• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Ramshackle Pantry
  • About Me
  • Recipe Index
  • Culinary History
  • Contact
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • About Me
  • Recipe Index
  • Culinary History
  • Contact
Γ—

Home Β» Food Fundamentals Β» Carolina Reaper Hot Sauce Recipe

Carolina Reaper Hot Sauce Recipe

Published on December 19, 2018 by Ben Β· Updated on August 14, 2020 Β· As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Β· 44 Comments

Jump to Recipe
Carolina Reaper Hot Sauce on a picnic table.

This homemade Carolina Reaper Hot Sauce recipe is a fun way to bring that fire to your recipes. You can use any peppers if you can't handle the reaper, but thus ultra hot recipe can have your guests squirming.

Carolina Reaper Spicy Hot Sauce in a half pint jar. There is a reaper pepper laying next to the jar.

Do you want to mess with the world’s hottest pepper? Well, you came to the right place. Today we are making a hot sauce with the famed world’s hottest pepper, the Carolina Reaper. This Carolina Reaper Hot Sauce is really easy to make and will be certain to make even the toughest folks cry just a little. If you like the heat and you like that pepper flavor, this Carolina Reaper Hot Sauce is for you.

World’s Hottest Pepper - The Reaper

The Carolina Reaper pepper was specifically made to beat the Ghost Pepper and Scorpion Pepper on the Scoville Scale. This is literally the worlds hottest pepper and making hot sauce out of it is a fun way to enjoy the pepper and the flavors of the pepper. They are becoming more available in the store, but of course, you can order your own Carolina Reaper seeds and plant them yourself, as well!

Safety and The Carolina Reaper

First, this is not your average pepper.  Have you ever chopped up a jalapeno and then accidentally rubbed your eyes? It is terrible. It is a whole different ballgame with this pepper and you don’t want to play. Use gloves when handling this pepper. If you don’t, you may regret it.

We also put this in your oven to broil for a short while and you need to be a bit careful with this, as well. The peppers are hot! When you heat them up, they give off fumes. Make sure you have some ventilation handy and be careful of having any kids or pets around.

Seriously, people. Use your common sense and have a bit of respect for this pepper.

Can I Use Other Peppers for this Recipe?

For sure. We have made this hot sauce with both Ghost Peppers and Carolina Reapers. It would work fine for most spicy peppers. So, if you want to use habaneros, they should be fine. Use your best judgment on the size and adjust accordingly. Some Jalapeno peppers are really big and three times the size of a Reaper or Habenero. Adjust accordingly.

How Much Should I Use?

Sometimes I like to put this hot sauce on my tacos. For me, just a few drops are enough. I do like trying really hot stuff, but I don’t really like wallowing in it. Sometimes I can get a tad sweaty and it becomes uncomfortable. I like enough to just get my blood flowing and let me know that I am eating the world’s hottest pepper. It doesn’t take much with this Carolina Reaper Hot Sauce.

Why Did We Start Making This Hot Sauce?

My wife is the gardener. Last Spring she called and the greenhouse had some Reaper and Ghost Pepper plants. She just asked me if we wanted to try and grow them. We just sort of both agreed. What the heck! So, we have been experimenting with really hot stuff since they started coming in last July.

Seven Reaper Peppers on a cutting board

Overhead shot of the Reaper hot sauce with three Carolina reapers sitting on a table

Really, if you are into a bit of an adrenalin rush and a whole lot of zing, this Carolina Reaper Hot Sauce is probably for you. Don’t forget to follow me on Instagram and sign up to get updates via email.

Products We Used In This Recipe

  • Carolina Reaper Seeds
  • Blender
  • Β½ pint mason jars
Print
clock clock iconcutlery cutlery iconflag flag iconfolder folder iconinstagram instagram iconpinterest pinterest iconfacebook facebook iconprint print iconsquares squares iconheart heart iconheart solid heart solid icon
Carolina Reaper Spicy Hot Sauce in a half pint jar. There is a reaper pepper laying next to the jar.

