Dill Pickle Hot Sauce

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Elevate your condiment game with this Dill Pickle Hot Sauce that perfectly balances tartness, heat, and tanginess. This unique recipe combines jalapenos and serrano peppers with dill pickles through a 10-day fermentation process that develops complex flavors you won't find in store-bought options. The fermentation not only creates depth of flavor but also provides probiotic benefits. Once fermented, the vegetables blend with additional pickles and brine to create a versatile sauce that adds distinctive zing to tacos, eggs, chicken wings, or Bloody Marys.
A woman in an apron is preparing a meal in a sunny kitchen filled with fresh vegetables and herbs.
Updated on Mon, 03 Mar 2025 07:03:41 GMT
A jar of pickled green peppers. pin it
A jar of pickled green peppers. | myhomemaderecipe.com

The moment you taste Dill Pickle Hot Sauce, you experience a flavor revelation – the familiar tang of dill pickles transformed by fermentation and brightened with the heat of fresh peppers. This unique condiment bridges the gap between hot sauce and pickle brine, creating something entirely new and addictive. I've been experimenting with fermented hot sauces for years, but this pickle-infused version has become a staple in my refrigerator, finding its way onto everything from morning eggs to late-night tacos.

Last summer, I brought a bottle to a neighborhood barbecue where it was initially met with skeptical looks. By the end of the evening, people were fighting over the last drops and requesting the recipe. The combination of pickle tang and pepper heat simply works in ways that surprise and delight even the most devoted hot sauce collectors.

Essential Ingredients and Selection Tips

  • Hot Peppers: Jalapeños provide moderate heat, while serranos kick it up a notch. Use fresh, firm peppers with vibrant color. I often use a 3:1 ratio of jalapeños to serranos for balanced heat.
  • Dill Pickles: Choose high-quality, naturally fermented pickles rather than quick-pickled varieties. Bubbies or other lacto-fermented brands with visible garlic and dill work best.
  • Sea Salt: Use non-iodized sea salt or kosher salt to avoid inhibiting fermentation.
  • Dill Pickle Juice: Save the brine from your favorite pickles, as it provides acidity and essential flavor.
A jar of pickles with a spoon in it. pin it
A jar of pickles with a spoon in it. | myhomemaderecipe.com

Detailed Cooking Instructions

Sterilize Your Equipment:
Wash all fermentation vessels and utensils with hot, soapy water. Rinse thoroughly, then sterilize by pouring boiling water over them.
Prepare the Peppers:
Wearing gloves, remove stems from 1 lb of peppers and slice into ¼-inch rings. Dice ½ yellow onion and slice 6 garlic cloves.
Assemble for Fermentation:
Pack peppers, onion, garlic, ½ teaspoon mustard seeds, and 1 teaspoon dried dill into a fermentation jar, leaving 1-2 inches of headspace.
Prepare the Brine:
Dissolve 1 tablespoon sea salt in 2 cups of filtered water. Pour over the vegetables, ensuring they are fully submerged. Use a fermentation weight or a ziplock bag filled with brine to keep ingredients under the surface.
Monitor Fermentation:
Seal with an airlock lid or a regular lid that is "burped" daily to release gas. Store in a cool, dark place at 68-75°F. Watch for bubbles and a cloudy brine, which indicate fermentation is active.
Ferment for 7-14 Days:
Start tasting the brine after 7 days. The longer it ferments, the more complex the flavor becomes. In warmer temperatures, fermentation may complete in 7-10 days, while cooler environments may take up to 14 days.
Blend the Hot Sauce:
Strain the fermented vegetables, reserving ½ cup of the brine. Blend the vegetables with 5 large dill pickles, ¼ cup white vinegar, and 1 cup of pickle juice until smooth. Add reserved brine as needed for a pourable consistency.
Strain and Bottle:
For a smooth sauce, strain through a fine-mesh sieve. Taste and adjust seasonings. Funnel into sterilized bottles, seal, and refrigerate.

The Science of Safe Fermentation

The salt brine encourages the growth of Lactobacillus bacteria while inhibiting harmful microbes. A proper salt concentration (about 2-3% by weight) ensures safe fermentation. Measuring by weight rather than volume provides the most consistent results.

Customizing Your Heat Level

For mild heat, use jalapeños and remove the seeds. For a spicier version, include serranos or habaneros. The fruity heat of habaneros pairs surprisingly well with the dill pickle tang. I create three versions: "Dilly" (mild), "Dilly Dally" (medium), and "Dilly Dang!" (extra hot).

Unexpected Uses for Dill Pickle Hot Sauce

This sauce shines beyond tacos and eggs. Add a dash to potato salad, stir it into ranch dressing, or use it as a marinade for grilled chicken. One of my favorite discoveries was adding a generous pour to simmering pinto beans – the pickle tang transforms the dish.

