Louisiana-Style Hot Sauce

By stancec44

Although tabasco chiles are traditional in this style of hot sauce, they can be hard to find. Cayennes are just as classic and flavorful. Other small, hot, red chiles (like serranos) may be used, too.

Ingredients

• 1-1/4 lb. fresh red chiles, such as cayenne, tabasco, or serrano
• 4 medium cloves garlic, sliced in half and peeled
• 1 tsp. finely chopped fresh basil
• 1 tsp. finely chopped fresh oregano
• 1/4 tsp. ground celery seed
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup distilled white vinegar

Preparation

Step 1

Position a rack about 6 inches from the broiler and heat the broiler on high.

Put the chiles on a broiler pan and broil, flipping as needed, until the skins blister and blacken on all sides, 2 to 3 minutes per side. Transfer the chiles to a large bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let cool for 10 minutes.

Stem and peel the chiles— it’s fine if some bits of the skin remain—but don’t seed them. Put the chiles, garlic, basil, oregano, celery seed, a big pinch of salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper in a food processor. With the machine running, slowly add the vinegar through the feed tube and process until smooth. Strain the sauce through a fine sieve and season to taste with more salt. Transfer to bottles. Refrigerate until ready to use.

Make Ahead Tips
The sauce will keep in the refrigerator for at least 1 month.