Serrano-Mandarina Brown Sugar Hot Sauce

Vegan Serrano Madarina Brown Sugar Hot Sauce in Woozy Bottle & Jar with veg
AuthorGinny ClarkCategory, , , DifficultyIntermediate
Prep Time30 mins
To Ferment...
 2 handfuls (300-325g) Fresh Serrano Peppers, washed and de-stemmed
 1 large White Onion, peeled
 1 Head of Garlic (about 20 Cloves), peeled
The Brine...
 1 ¾ tbsp (23g) Kosher Salt
 ¼ cup (60ml) Hot Water, Spring -or- Filtered
 1 ½ cups (360ml) Cool Water, Spring -or- Filtered
For Blending...
 ½ cup Reserved Active Lacto-Fermented Brine
 ½ cup Tangerine Juice
 ¼ cup Apple Cider Vinegar
 ¼ cup Dark Brown Sugar
 2 tbsp Dehydrated Lime Juice Powder (like True Lime)
 1 tbsp Pomegranate Molasses
 1 tsp Gochugaru Pepper
 ¼ tsp Xanthan Gum
For Fermenting...
1

Wash, rinse, sanitize, and air-dry all equipment needed.

Mix hot water and weighed kosher salt together until dissolved, then carefully add the cool water to dilute. Stir and set aside.

2

Wash peppers with water. Remove & discard stems, and chop peppers into thirds or halves.
Place at the bottom of the jar.

Peel garlic cloves, and whack them once with a knife. Place over the peppers.

Peel onions, remove the root and tail, and cut into quarters. Place on top of the garlic. This will help better hold all the garlic and most of the seeds under the glass weight/brine level.
Press down and compact the veg.

Cutting the veg for Vegan Serrano Mandarina Brown Sugar Hot Sauce recipe

3

Place the glass weight on top of the veg, and pour brine over the top, until the brine level is at the neckline of the jar (no higher). Be sure to press down a bit, to make sure everything is submerged.
(If anything is floating on the top, be sure to skim it off).

Add the airlock, and use the lid-ring to tighten it into place.
Place a clean kitchen towel/washcloth over the jar (secured with a rubber band over the lip), and set in a room temperature, low-activity spot of your kitchen.

4

Ferment for 1 week, checking on it daily for any issues.

(Ensure everything is submerged, floaters are removed with a clean spoon, and nothing fuzzy is growing.
If a white, powdery-looking, web-like something appears, relax; this is Kahm Yeast, not mold. Skim it off, wipe the edges down, and continue fermenting.)

For Blending...
5

Separate the veg from the brine using a strainer set in a bowl.

Add all the veg to a blender with only ½ cup brine, pomegranate molasses, brown sugar, gochugaru, dehydrated lime juice powder, tangerine juice, and apple cider vinegar.

Blend until super smooth. Strain through a fine sieve to remove extra pulp. Discard the pulp and return to the blender.
Then add xanthan gum and blend on high speed for about 15-30 seconds.

For Storage...
6

Pour into clean jars/bottles, and store in fridge for a minimum of 6 months (it can last longer!; watch for any dullness/changes in color and flavor).

Ingredients

To Ferment...
 2 handfuls (300-325g) Fresh Serrano Peppers, washed and de-stemmed
 1 large White Onion, peeled
 1 Head of Garlic (about 20 Cloves), peeled
The Brine...
 1 ¾ tbsp (23g) Kosher Salt
 ¼ cup (60ml) Hot Water, Spring -or- Filtered
 1 ½ cups (360ml) Cool Water, Spring -or- Filtered
For Blending...
 ½ cup Reserved Active Lacto-Fermented Brine
 ½ cup Tangerine Juice
 ¼ cup Apple Cider Vinegar
 ¼ cup Dark Brown Sugar
 2 tbsp Dehydrated Lime Juice Powder (like True Lime)
 1 tbsp Pomegranate Molasses
 1 tsp Gochugaru Pepper
 ¼ tsp Xanthan Gum

Directions

For Fermenting...
1

Wash, rinse, sanitize, and air-dry all equipment needed.

Mix hot water and weighed kosher salt together until dissolved, then carefully add the cool water to dilute. Stir and set aside.

2

Wash peppers with water. Remove & discard stems, and chop peppers into thirds or halves.
Place at the bottom of the jar.

Peel garlic cloves, and whack them once with a knife. Place over the peppers.

Peel onions, remove the root and tail, and cut into quarters. Place on top of the garlic. This will help better hold all the garlic and most of the seeds under the glass weight/brine level.
Press down and compact the veg.

Cutting the veg for Vegan Serrano Mandarina Brown Sugar Hot Sauce recipe

3

Place the glass weight on top of the veg, and pour brine over the top, until the brine level is at the neckline of the jar (no higher). Be sure to press down a bit, to make sure everything is submerged.
(If anything is floating on the top, be sure to skim it off).

Add the airlock, and use the lid-ring to tighten it into place.
Place a clean kitchen towel/washcloth over the jar (secured with a rubber band over the lip), and set in a room temperature, low-activity spot of your kitchen.

4

Ferment for 1 week, checking on it daily for any issues.

(Ensure everything is submerged, floaters are removed with a clean spoon, and nothing fuzzy is growing.
If a white, powdery-looking, web-like something appears, relax; this is Kahm Yeast, not mold. Skim it off, wipe the edges down, and continue fermenting.)

For Blending...
5

Separate the veg from the brine using a strainer set in a bowl.

Add all the veg to a blender with only ½ cup brine, pomegranate molasses, brown sugar, gochugaru, dehydrated lime juice powder, tangerine juice, and apple cider vinegar.

Blend until super smooth. Strain through a fine sieve to remove extra pulp. Discard the pulp and return to the blender.
Then add xanthan gum and blend on high speed for about 15-30 seconds.

For Storage...
6

Pour into clean jars/bottles, and store in fridge for a minimum of 6 months (it can last longer!; watch for any dullness/changes in color and flavor).

Notes

Serrano-Mandarina Brown Sugar Hot Sauce
I'm a vegan flavor-obsessed chef, and a 16-year veteran of the restaurant industry. I love to write about the most flavorful vegan recipes possible, creating easy how-to, articles, product reviews, and more. Plant-based can be delicious and accessible. Cooking up goodies, with chill vibes from the coast and beyond. Let's create something awesome!