Bear Down Wildcats

Anyone have a good recipe?

Where do you want to start? Dried whole chilies?

Longhorned wrote:Where do you want to start? Dried whole chilies?

I enjoy spicy food. Only preference would be easily available ingredients (supermarket) and not a huge amount of cooking skill required (I'm not skilled). Wide open otherwise. Wife bought me a hot sauce of the month Christmas present, and I enjoyed almost all varieties.

We talking sauce like cholula/tapatio or Frank's or Texas Pete or....?

scumdevils86 wrote:We talking sauce like cholula/tapatio or Frank's or Texas Pete or....?

Wide open. Whatever's good.

scumdevils86 wrote:We talking sauce like cholula/tapatio or Frank's or Texas Pete or....?

Hassan Adams?

So you'll want to pick up some appetizing-looking red chili pods (I go for Hatch), remove the stems and seeds, and rinse. Put them in a pot and cover with water and bring it to a boil, and then simmer at a reasonable simmerness for 20 minutes. Take it off the heat and stick in an immersion blender. If you don't have one, dump the whole thing in a blender. After you puree it, run it through a sieve to take out the skins.

Now you have a chili sauce, which is really just a base for making up your own recipe. But you've got to write down what you do, or else you'll be like me and unable to duplicate or pass on what you did once you hit it out of the park.

If you're following recipes to make an enchilada sauce, it makes a huge difference if you make your own chicken stock for it. Besides, then you have the chicken ready for the enchiladas.

I used to follow a recipe for both New Mexico red chili sauce and the green chili sauce that I swear was on the NM state government website, but I just tried and I couldn't find it. Maybe your googling will be better than mine today.

All this talk about eating in New Mexico as this amazing experience is all true, but you can make that stuff at home. Pick up some nixtamal (I can't get it in my neighborhood) and make some fresh tortillas and stack them with the green or red sauce and cheese and top with a runny fried egg. If you make some real refried beans with that (and you can cheat and start with canned pintos), you'll hit a flavor zone that transcends everyday life. A gringo secret that will make some people here angry: Instead of lard, try making them with butter, and grate some parmigiano reggiano over it, or Wisconsin Sartori reserve. Just a different dimension with the depth, richness and umami.

I used to make my one enchilada sauce using dried chilies. I can't get Hatch out here so I just go the the 99c store which does have a pretty good selection of standard chilies. Soak the dried chilies in water for 20 minutes or so, then roast them over a gas flame, then peel the blackened skin off. Blend.

Once you start making your own enchilada sauce you can never go back to the canned.

When I was in Tucson last time my dad introduced me to pablano chilies which aren't common where I live. I did find some frozen at Grocery Outlet but haven't done anything with them yet.

Longhorned wrote:simmer at a reasonable simmerness for 20 minutes

Merkin wrote:Once you start making your own enchilada sauce you can never go back to the canned.

Yep! My mother makes enchiladas twice a month, huge batches so I get to take some home. They are devoured within 3-4 days.

Cant remember what all is in this, but we fed about 25 people with this batch. Probably 4 or 5 bags of chilies skinned and cooked

scumdevils86 wrote:We talking sauce like cholula/tapatio or Frank's or Texas Pete or....?

Anyone have a more condimenty style recipe like the above too? I'll probably use the enchilada, but was thinking about the condiment as well b/c I put hot sauce on pretty much everything.

I want to try this one just for a starter

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emer ... ecipe.html

scumdevils86 wrote:I want to try this one just for a starter

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emer ... ecipe.html

I saw that one and it looked good. I was a little put off by the 2 week fermentation/steeping. Is that just a vinegar based thing? I do love Louisiana style, and most of that seems to require a few weeks.

scumdevils86 wrote:I want to try this one just for a starter

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emer ... ecipe.html

Made this once, turned out pretty good, even grew and dried cayenne peppers myself, but in the end, I preferred the taste of the store-bought version ..

I love ranchero sauce, "cowboy ketchup", which is on the table of every Mexican restaurant in Phoenix, but nowhere else in the world. Clearly a lot of people in Phoenix know how to make it. I've found recipes online and tried, failed, corrected, and failed again and again. I'd appreciate it if anyone here can help.

Longhorned wrote:I love ranchero sauce, "cowboy ketchup", which is on the table of every Mexican restaurant in Phoenix, but nowhere else in the world. Clearly a lot of people in Phoenix know how to make it. I've found recipes online and tried, failed, corrected, and failed again and again. I'd appreciate it if anyone here can help.

