Fresh Sriracha (aka, home made 'Rooster')
Serious business.
You must wear gloves or wrap your fingers in plastic wrap while cutting these peppers! They are HOT!
This palm sugar comes in a plastic bag, inside a container. Yep, it's that sticky.
The peppers and garlic macerate overnight in white vinegar and a little salt.
In goes the palm sugar. You'll need to wash your hands after digging it out of the measuring spoon!
A mere 5 minutes on the stove keeps the peppers fresh and vibrant.
After they're cool, edamame2003 has you puree the peppers for a full 5 minutes in a blender. We were skeptical, but the sauce really does change in color and texture over that time.
Who knows what's going on here. Better not to ask, really.
Pressing the sauce through a fine sieve is surprisingly quick, and worth the extra dishes.
Who would choose the store-bought stuff over this?
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A&M say: Warning: once you make edamame2003's version, you may never be able to go back to commercial sriracha again. The vibrant color and piquancy of the fresh fresno peppers, combined with plenty of garlic and a boost of vinegar, make for a zippy, versatile condiment that would be great with anything from banh mi to scrambled eggs. We'd never used palm sugar before and were intrigued by its gentle sweetness, which helps to round out the heat of the sriracha. - A&M
edamame2003 says: Another Thai-centric sauce is the ubiquitous Sriracha, affectionately dubbed ‘Rooster’. Apparently, it’s not just for Thais anymore, as I have heard that is in just about every kitchen (from the Asians to Falafel stands and even in many fine dining establishments). I don’t have to go to Asian markets to pick up a bottle--Wal-Mart in Kennesaw, GA even carries it (I was on location last year and found it there!). It’s so popular that The New York Times has written about it and the ‘Rooster’ has a Facebook page with over 220,000 fans.
Don’t get me wrong--I love my Rooster and for the cost, why make it from scratch? I guess I’m just into testing out flavors and how they blend together--just curious, with some late summer time on my hands and gorgeous peppers available in my garden and at the farmers market. Plus, upon inspection of my ‘Rooster’ sauce, I found it contains Xanthan Gum and Sodium Bisulfite. I suppose it means that the commercial ‘Rooster’ is fermented, and uses the Sodium Bisulfite similarly to wine, as a preservative. - edamame2003
Serves 1 1/2 cups
- 1/2 pound red fresno chiles, coarsely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cup distilled white vinegar
- 2 tablespoons palm sugar
- Place all the ingredients except the sugar in a jar and let sit overnight to mellow the heat of the peppers. I guess one could consider this a brine.
- Place the mixture and sugar in small saucepan. Bring to a boil over high heat, then lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside to cool to room temperature.
- Transfer to a blender and puree for about 5 minutes, until a smooth, orange-red mixture forms. Run through a strainer and smush out as much juice as possible.
- Once refrigerated, the sauce should have the same consistency and texture as the 'Rooster', but less salty and a whole lot fresher tasting!
- I've also adapted a spicy Sriracha spread recipe combining a 1/2 cup vegenaise (or mayo, if you prefer), 1/8 cup of this fresh sriracha, and a Tablespoon of sweetened condensed milk. Yum for anything you'd use mayo on, but with a kick.
- Your Best Condiment Contest Finalist!
- This recipe was entered in the contest for Your Best Chili Pepper Recipe
Tags: savory
26 days ago Awb08
I made a half batch of this recipe, except I added two habanero peppers and a little ginger, and replaced white vinegar with apple cider vinegar and palm sugar with dark brown sugar. I also roasted the peppers and garlic before letting them sit in the fridge overnight. It was DELICIOUS and extremely hot!
5 months ago MikeeLikesIt
to lawprof: thanks for the jalapeno tip--just bought a pound with a few serranos to try the "green rooster" !
5 months ago lawprof
Adding to MikeeLikesIt's freezing update. I am still using parts of a double batch I made and froze a year ago. It does separate when thawed, but a quick shake and it was fine. Still has the same deep, rich flavor.
I used the very same recipe substituting Jalapeno peppers and produced a rich, vibrant, spicy and not salty green hot sauce. I froze that also with similar results.
5 months ago choudin
Awesome recipe! Try growing or using these peppers! http://stores.ebay.com...
6 months ago TheManMachine
I just wanted to join the choir and state that this recipe is truly excellent in its simplicity. I had never tried the real Sriracha sauce since it is difficult to come by here (I live in Brazil), but I was curious what all the hype on The Oatmeal was about, and so I tried this recipe. I couldn't find Fresno peppers so I mixed half and half with a stronger red pepper type known here as "Dedo de moça" together with a heatless green pepper type. I also substituted the palm sugar for mascavo sugar (raw, unprocessed cane sugar). The end result was great.
Then a week later I happened upon the genuine Sriracha sauce in an Asian supermarket. I was really eager to taste "the real thing". It was a letdown. The commercial product is salty and kind of flat tasting in comparison, while the home made stuff tastes fresh and a bit more garlicky. This will be a staple product in my fridge from now on.
It feels like the sauce loses some heat in the fridge (oh my, what a pun!). After a week or two it tastes mellower than when it's completely fresh. I guess this is normal with vinegar based pepper sauces. I compensate by using more of it. :o)
11 months ago MikeeLikesIt
Freezing Update!
My son was home for dinner and spotted the jar I froze last Sept and immediately volunteered to test it, after thawing he said it had separated, but a quick stir and it was perfect!
12 months ago angelitacarmelita
This recipe is GENIUS! I'm making my second batch today, and I'm tripling it! The first time I made this, I doubled it and gave it to my friends and they flipped over it! I will NEVER buy sriracha again, this is the only hot sauce for me. Thank you!
about 1 year ago MrsWheelbarrow
Cathy is a trusted source on Pickling/Preserving.
