The case of the exploding hot sauce

Last weekend was the National Garage Sale Trail day, an initiative to encourage recycling your trash into other people’s treasure whilst reducing landfill and meeting members of your local community. I decided I’d make some of my hot sauce and bottle it up for all to sample. Out of 10 bottles I made, three of them developed into the exploding variety. The same three purchased by a friend's Mum, my best customer of the day. Not only will she be turned off hot sauce, garage sales and me for a while, I’m sure she is probably still cleaning the back of her nice car out as we speak. (sorry Mrs Burak)

And all that after I plied her with tequila, she probably got home and had to have a little nap on the couch. (sorry Mrs Burak)

So I’ve heard of exploding hot sauce before but the explosion is usually occurring in your mouth once you have opened the bottle. I’ve tried to research this phenomenon and I’ve come across one explanation that you need to cook the chilies and make sure the ph level is alkaline. But let me tell you, I cooked those chilies for half a day and added in vinegar to reduce the PH.

The other part of the mystery is that all other bottles were explosion free. If anyone out there has any clues as to what happened please email me at dee@cookmyway.com.au. I want to get the bottom of this one as I have an inkling it is not the last time I will make hot sauce.

If you want to check on the recipe used feel free to have a gander here. http://http://www.cookmyway.com.au/recipe/535/hellicious-hot-sauce

Meanwhile back at the ranch we have been eating hot sauce all week, I just cannot get sick of this one.