Lacto-Fermented Hot Sauce

I created this recipe about a decade ago, and I’ve been making it every Autumn since. Every year I make 8 to 12 quarts of lacto-fermented hot sauce from all of the hot peppers I grow in my garden. Once fermented, the hot sauce will last all year in your refrigerator. I usually run out just before it’s time to make another batch! Use any variety of hot chili peppers—cherry bomb, serrano, habanero, shishito, cayenne, poblano, or thai chili peppers. Just be sure that your peppers are ripe (red or orange) before you make this. If they are not ripe yet, you can leave them on your counter in colanders (for air flow) to ripen. After the hot sauce has fermented, ladle it into smaller jars for storage. I recommend using latch lid jars or plastic lids (the acids in the hot sauce will corrode metal lids over time in your fridge).