Habanero harvest 2005

[Rathpig]

Almost every year I decide to garden, I tell myself to plant "a few" habanero, so that I can have "a couple" of peppers.....


well, I have just powdered 2oz which was about 60 fat peppers. This is the hottest substance on earth. I've got alot of fresh ones picked n' getting redder. I have 3 loaded plants that are still blooming, but looking shaggy doo and they are not getting alot of attention.

Ok, I think I need a hot sauce mead recipe.

and I am not sure where to start. This stuff is the hottest stuff on earth.


The Habanero is an extremely hot and fruity pepper which when used correctly can add a little spiceness at the right moment to a bloody mary or as a steak dry rub.


my current recipe is:


3 lbs honey
2 oz habanero dusto

mix the peppers well, ya & age, even crystalize the honey
~ then make a 1/2 gallon mead w/ eau de vie yeast.


Please help me make a better recipe, thank you.....

R.


(edit add: habanero powder is almost seedless)

 

[palecricket1]

hot sauce is based mostly of tomato paste or juice thinned with vinegar. It might be interesting to use a mead vinegar, or just use half mead half vinegar.
Depending on the flavor you're looking for, you might want to make a sort of "chipotle" type habanero pepper, smoking and/or roasting the pepper before powdering it. Make sure to discard the placenta (or include it if you REALLY want to pick up the heat), and you should definately consider adding just a hint of coriander, cinnamon, and cumin to the secondary to accent the pepper flavor and add complexity. But go easy on the cinnamon, a little goes a long way here. I would also reccomend using lime rind and juice instead of an acid blend. What type of honey are you using? Do keep us posted; this sounds like an interesting mead. I may even decide to try it myself with my just now ripening seranos