Canned Cayenne Pepper Sauce

This hot and spicy sauce is not super hot, especially not in smaller amounts. Making good use of the last of the peppers before the frost hits is what this recipe was made for. Flecked with both red and green chilies, this sauce has so many uses! Prepared with vinegar, garlic, sugar, and salt, the flavour profile is complex and layered!

Canned Cayenne Pepper Sauce might conjure up images of your tongue being on fire, but it really isn’t that bad. Sure, if you decided to spoon some of the sauce right into your mouth, you might feel like you’re going to die. But, who is going to eat this sauce with a spoon!? This sauce is meant for dipping, drizzling, seasoning, and flavouring.

This sauce has everything I need to make me happy when it comes to hot and spicy food. It is spicy and sweet and it has heat and umami. I love the complexity that the fresh garlic and vinegar add too. This sauce is really wonderful. If you’re into spicy food at all, and if you love sauces as much as I do, this one is for you! It’s going to add so much flavour to your favourite dishes.

BRING ON THE HOT SAUCE!

My first introduction to the taste of a chili-based hot sauce like this one was a few years ago. I was walking along College Street in Toronto with some friends and we decided to stop and order wings. There were four of us so we decided to order a different type so we could all share.

Now, if I’m at a restaurant I’ve never been to before, I tend to play it safe. I’ll order the most basic thing to see how well they can prepare it. That night, I ordered Honey Garlic Chicken Wings, because it’s almost impossible to mess that up!

I don’t remember what the other orders were, but I do remember that one friend ordered wings with a chili-based sauce. Well, I knew I wasn’t going to try those, because they were bound to be too hot and spicy for me. I was wrong! The sweetness of the sugar in the sauce completely tones down and balances out the spiciness of the chilies. Since then, sauce with chopped chilies in it has become one of my favourite flavours. Let’s talk about how to make this one!

HERE IS WHAT YOU WILL NEED:

The following is a list of the ingredients needed to prepare this recipe. For exact amounts and measurements, refer to the printable recipe card located near the bottom of this post. 

• Chilies – I’m using cayenne peppers here. You can use any hot red pepper, like Portuguese peppers, for example. At the end of growing season, I have some that are still green. I use those too.
• Garlic – Grate the garlic so that it is better mixed through the sauce.
• Sugar – Most sauces like this have sugar in them. It sweetens the sauce and balances out the flavours.
• Pickling Salt
• Corn Starch – This will thicken the sauce.
• Rice Vinegar
• Water

PREPPING THE PEPPERS

Like most canning recipes, the most time-consuming part of the whole thing is prepping the food itself. Remember, canning means you’re most likely working with very large quantities, so there’s bound to be lots of washing, chopping, peeling, etc. This Canned Cayenne Pepper Sauce is no exception.

Some of you might be tempted to use a food processor to chop all of these peppers, but I encourage you not to do that. A food processor will chop the peppers too finely. And, if you over-process them, there might be a little pulp. That will most definitely cloud your sauce. You want to aim for nice clean cuts that are roughly the same size.

Chopping the peppers by hand gets my vote every single time. I firmly believe that home canning should be therapeutic. Only those of you who love food and value the process of canning will put in the work. If that’s you, you shouldn’t mind the chopping at all. I have an old-fashioned radio in my kitchen. Whenever I’m canning, I tune it to a country music station and get to work. Sure, I might bop a little while I chop, but nobody is ever there to see it! Ha!

Whatever you do, please use latex gloves when working with peppers like this. If you don’t, washing your hands several times with lots of soap will not be enough to get the cayenne residue off your hands. And, you know you’re bound to touch your eyes with those fingers of yours! It’s like Murphy’s Law!

HOW TO WATER BATH CAN

STEP 1: PREPARING THE JARS

Some canners say that if you need to boil the jars longer than 10 minutes, then you don’t need to sterilize the jars. I say no! Canning is not as simple and cheap as frying an egg. It takes time, and an investment if you don’t already have the equipment. Eliminate any risk whatsoever by always sterilizing your jars. It’s easy to do and your Canned Cayenne Pepper Sauce will thank you! Wash the jars in hot, soapy water. Rinse the jars well under running water to get rid of any soap residue.

