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Bon Appétit

Garlic and Achiote Fermented Hot Sauce

3.8

(7)

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Alex Lau

Adding olive oil to this hot sauce recipe from Dan Kluger of Loring Place in NYC lends it body and mellows some of the heat.

Recipe information

  • Yield

    Makes about 2¾ cups

Ingredients

2

garlic cloves

1

pound fresh red chiles (such as cayenne, Fresno, or Holland), coarsely chopped

3

tablespoons kosher salt

3

tablespoons sugar

1

cup olive oil

3

tablespoons achiote (annatto) seeds

2

teaspoons smoked paprika

¾

cup distilled white vinegar

Special Equipment

A 1-pint glass jar; a layer of cheesecloth

Ingredient Info

Achiote seeds can be found in specialty stores, in the spice section of some supermarkets, and online.

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Pulse garlic in a food processor until finely chopped. Add chiles, salt, and sugar and pulse until chile pieces are no bigger than ½". Transfer mixture to jar and press down so chiles are slightly submerged in their own liquid. Cover with cheesecloth and fasten with kitchen twine or a rubber band. Let sit in a cool place away from direct sunlight at least 2 days and up to 5 days. The liquid will develop a slightly sour smell and there should be small bubbles scattered throughout. The longer you let it ferment, the more active it will become, but don’t go longer than 5 days.

    Step 2

    Heat oil, achiote seeds, and paprika in a small saucepan over medium-high. As soon as small bubbles appear around the edges of the pan (2–3 minutes), let cook another 30 seconds; let cool. Strain oil through a fine-mesh sieve into a heatproof bowl; discard solids.

    Step 3

    Blend achiote oil, vinegar, and two-thirds of chile mixture in a blender until smooth. Transfer to an airtight container and stir in remaining chile mixture.

    Step 4

    Do Ahead: Hot sauce can be made 2 weeks ahead; cover and chill.

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Reviews (7)

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  • Achiote seeds? Are these the same as Annatto seeds?

    • Anonymous

    • 10/3/2021

  • I've made this every fall since a friend sent me this recipe. I use fresno peppers and make it in 5# batches to share with friends. A couple notes: - I always double the garlic and never regret it - Even after 5 days there is not a lot of visible fermentation, so I wouldn't worry if you experience the same - I've kept it much, much longer than the recipe states - close to a year, once - and it keeps remarkably well (refrigerated). Food safety experts don't @ me - If scaling up, the achiote doesn't need to be increased proportionately to lend the same flavor to the oil. For 5 pounds of chiles I usually only double the achiote

    • Katrina

    • Vermont

    • 9/25/2021

  • This is the second time I've tried to make this recipe, and for some reason the fermentation process will not start.

    • Anonymous

    • New York

    • 8/23/2019

  • Tastes great. Would this be freezable if I made a lot more than I can keep in the refrigerator before it is past its "best by" date which looks to be only a couple weeks (from the article)

    • rig lee

    • MN

    • 10/12/2018

  • Nope! I wish it would have turned out better. Maybe if you ad a bunch of sugar. Not for me.

    • Meltzdown

    • Atlanta

    • 3/22/2018

  • this is oh so good- i used jalapeños and apple cider vineagar so happy i found the achiote- so beautiful in the pan with the oil this is a simple and stunning sauce how long will it stay good in fridge? thank you

    • ronnie perelis

    • lovely teaneck nj

    • 10/23/2017