RECIPE: Habanero Carrot Hot Sauce

The only reason I'm posting this recipe is that (1) there is an error in the original and (2) with a few adjustments, it's possible to make this 100% biodynamic (if your CSA grows habaneros, carrots, onions and garlic)!

Here's the original: Habanero Carrot Hot Sauce

I've made this twice now and it does not make 6 quarts, it makes five to six PINTS, depending on how much water you use.

Biodynamic Habanero Carrot Hot Sauce

Makes 5-6 pints (10-12 cups) 

Ingredients:

• 15 garlic cloves, unpeeled
• 30 medium habanero chiles, stemmed
• 2 cups peeled chopped carrot
• 4 medium yellow onions, chopped
• 1/4 c. himalayan pink salt
• 1/3 c. biodynamic sugar (available at Whole Foods)
• 2-3 cups water
• 2 cups biodynamic apple cider vinegar (available at Whole Foods and Amazon)
• 1 cup biodynamic lime juice 

Roast the garlic in a casserole, turning regularly until soft and browned in spots, 10-15 minutes.  PEEL the garlic.

In the same pot, combine the habanero, carrots, onions, salt, sugar and water.  The more water you use, the thinner (and hotter) your sauce will be.  I prefer a thicker sauce that I can dilute as needed.

Partially cover and simmer until carrots are tender, about 20 minutes.  Cool.

Using a slotted spoon, transfer to blender or food processor leaving most of the water in the pan.  Puree until super smooth.  I used a blender and had to do this in two batches running each batch for 2-3 minutes to get it totally smooth. 

Add vinegar and lime juice to taste.  I used a 3 to 1 to .5 ratio of puree:vinegar:lime.

I transfer it to woozy bottles with a shaker top and store it in the fridge.

If you'd like it thinner, you can use some of the cooking water (which will have some heat); if you'd like it less hot, use more vinegar/lime.

I have found that if I use too much liquid, it separates once I jar it (as you can see in the photo above), but when it's super thick it's hard to get it out of the bottle.  Perhaps that's why the original poster stores it in clamp-top jars.

Notes:
I use a little more sugar because organic sugar is less sweet than white sugar
I add the vinegar last because it includes the mother and cooking will kill the mother
I save the water and use it when I want a lot less heat.