Did You Know – Tabasco Making Process
Do you have a bottle of Tabasco Sauce in your cupboard? I bet most people do. Check out the lengthy and fascinating process it takes to make this popular sauce. I know I was completely surprised!
- Tabasco Sauce is made with just three ingredients which are peppers, salt, and vinegar.
- Decommissioned white oak bourbon barrels are used to make Tabasco Sauce. They are sourced from different distilleries around the country.
- Deep red peppers are hand picked and mashed then mixed with a small amount of salt on the same day.
- The mash is put into the white oak barrels in the barrel warehouse.
- The barrel tops are then sealed with salt to form a natural protective barrier that also allows for the release of gases produced during the slow fermentation process.
- Pepper mash is aged in these barrels for up to three years to develop the complex flavor that makes Tabasco Sauce so unique.
- Then it is blended with high quality distilled vinegar for 28 days more, it is strained and bottled.
- After the pepper mash is removed from the barrels, the barrels are cleaned of any mash residue and taken to the mash warehouse.
- At the mash warehouse, the barrels are placed in rows and inspected for any damage. If the barrels are determined to be of good quality, they cover them, retighten the stainless hoops, and wax the bung on the side of the barrel before filling them up with fresh pepper mash again.
- The white oak barrels are reused typically 15-20 times if in good condition, which averages out to be about 35-40 years. When a barrel can’t be reused, they break down the barrel and send the wood out to make Tabasco Wood Chips. The barrel’s stainless-steel hoops are reused for other barrels.
Source and image from http://www.Tabasco.com
http://www.InDianesKitchen.com
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Categories: Did You Know, Sauces
Hello Diane, how are you?
Hi Tangie, long time! I’m getting excited as I am planning to remodel my kitchen! How are you doing?
Very useful
Thank you
Who would have thought it?
I agree Derrick, especially using the salt on top of the barrels. I wonder who was brave enough to try it after 3 years? Lol
I did not know this and I love Tabasco, thanks Diane
You’re welcome Sheree!
I had no idea
I didn’t either Beth and only 3 ingredients!
I had no idea! Is always good to have a bottle at home 😉
My husband insists! Lol
There’s always Tabasco sauce in our pantry (Berto’s favourite, not so much mine). It is very interesting to read how it is made … and what an extensive process it is!
They sell wood chips from the old barrels too, I bet Berto would love cooking over them! Lol
Just three ingredients?! That’s awesome. Love Tabasco sauce and especially with friend chicken. Thanks for the overview, Diane.
You’re welcome Ab!
Fascinating💜
Thank you Jonetta!
I definitely now have a greater appreciation for how tabasco becomes tabasco, Diane. Thanks for sharing – very interesting and informative.🌶
Did you see they sell wood chips for the smoker, yum!
You find the most interesting things Diane!
Thank you Dorothy!
WOW! Impressive. Thanks for this information. I read it to my husband who skips around in purchaes – from Tabasco to Texas Pete to Frank’s to whatever. After reading this, he said “I think I’ll stick to Tabasco”. He was particularly impressed that the pepper mash was cured for 3 years.
Thanks for your research.
I can’t believe they don’t sell it for more money for how long the process takes.
Up to three years in the barrel being aged – wow! I will appreciate this sauce even more now! 🙂
Did you see they sell the wood chips for the smoker too, imagine the flavor!
Mmmm
I knew I loved the stuff for a good reason, I need to find those chips…. can you imagine using them in a smoker?!
If you google Tabasco wood chips you will see them for sale. I need some for my husband’s smoker too!
Had never thought of this process to make Tabasco – thank you!
You’re welcome Mary!
Such an interesting process and I love that the barrels are reused and repurposed until there is basically nothing left!
It was interesting to me too Linda. I had no idea they had wood chips too!
My goodness – lots of work into making tabasco sauce. I don’t believe I have ever had tabasco sauce on anything, nor had a bottle her at the house.
Terry puts it on everything! I keep telling him he has no idea what food actually tastes like. Lol
Ha ha … we had a guy used to come in the diner when I worked there years ago. He did not like eggs, but liked the sausage and hash browns part of the breakfast, so he would be shaking the Frank’s Hot Sauce on those eggs until you couldn’t see them. He said he had to make them tolerable!
You know I never thought of how they make Tabasco sauce and this is very interesting. For some reason, I thought there would be more ingredients, thanks Diane!
I was shocked by that too along with the long process. You’re welcome Susan!
We visited Avery Island, Louisiana and did the free tour of the Tabasco factory. It was amazing and well worth the trip.
I am so jealous! I love touring places like this.
It was wonderful! We would go back again.