The Hot Chile Peppers for Hot Sauces

There are countless varieties of Latin American Chiles. Capsaicin is the compound in chiles and hot peppers that make them hot. Chile heat is measured in Scoville units, which is the amount of water and time it takes to neutralize chile heat after ingestion.

Since many don’t agree on the measurements for each chile, we will use a rating from 1 to 10 from now on, with 10 being the hottest.

Dried chilies, pickled chiles, chile hot sauces, and even fresh chiles can be ordered online. Or consider growing your own. Chile seeds may be available at garden shops and are available online.

A Habanero Hot Sauce Recipe

An easy hot sauce recipe. Let us know how this turns out for you.

Use your imagination and you might come up with an award winning hot sauce recipe.

Habanero Hot Sauce

  • 1 cup water
  • 1/3 cup of red wine vinegar
  • 1-3 fresh or dried habanero peppers, depending on how hot you like it.
  • 1 large red bell pepper
  • 1 tablespoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon salt

Chop up the bell and habanero peppers, (or grind the habaneros if using dried). Bring all of the ingredients to a boil, and then simmer for 8-10 minutes. Finally, puree the mixture in a blender.