Eda, You know I am a total convert to this sauce, but here on the East Coast, red jalapenos are hardly ever available. Even at the local Pan-Am Market (a fantastic source for all sorts of chiles, ripe, inexpensive avocados and baseball sized white onions,) the red jalapenos almost always have some mold. I've been substituting cherry bomb peppers (in season,) and I hoard every drop of my homemade Srirracha from August to August. What do you think about making it with green jalapenos? Aargersi, what chiles did you use?
about 1 year ago edamame2003
thats a good point--yes, I'm used to having just about everything available in socal. I love the cherry bomb peppers when they're available for the one week in october here and I get to the market early in sept-oct to pick out the red serranos. The green peppers don't seem to have ripened enough and aren't as spicy as the reds, so thats why I hold out and hoard the red peppers and freeze when I can.
25 days ago angelitacarmelita
Sorry, I'm just reviewing recent comments here and read your older one. I use Fresno chilies for the red jalapenos and I live on the East Coast (Washington DC area). They're not always available either, but fresher and more available than red jalapenos. Beware though, they are sweet, but can be really, really hot! I now make a really big batch when they are available since this sauce keeps so well.
about 1 year ago aargersi
I am never buying commercial rooster again. This is SO good!
about 1 year ago edamame2003
right? i haven't either--especially since red jalapenos are always around. i'm glad you liked!
over 1 year ago michaeljcorliss
This recipe is excellent, thanks so much for sharing. I've made it as is several times, and also used it as a scaffold for some hot sauce experiments.
My favorite so far:
Replace half the vinegar and all the salt with soy sauce, double the garlic, and add half an orange. Makes a delicious, spicy teriyaki.
Hope someone likes it as much out of it as I like the original! Thanks again!
about 1 year ago edamame2003
sounds delish! thanks for the idea--this may have to be my next stir fry!
over 1 year ago Melissa79
I have a question, I have Kung Pao chilis growing, can I use those?
over 1 year ago lawprof
I quadrupled the recipe, using fresh red Fresno pepper. I seeded the peppers and substituted agave nectar (couldn't find palm sugar at the moment). I used an immersion blender and skipped running it through a strainer. The sauce is magnificent! Wonderful flavor: tangy from the vinegar, sweet from the agave, deep rich flavor from the peppers, and just the right amount of heat. I netted a little less than a quart. I'll give away a lot, but I'm going to try freezing some. I'll let you know the result.
over 1 year ago LLStone
How did the freezing work out? I'm thinking of freezing some too, and then breaking it out over the holidays for gifts? Anyone see any reason why this wouldn't work?
11 months ago ornamentalorb
Freezing is unnecessary. Though the flavor may diminish over time, this recipe contains enough chili and vinegar to prevent it from going bad for a decade if you refrigerate it.
over 1 year ago lawprof
I quadrupled the recipe, using fresh red Fresno pepper. I seeded the peppers and, because I couldn't find palm sugar, I substituted agave nectar in the same proportion. I used an immersion blender and skipped running it through a strainer. The sauce is magnificent! Wonderful flavor, tangy from the vinegar, sweet from the agave, deep flavor from the peppers and just the right amount of heat. I netted a little less than a quart. I'll give away alot, but I'm going to try freezing some. I'll let you know the result.
over 1 year ago Debutante Daisy
I made this recipe last summer with my over abundance of Thai Dragon Chilies...with the exact proportions the recipe calls for but replacing the Fresno with the Dragon Chilies. I had Bird Chilies too but I decided to dry them and use them for crushed red pepper over the winter since they are so easy to dry out.
It was so hot that I couldn't use it...and believe me, I like it HOT. I ended up using it by cutting it into my store bought version of Sriracha (The actual stuff from Thailand)...which is not as spicy and more sweet than the Rooster brand. I saved one bottle and used it straight when I wanted to "take it to the next level". I do intend on making it again this summer since it is a great way to use up my chilies that I grow in my garden. This time I will still use the Dragons but I will do my best to find some of the Fresno kind too so I can actually eat it in its' original form.
over 1 year ago Risa Golding
I cannot get Fresno peppers anywhere. I would think Thai peppers would be more authentic. I can get them locally. I know that would make a much hotter sauce but I would like it better as commercial sriracha is way too mild for the chile-head in me.
over 1 year ago edamame2003
I'm glad you're making it. Try red serranos or yes, red Thai chili peppers work best. I've had a really hard time finding them other than once a year, but it you can get them, that's great. Just make sure they're not bird chilis. The small peppers--that would be way too spicy and tough to work with. You need to use a meatier chili. good luck!
over 1 year ago Plant Muncher
Made your Sriracha recipe, it totally rocks. This hot sauce loving vegan thanks you.
http://www.plantmuncher...
over 1 year ago edamame2003
great! glad you like it!
almost 2 years ago balancefromwithin
edamame2003 this is awesome!
we made it here; http://www.bespoke303.com...
thanks for sharing!
Mike
about 2 years ago Kitchen Butterfly
Made this recently - loved it. Added some fish sauce to give a hint of fermented.....and saved the leftover mush, fried in oil for use as a thick chile paste. Delicious...and hot, but sweet and spicy. Thank you
about 2 years ago midnitechef
I'll have to plant frenso peppers just to try this out!
about 2 years ago BlueKaleRoad
This is a wonderful recipe! We taste tested this sauce next to the bottled and there is no comparison...we're never going back! It's become a fridge staple. Thanks for sharing!
about 2 years ago edamame2003
you're so welcome! whenever i see red chili peppers at the farmers market, i just buy them and stock pile because i know I will always want the sauce, and i've been giving it away as host gifts too. i'm glad you like it.