How hard to make homemade Tabasco?

[GON]

Eating breakfast and a bottle of Tabasco Pepper Sauce came with the meal. I don't frequently use Tabasco, but the label caught me eye. Only three ingredients. Vinegar, red pepper, and salt.

The question is, is there a secret process to making Tabasco Pepper Sauce, or is this something that could be made at home.

 

[rijndael]

https://www.chilipeppermadness.com/recipes/tabasco-sauce/

 

[HoosierJeeper]

Toured the factory back in 2016. Way cool place. 10/10 recommend, as soon as you get there you can smell it. Definitely can make it at home - but probably won't be the same (and that's okay!). Getting the peppers right and then aging it would be the hardest part. The salt too is all from there.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

Just get a small bottle, like one of those sample size bottles

 

[kschachn]

Toured the factory back in 2016. Way cool place. 10/10 recommend, as soon as you get there you can smell it. Definitely can make it at home - but probably won't be the same (and that's okay!). Getting the peppers right and then aging it would be the hardest part. The salt too is all from there.

There’s at least one episode of How It’s Made that is about Tabasco sauce. It’s a really good show.

 

[y_p_w]

It’s not on the ingredient list, but they age in oak barrels for three years. The other thing is that they have a proprietary pepper strain that may be hard to source.

 

[KGMtech]

Sort of like growing your own potatoes, it's not hard, but these are cheap...the bigger question is why would you bother?

 

[Leo99]

Sort of like growing your own potatoes, it's not hard, but these are cheap...the bigger question is why would you bother?

I'm assuming I'll need something to do in retirement.

 

[KGMtech]

I'm assuming I'll need something to do in retirement.

10 rows of potatoes, 5 rows of peppers? when do we arrive for a taste testing?

 

[JackWildfeuer]

Fermented foods are heavily depenent on consistent ingredients and the process. I belive Tabasco not only uses a super specific pepper but is also fermented. I am not sure on that last part. As someone that grew up eating Kimch, pickled vegtables and fermented cabage European style each persons was different. Tabasco is very consistent.

To make something similar should be easy but to hit that taste specificly might prove diffacult!

 

[Boomer]

Pepper ripeness was traditionally measured with a stick painted the correct color of red which a farmer could take into the field to make sure he picked his peppers at just the right time. In French red stick is...Baton Rouge.

 

[kschachn]

Pepper ripeness was traditionally measured with a stick painted the correct color of red which a farmer could take into the field to make sure he picked his peppers at just the right time. In French red stick is...Baton Rouge.

1:18 in the video. I like how the company president marks the plants to be kept for seeds too.

 

[Cujet]

I know that some people really look down on Tabasco sauce, I disagree. I absolutely love the stuff. Yes, I have a great selection of hot sauces, prob 100 or so. And yes some of them are really really tasty. But in the end, Tabasco just works for me on egg type breakfasts. Makes my mouth water just thinking about it. Maybe as I get older I'll start drooling as my lower lip hangs down and I think of an Omelette with Tabasco... (a little joke of course, I'll try to prevent ending up that way)

Tabasco is one of the finest pleasures in life!!

Edit to add: Tabasco does age quite nicely. It turns a muddy red/brown color and becomes even more delicious. In my opinion, 1 to 3 years sitting unopened in the pantry is ideal. So smooth!!! Less vinegar flavor and more blended tasting. What could possibly be better

 

[y_p_w]

Fermented foods are heavily depenent on consistent ingredients and the process. I belive Tabasco not only uses a super specific pepper but is also fermented. I am not sure on that last part. As someone that grew up eating Kimch, pickled vegtables and fermented cabage European style each persons was different. Tabasco is very consistent.

To make something similar should be easy but to hit that taste specificly might prove diffacult!

McIlhenny has gotten grief over their consistency since they now contract with growers in Mexico. They still use their seed, but somehow it’s different than grown in Louisiana.

 

[SShooterZ]

I love Tabasco sauce. Especially with tacos and eggs. Try Taco Reaper from Buc-ees if you get a chance. Great stuff.

 

[rijndael]

El Yucateco - Green/Chile Habanero is my weakness .... I really like that stuff.

 

[spasm3]

I know that some people really look down on Tabasco sauce, I disagree. I absolutely love the stuff. Yes, I have a great selection of hot sauces, prob 100 or so. And yes some of them are really really tasty. But in the end, Tabasco just works for me on egg type breakfasts. Makes my mouth water just thinking about it. Maybe as I get older I'll start drooling as my lower lip hangs down and I think of an Omelette with Tabasco... (a little joke of course, I'll try to prevent ending up that way)

Tabasco is one of the finest pleasures in life!!

Edit to add: Tabasco does age quite nicely. It turns a muddy red/brown color and becomes even more delicious. In my opinion, 1 to 3 years sitting unopened in the pantry is ideal. So smooth!!! Less vinegar flavor and more blended tasting. What could possibly be better

I love to tobasco on pork shoulder BBQ !!

I like Texas Pete in soups/stews.

 

[Tom NJ]

I tried it 10 years ago by fermenting home grown Tabasco peppers with salt and oak chips, then added vinegar. Not even close to Tabasco sauce, perhaps because I fermented my peppers for only six months instead of three years. I still have some old bottles - I'll have to see if age improved it.

My current hot sauce is made from home grown Serrano peppers with vinegar, lime juice, tomato juice, garlic, cumin, salt and sugar. Shooting for taste over heat so I can use it in higher doses from a squirt bottle! It is in high demand among my friends and rationed to those with the highest praise.

 

[y_p_w]

I tried it 10 years ago by fermenting home grown Tabasco peppers with salt and oak chips, then added vinegar. Not even close to Tabasco sauce, perhaps because I fermented my peppers for only six months instead of three years. I still have some old bottles - I'll have to see if age improved it.

My current hot sauce is made from home grown Serrano peppers with vinegar, lime juice, tomato juice, garlic, cumin, salt and sugar. Shooting for taste over heat so I can use it in higher doses from a squirt bottle! It is in high demand among my friends and rationed to those with the highest praise.

McIlhenny says that they reuse their oak barrels as long as they're in good condition. Some apparently up to 80 years old. But they sell their retired ones as wood chips for smoke grilling.

They claim they’re almost always former bourbon barrels, but thoroughly washed. Not like Scotch where used barrels are supposed to impart what was previously in there.

 

[Cropduster172]

Tabasco is good stuff. I've been using Sriracha, specifically Huy Fong for decades, that is, until they had some dispute with their pepper supplier around the time of COVID and they weren't able to supply the supermarkets... people selling it via Amazon and eBay for silly prices, etc... Well Tabasco, Texas Pete's, Kikkoman, Trader Joe's all jumped in and they all have a great Sriracha...I especially like Tabasco Sriracha... excellent stuff at a reasonable price and always available.
Tabasco original hot sauce is excellent. I know there's hotter out there, but it's plenty hot and it's a great, unique flavor especially great with seafood.