One of the most common questions that hot sauce makers and sellers get from buyers is: How should I store it? The answer is: it depends on the type.
“Ninety percent of the hot sauces out there have vinegar in them for shelf stability,” says Jack Moore of Black Cap hot sauce. Even most “fermented” hot sauces have been pasteurized, which stops the fermentation process, and have vinegar added, which makes them shelf stable.
The other 10 percent or less are fermented products like Black Cap that do not pasteurize and do not add vinegar, making them a living product. These hot sauces are sold in the refrigerated section of stores and should be stored – open or not – in the refrigerator at home.
As for the rest, those can safely be stored on the counter for up to six months or longer. The color and flavor will change over time, and the bottles and caps should be cleaned after use to prevent mold where the sauce is in contact with oxygen.
“Personally, whether the label tells me to refrigerate something or not, I’m putting it in the fridge after I open it,” Moore adds. “It’s less about whether or not the sauce will go bad, but whether or not it will grow mold on the neck of the bottle or cap.”
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This article appears in Nov 22 – Dec 5, 2023.