- Sauce
- Southern
- American
- Make-ahead
- Stovetop
- Budget-friendly
- Beginner-friendly
Good for, as AI judged the whole recipe.
Ingredients
- 3 cups
apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup
water
- 2 tbsp
light brown sugar, packed
- 1 tbsp
kosher salt
- 2 tbsp
crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tbsp
coarsely ground black pepper
- 1 tsp
hot sauce (such as Texas Pete or Frank's) (optional)
- Vegan
- Gluten-free
No major allergens.
Worked out from the ingredients.
Steps
- Step 1
Combine the cider vinegar, water, brown sugar and salt in a small nonreactive saucepan (stainless steel or enameled, not cast iron or aluminum). Set over medium heat and stir until the sugar and salt dissolve. Do not let it boil — you just want it warm, steaming and barely bubbling at the edges, about 4 minutes.
4 min
- 3 cups apple cider vinegar
- 1 cup water
- 2 tbsp light brown sugar
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- Step 2
Take the pan off the heat and stir in the crushed red pepper, black pepper and the hot sauce, if using. Let it sit on the counter, uncovered, until cooled to room temperature, about 1 hour — this is where the heat and pepper flavor come out.
1 hr, hands-off
- 2 tbsp crushed red pepper flakes
- 1 tbsp coarsely ground black pepper
- 1 tsp hot sauce (such as Texas Pete or Frank's)
- Step 3
Pour the cooled sauce, pepper flakes and all, into a clean quart jar or a squeeze bottle. Taste it: it should be sharp and salty with a slow build of heat. Add another pinch of salt or a little more brown sugar if it tastes too raw to you.
- Step 4
Cover and refrigerate at least 24 hours before using, so the peppers fully steep. It keeps in the fridge for up to 2 months and gets hotter as it sits. Shake well before each use, and mop or toss it onto pulled pork, roast chicken or shredded cabbage a few tablespoons at a time.
24 hr, hands-off
Where it’s from
Written by AI from an idea
Version 1, saved Oct 5, 2026