What to do with all the Hot Peppers?

This one goes out to all the chili heads out there. Ever find yourself in a situation where you got more hot peppers than you can use. This usually happens to me midsummer as all of my friends gardens start to provide an abundance of hot peppers.

In the spirit of nothing going to waste, here is a simple base recipe that you can use with any hot pepper to make a simple pepper sauce that can be used in place of a traditional red hot sauce.

If you are a brave soul, feel free to dip in and eat the pickled peppers. If you don't eat the peppers, you can usually refill the bottle with vinegar three times before you need to swap out the peppers.

This is a seriously "old school" recipe with roots deep in Mexican/Cowboy cookery that is a whole lot easier than making "Tabasco like hot sauce". Depending upon where you travel, the pepper used will change but the recipe is all the same.

The recipe will keep for six months in the refrigerator. Given its long shelf life, I usually like to make a few additional bottles to gift to friends. After all if you are going to make the effort!

Few notes on the recipe:

1. Do not use distilled white vinegar (YUCK)... use a white wine vinegar
   
   
2. Store mixture in a glass container with a non-metallic lid (to avoid the vinegar eating at the metal and discoloring the liquid)
   
   
3. Use a container with a mouth large enough to accommodate the pepper you want to use in whole form
   
   
4. You will need to sterilize the jars - no big deal. Two ways you can do it: (a) clean the bottles with boiling water or (b) place the jars on the bottom rack of the dishwasher and run with heat dry. Either way will sterilize the bottles. If you are not planning on doing this right away, place aluminum foil over the mouth of the bottle. Careful not to touch the foil side that will be inside the mouth of the bottle.

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup fresh chili peppers of your choice
• 1/2 cup white vinegar

Process:

1. Stuff the peppers into the jar - more the merrier without crushing the peppers
   
   
2. Boil the vinegar in a small saucepan on low heat until the vinegar steams - avoid boiling the vinegar
   
   
3. Pour the vinegar into the jar to the top of the chilies
   
   
4. Allow the mixture to sit for at least one day prior to using