Pressure Canning Chili Pepper Sauce

13 years ago

Hi guys,

First off, I'm new here and it's a pleasure to come to a place where so many experienced folks are willing to share. Second, safety is A#1 in my book, so make no mistake about that.

I've searched and read on the various posts made in the past on the topic, but still have a question...

If I can pressure can hot peppers in water, as specified at the UGA NCHF, web site, why couldn't I pressure can a recipe like the following one:

"Chiltepin House Sauce (Salsa Casera)

2 cups Chiltepins (Hot Peppers)

8 cloves garlic -- (8 to 10)

1 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon Mexican oregano

1 teaspoon coriander seed

1 cup water

1 cup cider vinegar

Combine all ingredients in a blender and puree on high speed for 3 to 4 minutes."

Or any chili pepper sauce for that matter (sans one with oil in it I suppose)??

I guess where I'm going is, it would seem to me that if I can pressure can deer meat, I should be able to pressure can any combination of peppers, garlic, vinegar, and water safely no?

I absolutely understand the "tested recipe" concept. I certainly understand why there wouldn't be a water bath canned recipe. So, let's get that out of the way.

What I'm trying to understand and differentiate is really why there are no "tested" pressure canned hot sauce recipes.. yet there's a tested pressure canned "tuna meat" recipe... Is this because there's something inherently dangerous with this combination of peppers, garlic, vinegar, and water?? So, going back to elementary school math... the associative property... if peppers and water are okay pressure canned... and peppers and vinegar are okay boiling water bathed.. if garlic and vinegar are okay boiling water bathed and if garlic and water are okay pressure canned (might be mushy mess though), then why can't all of those be pressure canned together.. Let's say for 75 minutes at 15lbs just to be absolutely sure we've obliterated all living matter...(okay, I'm on caffeine binge this morning and I'm being a bit tongue cheek here, make no mistake). But really, is it because it's inherently dangerous to pressure can these recipes or is it because the only people that test these recipes are authors whose audience is mid america that are more focused on tomatoes and strawberry jam. Yes, there are a few recipes.. (I have the Ball Complete Book and the Stocking Up book...) But, no where near the recipes you see for Salsa and tomato based hot sauces...

To be clear: I am not a crusader. I am not a risk taker. I'm merely seeking knowledge. Thanks for your experienced input.

jbmia

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Comments (3)

digdirt2
13 years ago
First and most important - WELCOME!!! :)

What I'm trying to understand and differentiate is really why there are no "tested" pressure canned hot sauce recipes.. yet there's a tested pressure canned "tuna meat" recipe... Is this because there's something inherently dangerous with this combination of peppers, garlic, vinegar, and water??

No it isn't because it is 'inherently dangerous'. It is because of

1) a lack of interest/demand combined with

2) insufficient funding for such testing and

3) an underlying philosophy in what is the real purpose of home canning: long term safe preservation of the basics while they are in season for later use as opposed to testing combination niche' recipes and convenience items.

As we often discuss here, it takes approximately $10,000 to $50,000 dollars and a year or more of testing to validate each recipe. So the money and time are spent on the 'common' or high demand foods, the basics.

Things such as chili pepper sauce just aren't in high demand. :) OR they can easily be assembled for fresh and refrigerated use by having on hand all the basic components that were canned individually.

So yes, you should be able to pressure can your recipe but you would just have to guess at the processing time needed. Some are content to do that. It's your choice, your risk to take.

Hope this helps clarify.

Dave
Laura415
11 years ago
If you can pressure can hot or mild peppers in nothing but water and a little salt then you can pressure can hot peppers made into a sauce as well. You just pressure can for the ingredient that needs the longest time. If your garlic is the least acidic food you have to process the sauce for the time you would use when processing garlic. If you had hot pepper sauce with tuna in it you would pressure can using the time for the tuna. (silly example but helps with the point:)

Just research the components of your sauce and determine which ingredient needs the longest time and go with that.

Some exceptions would be: if your sauce has enough acid to do a shorter time. If you sauce is so thick that it won't get hot enough even in a pressure canner.
(examples pumpkin puree, quince membrillo)
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readinglady
11 years ago
If you use an approved 100% vinegar recipe for canned peppers (of which there are many), you can safely add the garlic and the dried herbs, process as directed (BWB) and blend after opening.

More versatile and the blended product would keep indefinitely refrigerated, assuming you use it in smaller amounts.

Often there are safe tested recipes out there which with minor and appropriate variations will meet the need.

Leaving the peppers whole and canning them as is allows you to prepare them as sauce later or use them entire or sliced in salads, appetizers, etc.

Carol