Lauren Hayes 2h ago

laurensflavorlab #sauces

Cayenne pepper hot sauce is a homemade vinegar-forward chili sauce made with fresh red cayenne peppers, distilled white vinegar, garlic, salt, and garlic powder. This recipe creates a bright, tangy sauce with clean cayenne heat and savory garlic flavor. Fresh cayenne peppers provide sharp spice, while vinegar adds acidity and garlic builds depth. The sauce uses a two-stage reduction method. The peppers first cook with vinegar and seasonings before blending, then the sauce is reduced again to create a smoother texture and more concentrated flavor without added thickeners. The recipe takes about 1 hour from preparation to finished sauce, plus overnight refrigeration for the flavors to settle. One batch produces approximately ½ cup (120 ml), enough to fill one small hot sauce bottle. Serve it with fried chicken, eggs, burgers, fish tacos, grilled meats, seafood, pho, bún bò, noodles, and other savory dishes.