Fermented Dill Pickle Hot Sauce (Print version)

A tangy fermented dill pickle hot sauce made with green chiles, garlic, dill, pickle brine, and vinegar.

# Ingredients:

For the ferment

01 - 12 oz (340 g) jalapenos, stems removed and roughly chopped
02 - 4 oz (115 g) serrano peppers, stems removed and roughly chopped
03 - 1/2 medium yellow onion, chopped
04 - 6 garlic cloves, sliced
05 - 1 teaspoon dried dill or 2 tablespoons chopped fresh dill
06 - 1/2 teaspoon yellow mustard seed
07 - 2 cups (480 ml) chlorine-free water
08 - 1 tablespoon fine sea salt

For blending

09 - 5 large dill pickles, roughly chopped
10 - 3/4 cup (180 ml) dill pickle brine, plus more as needed
11 - 1/4 cup (60 ml) distilled white vinegar
12 - 1/4 to 1/2 cup (60-120 ml) reserved fermentation brine, as needed
13 - 1/4 teaspoon sugar, optional, to round the acidity

# Instructions:

01 - Wash a quart-size glass jar, lid, knife, cutting board, and fermentation weight with hot soapy water. Rinse well.
02 - Add the chopped jalapenos, serranos, onion, garlic, dill, and mustard seed to the jar.
03 - Stir the sea salt into the water until fully dissolved. Pour enough brine into the jar to cover the vegetables by at least 1/2 inch.
04 - Set a fermentation weight on top so everything stays below the brine. Cover with an airlock lid or a regular lid. Ferment at room temperature, ideally 68-75°F, for 7-10 days. If using a regular lid, open it once daily to release pressure.
05 - When the brine is cloudy, bubbly, and pleasantly sour, strain the vegetables and reserve the brine. Discard the batch if you see fuzzy mold or smell spoilage.
06 - Blend the fermented vegetables with the dill pickles, pickle brine, white vinegar, and 1/4 cup reserved fermentation brine until smooth. Add more reserved brine or pickle brine to thin.
07 - For a smoother sauce, strain through a fine mesh sieve. Transfer to clean bottles or jars and refrigerate.

# Good to know:

01 - Fermentation time is 7-10 days and is not included in prep or cook time.
02 - Store refrigerated and open carefully during the first week in case pressure builds.
03 - Makes about 3 cups, or roughly 48 one-tablespoon servings.

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