Carolina Reaper Hot Sauce Recipe

★★★★★ 4.9 from 11 reviews
  • Author: Ben Myhre
  • Prep Time: 8 Minutes
  • Cook Time: 7 Minutes
  • Total Time: 15 Minutes
  • Yield: 20 servings 1x
  • Category: Hot Sauce
  • Method: Broil
  • Cuisine: Mexican
Save Recipe Recipe Saved
Print Recipe

Description

This is NOT your mama's hot sauce. This Carolina Reaper Hot Sauce is spicy, hot, and will make you sweat!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 7 Carolina Reaper Peppers
  • ΒΌ cup water
  • Juice from Β½ lemon
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • Β½ teaspoon salt
  • Β½ teaspoon sugar

Instructions

  1. Destem and cut peppers in half and place on cookie sheet, skin side up
  2. Broil for 7 minutes or just until it starts to blister and blackening
  3. Remove from oven and add all ingredients to blender
  4. Blend well
  5. Carefully store in airtight container and store in refrigerator

Keywords: Carolina Reaper Hot Sauce

Did you make this recipe?

Rate this recipe in the comment section below,  sign up to get updates by email, and share this recipe on Pinterest.

Related Posts

  • best hot toddy recipe. Hot toddy on a table with lemon, cinnamon, and a cutting board.
    The Best Hot Toddy Recipe

    Soothing, flavorful, and simply the best Hot Toddy Recipe. This is an old classic, but…

  • enchilada sauce ingredients
    Tomato enchilada sauce recipe

    This Enchilada Sauce recipe is so easy and ten times better than the store-bought stuff.…

  • Overhead image of Carolina Reaper Pickled Eggs
    Carolina Reaper Spicy Pickled Eggs Recipe

    One of the original bar foods are pickled eggs and this Carolina Reaper Spicy Pickled…

More Food Fundamentals

  • How to Make Celery Salt
  • How to Make Bacon Salt
  • Homemade Whipped Cream
  • How To Make Breadcrumbs - My Breadcrumb Recipe
  • Facebook551
  • Twitter
  • Mix

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. wallace sessions

    October 11, 2019 at 2:58 pm

    Love growing the reapers. Just wanted to try this recipe

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  2. Richard Mantone

    October 22, 2019 at 12:27 pm

    I lot hot stuff, but this a professional hot sauce. The fumes alone are lethal.

    ★★★★

    Reply
    • Ben

      October 22, 2019 at 3:14 pm

      Not a joke hotsauce! Use precaution and enjoy!

  3. Max

    November 07, 2019 at 2:53 pm

    I just made a batch of this. Fantastic. Shockingly hot but a really enjoyable flavor. I added three cloves of garlic and a teaspoon of white vinegar but used the recipe as given otherwise.

    I appreciate that a dab will add heat but you can still taste the food itself. Slightly hot sauces can be applied in a way that drowns our the underlying flavor. You won't make that mistake here.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Ben

      November 08, 2019 at 8:48 am

      Awesome! Thanks for trying it. I hope I put enough warning on just how hot it can be. πŸ˜‰

  4. elton

    January 06, 2020 at 8:02 am

    i grow my own peppers, such as the carolina reaper, but in my experience, if you use over 5, and you cut them up in a blender or cook them on high, it will turn your kitchen(or your house) into a gas chamber, and even if you have all your windows open, it may take hours for your kitchen or house, to be habitable. you only really need 2 or 3 super hot peppers, , 4 if you like it really hot, but unless you bottle commercial hot sauce or have a very large kitchen, i wouldn't use that much reaper peppers

    Reply
    • Ben

      January 06, 2020 at 3:27 pm

      We actually did this inside without much problem from our homegrown plants, as well. But, I do (and did in the post) recommend having ventilation. There is a whole section on the importance of safety. Yes, people should be careful with this recipe. They should have ventilation. It is doable, as proven by me on several occasions.

