Go Back
Scotch Bonnet Sauce Recipe

Scotch Bonnet Sauce

A simple, fiery homemade hot sauce that lets the heat and fruity flavour of Scotch Bonnets speak for themselves. Ready in under 20 minutes and keeps for months.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Cuisine: caribbean
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 20 Scotch bonnet chillies
  • 100 ml Red wine vinegar
  • 100 ml water
  • ¾ tsp salt
  • 2 tsp brown sugar

Method
 

  1. Wearing gloves, roughly chop the Scotch Bonnets removing the stalks. You can remove the seeds and membrane for a slightly milder sauce or leave them in for full heat.
  2. Add the chopped chillies to a food processor and blitz for a few seconds until finely chopped.
  3. Transfer to a small pan with the vinegar and salt. Bring to the boil then reduce heat and simmer for 5-10 minutes until the chillies have softened.
  4. Add the water and sugar, stir well and simmer for a further 4-5 minutes. Keep an eye on it and lower the heat if it looks like it's catching.
  5. Remove from the heat and allow to cool completely.
  6. While cooling, sterilise your bottle by boiling in water for 10 minutes or heating in the oven at 150°C for 10 minutes.
  7. Once cooled, transfer the sauce back to the food processor and blitz until completely smooth.
  8. Pour into your sterilised bottle, seal and store.

Notes

  • Always wear nitrile gloves when handling Scotch Bonnets — the capsaicin will penetrate skin and cause prolonged burning
  • Open windows and doors when cooking — the steam from boiling Scotch Bonnets is intense
  • The sauce will keep for several months unopened in a cool dark cupboard
  • Once opened refrigerate and use within 12 weeks
  • For a more complex sauce add 2 cloves of garlic and half a small onion to the food processor in step 2