As the name might suggest, piri piri hellfire brandy is not for the faint-hearted. Picture standing at the gates of hell and sucking up the fire through a straw. Now, this isn’t a cocktail. It’s actually a traditional Portuguese condiment enjoyed drizzled over BBQ chicken. While it’s tasty for summer BBQ, it’s also popular in winter. No wonder, since it warms you right through to the bones.
Our recipe is actually quite a tame version of piri piri hellfire brandy. Portuguese people have been known to add up to 50 piri piri chilies (also known as malagueta peppers). Which is quite odd since they rarely like much spice at all. As always, you can change things up to suit your own taste buds and add more or less accordingly.
If you are the adventurous type, try some other hot peppers, too. Birdseye or cayenne peppers both work well. And if you really want to surprise your friends, add one whole bhut jolokia (ghost pepper).
Piri piri hellfire brandy needs a few days to combine and strengthen. The recommended minimum would be three days, but five days or more will leave you with a much better result. It will keep in a dark cupboard for six months or more.
See it being made:
Like this recipe? You’ll love these too:
- Homemade Hoisin Sauce: Another delicious DIY condiment, perfect with Asian cuisine, but also a delicious sauce for BBQ.
- Spicy Coconut Salsa: Creamy and sweet, with a touch of heat. This salsa is tasty as a side with most any grilled meat.
- Habanero Relish: A real bold take on relish that’ll spice up your hot dogs and more.
Piri Piri Hellfire Brandy
Ingredients
- 15 piri piri peppers
- 10 ounces brandy
Instructions
- Sterilize the bottle or jar. Pour boiling water into it and leave it for 3 minutes. Then pour out the water.
- Take the piri piri chili peppers and cut away the stem so the seeds are showing inside. This is where the hellfire heat will come from.
- Place the chilies into your prepared bottle or jar.
- Pour the brandy over the chilies and cover/seal with a lid.
- Leave on a cool dark shelf for at least three days before you consume.