That's a tough one, because I could never identify the right chiles - Arbol? Cascabel? Red Jalapenos? Fresnos? Habaneros? Others? A blend? - so I buy the one I liked the most which is this: Poblano Hot Sauce Salsa Ranchera. Made in Tucson.

Holy shit, B, you saved me. Thanks. Ordering now.

Longhorned wrote:Holy shit, B, you saved me. Thanks. Ordering now.

Sure! Let me know if that site worked for ya, I may send some to far-flung friends ...

Reydituto wrote:
That's a tough one, because I could never identify the right chiles - Arbol? Cascabel? Red Jalapenos? Fresnos? Habaneros? Others? A blend? - so I buy the one I liked the most which is this: Poblano Hot Sauce Salsa Ranchera. Made in Tucson.

Oh my god, I've been trying to remember/find who made the greatest jalapeno sauce I've ever had without going down to a Fry's off of I19 and this is most definitely the company! I'll have to try their other stuff now that I know I can order online.

Making a hot sauce from fresh chilies right now. I ran into a big batch of fresh red jalapeños, so I bought the lot - 1.5 pounds. I stemmed then crushed in the food processor, added a couple tablespoons of salt and let ferment at room temperature overnight. Then added some distilled vinegar and I'm letting it sit out for a week before I put them in the blender and then strain them to make a fully smooth and liquid, bright red, very hot hot sauce.

You guys ever get this in Tucson?

I had a bumper crop of habaneros last year. I mean I literally had like 5 pounds of them. You can't give them away. No one wants habanero, and you can literally use like 3 in a whole pot of chili to make it hot as shit.

So we made this recipe and canned it. Gave a bunch of bottles away. It's really good. Perfect on fish tacos.

http://www.rickbayless.com/recipe/habanero-hot-sauce/" target="_blank

the real dill wrote:I had a bumper crop of habaneros last year. I mean I literally had like 5 pounds of them. You can't give them away. No one wants habanero, and you can literally use like 3 in a whole pot of chili to make it hot as shit.

So we made this recipe and canned it. Gave a bunch of bottles away. It's really good. Perfect on fish tacos.

http://www.rickbayless.com/recipe/habanero-hot-sauce/" target="_blank

I don't understand. I want habaneros very badly but even the Mexican markets in my town can't keep them preserved long enough. Habaneros are the king of chili peppers. What color are yours?

Longhorned wrote:

the real dill wrote:I had a bumper crop of habaneros last year. I mean I literally had like 5 pounds of them. You can't give them away. No one wants habanero, and you can literally use like 3 in a whole pot of chili to make it hot as shit.

So we made this recipe and canned it. Gave a bunch of bottles away. It's really good. Perfect on fish tacos.

http://www.rickbayless.com/recipe/habanero-hot-sauce/" target="_blank

I don't understand. I want habaneros very badly but even the Mexican markets in my town can't keep them preserved long enough. Habaneros are the king of chili peppers. What color are yours?

They are orange, and apparently extremely easy to grow. For example, I had 4 jalapeno plants that yielded about 3 pounds of peppers. 1 habanero plant gave me 5 pounds. There were more peppers than leaves. I was picking a bowl full every day for a month. I didn't plant them this year because I didn't want to have to deal with them. They stay preserved perfectly fine jarred,sealed, and refrigerated using the recipe above. I love habanero, but 1 pepper goes a long way. I had bags full.

Longhorned wrote:You guys ever get this in Tucson?

Ghetto Fry's, first and roger, has this. I give it to the kids because it's mild.

Dill, did you have any difficulty achieving jalapeños with enough heat? I've heard it's hard to grow them yourself hot because they need a little stress to bring out the capsaicin. Otherwise, supposedly, a healthy amount of water and a good fertile soil makes them come out as mild as bell peppers. How were yours?

Mmmm. . . habers.

wyo-cat wrote:

Longhorned wrote:You guys ever get this in Tucson?

Ghetto Fry's, first and roger, has this. I give it to the kids because it's mild.

What sauce do you put on your own food?

Longhorned wrote:Dill, did you have any difficulty achieving jalapeños with enough heat? I've heard it's hard to grow them yourself hot because they need a little stress to bring out the capsaicin. Otherwise, supposedly, a healthy amount of water and a good fertile soil makes them come out as mild as bell peppers. How were yours?

