Blackberry Lime Hot Sauce
- Brianne Thomas
- 1 day ago
- 6 min read
This recipe combines the heat of serrano peppers with the tartness of lime and the sweetness of fresh blackberries for an irresistible flavor explosion.
This year, we were gifted two Serrano pepper plants, and they're producing like crazy! I wasn’t entirely sure what I planned to do with them, but I figured a hot sauce seemed pretty obvious. The problem is that I don’t exactly care much for super spicy things. The solution: add in our homegrown fresh blackberries and a random lime hanging out in the fridge. The result is a delicious, flavorful sauce that’s not too hot and not too sweet.
Why You’ll Love This Blackberry Lime Hot Sauce
No Junk. Unlike store-bought sauces, you control the ingredients and the quality.
Easy. Whether you’re new to canning or a seasoned pro, this recipe is quick and easy.
Flavor. There is no Blackberry Lime Hot Sauce in the world that measures up to this homemade version!
How to Serve Blackberry Lime Hot Sauce
Enjoy your homemade blackberry lime hot sauce as a tangy addition to tacos, carnitas, casseroles, grilled meats, or any dish that could use a burst of flavor!
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Is This Blackberry Lime Hot Sauce Safe for Canning?
Based on my research and a similar recipe, yes, this recipe is safe for canning. If you're worried about canning it, you can store it in the fridge or freezer, or you can test the pH.
Do I Have To Can This Blackberry Lime Hot Sauce?
If you’re not a home canner yet, no worries! You can still make this homemade hot sauce. It can be stored in the refrigerator for up to two weeks or frozen for up to 3 months. Keep in mind there may be subtle texture changes after freezing and thawing. Shake well before using.
How To Prepare for Home Canning
To prepare jars for canning, I like to place my clean, room-temperature jars into my canning pot with room-temperature water. I allow my jars and water to come to the same temperature at the same time. You don’t want boiling water; you’re just heating everything up.
Place a clean kitchen towel on the countertop where you intend to place your hot jars once removed from the canner.
Once your sauce is ready for canning, carefully remove the jars from the pot using your canning jar lifter and empty the hot water back into the pot. Place the hot jars on the prepared kitchen towel and begin ladling in the sauce.
Tips & Tricks for the Home Canning Process
If you have a water bath canner, you’ll want to use it here. I don’t have a separate canner for water bath canning, so I just use my pressure canner with the rack. However, I do not lock the lid in place and allow the canning lid to sit slightly ajar.
If you don’t have a water bath or pressure canner, no worries! You can simply use a large stock pot with a makeshift rack. Your pot should be tall enough so that the water covers the jars.
To make a DIY canning rack, you can simply tie five or six canning rings together and place your jars on top. If you have an Instant Pot rack, you can use that instead. The main thing is you don’t want to place your jars directly inside the pot. Air and heat need to be able to circulate around the jars completely to ensure proper processing.
When placing your rings onto the jars, you want to tighten them with just your fingertips. If the rings are too tight, your lids will buckle, which can result in an unsealed jar. If you don’t tighten them enough, the water can seep into your jar and ruin your product.
Recommended Canning Equipment for Making Blackberry Lime Hot Sauce
Canning jars with lids and bands
Water Bath Canner or Large Pot with rack
Jelly or candy thermometer
Cheesecloth or fine mesh strainer
Ladle
Funnel
Jar lifter
Kitchen towels
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How Long to Process Blackberry Lime Hot Sauce
Process half pints and pints in a water bath canner for 15 minutes (below 1,000 feet in elevation).
Between 1,000 and 3,000 feet, increase the processing time to 20 minutes.
Between 3,000 and 6,000 feet, the jars should be processed for 25 minutes.
Process for 30 minutes above 6,000 feet in elevation.
This recipe has not been tested in quarts and should only be canned in pints, half pints, or quarter pints.
Yield: Approximately 10 4-ounce jars
Ingredients
2 Tablespoons neutral oil, like olive or avocado
1 pound fresh serrano peppers, stems removed
2 cups fresh blackberries
½ cup white onion, chopped
6 cloves garlic
1 ½ cups distilled vinegar
1 cup water
1 cup lime juice
Zest of one lime
2 Tablespoons cilantro, dried
1 teaspoon oregano, dried
1 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon ginger, freshly grated
Directions
Use caution when handling, cutting, and seeding hot peppers. Wear gloves or wash hands thoroughly with soap and water. Do not touch your eyes or face.
Thoroughly wash 1 pound serrano peppers and 2 cups of blackberries. Remove the stems from the peppers. Chop the white onion and peel the garlic cloves.
To a large stainless steel skillet over medium-high heat, add the chopped onion and washed peppers. Sauté for approximately 7-10 minutes or until the onions and peppers show signs of charring and blistering and have softened. Add garlic cloves and sauté for approximately 1-2 minutes or until fragrant.
Carefully transfer the onions, peppers, and garlic to a large stainless steel saucepan. Add 1 ½ cups distilled vinegar, 1 cup water, and 1 cup lime juice. Add the lime zest, 2 Tablespoons dried cilantro, 1 teaspoon oregano, 1 teaspoon sugar, and ½ teaspoon freshly grated ginger.
Bring the mixture to a boil over medium-high heat, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes, until the ingredients are soft and the flavors meld.
Carefully transfer the cooked mixture to a blender or use an immersion blender. Add the fresh blackberries.
Blend until smooth. You may need to do this in batches if using a traditional blender.
For a smoother texture, strain the sauce through a fine-mesh sieve or a tomato strainer to remove seeds and pulp.
Sterilize the canning jars by boiling them in water for 10 minutes. Keep them hot until they are ready to use.
Use a stainless steel ladle to pour the hot sauce into the hot jars, leaving about ¼ inch of headspace. Wipe the rims with a clean cloth to remove any residue.
Place the lids on the jars and screw on the bands until fingertip tight.
Using a jar lifter, lower the jars into a large pot or canner filled with boiling water. Ensure the jars are covered by at least 1 inch of water.
Process the jars in the boiling water bath for 15 minutes. Adjust the time if you are at a higher altitude.
After Processing
Once your Blackberry Lime Hot Sauce has completed the 15 minutes in the canner, remove the lid from the canner completely. Allow the jars to rest in the pot for about 5 minutes or so. This will allow them to adjust to having the lid taken off the canner.
Carefully remove the jars from the canner using your canning jar lifter and place them on the prepared kitchen towel. Allow the jars to rest on the counter for 24 hours and listen for pops of the lids (my favorite part!).
Remove the rings from the jars and gently tap the center of the canning lid on each jar. If the lid pops back up, your lid didn't seal properly, unfortunately. It happens! If it's just one jar, place that one in the refrigerator and use it within a couple of weeks. If it's several jars, remove all of the lids, wipe the rims of the jars with vinegar, add new lids, and reprocess them again in the canner.
If your jars are all sealed properly (YAY!), use a little vinegar or soap and warm water to wipe the outside of the jars before labeling and storing.
Canning and Home Food Preservation Resources
How to Store Blackberry Lime Hot Sauce
After washing jars to remove any sticky residue, store jars in a cool, dark place.
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