Awww yeah. The real deal, this one. Not so fiery you can’t taste anything for a week after, but just the right balance of hot and delicious. You want flavour in your sauce, not just death.
We made this version recently for a big sauce day (fueled by the Triple J Hottest 100), and while I’ve made chilli sauce before, this is the one we’ll be making now until forever. This chilli sauce is now my boyfriend.
I think it might have something to do with the fact we modelled it on one of Jamie Oliver’s recipes, so you can’t go too far wrong there!
So far I’ve eaten this on everything except ice cream. No word of a lie though, I’ve considered it. It would be amazing over a scoop of real vanilla…
PrintHomemade hot chilli sauce
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 40 mins
- Total Time: 1 hour
- Yield: one litre 1x
- Category: Sauce
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: English
Description
A bloody good all-rounder chilli sauce. The right ratio of heat to flavour.
Ingredients
- 12 red chillies, chopped (don’t deseed because this is hot chilli sauce, OK?!)
- 2 onions, peeled and chopped
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled and chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 3–4 teaspoons chilli powder
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 6 super-ripe plum tomatoes peeled and chopped or 440g tinned
- 150ml apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup apple juice
Instructions
- Blitz the chillies, onion, garlic and salt in a food processor until basically a paste.
- Turn out into a frying pan with the oil gently heating in it, and sweat for about 10 minutes.
- Add the chilli powder and sugar and cook another 10 mins.
- Add the tomatoes, apple cider vinegar, and apple juice and simmer 20 minutes or so
- Blend until smooth (I use a stick blender), taste for seasoning. If it’s not hot enough (yes, really), add more chilli powder. Remember when it’s eaten cold it won’t have the same flavour and can lose a bit so ensure it’s flavourful.
- Pour into hot, sterilised bottles or jars and leave to cool, preferably overnight.
Keywords: hot chilli sauce, easy chilli sauce, homemade chilli sauce, chilli sauce for canning,
Alison says
Yum! How much would this recipe make do you reckon?
Stacey says
We ended up with about eight jars because we doubled it, but there has to be between 750ml – 1 litre of this one, depending on how thick you reduce it to. I hope that helps!
Alison says
Thanks! Going to give it a crack now
Matt says
This is the 3rd year I’ve been using this recipe and it’s bulletproof, always a great and delicious outcome.
I do however switch out the apple juice for either a couple of apples or pears as I find the juice thins out the sauce too much
eddy says
Came on to say the same thing. Apple’s add extra texture.
Akao I add more salt to help with preservation as much as anything
★★★★★
Sammie @ The Annoyed Thyroid says
I love me some hot sauce. I might give this a go in the Thermomix – looks so good!
Stacey says
Should work a treat in there!
Kate says
Have got this amazingness bubbling away on the stove now. This is my first time making sauce though and I’m wondering how long it will keep?
Stacey says
I’m so sorry, I missed this! I usually can it so it will last a year, if not longer on the shelf.
If it’s not canned correctly in hot, sterilised jars, etc, I would keep them in the fridge and just keep an eye on it, but it should be right for ages. I usually keep to a general rule to eat them within three months once opened.
Maretha says
I made the sauce for the first time and canned it. Is it normal that a little bit of oil is floating on the top?
Luke Jan says
Is this just Jamie Olivers recipe but with 2 more spoons of Chilli powder?
Stacey says
Yes – I did say we modelled it on his recipe in the post. We use regular apple juice though, not cloudy. and sometimes we use tinned tomatoes. Some jalapenos or a few extra red chillies are good too. The hotter the better I say!
Tracy says
Wonderful recipe just made it and bottled it .lush?
Amanda says
I made the chilli sauce mine is a bit too thick how do I Thin it out a little
Stacey says
You could just use a little water, or some more of the apple juice if you like it sweeter.
ajbwhite says
if its to thick do I add water after taken of the gas or before
Stacey says
either way! it doesn’t really matter if you adjust it to your liking. If you find you’ve added too much water you can put it back on the gas and boil it down a little.
Brett says
Minimum effort tasty!!! Added a few fresh herbs direct from the garden off recipe cause thats what i do (cant help myself) 100% this is my sauce recipe from now on, Just will add hotter or milder chillies depending on how i feel and what I’ve got. Awesome, thank you!!!
★★★★★
Anthonyjb says
Hi I am new to all this so I. Hope my question is not silly
Would adding Apple or any fruit be ok is so what you use
Thank you
Regards. Anthonyjb
Scott says
Swapped out birds eye with Carolina Reapers, adjusting ingredient amounts for what I had available and didn’t have apple juice or chili flakes. Used same method though and the results are kick you in the mouth sauce. Didn’t need the flakes, the heat is intense. Thanks for the recipe!
★★★★★
mary shoebridge says
scott what did you use instead of apple juice
Michael Vass says
Final stage bubbling away now. I’ll let you know how it goes ?
Graham Dunne says
Delicious! This sauce is my new girlfriend 🙂
Thanks!
★★★★★
Alun McMahon says
I used this recipe with habanero chillies and it was the best sauce i’ve ever made, thank you, right now i’m about to make it again using Carolina reeapers, yes i’m a sucker for punishment 🙂
★★★★★
Danielle says
hi what chillis are the best for this sauce? Just the standard birds eye or do you mix them. I guess depending on what type of chilli you use will depend on how many you use. Like you still wouldnt use 12 chillis if carolina reaper right? looking to make this for my partner and family.
Veggie Mama says
Gosh this made me laugh! I am definitely not able to eat a 12-chilli carolina reaper sauce. I use regular long red chillies with a few birds eyes or whatever is at the market to bump it up. It’s all according to taste.
Danielle says
haha thanks I have no idea im not much of a hot sauce person
Mary says
Hi, will this sauce work with hot green chilies too, and with some red bell peppers added?
Veggie Mama says
Yep, absolutely! Adjust to your taste.
Dean says
The chillies I am using are the smaller Thai chillies. Bit hotter than jalapeños and cayenne chillies. Would I just double the amount of chillies? Trial and error?
Cheers
Dean
Dee says
Hi How long would you process this in a water bath?