I grow them in an elevated garden that's made from 2 x 10's that's about 3 1/2" high. The growing medium is potting mix and it drains very well. Well drained soil is the key, if you don't have it, make it. I have a bumper crop growing as we speak.

I'm gonna try them in an earth box of my own construct soon...when I have the time.

Longhorned wrote:

wyo-cat wrote:

Longhorned wrote:You guys ever get this in Tucson?

Ghetto Fry's, first and roger, has this. I give it to the kids because it's mild.

What sauce do you put on your own food?

My go to, can't live without sauce is Sriracha. For Mexican, I go for Castillo Habenero sauce in orange or green. It's been renamed, Mexico Lindo, but it's the same sauce.

don't use many green sauces and this one isn't very spicy but my word is it tasty. just marvelous. i picked up like 4 bottles last time i was at tj's

I doubt I could get the Castillo or Mexico Lindo outside of the Sonoran desert or Arizona or California. But I'll have to pick some up or order online.

Longhorned wrote:Dill, did you have any difficulty achieving jalapeños with enough heat? I've heard it's hard to grow them yourself hot because they need a little stress to bring out the capsaicin. Otherwise, supposedly, a healthy amount of water and a good fertile soil makes them come out as mild as bell peppers. How were yours?

Mine have always been pretty mild so I always thought I just got a mild plant. Very interesting. Unfortunately they're in the same bed with tomatoes and other vegetables so it would be impossible for me to stress them.

Hey dill, how big is your garden? And do you have any pics of it?

Longhorned wrote:I doubt I could get the Castillo or Mexico Lindo outside of the Sonoran desert or Arizona or California. But I'll have to pick some up or order online.

Amazon has it. Point, Click...Burn.

azgreg wrote:Hey dill, how big is your garden? And do you have any pics of it?

Small. 2 8x4 raised beds. I can post a pic later. It's nothing special. Right now I have tomatoes, zucchini, squash, jalapenos, and serranos. I usually grow onions and cilantro so I basically have a homemade pico de gallo factory.

My wife wants to do something like this.

"Dill, what's yours like?"

"What color is it?"

"How big is it?"

"And do you have any pics of it?"

In AZ, you don't necessarily want raised beds. Being above ground makes the soil dry out quicker. It really depends on what you are growing. Look into local sources to find out how to grow veggies in Phoenix.

This is some of the most incredible stuff ever:





Sunchang gochujang, a Korean chili paste, which is made from sun-dried chilies and fermented bean paste (miso). It's super hot and filled with umami. I've been cooking with it all the time.

Gochujang is a definite staple in the Korean kitchen, like lard to a Southerner.

http://www.seriouseats.com/2010/06/goch ... ments.html" target="_blank

dang. i have some gringofied crappy gochujang at home now (i'm actually marinading chicken in it right now with soy, garlic and sesame oil for lettuce wraps tonight). i want to try that.

Recently discovered this bit of awesomeness!



Mmmmmmmm!

I've decided Sriracha isn't a hot sauce. It's a ketchup that happens to be made with jalapeños instead of tomatoes. Ketchup doesn't have to be made with tomato. The earliest ketchup was made of mushrooms instead of tomatoes. There's even a ketchup made from bananas instead of tomatoes. Anyway, I love Sriracha, and I'm starting to have no use for the Heinz, because Sriracha simply replaces it.

My go to sauce.

I can never run out of Cholula "Original". Have to keep a backup bottle.

How is the chipotle version?

Whir in a blender. Truly amazing.

Longhorned wrote:

I've decided Sriracha isn't a hot sauce. It's a ketchup that happens to be made with jalapeños instead of tomatoes. Ketchup doesn't have to be made with tomato. The earliest ketchup was made of mushrooms instead of tomatoes. There's even a ketchup made from bananas instead of tomatoes. Anyway, I love Sriracha, and I'm starting to have no use for the Heinz, because Sriracha simply replaces it.

actually. . .http://www.kitchendaily.com/read/8-thin ... ut-ketchup" target="_blank

1727 edition of Compleat Housewife; or, Accomplished Gentlewoman’s Companion by Eliza Smith. This popular recipe for “English Katchop” called for anchovies, shallots, white wine vinegar, two types of white wine and a complex spice blend of mace, ginger, cloves and other flavors, resembling more of a fish sauce.

That actually sounds pretty good.

Longhorned wrote:I can never run out of Cholula "Original". Have to keep a backup bottle.

How is the chipotle version?

It's tasty, but not quite as much kick as I'd like. Original can't be beat, but the Chile Lime is pretty amazing as well.