Troubleshooting Fermentation Issues

If fermentation doesn’t start within 3-4 days, move the jar to a slightly warmer spot. A sulfur smell early on is normal but should fade. Any pink, orange, or fuzzy mold means the batch should be discarded. Keeping the ingredients fully submerged is the best defense against spoilage.

Gift-Worthy Packaging Ideas

Use 5-ounce woozy bottles with dasher tops for a professional presentation. Custom labels highlighting the pickle-pepper combination and heat level add a personal touch. For holiday gifting, I create themed sets with variations like horseradish or roasted garlic additions.

My journey with Dill Pickle Hot Sauce began as an experiment and evolved into a kitchen essential. Each batch reflects the season, the peppers chosen, and subtle recipe tweaks. What started as a way to use up extra garden peppers has become a staple, sparking conversations and creating a loyal following among my friends and family.

A jar of pickled cucumbers on a table. pin it
A jar of pickled cucumbers on a table. | myhomemaderecipe.com

Frequently Asked Questions

→ Why do I need to ferment the hot sauce?
Fermentation develops complex flavors, creates natural preservation, and provides probiotic benefits that you wouldn't get in a non-fermented sauce.
→ What's the purpose of xanthan gum in this recipe?
Xanthan gum helps emulsify the sauce, increases viscosity, and creates a creamier texture without requiring heat, which preserves the probiotic benefits.
→ How long will this hot sauce keep?
When stored in the refrigerator, this fermented hot sauce will keep for up to 12 months.
→ What is kahm yeast and is it harmful?
Kahm yeast appears as a white film on ferments and while generally harmless, it tastes unpleasant. If you see it forming, it's best to start over.
→ Can I adjust the heat level of this sauce?
Yes, you can adjust the heat by changing the ratio of hot peppers or by adding more pickles to tone down the spiciness.

Dill Pickle Hot Sauce

Create this distinctive fermented Dill Pickle Hot Sauce blending green peppers with dill pickles for a tangy, spicy condiment unlike any store-bought sauce.

Prep Time
15 Minutes
Cook Time
14415 Minutes
Total Time
14430 Minutes
By: Zaho

Category: Sauces & Marinades

Difficulty: Intermediate

Cuisine: American

Yield: 32 Servings (1 quart)

Dietary: Low-Carb, Vegan, Vegetarian, Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free

Ingredients

→ Fermentation Base

01 1 lb green hot peppers (mix of jalapeno and serrano)
02 ½ medium yellow onion
03 6 garlic cloves
04 ½ teaspoon mustard seed
05 1 teaspoon dried dill

→ Fermentation Brine

06 2 cups water, room temperature
07 1 tablespoon sea salt

→ Final Sauce Ingredients

08 2 cups dill pickle brine, divided
09 5-10 large dill pickles
10 ¼ cup white vinegar
11 ½ teaspoon xanthan gum (optional)

Instructions

Step 01

Wash a fermentation vessel with soap and hot running water. Set aside to dry.

Step 02

Coarsely dice the peppers and onion, and slice the garlic cloves. Add all ingredients to the fermentation vessel, along with the dried dill and mustard seed.

Step 03

Combine room-temperature water with sea salt. Stir until completely dissolved. Pour salt brine into the fermentation vessel until the contents are just covered. If needed, make additional brine using the same ratio.

Step 04

Weigh down the ingredients before securing the lid tightly. Set aside to ferment at room temperature (68-75°F). Keep somewhere visible to monitor daily, away from direct sunlight. Burp the jar daily unless using an airlock lid or pickle pipe.

Step 05

Allow the sauce to ferment for 7-14 days. You'll notice bubbling, cloudy brine, and possible color changes in the vegetables as fermentation progresses.

Step 06

Once satisfied with fermentation, strain the contents and reserve the brine. Blend the fermented vegetables with dill pickles, some reserved brine, white vinegar, and dill pickle juice in a high-powered blender until smooth. If using xanthan gum, add it now and blend until combined.

Step 07

Adjust flavor by adding more brine (for saltiness), vinegar (for acidity), pickles (for dill flavor or to reduce heat), or water (to thin). Optionally, strain through a fine mesh sieve for an ultra-smooth sauce.

Step 08

Transfer the finished hot sauce to small jars or bottles and store in the refrigerator for up to 12 months.

Notes

  1. Fermentation time can be adjusted from 7-14 days based on desired flavor complexity
  2. Ideal fermentation temperature is between 68-75°F
  3. Xanthan gum is optional but helps emulsify and thicken the sauce without heating
  4. Recipe yields approximately 1 quart of hot sauce
  5. Must be stored in refrigerator to prevent pressure buildup from continued fermentation

Tools You'll Need

  • Fermentation vessel with lid
  • Fermentation weights
  • High-powered blender or food processor
  • Fine mesh sieve (optional)
  • Small bottles or jars for storage

Nutrition Facts (Per Serving)

It is important to consider this information as approximate and not to use it as definitive health advice.
  • Calories: 12
  • Total Fat: 0.1 g
  • Total Carbohydrate: 3 g
  • Protein: 0.4 g