Goochland Gothic Hot Sauce

In 2009 I started making hot sauce.

I didn’t know how to do it and I think it was my ignorance that allowed me to set a few standards and make up a recipe after my first batch turned out so well.  I wish I had written down the recipe as I went, so I spent the next few years experimenting trying to re-create what I had done in 2009.

I got close and learned a few things about efficient ways to process and bottle the stuff.

I still haven’t written the recipe down, but I do now know essentially what I did and how to redo it each year. What I end up with it an annual vintage built with some guidelines:

• Only peppers, not anything else like tomatoes or carrots or garlic.
• Use beer, not water. 
• Tweak with vinegar, butter and salt and brown sugar and spices.
• Oh yeah, and other than pickled peppers, use grilled and beer re hydrated select dried peppers.
• Lastly, heat is a natural ingredient but it is not the rule. Flavor is. Heat has to be controlled and not allowed to be excessive.

Maybe someday, I’ll start selling. That would be great for you and maybe me too.