Take this year’s grilling season to a whole new level of yum with this stunning habanero and blueberry hot sauce recipe.
It’s vibrant, sweetly spiced, and incredible on everything from burgers and chicken to flaky fish tacos.
Easy Homemade Blueberry Habanero Hot Sauce
If you like things sweet and spicy, this recipe is for you.
The blueberries are insanely juicy and colorful, and the habaneros make it fiery without burning your tongue off.
And it makes such a nice change from the usual Tabasco hot sauce.
You can ferment this recipe if you want it with extra depth. But it’s seriously tasty with a simple cook and a few days in the fridge.
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make blueberry hot sauce:
- Fresh Blueberries - use the freshest, ripest blueberries you can find so the flavor is as strong as it can be.
- Habanero Peppers - they’re much spicier than jalapeños, so you get a nice level of heat, but they’re not as spicy as ghost peppers, so they won’t blow your taste buds.
- Garlic & Onion - alliums are common flavor enhancers to help round out the overall taste
- Apple Cider Vinegar - to help preserve the hot sauce and to add a nice kick of acidity
- Water - to thin out the sauce
- Honey or Agave Nectar - this is optional, but that hit of sweetness makes this sauce sing
- Salt - for balance
- Lime - for a kick of citrus and to help keep things light
How to Make Habanero Blueberry Hot Sauce
This recipe is pretty simple. Just cook everything until soft, then blitz it and pop it in the fridge:
- Wash the blueberries and remove any stems
- Cut the tops off the habanero peppers and pull out the stem.
- Roughly chop the peppers, mince the garlic, and dice the onion.
- Pour the water, apple cider vinegar, and honey into a heavy-bottomed pot with tall sides.
- Stir, then add the blueberries, habanero peppers, garlic, onion, and salt.
- Put the pot on the stove over medium heat and bring it to a simmer.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 15-20 minutes, until the blueberries are tender.
- Turn off the heat, move the pot off the stove, and leave the mix to cool slightly.
- When the blueberry sauce is cool, transfer it into a blender with the lime juice.
- Blend until smooth, then strain the sauce into a sterilized glass jar.
- Seal the container, let it cool completely, then store it in the fridge for at least three days before using.
- Shake well before use, and enjoy!
Fermented Blueberry Hot Sauce
Fermented hot sauce has a longer shelf life and deeper flavor. So if you have the time, I highly recommend taking the extra steps.
Here’s how to make fermented habanero blueberry hot sauce:
- Make a pepper mash by mixing the blueberries, stemmed and chopped habaneros, minced garlic, and diced onion with the apple cider vinegar, water, honey, and salt.
- Use a potato masher to burst the blueberries and mix everything well.
- Pour the mash into a clean glass jar and press the mash down so everything is submerged under the liquid.
- Weigh the mash down with a small plate or shot glass filled with water.
- Cover the top of the jar with cheesecloth and secure it in place with rubber bands.
- Place the jar in a cool, dark location and leave to ferment for 3 to 7 days.
- Check daily, looking at the color and tasting the mix until it reaches your desired flavor.
- When the hot sauce is how you like it, transfer the mash and liquids to a blender with lime juice and blitz until smooth.
- Strain into a clean glass bottle and store in the fridge.
NOTE: keep an eye on the mash during fermentation. The fruit and peppers must be fully submerged the whole time. If there’s not enough liquid, add extra water and apple cider vinegar to cover everything properly.
FAQs
Do I have to use fresh blueberries?
Fresh blueberries will give you the best flavor, but feel free to use frozen if that’s all you have. Just keep in mind you’ll need to reduce the amount of water in the recipe.
Can I use another type of berry?
Yes! This recipe works really well with blackberries or a mix of the two. I’ve even tried it with strawberries and it was incredible!
Can I use another type of pepper?
I love the flavor or habanero peppers and their heat level is perfect. If you want it mild, use fewer peppers.
Or feel free to experiment with different varieties. For example, add a scotch bonnet if you like it fiery!
How long will it last?
If you ferment this sauce, it’ll be good on the shelf for 6-12 months. After opening, it should be fine for a month or two.
Unfermented sauce will last in the fridge for 2-3 months.
Habanero and Blueberry Hot Sauce
Ingredients:
- 300 grams of Fresh Blueberries (2 cups)
- 50-100 grams of Habanero Peppers, stemmed and roughly chopped
- 3 Cloves of Garlic, minced
- 1 small Onion, diced
- 120 ml of Apple Cider Vinegar (1/2 cup)
- 60 ml of Water (1/4 cup)
- 15 grams of Honey or Agave Nectar (1 tablespoon)
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Juice of 1 lime
Method:
- Wash the blueberries and remove any stems
- Cut the tops off the habanero peppers and pull out the stem.
- Roughly chop the peppers, mince the garlic, and dice the onion.
- Pour the water, apple cider vinegar, and honey into a heavy-bottomed pot with tall sides.
- Stir, then add the blueberries, habanero peppers, garlic, onion, and salt.
- Put the pot on the stove over medium heat and bring it to a simmer.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 15-20 minutes, until the blueberries are tender.
- Turn off the heat, move the pot off the stove, and leave the mix to cool slightly.
- When the blueberry sauce is cool, add it to a blender with the lime juice.
- Blend until smooth, then strain the sauce into a sterilized glass jar.
- Seal the container, let it cool completely, then store it in the fridge for at least three days before using.
- Shake well before use, and enjoy!