Roasted Poblano + Habanero Hot Sauce

According to a study on the Effect of cooking on the capsaicinoids and phenolics contents of Mexican peppers in 2010, depending on the pepper and cooking method, you could actually be making it spicier.

For habaneros, there was a ~44% increase in capsaicin content when they were grilled at 410 F (210 C) compared to when the habaneros were raw. What does that mean for this hot sauce? It will be spicier than the basic and fermented versions.

Roasted Poblano Hot Sauce

Ingredients (imperial & Metric):

  • 3-4 Poblanos (~280 grams)

  • 5 Habaneros (~30 grams)

  • 5 Garlic cloves (~30 grams)

  • Water to cover peppers

  • Coarse Kosher Salt to TASTE

  • 1/8 cup White Distilled Vinegar to TASTE (~29 grams)

  • White Sugar to TASTE (optional)

  • Xanthan gum (.5 - 1 gram per 250 grams of hot sauce)

Method:

  1. Preheat your oven to 450 F (232 C)

  2. Add the whole peppers and unpeeled garlic to a baking sheet.

  3. Roast the peppers in the oven for 20-25 minutes until partly blackened and skin peeling.

  4. Cut off the stems of the peppers and peel off the outer skin that blistered from roasting. Remove the skin from the garlic.

  5. Add the peppers and garlic to a high powered blender and add enough water to completely cover the peppers. Blend until completely smooth.

  6. Then for extra smoothness run the sauce through a mesh strainer. You can save and the solids that don't strain for others uses.

  7. Add the strained sauce back to the blender and add in our salt, vinegar, sugar and water for seasoning. Use my amounts as a benchmark, but you really want to taste for each of these as you add them. Start with the salt, then go vinegar, then sugar and water. I would suggest going this order because everything needs salt, then the vinegar is a signature of the Louisiana style. Lastly, I would come in with sugar and water. Sugar to balance it and then I would only add some water if you want to thin it a little bit or if it's way too spicy and you really need to dilute the mixture.

  8. Once seasoned, add in .5 to 1 gram of xanthan gum per 250 grams of hot sauce while blending so it thickens a little (optional). For this recipe, I had 500 grams of hot sauce and used 1 gram of xanthan.

  9. Pour the hot sauce in woozy jars and store in the fridge for several months. You could can the extra sauce as well.

Ethan Chlebowski