Infusing Chilies in Alcohol

Infusing Chilies in Alcohol - Flat lay of glass of fresh beverage with slices of lemon and leaves of mint placed on white background

I have been reading about infusing chilies in alcohol to create a liqueur, and I'm not clear on how they should be infused (if at all). Various sources suggest various methods (whole vs. chopped, length of time, etc.), but I'm not clear on the influence of these factors.

  1. How long should the chilies be infused?

    Is there a known "upper bound" after which all of the spice gets transfered to the liquid? Can one infuse them indefinitely, or is there a botulism / spoilage risk?

  2. Is there any problem with infusing them whole?

    Would making a small hole in each suffice? I'd like to do so for aesthetic purposes, but I'm not sure the implications this will have on flavor / spoilage.

  3. What, if any, are the advantages of cooking them prior to infusion?

    I have seen that some people cook the chilies first, but I assumed the flavor would be imparted eventually, even without cooking. So, is there any point cooking them?

chili-peppersalcoholinfusionliqueur


Best Answer

  1. I've infused jalepenos for 1-2 weeks successfully, I don't know if there is an upper limit past that. The alcohol should prevent spoilage and the pH is too low for botulism to be a concern.

  2. Infusing them whole is ok. There will be a lot more heat if you leave in the seeds and membranes.

  3. Cooking them will change the flavor. Only do this if you want the flavor of a cooked chile.



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Infusing Chilies in Alcohol - Glasses of delicious cold lemonade decorated with lemon slice and berries on wooden board in light studio
Infusing Chilies in Alcohol - Crop anonymous pregnant female holding glass of red wine while standing near table with lentil dish and salad near hot chili pepper and candles in evening
Infusing Chilies in Alcohol - Crystal glass of cold refreshing orange juice with ice cubes placed on table


Quick Answer about "Infusing Chilies in Alcohol"

  • Slice the chili peppers in half and add them to the bottle of alcohol. ...
  • Alternatively, you can add the peppers to a jar and pour the alcohol over them.
  • Let the peppers steep in the alcohol for 2 days. ...
  • Test the alcohol at intervals until you achieve the level of flavor and infusion you would like.


    • How do you infuse spices with alcohol?

    Steeping for Too Long It takes a lot less time than you might think for an ingredient to flavor a spirit. A longer infusion is not necessary going to taste better: Leave cardamom in rye too long and it'll blast your mouth out with bitterness. I once forgot about a strawberry vodka I had steeping.

    Can you infuse alcohol for too long?

    Store on the countertop for anywhere from 3-7 days. Taste it periodically to assess whether it's flavored enough for your liking. __Shake the jar once or twice a day\u2014__be sure the lid is closed tightly\u2014to help things get going.

    How long does pepper infused vodka last?

    If you're not sure, open the jar after 24-48 hours and give it a smell. If it's very fragrant from the infusion, it's probably good to go. If not, let it infuse for another day or two and check again. As a general rule of thumb, 3-5 days is the perfect amount for most infusions.


    How to Infuse Alcohol with Chili Peppers (Infuse the Booze!)



    More answers regarding infusing Chilies in Alcohol

    Answer 2

    You can speed up the process by roughly chopping your peppers (conserving all the parts, the pith and seeds pack more capsaicin than the flesh!) And putting them with your spirit into a whipping siphon. Pressurize the siphon with one or two canisters of NO2, let it sit for a few minutes, and then safely release the pressure. You can then strain out the liquid for use immediately or continue to infuse in a glass vessel for a while.

    Sources: Stack Exchange - This article follows the attribution requirements of Stack Exchange and is licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0.

    Images: Karolina Grabowska, Geraud pfeiffer, ROMAN ODINTSOV, Ryutaro Tsukata

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