      But yes... be careful!

  5. JM

    May 30, 2020 at 3:38 pm

    Hello. What is the yield on this sauce? 1/4 cup water seems very low for for 7 peppers even with half lemon and little bit of vinegar. Am I reading the recipe wrong?
    Thanks.

    Reply
    • Ben

      May 30, 2020 at 8:14 pm

      The recipe is accurate.... and this is hot, hot, hot. Usually, I use just a few drops on a taco and a teaspoon will have you feeling the full effect of a reaper.

  6. Paul

    August 12, 2020 at 5:49 pm

    Hey, I'm going to make this sauce tomorrow and where it says 'Broil for 7 minutes or just until it starts to blister and blackening' is there a specific temperature that I should pre-heat my oven to?

    Reply
    • Ben

      August 13, 2020 at 11:18 am

      In most cases, your broil setting on your oven doesn't have a temperature, but either 'high' or 'low'. High is what you want.

  7. Sam

    September 16, 2020 at 10:16 am

    Do I need to remove seeds before roasting?
    For CR Hot Sauce recipe

    Reply
    • Ben

      September 16, 2020 at 10:32 am

      We did not and it blended right in. If you remove the seeds, you will get a little less heat. Not that there isn't plenty in this sauce. This is a hot, hot, hot sauce.

  8. Ted

    September 17, 2020 at 8:12 am

    Do you think I could use white vinegar instead of apple cider vinegar?

    Reply
    • Ben

      September 17, 2020 at 9:08 am

      Yes. For sure.

  9. Joyce Radcliff

    September 23, 2020 at 2:33 am

    How badly would it affect my Reaper Hot Sauce if I seared the peppers in a frying pan outside instead of roasting them inside?
    I have 8 rescue kitties in my space and there is no way I would subject them to the fumes created when roasting the Reapers.
    The peppers are ripening now and I certainly would like to make your sauce. Help!!
    Sincerely,
    Joyce & Kitties

    Reply
    • Ben

      September 23, 2020 at 6:19 am

      Joyce, I think it would work and I would MUCH rather see you try that than risk issues inside if you don't have appropriate ventilation.

      We had 8 rescue kittens once, two of which were the parents. While adorable, NEVER that many again. lol. My wife is the cat person and we end up with fosters on a fairly regular basis.

  10. Joyce Radcliff

    October 08, 2020 at 2:08 am

    Thank you, Ben for answering my 'frying pan' question. Every day now I am picking larger beautiful ripe peppers. I'm up in Canada on the West Coast - days are still warm but nights are cold so my Reapers are in a hot box in the greenhouse until they are done. When the rains begin, I'll do more net searches for lots of interesting recipes for winter. Thanks again. Sure going to try your hot sauce.
    Sincerely,
    Joyce Radcliff

    Reply
« Older Comments
Newer Comments »

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe rating ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆ ★☆

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

Benjamin Myhre wearing sunglasses, a hat, and smiling at you.

Hi, I am Ben Myhre! Ramshackle Pantry is about the most decadent classics and the history behind them! We explore delicious recipes, the history behind them, and find ways to make the recipes our own! Then, I share my recipes with you. Find out more about me and Ramshackle Pantry in the About page.

More about me β†’

Recent Recipes

  • Traditional Homemade Italian Pasta Sauce Recipe
  • Semifreddo Cookies and Cream Homemade Ice Cream Cake
  • How to pasteurize eggs with an Anova sous vide cooker
  • Grilled Shrimp Tacos with Creamy Cilantro Chili Sauce
Subscribe Click Here Emails - Updates

Popular Recipes

Footer

↑ back to top

"Featured In - msn.com, SheKnows, Mix.com, yummly, High Plains Reader, and Food Gawker" with logos

About

  • Privacy Policy

Newsletter

  • Sign Up! for emails and updates

Contact

  • Contact

Copyright Β© 2020 - Ramshackle Pantry

As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

  • Pinterest
  • Facebook
  • Twitter