Transfer the jars to a large pot of water. Bring to a boil and boil for 2-3 minutes. Using a jar wrench/lifter, lift the jars out of the water, tilting to pour out the water. Be careful; it’s hot! Stand the jar up onto a baking sheet. Once all of the jars are on the baking sheet, place them into your preheated oven at 200 degrees F. This will keep them hot and away from any contamination.

STEP 2: PREPARING THE SEALS AND RINGS

Mason jars are equipped with three parts. The first is the jar. The second and third parts combine to form the lid. The flat disc with the rubber ring on the bottom is the seal. Finally, the circular part that actually screws onto the jar is called a screw band. Depending on the brand or the recipe you’re reading, the names of these things can vary. But, they all do the same thing.

The screw bands never come in contact with the food, so they do not need to be washed or sterilized. But, because I want to eliminate any risk of contamination, I make sure they’re clean. After all, they have been sitting in a warehouse before they got to the store, and then finally, to me. That’s too many germs for my comfort level! I wash them in hot, soapy water, rinse them well, and transfer them to a bowl until I need them. The sealing disk/sealing ring needs a little more consideration.

If you look at the bottom of the lid, you will see a reddish-brown rubber ring. It’s attached to the lid. This ring has a huge job! It is pretty much in charge of keeping your food safe for long-term storage. Place the lids into a glass bowl. I like to separate them so that they are not all stacked. When I’m ready to ladle the food into the jars, I pour a kettle of boiling water over the lids so that they are sterile and the rubber band softens. That’s it. You have now prepared your jars. Next, we need to get the canner ready!

STEP 3: PREPARING THE CANNER

You can buy a canning pot, but you don’t have to do that. Any stock pot will do just fine. Be sure that the pot is tall enough to hold enough water so that your jars are covered by at least an inch of water. Fill the canning pot accordingly. Also, be sure to insert a canning rack or mat into the bottom of your pot. If you buy a canning pot it will come with one. Otherwise, you can buy them for any pot size. Never let your jars touch the bottom of the pot when boiling. They could easily break and your Canned Cayenne Pepper Sauce will be lost. Once you’ve done this, bring the water to a full boil.

In most cases, if you’re new to canning, you might notice some white residue on the jars after all is said and done. This can easily be cleaned off once the jars are cool. A few tablespoons of white vinegar in the boiling water helps to eliminate most of it. I use it every single time.

Lastly, it’s always a good idea to keep a kettle of boiling water close by. Depending on how many jars you need to process, you might have to boil them in batches. You will be surprised at how quickly rapidly boiling water can evaporate. Having a kettle of boiling water will allow you to easily top up the canning pot without altering the temperature of the water.

STEP 4: FILLING THE JARS

Depending on the recipe, filling the jars is quite easy. Having some inexpensive equipment on hand can make this process much easier. Invest in a canning funnel. It will help you ladle the food into the jars without making a mess. Remember to pay attention to the recipe’s recommended headspace. This is the amount of empty space from the top of the food to the very top of the jar. Also, it’s imperative to keep the rim of the jar clean to ensure a good seal. You will also need a bubble remover. You can buy these, but I’m not a fan of them. A clean wooden chopstick does the same thing. Removing bubbles will prevent mould from growing.

Lastly, you will need a magnetic lid lifter. Remember how I said the flat sealing lids will be submerged in a bowl of boiling water? Well, you can’t just pick them up with your hands. First of all, it’s hot! Secondly, you will want to eliminate the risk of any contamination. Do not touch the underside of the lid. Period! Using a magnetic lid lifter will allow you to pick up the lid and position it right onto the rim of the jar without ever touching it.

Finally, you will need to screw on the metal screw bands. In most cases, the food in the jars is scalding hot, so you can’t touch the jars to tighten the lids. But, that’s a good thing! You should never over-tighten the lids. Place the screw band over the jar and tighten it with one hand. It should be snug, not tight. Now, that’s it! You’re ready to boil these jars!

