AI-generated image
Scotch bonnet pepper sauce
Pepper sauce: scotch bonnets, carrot and pimento cooked in vinegar into a fruity, fiery bottle for the table
On a Jamaican Sunday dinner table the bottle of pepper sauce sits next to the salt, shaken over rice and peas, brown stew chicken, escovitch fish and the beef patty from the corner shop. Home versions differ from yard to yard, but most cook scotch bonnets briefly in vinegar with onion, carrot, garlic and the island's own pimento (allspice) berries, then blend them smooth. The result is a pourable, bright orange sauce: fruity, floral heat first, then the sweetness of carrot and the warm clove note of pimento, with a clean vinegar finish. A few drops are plenty. Wear gloves, open a window and never lean over the pot or blender; the fumes sting. Common mistake: blending raw peppers with too little vinegar and leaving the bottle on the counter; keep the full amount of vinegar (at least 5% acidity) and store it in the fridge. It is ready when the carrot is soft and the sauce is smooth and pourable; the flavour mellows and rounds after two days. Chef's tip: for a milder sauce, cut out the seeds and white ribs from half the peppers before cooking.
- Total time
- 35 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 24
Ingredients
For the sauce
- 9 oz scotch bonnet peppersabout 20; a mix of yellow and red
- 1 onionabout 150 g, chopped
- 1 carrotabout 100 g, sliced
- 2 fresh thyme sprigs (optional)
- 1 ½ cups white vinegar (at least 5% acidity)
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp lime juice
Shop this recipe on Amazon
What you'll need
Fresh ingredients (3)
Links open Amazon in a new tab. As an Amazon Associate, WhatToEat.Today earns from qualifying purchases.
Method
0/7 doneStep 1: Sterilise two 250 ml bottles or jars and their lids: boil them in a pot of water for 10 minutes, then drain upside down on a clean rack.
10 minStep 2: Put on gloves. Pull the stalks off 9 oz scotch bonnet peppers and roughly chop them. Chop 1 onion, slice 1 carrot and peel 4 garlic cloves.
10 minStep 3: Put everything in a stainless steel pan with 1 tsp pimento (allspice) berries, the leaves from 2 fresh thyme sprigs if using, 1 ½ cups white vinegar (at least 5% acidity), 2 tsp salt and 1 tbsp sugar. Bring to the boil, then simmer over a medium-low heat for 10–12 minutes, with the window open, until the carrot is soft enough to crush with a spoon.
12 minStep 4: Take off the heat and cool for 15 minutes, keeping your face away from the steam.
Step 5: Blend with 2 tbsp lime juice until completely smooth, 1–2 minutes. Add a splash more vinegar if it is too thick to pour.
2 minStep 6: Pour into the clean bottles, close and refrigerate. Wait 2 days before using for the best flavour.
Step 7: Keep in the fridge for up to 3 months and shake before using. Throw it out if you see mould, it fizzes or bulges the lid, or it smells off.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 10 kcal
- Protein
- 0 g
- Carbs
- 2 g
- Fat
- 0 g
- Fibre
- 1 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does scotch bonnet pepper sauce take?
- About 35 minutes in total: 20 minutes to prepare and 15 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 24 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- Is it very spicy?
- It has some heat. Use less chilli for a milder version, or more if you like it hot.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of onion?
- 2 shallots per onion.
- What can I use instead of carrot?
- Parsnip or sweet potato, same weight.
Reviews
No reviews yet. Be the first to cook it.
Rate this recipe
Sign in to rate and review this recipe.
You might also like
Vegan nuoc cham
Nước chấm is the dipping sauce that goes with almost everything in Vietnam: spring rolls, bánh xèo, noodle salads and broken rice. Buddhist vegetarian cooks, all over the country, make it without fish sauce, using light soy sauce and a little coconut water for the deep, rounded taste. It should be thin, clear and pale amber, with flecks of garlic and chilli floating on top. Chef's tip: dissolve the sugar in the warm water first, then add the lime and soy, and stir in the garlic and chilli last, pounded with a pinch of sugar, so they float on the surface instead of sinking.
Vietnamese
Mint and onion chutney
Onions fried gently until soft and sweet, then blended with fresh mint, green chilli and lemon juice. It's a mellow, fresh-tasting chutney that is great with bhajias, samosas, kebabs and tikka, or spread in sandwiches.
Indian
Sour cream dip
A simple, tangy dip made with thick home-made cottage cheese (hung yogurt) or ready-made sour cream, seasoned with garlic, chilli, black pepper and vinegar. Serve it cold with crisps, nachos and jacket potatoes. The book's other dips use this as their 'sour cream'.