What preservative can I use to can my hot sauce
I've made hot sauce for my family using the following ingredients:
- peppers
- onions
- garlic
- tomatoes
- salt
And I would like to try canning it. What can I use instead of vinegar to preserve it. I really don’t like vinegar in my hot sauce at all.
Best Answer
With just those four ingredients (plus maybe some seasonings), your hot sauce will be a "low-acid food" which means that to be shelf-stable, it needs to be canned at 240F/115C. This means that you will need to use pressure canning to seal it (pictoral guide). If properly pressure canned, it should be shelf-stable for months to years.
This has two drawbacks for you: first, it requires getting a pressure canner (or using a pressure cooker and really small batches). Second, it does mean that you're going to be cooking the hot sauce at 240F, which may lead to it being more "cooked" than you necessarily want it to be. If you have a pressure cooker around, I suggest trying that with one jar and seeing how it tastes.
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What preservative I can use for sauce?
Sodium benzoate and potassium sorbate are the preservatives commonly used. They are often used together to take advantage of their combined effects. Sodium benzoate is most commonly used in acid foods.How do you preserve hot sauce?
Homemade hot sauce should be tightly sealed and stored in the refrigerator. So long as the hot sauce has a low enough pH, it can be canned in a hot water bath. Properly sterilized and canned jars of hot sauce should be shelf stable for up to a year, if kept in a cool, dark location (or in the refrigerator).How do you preserve hot sauce to increase shelf life?
Vinegar and sugar make good preservatives. Provided you use sterilised containers - place them in boiling water for twenty minutes, add the sauce, seal, then boil again for ten minutes - you should be fine. Store the bottles/jars in a cool place out of direct sunlight.How do you preserve hot sauce naturally?
Keep it in the fridge Sauces that are vinegar, salt, and garlic heavy don't necessarily need refrigeration as these ingredients are natural food preservers. While sugary, fruity, or especially egg-based sauces (think Sriracha mayo) are more susceptible to spoilage and should be refrigerated after being opened.Processing and Bottling Hot Sauce
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