Aji Charapita Hot Sauce
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At first glance, you may think aji charapitas are small berries when you see them on the plant. But they’re actually a delicious, spicy pepper with a rich history. It’s no wonder these chili peppers are becoming such a staple in home gardens.
Aji charapita peppers have many different uses in the kitchen. You can dehydrate them to make your own spicy pepper powder, chop a few fresh pods into hot soup, or blend them up into a tasty hot sauce.
Today? We’re making hot sauce! This delicious and smoky hot sauce recipe uses fresh aji charapita peppers from the garden. And, a few other fresh-picked ingredients too.
It’s a versatile sauce with many different options for modification. It’s important to remember that the process of harvesting aji charapitas is very time consuming. This is why they have been rumored to be one of the most expensive pepper varieties.
Recipe Highlights
- This sauce has notes of savory and smoky flavors. The smoked paprika contributes a lot of smoky flavor to this sauce, making it the perfect addition to grilled meats.
- If you don’t have aji charapita peppers on hand, you can substitute other peppers with a similar heat level (like habaneros). This recipe is versatile and can be modified.
- This sauce tastes very different when its uncooked. You can leave the sauce raw, or cook it for more dense/savory notes.
- You can strain this sauce to make it thinner and more splashy, or leave it unstrained for a thicker pour.
- This hot sauce is easy for beginners in the kitchen. If you’re new to making your own hot sauces, this is a good recipe to start with. The flavor is complex without the process being difficult!
- You can scale this recipe up or down depending on how much sauce you’re looking to make.
Ingredients needed
- Aji charapita peppers – these tiny peppers are the star of the show. The sizes vary, so it is best to weigh them. For this recipe you’ll need 3 oz.
- Garlic – I like using fresh grown garlic for the most pungent flavor.
- Onion – use white onion for the best results, as red onion can be too sharp.
- Smoked paprika – Smoked paprika is important for getting the flavor of this sauce right. You can use chipotle powder as a substitute, but regular paprika will lack the smoky flavor.
- Sugar – a very small amount of sugar helps balance the flavors of the sauce. You can however leave this ingredient out if you choose.
- Apple cider vinegar – while we do use white vinegar in many of our hot sauce recipes, I found ACV to contribute the best flavor to this recipe.
- White wine vinegar – acidity and sweetness come perfectly balanced with the addition of white wine vinegar.
- Salt & pepper – these ingredients are important for flavor elevation and balance.
- Oil – oil adds a creamy texture to this hot sauce that cannot be achieved with other ingredients. I suggest a neutral tasting oil like avocado.
How to make this hot sauce
First, remove all the stems from the aji charapita peppers. While it is time consuming, I suggest cutting all the peppers in half to check for hidden pests or rot. You never know what you may find hiding in one of the tiny pods!
Add peppers to blender along with the rest of the ingredients and blend till smooth. A high powered blender works best for this recipe.
At this point, I suggest you give the sauce a taste. You may like it better before it is cooked. If you find the sauce to be too sharp, I suggest moving on to the next step as the cooking process will mellow out the flavors significantly and add more savory notes.
On low heat, cook the sauce for about 30 minutes, or till a slightly thick consistency is achieved. Allow to cool slightly and strain (if you want a splashier sauce). I usually like to leave this hot sauce unstrained for a thicker consistency that works well as a dipping sauce.
Pour into hot sauce bottles after allowing the sauce to cool.
Storage and serving
This sauce is made to be stored in the refrigerator as it is not shelf stable. Its flavor will change (for the better) after a few days in the fridge. Consume with 2 months of making.
How to use this hot sauce:
- Use on grilled meats or as a dipping sauce for chicken. The smoky flavors work well with a variety of foods.
- Add to pizza, tacos, or burritos for a smoky and hot flavor boost.
- Mix into burrito bowls or rice dishes for added spice.
- Mix with honey or maple syrup for a sweet and smoky glaze or marinade.
Recipe tips and notes
- Be sure to try this sauce raw before cooking to see if you like it better. The flavor is very different after cooking (much more mellow and savory).
- In our experience, the mix of apple cider vinegar and white wine vinegar works best for this recipe. You can also use the same ratio of other vinegars, like distilled white. However, this will change the acidity (and flavor) of the sauce.
- I have tried this recipe with regular paprika (not smoked) and it wasn’t quite the same. I don’t recommend substituting this ingredient out unless you have chipotle peppers on hand.
Other hot sauce recipes to try
Aji Charapita Hot Sauce
Ingredients
- 3 oz Aji charapita peppers or other hot pepper
- 5 oz. white onion chopped
- 5 cloves fresh garlic chopped
- 1 Tbsp. smoked paprika
- 2 tsp salt
- 1 Tbsp. sugar
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 1/2 cup apple cider vinegar
- 1/2 cup white wine vinegar
- 3 Tbsp. neutral oil avocado, canola or vegetable
Instructions
- Peel onion and garlic and rough chop.
- Remove stems from peppers and slice in half to inspect for pests or damage.
- Blend all ingredients together in a high powered blender till very smooth.
- Taste the sauce at this time. The raw flavor is very different before cooking. If you like the sauce at this stage, you can leave it uncooked and bottle it after straining (if desired).
- If you prefer a more savory and mellow flavor, proceed to cooking the sauce. On low heat, cook for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally until a slightly thick consistency is met.
- Allow the sauce to cool slightly before tasting. If you prefer a thinner hot sauce you can strain the sauce and discard the pulp.
- Pour into hot sauce bottles or a mason jar after allowing sauce to cool.
Notes
- White onion is ideal for a less pungent onion-y flavor. If using yellow or red onion, I’d recommend cooking the sauce after blending.
- Smoked paprika is key to the final flavor of this sauce. The only suitable substitute is chipotle pepper powder (smoked jalapeño), not regular paprika.