Habanero Extract (Danger!)

The process starts by collecting Habanero's. Under an exhaust fan and wearing gloves, fill a blender with Habanero peppers, a quart of grain alcohol (i.e. Everclear), and liquefy. Fill empty jars with liquid and seal. Clean up the mess. After a day or so, shake the jars and let the pulp settle again for a couple of days.

Put a jar on papers under the exhaust fan and insert a coffee-filter-lined funnel. Wearing rubber gloves pour the clear liquid through the filter and spoon the pulp in the filter. Let it drain until no more liquid comes out. Discard the pulp.

The next step is dangerous because it involves boiling off the alcohol, potentially very flammable. My technique is to setup a pressure cooker with half an inch of water and a cup or so of the Habanero extract in an open bowl or jar in the pressure cooker. Put the lid on without covering the steam exhaust port; apply a moderate-low heat with the exhaust fan running. Within about 30-45 minutes, the steam will evaporate the alcohol and leave a brownish, oily looking liquid, Habanero concentrate. Never use a microwave or an open pot over a flame to evaporate the alcohol, the risk of a kitchen fire or explosion is too great.

Habanero sauce is the essence of hot, taste test it with a toothpick, a very small amount goes a long., long way. I've frozen mine and use the point of a sharp knife to remove crumbs for soups, drinks and other foods. In spite of the trouble and expense, the main advantage of the concentrate is that it does not have the "green pepper" vegetable flavor of either the extract or Habanero's.