Mexican hot sauce is great in many recipes, not just with nachos. You can buy it ready-made or prepare it easily at home and store it in the freezer to always have it available. When you're ready to use it, just let it defrost, remove excess water and let your imagination run wild.
Ingrediants
Spicy Mexican Sauce
For about 2, 5 l of sauce
- 10-15 ripe tomatoes
- 2 large onions
- 8 cloves of garlic
- 8 jalapeno peppers
- 2 green peppers
- 25 g chopped fresh cilantro
- 60 ml of lime juice or apple cider vinegar
- 3 teaspoons (8 g) of ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon (3 g) of ground coriander
- 2 teaspoons (8 g) of sugar
- 2 teaspoons (10 g) of salt
- Half a teaspoon (1 g) of cayenne pepper
- 1 teaspoon (2 g) of black pepper
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Store the Mexican Hot Sauce
Step 1. Simmer the sauce over low heat to make it thicken without risking altering its taste
The sauce must be thick to get a good result by freezing it. Pour it into a saucepan and heat it over medium-low heat until about half of the liquid has evaporated. This will take approximately 45 minutes. If you bought the ready-made hot sauce and it feels very runny, you can thicken it in this same way to make sure that once thawed it is as good as it was just bought.
If the sauce already has a thick consistency or if the ingredients are cut into large pieces, you can skip this step or keep it on the stove for less time
Step 2. Let the sauce cool to room temperature
Remove the saucepan from the heat and let the hot sauce cool for about an hour before placing it in the freezer. Cover the saucepan with a lid with a moisture vent.
If you put the sauce in the freezer while it is still hot, the condensation will freeze and ice will form at the top of the container
Step 3. If you are short on time, you can quickly thicken the sauce by adding 170g of tomato paste
If you don't have time to simmer it slowly to reduce it or if you want to give it an even thicker consistency, simply add some tomato paste. Add 170g of concentrate to thicken 2.5L of hot sauce without the need to heat it.
If you want the sauce to become even thicker, you can add another 170g of concentrate
Step 4. Pour the sauce into the food containers
Use plastic or glass containers suitable for storing food in the freezer. Alternatively, you can use resealable bags. When the hot sauce has cooled, pour it into the containers leaving a couple of inches of empty space in each to give it a chance to expand as it freezes.
- If you want to save space or if you prefer to freeze the sauce in single portions, use small food bags and stack them on top of each other inside the freezer. Let as much air out of the bags as possible before sealing them.
- Freeze the sauce in portions of approximately 250 ml if you intend to use it to prepare different recipes. That way you won't have to thaw it all out every time.
Step 5. Store the hot sauce in the freezer and use within 4 months
Calculate the expiration date and label the containers or bags. Specify the content and degree of spiciness if you have prepared several types of sauce.
Method 2 of 3: Make the Mexican Hot Sauce
Step 1. Cut 10-15 tomatoes in quarters and remove seeds
Take a sharp knife and cut the tomatoes first in half and then into four equal parts. Place a quarter of the tomato on the cutting board with the skin side down. Run the knife blade along the pulp attached to the peel to remove the seeds and core of the tomatoes.
Step 2. Cut the tomatoes, onions and green peppers into cubes
In addition to the tomatoes, you need 2 large onions and 2 green peppers to make the Mexican hot sauce. The size of the cubes depends on the type of consistency you want to give the sauce: more or less coarse.
Step 3. Finely chop the 8 jalapeno peppers
Dice them smaller than the rest of the ingredients. These peppers are very hot and their flavor may overpower that of the other ingredients, so chop them finely and be careful not to overdo the quantities.
- The seeds are the hottest part of chillies, so consider storing or removing them.
- Don't touch your eyes after handling the peppers.
- If you want, you can replace the jalapeno with more or less hot peppers, according to your personal tastes.
Step 4. Chop 2 cloves of garlic
Squeeze them onto the cutting board with the flat side of the knife blade, then chop them as finely as possible.
You can use a garlic press if you don't want to risk the garlic smell sticking to your hands
Step 5. Combine all the ingredients in a large saucepan
Combine the tomatoes, onion, garlic, and peppers. Add 25 g of chopped fresh cilantro, 60 ml of lime juice or apple cider vinegar, 3 teaspoons (8 g) of ground cumin, 1 teaspoon (3 g) of ground coriander, 2 teaspoons (8 g) of sugar, 2 teaspoons (10 g) of salt, half a teaspoon (1 g) of cayenne pepper and 1 teaspoon (2 g) of black pepper. Mix the ingredients with a plastic or wooden spoon.
Step 6. Bring the ingredients to a boil over medium heat while mixing
Make sure that the spices are well distributed in the sauce so that the flavors blend.
Step 7. Simmer the sauce for at least 45 minutes
Leave the pot uncovered while the sauce simmers, as half of the liquid has to evaporate. You can let it cook longer if you want it to have an even thicker texture.
Step 8. Wait until the sauce has cooled completely before freezing it
Remove the pot from the heat and wait for the hot sauce to reach room temperature. Touch it with your finger to make sure it has cooled down before transferring it to the containers.
If you freeze the sauce while it is still hot, ice will form inside the containers due to condensation
Step 9. Store the sauce in the food bags and use it within 6 months
Leave a couple of inches of empty space inside the bags so that the sauce has a chance to expand as it freezes. Divide it into 250ml portions so you don't have to thaw it all out when you're ready to use it. Stack the bags in the freezer to save space.
- If you prefer, you can use small rigid food containers. Again, remember to leave a couple of inches of empty space to allow the sauce to expand.
- Place a packing date label on airtight bags or containers.
Method 3 of 3: Defrost and Use Mexican Hot Sauce
Step 1. Let the sauce thaw in the refrigerator for 24 hours before using it
Do not let it thaw at room temperature. Transfer it from the freezer to the refrigerator one day before use.
Step 2. Drain the excess liquid from the sauce
Once thawed, some liquid may have accumulated in the bottom of the container. If so, pour it down the sink to keep the sauce from running out too smoothly.
Step 3. Marinate the steaks with the hot sauce
Pour it into the same container as the meat and let the steaks marinate for an hour at room temperature. You can leave them to marinate for up to 24 hours, so that the meat has time to absorb all the flavors, but in this case you have to seal the container with the lid and place it in the refrigerator. Grill the steaks on the barbecue over medium-high heat until they reach the desired doneness.
Remember that steaks must reach an internal temperature of 63 ° C to be considered cooked
Step 4. Use the hot sauce inside the enchiladas
Sauté the chicken or beef in the pan until it is cooked in the center as well. Place a tortilla in a baking dish and stuff it with the meat, black beans, corn, cheese and hot sauce plus the enchilada sauce. Bake the enchiladas in the oven for 20 minutes, then garnish them with some more hot sauce and a sprinkle of cheese.
Step 5. Use the hot sauce to make a Mexican pizza
You can use a ready-made pizza base or a simple tortilla. Spread the hot sauce on the base to start composing your Mexican pizza. Add the meat for the tacos, beans and cheese, then bake the pizza in the oven at 175 ° C for 15 minutes.
- If you wish, you can complement the pizza with fresh ingredients, such as diced tomatoes and lettuce leaves.
- If there is any hot sauce left over, you can dip the pizza in it before eating it.
Step 6. Use the hot sauce to enrich the tacos
Sauté the chicken or beef in a skillet and season it with a mixture of tacos spices. Make tacos with meat, cheese, lettuce, and some other fresh vegetables, then add the sour cream and your delicious homemade Mexican hot sauce.
