:QUOTE [quotetype:personal] Fermented hot honey is the only condiment that gets better the longer you ignore it. :INFO How Honey Ferments with Chilies Raw honey contains wild yeasts — primarily Zygosaccharomyces rouxii — that remain dormant in low-water-activity honey. When fresh chilies (with their surface moisture) are added, the total water activity increases enough for fermentation to begin. The yeasts slowly ferment the honey sugars, producing a small amount of alcohol, CO2, and organic acids that transform the honey from sweet to complex, tangy, and lightly effervescent. The process takes 3 to 6 months. :COUNTER.half Raw Honey Only | :COUNTER.half 3 to 6 Months :PATH Source Raw Honey and Fresh Chilies Use raw unfiltered local honey and fresh, not dried, whole chilies. | :INFO Source Raw Honey and Fresh Chilies Raw, unfiltered, unpasteurized honey is essential — it contains the wild yeasts that drive fermentation. Grocery store honey is typically pasteurized and will not ferment. Buy from a local beekeeper or a health food store labeled "raw and unfiltered." Use fresh whole chilies — not dried. Fresno, serrano, jalapeño, or bird's eye chile work well. Wash and dry thoroughly. :PATH Pack Chilies in Honey and Seal Pierce each chili and submerge in raw honey in a glass jar. | :INFO Pack Chilies in Honey and Seal Pierce each chili 3 to 4 times with a toothpick to allow honey to penetrate. Pack into a clean glass jar. Pour raw honey over the chilies until completely submerged — chilies that break the surface can mold. Leave 1 inch of headspace for CO2 expansion. Loosely cap the jar — the fermentation produces gas that needs to escape. :PATH Burp Daily for the First Two Weeks Release CO2 pressure daily to prevent pressure buildup. | :INFO Burp Daily for the First Two Weeks For the first 2 weeks, open the jar daily (briefly unscrew the lid) to release built-up CO2. Stir the honey and re-submerge any chilies that floated. You will see small bubbles in the honey around days 2 to 4 — this is active fermentation. After 2 weeks the activity slows and daily burping is no longer needed. :CHECKLIST What You Need [ ] 1 cup raw unfiltered local honey [ ] 6 to 8 fresh whole chilies — Fresno or jalapeño recommended [ ] Clean glass jar with a lid [ ] Toothpick for piercing chilies :NOTE The Honey Thins as It Ferments Raw honey at the start of fermentation is thick and viscous. Over weeks, the fermentation products (organic acids and alcohol) lower viscosity — the finished hot honey pours more easily than fresh honey. This is expected and does not indicate spoilage. If you see mold (fuzzy growth), the chilies were not submerged — skim the mold and re-submerge, then consume within 2 weeks. :QUOTE [quotetype:personal] Drizzle on pizza, on cheese, on fried chicken, on anything. The six months disappear in the first week. :LINK https://www.fermentedfoodlab.com/fermented-hot-honey/ Fermented Food Lab — Fermented Hot Honey Recipe and Guide