compared to Jalapeños?

Fresno peppers and jalapenos have a similar capsaicin heat level. Fresno peppers’ heat unit is 2500 – 10000, whereas jalapenos’ heat unit is 2500 – 8000. So, we can say that Fresno peppers have slightly milder heat than jalapenos. 

What Dishes Pair Well With Fresno Hot Sauce?

Top 10 dishes that you can pair with Fresno hot sauce;

• Tacos
• Grilled chicken
• Scrambled eggs
• Roasted veggies
• Pizza drizzle
• Burgers
• Sandwiches
• Rice bowls
• Grain salads
• Grilled fish or shrimp 

Can You Ferment Fresno Peppers for Hot Sauce?

Yes, you can ferment the Fresno peppers for hot sauce. Fermentation enhances the flavors. You need to submerge the peppers in 3% brine for up to a week at room temperature to ferment the Fresno peppers.