Sugar Rush Hot Sauce

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No matter what kind of sugar pepper you’re growing in your garden, this hot sauce is a delicious way to use up the harvest. Sugar rush peppers bring a unique, fruity sweetness along with their heat, creating a complex flavor that works perfectly to spice up bland dishes.

In this recipe, we pair the sugar rush peppers with sweet yellow peppers to help even out the heat level and flavor.

This recipe is also very customizable. You can adjust the heat level but changing the ratio of sugar rush peppers to sweet peppers, or even experiment with different spices to mix it up. Making hot sauce is a fun way to play with flavors and create a custom condiment that’s perfectly tailored to your taste buds.

The roasting process in this recipe brings out the naturally sweetness of the peppers and onions. Fresh ginger is added for an extra layer of flavor that works really well with the aromatic spices. It’s a great way to add a kick to your meals, and the yellow-peach color is hard to resist.

Recipe Highlights

• This is a homemade hot sauce made with fresh ingredients from the garden. The beautiful colors come from the fresh peppers. There’s nothing artificial in this recipe.
• You can easily adjust the heat level and sweetness in this recipe, making it very versatile.
• The extra step of roasting the vegetables adds depth and complexity to the final flavor. 
• This sauce tastes better as time passes. The flavor is even better after a week in the fridge.

Ingredients Needed

• Sugar rush peppers – These peppers come from a different species from your common hot peppers, and their flavor is much different, too. Ideally, use the sugar rush peach hot pepper, sugar rush red, or sugar rush stripey. In a pinch, use another hot pepper variety that has a similar heat level. 
• Sweet yellow peppers – I use sweet yellow peppers for their color, but you can also use orange or red. For a milder hot sauce, change the ratio of hot peppers to sweet peppers.
• Onion – This adds savory notes to the sauce, but not an overwhelming amount. White or yellow onion work best, as red onions have a much stronger flavor.
• Garlic – I love using garden-fresh garlic in hot sauce recipes as it complements the peppers beautifully. Avoid using pre-minced garlic if you can.
• ​Apple – The natural sweetness of apple helps to balance the flavor while also thickening the sauce. Use a sweet apple variety for the best results. 
• Water – Water is needed for simmering the ingredients and blending the sauce. 
• Spices – In this recipe, cumin and coriander are used to add warmth and a mild citrus flavor to the sauce. 
• White vinegar – You can also use apple cider vinegar, but I find that white vinegar has less bite. It provides tanginess and helps to preserve the sauce.
• Lime juice – Lime brights a natural, bright citrus flavor that elevates the entire flavor profile.
• Salt & sugar – Salt helps bring the flavors together and also aids in preservation. Sugar is always optional, but I only add a small amount and it really helps round out the flavor of this hot sauce.

*Specific ingredient amounts are in the recipe card below.

How to Make Sugar Rush Hot Sauce

First, remove the stems of all the peppers. Then, roast the peppers whole along with the chopped onion and garlic in a cast iron pan or Dutch oven with a splash of oil. Roast for about 5 minutes, turning frequently till all sides are evenly charred.

Carefully remove the roasted peppers from the pan with tongs and slice them. You can rough-slice them, as they will be blended.

Peel, core and slice the apple. In a medium saucepan, simmer the sliced roasted peppers along with the roasted onion and apple in 1/2 cup of water for about 5 minutes. Add a splash more water if needed – the ingredients should be just slightly submerged to prevent burning.

Add the roasted garlic, ginger, cumin, coriander, salt, and sugar to the simmering mixture. Continue to simmer for another minute to allow the flavors to meld. Remove from heat and allow the mixture to cool for 5-10 minutes.

Transfer the simmered mixture to a blender. Add the white vinegar and lime juice, then blend until smooth. Allow the sauce to cool completely before transferring it to hot sauce bottles with a funnel.

Tip: The flavor of this sauce improves with time. It will taste differently on day one than it will after a week in the fridge when the flavors are more developed.

Storage and Serving

This sugar rush sauce can be stored in airtight bottles in the refrigerator for up to 2 months. The flavor actually improves after a week in the fridge as the ingredients meld together, so try to resist using it all immediately. You can also test the pH of the sauce to see how acidic it is for longer term storage.

This versatile hot sauce can be used in many ways:

• ​Drizzle over tacos, burritos or pizza for a spicy kick.
• Use as a dipping sauce for nuggets.
• Add a few dashes to soups and stews for more flavor and spice. 
• Mix into sour cream for a spicy condiment or spread. 
• Use as a marinade for meats or veggies.
• Mix with honey for a sweet and hot glaze.

Recipe Tips and FAQs

• For a smoother/more splashy sauce, strain the blended mixture through a fine-mesh sieve or strainer.
• For a thicker sauce, simmer the blended mixture to reduce it.
• Always use gloves when slicing hot peppers to protect your skin. Sugar rush peach peppers are pretty hot, so you’ll want to avoid that dreaded capsaicin burn!

Can I make this sauce hotter?

Absolutely! You can increase the heat by using more sugar rush peppers and fewer sweet peppers. You could also add in some hotter pepper varieties like habaneros or ghost peppers for a more powerful kick.

How long will this hot sauce last?

This sauce should last for up to 2 months in the refrigerator. The high acid content from the vinegar helps preserve the fresh ingredients, along with the salt.

What if I can’t find sugar rush peppers?

This is a garden-fresh recipe which really caters to those who are growing this specialty pepper. The good news is, this recipe works for any hot peppers! If sugar rush peppers aren’t available, you can substitute with a mix of sweet peppers and hot peppers to achieve a similar sweet-hot flavor profile. Experiment with different ratios to find your perfect balance (and next year, grow your own sugar rush plant!).

Can I make this sauce without sugar?

While the sugar helps balance the flavors, you can omit it if you prefer. The natural sweetness from the apple and sweet peppers will still provide some balance to this refreshing sauce. Alternatively, you can try sweetening the sauce with maple syrup, honey, or agave nectar.

​If your sugar rush peach pepper plant is producing a lot of pods this year, I hope you’ll try this tasty hot sauce. The peach colors are irresistible and I love the way the flavors come together in this recipe.

Other hot sauce recipes to try

• Banana pepper hot sauce
• Serrano hot sauce
• Habanero pineapple hot sauce