STEP 5: BOILING THE JARS OF FOOD

Carefully lift the jars of Canned Cayenne Pepper Sauce straight up using a jar wrench/lifter. Lower the jar into the pot of boiling water. Fill the canning pot with jars in this manner. Don’t jam the jars in; leave a little bit of space between the jars. I aim for about a centimetre or a finger’s width. Remember, you can process the jars in batches.

Once the canning pot is loaded, place a lid on the pot, and start your timer according to the recipe you are following. If the water is not at a full boil, do not start timing until it is! When the time is up, use the jar wrench to lift the jars straight up out of the water. Transfer the jars to a flat surface that has been lined with a few layers of kitchen towels. Allow the jars to fully cool – at least 24 hours! Finally, wipe the jars down, label them with contents and date, and store them in a cool, dark cupboard or pantry.

Some people remove the screw bands after the jars have cooled for 24 hours. I remove them just to check if there is a good seal. I put them back on once I’ve checked. It’s up to you if you want to leave them off. If you notice that a jar has not been sealed, you can either discard it or refrigerate it for immediate consumption. Only do so if you are 100% sure the food has not been compromised and that it is safe to eat.

HOW TO MAKE CANNED CAYENNE PEPPER SAUCE

Add the chopped cayenne peppers, water, rice vinegar, sugar, pickling salt, and garlic to a large saucepan. Over medium heat, bring the mixture to a boil. Once boiling, whisk together the cornstarch with water. While stirring the sauce, pour the cornstarch mixture into the saucepan. The sauce will thicken almost immediately. Turn off the heat and fill the jars.

ONCE THE SAUCE IS COOKED, IT’S TIME TO CAN!

With your pot of sauce nearby, line up your jars. Using a canning funnel and a ladle, spoon the sauce into the jar, leaving 3/4 inch of headspace. Use the non-metallic bubble remover to remove any air bubbles. Wipe down the rim of each jar with a damp paper towel to ensure none of the sauce has come in contact with the rim.

Carefully remove the sealing discs from the hot water with a magnetic lid lifter. Position the sealing disc directly onto the lip of the jar. Do not touch the underside of the lid. Screw on the screw bands until firm – do not apply pressure! Just use your fingertips to tighten the screw bands. Using the jar lifter, place the jars into the water bath canner with the boiling water. Place a lid on the pot and boil the jars for 20 minutes.

Carefully remove each jar from the canner using the jar lifter. Do not tilt the jars or try to wipe them dry. Place jars onto a wire cooling rack that has been covered with a clean kitchen towel. Leave the jars to cool for a minimum of 12 hours. Once cooled, wipe the jars of any residue that might have been transferred to the outside of the jar during the boiling process. Label the jars and store them in a dark, cool cabinet.

STORING CANNED CAYENNE PEPPER SAUCE

Once you have safely removed the jars of processed Canned Cayenne Pepper Sauce from the canner, and they have cooled completely, it’s time to store them.

Storing properly is just as important as every step you take to ensure your efforts are safe and sterile. The first thing I like to do is wash the jars. Sometimes, the jars will be covered with a residue from the boiling process. This is normal and will depend on your water source. If I can in our city apartment, the jars are not too cloudy at all. But, at our home in the country where we use well water, the jars will have a chalky, white residue on the outside.

You can wash the jars under warm running water with a little bit of dish detergent. Dry the jars well with a clean towel. Next, it’s important to label them properly. Trust me – if you fall in love with canning, you’ll come to rely on labels. In the beginning, I could easily mistake a jar of canned tomatoes for a jar of salsa or a jar of sauce!

Your label should include the name of the recipe and the date you made it. Store the jars in a cool, dark place. You don’t need to push them all to the back of the corner in your unfinished basement! Any pantry or cabinet will do as long as it’s not directly above a heat source. I store mine in a built-in pantry under the stairs. Just keep them cool and away from direct light to prolong the shelf life.