From mild to extra hot, the chili pepper can cater to everyone's preferences. Hot sauce kits are a great way to adjust the heat level to exactly the way you like it for chicken, red meat, barbecues, and even breakfasts. Most hot sauce making kits come with a variety of recipes to choose from including sweet and spicy sauces to curried and smoky versions. Some kits don’t hold back on the heat factor, after all, they are called hot sauce kits for a reason. Since not all hot sauce kits are made equal, we’ve got some great tips to help you choose the best hot sauce making kit to suit your needs.
What to Consider When Choosing the Best Hot Sauce Making Kit
Chili Peppers
The key ingredient in your kit is going to be the peppers so it is important to consider the type and quantity of peppers included. The variety of chili pepper you use can have a huge effect on the level of heat and flavor in your sauce.
The Scoville scale measures how hot chili peppers are. Some kits will provide you with a chart as a guideline. Mild peppers like jalapeños and serranos register at 2,000 to 50,000 Scoville units. Peppers that are unbearably hot like the Carolina Reaper score more than 1.5 million Scoville units.
Most kits will include dried peppers which may have to be dehydrated according to the recipe instructions. You may also find pH strips in your kit to help you determine and adjust the level of spice. Popular peppers included in hot sauce kits are guajillo, arbol, jalapeno, habanero, and chipotle.
Bottles
Hot sauce bottles can be on the smaller side since the condiment is generally used sparingly. Sets that include a few bottles usually allow you to create a number of different sauces. Bottles or containers included in sets can be made of glass or plastic. When you receive the set make sure that lids are included and that there are no cracks or chips on the glass bottles. If there are, do not use them since you can cause serious damage if any small shards of glass get into your sauce.
Glass bottles are preferable since the material doesn't hold onto flavors and odors as with plastic. This means that there won't be any residual flavors from previous batches when reusing the glass containers.
Sauce Ingredients
Although chili peppers bring the heat and some flavor to your sauce, the other ingredients build the main flavors of sweetness, smokiness, and spice. Make sure your kit includes everything you need. Some kits may not include the liquid ingredients such as vinegar due to shipping difficulties while others include everything but not in sufficient quantities to fill up all the bottles provided.
Sauces usually require chili peppers, a blend of spices, vinegar, and brown sugar as a base. Dried fruits or certain vegetables can be added depending on the type of sauce you are making and the complexity of flavor desired. If the kit does not include everything you need, make sure that the outstanding ingredients are easily obtainable.
Recipes
Although there are a plethora of hot sauce recipes online, it helps to have recipes in your kit that correspond to the ingredients included. Some kit recipes are easy for sauce making novices to follow while others may require a little more work and creativity as well as equipment such as a blender.
The great thing about making hot sauce yourself is that once you have the base ingredients you can play around and be creative to get the flavor and heat level you want.
Kit Inclusions
To facilitate the sauce making process many kits include some extra accessories. Look out for the following:
- Sanitizing powder to sanitize the glass jars and other equipment you are using
- Labels to keep track of the different sauces once they are bottled
- Gloves are important to protect you from the oils in the peppers. Always wear gloves when working with the chili peppers in your kit since the oils or powders can seep into your skin and leave your hands burning for a few hours. Avoid touching your eyes or face after handling peppers as it will be pretty painful.
- Funnels are great additional tools to help you bottle the sauce without messing or wasting any.
Tips When Making Hot Sauce
- Always wear gloves when handling peppers
- Never touch your face when working with peppers
- Check glass bottles for cracks or chips before using them
- Sterilize glass containers and the lids before using them to bottle your sauce
- Add your chili peppers gradually so you can keep track of the heat intensity in the sauce
Hot Sauce Making Kit FAQ
Q: How long will homemade hot sauce last?
A: Keep your sauce in the fridge and sterilize the jars before use to ensure the best quality and longest shelf-life. Your sauce should last up to 90 days if stored correctly.
Q: How long can you keep a hot sauce kit before using it?
A: Most kits include dried peppers and spices which can be kept for three months if they are kept in airtight plastic packaging.
Q: What type of vinegar is best for making hot sauce?
A: White vinegar is popular in hot sauce recipes since it has a neutral yet very acidic flavor. Distilled white vinegar accentuates the taste of the peppers. Apple cider vinegar is another type of vinegar often used as it adds a touch of sweetness.