I would wait until after they are strained. I'm not quite sure why, but all the recipes I've seen say to add it just before bottling, so it seems like a last step after you have gotten the flavor and consistency you want in your sauce.

I am very interested in making my own hot sauce this year but I have yet to read a recipe that involved xanthan gum OR aging. Could either of you guys post a recipe or give me a link to the recipe/process? Sounds interesting!

Thanks.

Thanks midwestchilehead, I put up 11 quarts before your post but good to know.

Azinine its a common practice to age sauces that have a high vinegar content. If you click on the link you will find some sauces that call for aging. Even if its not in the recipe I would recommend aging it anyway if its a vinegar based sauce. The reason is mentioned in the first post in the provided link.

Here is a link that might be useful: Let's Make Hot Sauce Discussion

Thanks for the info thisisme!