Your burger will never be the same…
Ready to graduate from jalapeño slices? Go with habanero heat! Habanero ketchup is at the upper echelon of spicy condiments, especially if you leave the seeds in during the cooking process (recommended only for extreme eaters). Even without the seeds, this is not a ketchup for the timid. It’s blazingly hot, but with that sweet tomato tang that pairs with burger oh so well. But don’t stop there, habanero ketchup is delicious wherever standard ketchup is in order: as a dip for fries, as a topper for meatloaf, or even as a tangy glaze for BBQ. Don’t forget a squirt on your next hot dog, too, to really amp things up.
And, of course, we can’t leave you without our cautionary note: Use gloves when handling habaneros. All chilies can give you chili burn, but chili burn from extra hots and above (like the habanero) is at another level. Protect yourself while handling them throughout the cooking process.Â
Habanero Ketchup
Ingredients
- 4 roma tomatoes seeded and chopped
- 1 habanero pepper seeded and chopped, leave seeds in for super-spicy ketchup
- 1 red bell pepper seeded and chopped
- 1 onion chopped
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 3/4 cup cider vinegar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar packed
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a saucepan over medium heat, sauté the garlic and onion in the olive oil until translucent.
- Add the roma tomatoes, red bell pepper, and habanero pepper. Continue to cook, stirring often, until the peppers soften.
- Add the cider vinegar, brown sugar, bay leaf, allspice, cinnamon, and cloves. Stir and continue to cook for 3 to 5 minutes (until all vegetables are very soft).
- Remove the bay leaf, then pour the mix into a food processor or blender. Puree the mix until smooth, then return the sauce to the pan. Simmer the sauce for 5 to 7 minutes, until it reaches your desired ketchup thickness.
- Remove bay leaf and puree; return to saucepan and simmer 5 minutes.
- Salt and pepper to taste, then serve or for best flavor, chill the ketchup for one hour, covered, prior to serving.