Pickled Onion Sauce
This is an intense onion sauce that marries nicely with bratwurst, garlic sausage, and kielbasa. Other herbs worth trying in this blend include cumin, ginger, and allspice.
INGREDIENTS | MAKES 3 CUPS
- 1 large red onion, thinly sliced
- 2 chili peppers, seeded and diced
- 10 cloves fresh garlic
- 1 ½ cups white vinegar
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 tablespoon mustard seed
- 1 tablespoon celery seed
- ½ cup dark beer
- ¼ cup dark honey
- 1 teaspoon salt
Blanch the onions and peppers 2 minutes.
Place onions, peppers, and remaining ingredients in a sauce pan; bring to a boil.
Reduce heat; simmer until sauce reduces by ¼ cup.
Cool; run through a blender or food processor for consistent texture.
Store in freezer-safe containers, leaving space for expansion. Use within 8 months.
How Hot?
Heat is measured in what’s called a Scoville unit, which essentially indicates how much dilution is necessary before a person no longer feels the burning sensation caused by the capsaicin in hot peppers. The average Tabasco sauce measures up at about 3,700 Scoville units. By comparison, jalapeño peppers rank 2,000–8,000 on the Scoville range, and cayenne ranges 30,000–50,000 units.
