RED FRESNO SRIRACHA
INGREDIENTS
12 oz. Samuel Adams Boston Lager, or similar rich, malty beer (1 can)
1/4 cup white vinegar
1 tbsp. sugar
1 tbsp. Kosher salt
8 red Fresno chiles (about 8 oz.), divided
4 cloves garlic, divided, with 2 peeled
1 tsp. expeller-pressed Safflower oil
PREPARATION
1. Preheat the oven to 500°F.
2. In a large, nonreactive saucepan, bring the beer, vinegar, sugar, and salt to a boil. Cook for 7 minutes over high heat, then reduce heat to medium and continue cooking for about 8 more minutes or until the liquid has reduced to 1/2 cup. Stirring occasionally, watch carefully or reduce the heat toward the end to prevent scorching. Remove the pan from the heat and set aside.
3. In a small bowl, combine 4 of the chiles, the 2 garlic cloves with skin on, and the oil. (for spicier sauce, don't seed the chiles.) Stir to coat and spread the mixture evenly on an ungreased baking sheet. Roast until the chile skins are blistered and blackened in places, about 7 minutes. Remove from the oven and set aside.
4. While the peppers are roasting, stem and seed the remaining 4 chilies and place with the remaining 2 peeled garlic cloves in a food processor.
5. When the roasted peppers and garlic are cool enough to handle, stem and seed the peppers, leaving the skin on, and peel the garlic cloves. Add both to the food processor, along with the reserved beer reduction. Process the mixture until smooth.
The vinegar and chiles are natural preservatives, which means you can keep the sriracha stored in the refrigerator almost indefinitely.
