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Fresh Sriracha (aka Homemade Rooster)

by:
August 23, 2010
4.6
9 Ratings
Photo by Food52
  • makes 1 1/2 cups
Author Notes

The Thai sauce sriracha, affectionately dubbed "rooster," is 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 sauce 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. - edamame2003
—edamame2003

Test Kitchen Notes

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 —The Editors

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Fresh Sriracha (aka Homemade Rooster)
Ingredients
  • 1/2 pound red Fresno chiles, coarsely chopped
  • 4 garlic cloves
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 cup distilled white vinegar
  • 2 tablespoons palm sugar
Directions
  1. 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.)
  2. 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.
  3. Transfer the cooled mixture to a blender and puree for about 5 minutes, until a smooth, orange-red sauce forms. Run through a strainer and smush out as much juice as possible. Store in the refrigerator.
  4. I've also adapted a spicy sriracha spread recipe combining a ½ cup Vegenaise (or regular mayo, if you prefer), ⅛ cup of this fresh sriracha, and 1 tablespoon sweetened condensed milk. Delicious for anything you'd use mayo on, but with a kick.
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154 Reviews

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charlieayes September 19, 2022
First time I used palm sugar in this recipe. It has coagulated. What can I do? Add more vinegar?
angelitakarmalita November 29, 2022
It will (should) dissolve once you bring to to a boil.
ritu October 14, 2021
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Redneckchef December 23, 2020
Hello..what are Fresno peppers..Do they go by a different name...Where can I find them
angelitakarmalita August 16, 2021
did you ever find the Fresno’s? they are a specific type of pepper, turns red when ripe. Similar to a Jalapeño, but with a fruity profile (less vegetal, like a jalapeño), however, in a pinch, you could certainly use a ripe (i.e., red) jalapeño. The red is for the color of the finished sauce only. You can use ANY type of hot pepper, however, be cautious because the type of pepper you use, will deepen the heat of the sauce depending on the pepper. Fresno’s are a really nice, fruity, and I have always found, hot pepper (some say it’s not as hot as a jalapeño, I have not found this to be true!). I’m able to find Fresno’s in most general grocery stores, and definitely at this time of the year, local farm markets (look for you best Hispanic vendor, they’ll probably have them). You can also order seeds on line and grow your own. Hope this helps.
Rusty L. December 1, 2020
I've been using this recipe for the last few years. First with store bought Fresno chiles and this last time using our home grown Fresno chiles. I also used green Fresno's that had to be picked after the first frost. The green is just as good but the heat is less. If you are looking for a sauce that isn't as hot then use green Fresno. As the author states once you've tasted fresh Sriracha sauce you'll never want the commercial stuff. Beside not having the added chemicals the freshness is beyond compare. I don't really alter the recipe but I have added a bit more vinegar if the 'stew' seems too thick. Also I've found that blending for the full 5 minutes makes for a rich thick sauce with hardly any waste.
Beth C. August 13, 2020
Can you use this recipe but, with say banana peppers or shisito?
angelitakarmalita August 16, 2021
You sure can! any pepper will work! The heat and color of the finished sauce will depend on the pepper you use. Good luck!
Melissa S. May 12, 2020
This is simple to make, and the taste is outstanding! It has a great blend of flavors. I used brown sugar instead of palm sugar, and I froze the extra sauce in ice cube trays, because we don't use hot sauce often.
Jacob March 2, 2019
Accidentally added the sugar to the overnight brine. Which resulted in a pickled like taste. I can't tell if I'm in love with it or not.
Scott C. May 13, 2018
Made this today after an overnight vinegar soak. Used light brown sugar for palm sugar and did not strain out the solids. Result was spectacular. As much as I like the store-bought stuff, this recipe blows it away. Best hot sauce I've ever had. Many thanks, Eda.
