DIY Habanero Hot Sauce (Canning Recipe)

The absolute best use of your habanero harvest: we’re blending them with garlic, onion, and tomatoes for a flavorful sauce that you’ll love on everything from eggs to burritos to wings. Makes 4 pints or (my preference) 8 half-pints.

What You’ll Need

Ingredients

Be careful with the habaneros. Wear gloves while you’re prepping them. You’ll need about 50-60 peppers depending on their size. When in doubt, go by weight. 🙂

• 1 ½ pounds habanero peppers (about 3 cups after trimming and seeding)
• 3 tablespoons minced garlic, about 6 cloves
• 2 cups chopped onion, about 1 large onion
• 2 cans diced tomatoes, 28 ounces each
• 1 ½ cups apple cider vinegar, 5% acidity
• 1 ¼ cups water

Equipment

• food processor
• immersion blender (or work in batches with a regular blender)
• Water Bath Canner

How to Make Habanero Sauce at Home

Step One: Prep Peppers

Wash, trim, and seed peppers. Wear your gloves!

Step Two: Pulse Veggies

Add the peppers, garlic, and onions to a food processor and pulse until the veggies are broken down.

Step Three: Boil

In an 8-10 quart pot, add the chopped veggies, diced tomatoes, apple cider vinegar, and water. Boil for 1 hour.

Step Four: Simmer

Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and simmer for 1 hour.

Step Five: Prep For Canning

Prepare the jars by washing them with hot, soapy water. Then add them to a water bath canner. Fill the canner with water until the jars are fully submerged. Place over medium heat, and cover. Add the rings and lids to a saucepan with water placed over medium-low heat and allow to simmer.

Step Six: Cool Before Blending

After the hot sauce has simmered for an hour, turn off the heat and allow the mixture to cool slightly for about 5 minutes.

Step Seven: Puree

Using an immersion blender or a high-speed blender, blend the mixture until it’s pureed. (Be careful, it is hot and the peppers will sting!).

Step Eight: Fill Jars

Ladle the hot habanero sauce into the hot jars, leaving a ¼ inch headspace.

Step Nine: Wipe Rims And Fasten Lids

Wipe the jar rims with a clean, moist towel. Place the lids and rings on top and tighten the rings until they are fingertip-tight.

Step Ten: Process

Transfer the jars to a water bath canner. Make sure the jars are fully submerged with 1-2 inches of water over the jars. Bring the canner to a boil and process for 10 minutes.

Step Eleven: Rest

After 10 minutes, remove the canner from the heat, remove the lid, and allow the jars to sit for 5 minutes.

Step Twelve: Cool And Check Seals

Remove the jars, place them in a heatproof area, and allow them to cool completely for 12-24 hours. After 24 hours, check the lids for a proper seal. Once a seal has been confirmed, remove the rings and store the jars in a cool, dark place for up to 18 months or per the lids manufacturer’s recommendations.

Storage Instructions

Store the sealed jars in a cool, dark place, like a pantry or cupboard. They’ll last for up to 18 months if stored properly.

Once you open a jar, keep it in the refrigerator, and it should stay fresh for about 3 to 4 weeks.

Serving Ideas

I like to screw on a spout-type mason jar lid when I open a jar, but you can also use a spoon to drizzle it on things.

• Serve over slow cooker beef tacos or other grilled meats.
• Add to scrambled eggs or a breakfast burrito.
• Use as your hot sauce for homemade wings.
• We like to melt this with butter on the stovetop and use as a sauce inside wraps with diced cooked chicken, shredded lettuce, and shredded cheese.

Related Recipes

• Get some extra habaneros to make a hot pepper jelly, a blend of sweet and hot.
• Once you have a canner and immersion blender, you can make anything, like pizza sauce!
• For a milder pantry staple, pickled banana peppers are easy to make.
• And a nice jar of crisp jalapeno slices is the other pantry staple you must have.

Printable Recipe