Recipe

Fresno Chile–Carrot Hot Sauce

by Tim Chin

I love hot sauce. In fact, my monthly expenditure on spicy condiments is probably on par with my YMCA membership fee. Sriracha, Crystal, Frank’s, Cholula—you name it. These sauces are tangy, sweet, and spicy and bring even the most mundane dishes to life.

Making a basic hot sauce at home couldn’t be simpler: Blend up some chiles, vinegar, salt, and sugar and strain out the solids. This process creates a sauce that’s fresh, vibrant, and tangy. 

If you want a hot sauce with more nuance and depth, even that process is simpler than you might imagine, thanks to our trusty friend Lactobacillus. Slow fermentation results in complex, funky flavors that vinegar alone cannot produce. Some classic Louisiana-style hot sauces are aged for a year or longer (don’t worry—this one takes only a week!). In this version, a mix of dynamic but not overwhelming Fresno chiles, carrots, and garlic produces a vibrant, deep-orange sauce that’s aromatic and packed with a lingering, fruity spiciness. You’ll want to pour this stuff on everything.

Learn more about the science of spiciness in our feature story, Hurts So Good

Photography by Kevin White
Food Styling by Catrine Kelty

Yield
About 3 cups (680 grams)
Ingredients
946 g water
34 g plus 13 g kosher salt, divided
100 g Fresno chiles (about 6 chiles), stemmed and sliced thin
100 g carrots (about 2 carrots), sliced thin
24 g garlic cloves (about 4 cloves), sliced thin
45 g distilled white vinegar
20 g sugar
2 g xanthan gum
1 quart water
3 tablespoons plus 4 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
3½ ounces Fresno chiles (about 6 chiles), stemmed and sliced thin
3½ ounces carrots (about 2 carrots), sliced thin
4  garlic cloves, sliced thin
3 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
5 teaspoons sugar
¾ teaspoon xanthan gum
Essential Equipment
Instructions
    • 946 g water 
    • 34 g kosher salt 
    • 100 g Fresno chiles (about 6 chiles), stemmed and sliced thin 
    • 100 g carrots (about 2 carrots), sliced thin 
    • 24 g garlic cloves (about 4 cloves), sliced thin
    Whisk water and 34 grams salt in clean 2-quart (or larger) container until salt is dissolved. Transfer 236 grams (1 cup) brine to 1-quart zipper-lock bag; squeeze out air and seal bag well. Add chiles, carrots, and garlic to remaining brine in 2-quart container and press down to submerge. Cut piece of parchment paper to match surface area of vegetables; press parchment flush against surface of vegetables. Place bag of brine on top of parchment and gently press down. Cover container tightly with 3 layers of cheesecloth. Secure cheesecloth with rubber bands and place container in 50- to 70-degree F/10- to 21-degree C location away from direct sunlight. 
  1. Let vegetables ferment for 5 to 7 days; check container daily, skimming residue from surface and pressing to keep vegetables submerged. After 5 days, taste vegetables daily until they have reached desired flavor. They should be sour and savory.
    • 45 g distilled white vinegar 
    • 20 g sugar 
    • 13 g kosher salt 
    • 2 g xanthan gum
    Discard bag of brine and parchment and skim off any residue. Transfer vegetables and brine to blender and process on high speed until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Strain chile mixture through fine-mesh strainer, pressing on solids to extract as much puree as possible; reserve solids for other use. Rinse out blender jar. Return chile puree to blender jar; add vinegar, sugar, and 13 grams salt and process on high speed until well combined, about 1 minute. With blender running, slowly sprinkle in xanthan gum to avoid clumping; process until mixture is slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Transfer sauce to mason jars or hot sauce bottles and refrigerate until ready to use. (Sauce can be refrigerated for up to 3 months).      
Instructions
    • 1 quart water 
    • 3 tablespoons kosher salt 
    • 3½ ounces Fresno chiles (about 6 chiles), stemmed and sliced thin 
    • 3½ ounces carrots (about 2 carrots), sliced thin 
    • 4 garlic cloves, sliced thin
    Whisk water and 3 tablespoons salt in clean 2-quart (or larger) container until salt is dissolved. Transfer 1 cup brine to 1-quart zipper-lock bag; squeeze out air and seal bag well. Add chiles, carrots, and garlic to remaining brine in 2-quart container and press down to submerge. Cut piece of parchment paper to match surface area of vegetables; press parchment flush against surface of vegetables. Place bag of brine on top of parchment and gently press down. Cover container tightly with 3 layers of cheesecloth. Secure cheesecloth with rubber bands and place container in 50- to 70-degree F/10- to 21-degree C location away from direct sunlight. 
  1. Let vegetables ferment for 5 to 7 days; check container daily, skimming residue from surface and pressing to keep vegetables submerged. After 5 days, taste vegetables daily until they have reached desired flavor. They should be sour and savory.
    • 3 tablespoons distilled white vinegar 
    • 5 teaspoons sugar 
    • 4 teaspoons kosher salt 
    • ¾ teaspoon xanthan gum
    Discard bag of brine and parchment and skim off any residue. Transfer vegetables and brine to blender and process on high speed until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Strain chile mixture through fine-mesh strainer, pressing on solids to extract as much puree as possible; reserve solids for other use. Rinse out blender jar. Return chile puree to blender jar; add vinegar, sugar, and 4 teaspoons salt and process on high speed until well combined, about 1 minute. With blender running, slowly sprinkle in xanthan gum to avoid clumping; process until mixture is slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Transfer sauce to mason jars or hot sauce bottles and refrigerate until ready to use. (Sauce can be refrigerated for up to 3 months).      
Close

Cook’s Science Newsletter

Sign up for our newsletter and be the first to learn about new stories, get behind-the-scenes looks at our research and testing, and score exclusive recipes.

Welcome to the community!

Keep an eye on your inbox for the sauce recipes and for our regular newsletter. Thanks for joining us!