Southern Pepper Sauce Recipe
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This pepper sauce recipe is a Southern family favorite. Perfect for serving with cornbread, greens, or black eyed peas, this Southern Pepper Sauce is one you’ll turn to again and again.
Pepper Sauce is a favorite condiment for serving with any number of dishes in the south. It’s delicious with foods like black-eyed peas, pinto beans, collard greens, or turnip greens. Many even like a bit of it with their BBQ. A jar of this spicy sauce can just about always be found on the supper table, making it a staple item to make each year.
At the end of each summer, Daddy would gather peppers from his garden to make a good number of jars to use, keep in the pantry, and share with friends.
Here’s our family pepper sauce recipe. This recipe is for a one-pint jar.
Southern Pepper Sauce Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup distilled white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt, or pickling salt
- 1 teaspoon olive oil, optional for extra hot pepper sauce
- about 30 small peppers
Instructions
- Clean jar, lid, and band and rinse well. Keep warm.
- Mix together sugar, salt, vinegar, and optional olive oil in a stainless steel saucepan.
- Cook over medium heat until it begins to boil.
- Fill jar with peppers and pour hot vinegar mixture over the peppers. Leave about 1 inch of headspace from the top of the jar
- Remove air bubbles in the jar by tilting jar slightly to allow bubbles to escape as press peppers against opposite side of the jar.
- Wipe jar rim to clean. Place lid on top of jar and tighten ring.
- Allow jars to seal by setting on countertop to cool with about 1 inch in between each.
- Test seal after about 12 hours by pressing finger to the center of the lid. If sealed, it will not pop back. If not sealed, refrigerate and use.
- Store in dark, cool cabinet or pantry for up to a year.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Enjoy!
Robyn xo
Can you use Avocado oil instead of olive oil
Robyn, I don’t use any oil in my pepper sauce but it included it as an option for ones who do want it. Others do use avocado oil in their recipes.
I don’t want hot pepper sauce only mild I need to know what peppers to buy
Barbara, you can use milder peppers if you don’t want hot pepper sauce. You can use banana peppers, any color of the bell peppers, or any other mild pepper you like. Hope you enjoy!
This is a perfect recipe. I get compliments all the time. We use old liquor bottles instead of jars.
I’m so glad you love this recipe, KG. It has been a favorite in my family for years.
I am curious as to what kind of peppers to use. I don’t want any heat just flavor. I can remember my grandma always had it on the table. Any help would be appreciated.
Re: southern pepper sauce recipe
Thank you very much
Craig, jalapeño and Serrano peppers were used in this photo but you can use other peppers such as hot banana peppers.
Thank you. I made pepper sauce with finger hot pepper ” thin chili pepper” sold at local market and turned out perfect.
Thanks for letting me know how well your pepper sauce turned out, Paula.