boymeetsgirlmeetsfood January 17, 2018
Question! Would you be able to soak the chillies in the vinegar mixture for 36 hours instead of a day? Thanks in advance!
angelitakarmalita January 17, 2018
Absolutely, although it may take a little more of the sting out of whatever chili your using. I've done an extended brine w/o loss of any sort.
boymeetsgirlmeetsfood January 18, 2018
Thanks for your speedy response! Put them in the brine last night and will blitz them tomorrow morning- hoping they still have a kick!
mstv November 15, 2015
Just made this again (2nd year in a row) and doubled it this time. Really nice recipe. Thank you for sharing.
Mike P. September 17, 2014
Thanks edamame2003 & Mre Wheelbarrow for your guidance, canned & froze over 2 gallons of sriracha last night!
edamame2003 September 16, 2014
thanks cathy! i agree with the ample head space. I had a bit of an explosion in the sriracha factory that is my kitchen the first time I tried it! excited for you mikeelikesit!
edamame2003 September 16, 2014
Plenty. dont fill up to high.
Mike P. September 16, 2014
Thanks for the info! It pays to talk to the farmer -- Alvarez Farms in Yakima, WA -- they took care of me on the Fresnos!
MrsWheelbarrow September 16, 2014
Use a 1/2" head space. The sauce may separate in the jar - just shake well before opening, and before using.
edamame2003 September 16, 2014
Hi--I actually did do the water bath on this--and its kept for a year! I've tried a few different methods--fermenting, water bath, both...they all work great. lucky you with the fresnos!
Mike P. September 16, 2014
Great - thanks for the quick response. How long did you process -- is 10-12 min enough?
MrsWheelbarrow September 16, 2014
Hi MikeeLikesIt (and Eda! Hi!) -- I can this, and similar, hot sauces all the time. 10 min for an 8 ounce jar, 15 for a pint. It holds perfectly for at least a year. I'm jealous of the Fresnos, too!
jenny December 6, 2024
Hi! This is soooo late, but how do you ferment it?
Mike P. December 6, 2024
hi Jenny - it's never too late! Ive been on a sriracha journey since the recipe debuted - I usually get 15-20 lbs of fresnos so I can give them to friends and family!
I've tried fermenting some and it's a very different sauce but very fun to experiment. I have a jar that I started in 2021 at room temperature that is still going strong going bad. Usually its best to start with cheesecloth over the jar top or keep the lid loose so it doesn't explode.
I also have refrigerated jars after a short fermentation as I'm no expert as far as food safety.
Mike P. September 16, 2014
Has anyone done a traditional canning/water bath with this recipe? I was curious on how long to process. I went all in this year and bought 10 LBS of Fresno's and ended up with almost 2 gallons so I'll be canning it tonight.
Sharon May 8, 2014
You can always substitute brown sugar, dark or light for palm sugar. I always do and it makes no difference at all. Not many people have palm sugar on hand.
Elizabeth E. January 1, 2014
you can order the red fresno chili peppers online of they are not available locally
Elizabeth E. January 1, 2014
your local store may also get them for you if they order items from Melissa's
lawprof December 7, 2013
I've kept it in the freezer for a year without noticeable degradation. It does separate when you thaw it, but a good shake restores its consistency. I've also stored it in my refrigerator (both fresh made and thawed) for three months without problems. It contains enough acid in the vinegar to forestall bacterial growth.
Basil G. December 6, 2013
How long does it keep?
John September 18, 2013
Who cares about less salty. Sriracha is too gag nasty sweet. Recipe fail.
Sharon May 14, 2018
John, Sriracha, sweet? Are we talking about the same sauce? The commercial brand is certainly not at all sweet, but plenty hot. The beauty of making these condiments yourself is that you can tweak them to your own exact liking. With nearly all recipes of this sort, I find the sweet/salt/vinegar balance not to my liking. And with virtually ALL pickling recipes, I prefer much less sugar and much more salt, so I adjust and customize it to my own taste, and so should you. Be brave! Recipes are merely guidelines and not the holy grail. Tweak it until it meets YOUR standards. Try it again and make it your own. Rock it! Happy cooking!