ESSENTIAL HABANERO HOT SAUCE

Planning to use this later this summer - I thought the water bath rationale & instructions were especially clear & easy to follow. From http://www.fiery-foods.com/dave/canning.asp: "Adjust the heat by adding fewer habaneros, not by increasing the carrots as this can alter the flavor & decrease the acidity. This version of the recipe is designed to be processed in a water bath... One way to avoid having to use a pressure canner is to can chiles along with high-acid vegetables or liquids. Two examples would be salsas and hot sauces. The addition of acidic ingredients will lower the pH of the mixture to the point that makes it safe to use the water-bath method of canning. In essence, to use this method, it is necessary to add vinegar, lemon juice, or lime juice in order to raise the acid level. If adding these ingredients raises the acid level to unpalatable levels, the amount of vinegar or lemon juice can be reduced, but the product must then be either pressure canned or frozen. Water-bath canning can be done in a special pot, or in any large metal container that is deep enough so that the water level will be at least 2 inches over the tops of the jars, and can boil freely. A rack of some kind in the pot is also necessary to keep the jars off the bottom of the pot during the vigorous boiling of processing. After the salsa has been prepared, it must reach boiling stage before simmering it for 5 minutes. Pour it into hot, clean jars, being sure to use all the liquid, which is the high-acid portion of the salsa. Put on the lids and process in the water-bath for 30 minutes. Add boiling water during the process to keep the jars covered. When the processing time is finished, remove the jars to a draft- free location to cool. The following tips apply to the water-bath method: equal parts of lemon or lime juice may be used to replace vinegar, if you so prefer. Less chile may be used in the salsas, but not more, since that will reduce the acid content of the final product. Additional salt may be safely added. Start timing the processing when the water starts to boil again, after adding the jars. And finally, additional seasonings such as oregano or cumin are best if added when serving the salsa, rather than before canning." The New Mexico Department of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service has shared the following recipe for canning chiles by the water-bath method. ****NOTE******* This is rated "extremely hot" on their heat scale - I'll let you know after my habaneros ripen.

Provided by Busters friend

Categories     Low Protein

Time 1h25m

Yield 2 1/2 cups

Number Of Ingredients 7

• Ingredients

Nutrition Facts : Calories 162.6, Fat 1.1, SaturatedFat 0.1, Sodium 1939.6, Carbohydrate 31.9, Fiber 5.8, Sugar 16.1, Protein 4.9