The Land of Enchantment

I’ve always had a soft spot for Santa Fe, NM. For years it was my stopover home between my cooking gigs in Alaska and Colorado. Every time I visit, I continue to learn more about the rich cuisine and culture of this unique place. The town hosts the Santa Fe Wine and Chile Fiesta each September, showcasing many of the fantastic restaurants in town. This is one of the most spectacular festivals in the US and includes cooking and wine classes, dinners, lectures and the most impressive Grand Tasting I have ever attended.

South of Santa Fe near the Mexico boarder, lies the small town of Hatch. This little village is the epicenter of some of the best chiles in the world and every Labor Day weekend, the Hatch Chile Festival brings thousands of people to experience their magical flavors. While Hatch chiles can be grown in many home gardens, the conditions of Hatch, NM are what makes them so special. The soil, climate and elevation are all factors to creating this incredible food. The capsaicin released from these peppers climbs in heat to a point, but then levels off and creates a kind of ambrosia, and sense of well-being. No other chile has this uniqueness.

The most commonly known chile from Hatch is the Sandia. The hot Sandia variety is delicious and packs just enough heat (5000-7000 scoville units) to make them a staple in New Mexico kitchens. This variety is most often offered in grocery stores, freshly roasted at harvest time.

A Word on Scoville Units

The chile I’m using in this recipe is the Luci Fairy Chile also from Hatch, New Mexico. The Luci Fairy is very similar to a Tabasco chile found in other areas. Even though the chile itself is small in stature, it packs a wallop of heat. The Luci Fairy chile has (30,000 – 50,000 scoville units) of heat making them ideal for making hot sauce. If you can’t find Luci Fairy in your area, mature tabasco, Texas pequin, Thai or African pequin peppers make a great substitute.

In my opinion, hot sauce should complement food, not make it feel like your brain is melting out of your ears. I don’t abide hot sauces genetically engineered to cause as much discomfort as possible. I don’t see the point. In fact, eating the Naga Jolokia “Ghost Pepper”(1,000,000-1,500,000) or Carolina Reaper (2,200,000 scoville units) can lead to serious damage or death by causing a severe narrowing of the coronary artery. One man tore a hole in his esophagus from eating a ghost pepper puree. Another appeared to have died of heart failure after eating a super hot concoction. To each their own, I suppose.

Small jar of pepper sauce next to fresh peppers on cutting board

I used peppers from my garden. Check to see what grows well in your area or just purchase your peppers from a grocery store or farmer’s market.

Luci Fairy chiles are just one of the varieties I grow each season. If they aren’t available where you live, you can order them (seasonally) from Hatch, New Mexico. Some chiles are made into ristras for decoration, though these are often treated to make them last longer. If you wish to cook with chiles from a ristra, request an untreated one.

Wash and dry the chiles. On the right are the Luci Fairy. On the left are mature Sandias. While it is unnecessary to add the Sandias to the hot sauce, I’m growing more than I need, so I’m going to sneak a few in there as well.

chile pepper grouped together on cutting board with tops chopped off

Cut the top of the chiles off. This will reveal the seed pod and pith which is where the capsaicin oil is made. Removing the top allows the oil to seep directly into the sauce.

chile peppers with tops removed in a glass jar

Add the cleaned and topped chiles to sanitized jar until 1/2-3/4 full.

pot containing sugar and salt on cutting board

Add the salt and sugar to a medium sized pot. (For Keto use granulated Monkfruit.)

pot containing vinegar, sugar and salt next to jar of chiles

Add distilled white vinegar and place over medium high heat. Bring to a boil and and stir until the solids have dissolved.

metal funnel in a glass jar of chiles next to pot of hot vinegar solution

Use a funnel to pour the hot vinegar solution into the jars.

glass jar filled with chiles and vinegar solution

Fill to the top and allow the vinegar solution to cool.

small jar of childs and vinegar solution on cutting board next to fresh chiles

Add the chiles and vinegar to any style of pepper bottle you wish. Unlike the store bought variety, these chiles taste amazing, so try them if a few should pop out while pouring. When the sauce is gone, the peppers are delicious and can be eaten. If kept in the refrigerator, the Luci Fairy Clear Pepper Sauce will last up to 3 months.

glass jar of red chiles on cutting board next to fresh chile peppers

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