Previous Thread
Next Thread
Print Thread
Page 1 of 2 1 2
Joined: Oct 1999
Posts: 84,397
Marty Offline OP
OP Offline
From a friend...

A cautionary tale for anyone making Belizean-style hot sauce (that is,
like Marie Sharp's with carrots, onions, vinegar, lime juice, salt and
lots of habanero peppers).

Yesterday I made a batch. Seems to have turned out great, a beautiful
orange color ... BUT ... about an hour after I finished my hands
started stinging and burning.

To make the hot sauce you seed and chop up a bunch of habanero
peppers, and puree them in a food processor, and I foolishly did this
without wearing rubber gloves or coating my skin with oil.

The burning just kept getting worse. NOTHING I could do (based on my
quick read of remedies on the internet) worked -- not washing my hands
20 times, taking showers, soaking my hands in cold milk, soaking my
hands in sugar water, soaking my hands in lemon juice, soaking my
hands in alcohol.

I don't know what it is about habanero oil but it seems to seep right
through the upper layers of skin and nothing I did got it off.

Dipping my hands in ice water helped but only so long as I kept them
in the water.

This went on for hours and hours.

I know -- dumb not to wear protection.

Finally, I took a few glasses of medicinal alcohol (rum and tonic)
internally and went to sleep, and after about 6 hours I woke up and
found the burning gone at last.

Moral: Approach habanero peppers with extreme caution.

And it also gives me new respect for the Marie Sharp's workers who
deal with these peppers all the time.

==================

My response:

i was a chef for nearly 30 years and i always got a kick out of my prep cooks who would cut habaneros or chipotle peppers then go to the bathroom. without washing the peppers off their hands. they would come out running and hollaring, as with those peppered hands they had turned their weenies into hot dogs!!!

Joined: May 2007
Posts: 4,701
Offline
fortunate you did not touch your eyes or nose also - WOW - can that hurt - been there never again

Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 11,062
Offline
Agree, RY. Happened to me as well one evening many years ago. Call it Belikin induced forgetfulness, whatever. OUCH!! Just have to let it run it's course.


_ _ _ _ _ _ _________________ _ _ _ _ _ _
But then what do I know, I am but a mere caveman
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 10
Offline
Based on the title, I thought this thread was going to go in a ENTIRELY different direction...


"No matter how little money and how few possessions you own, having a dog makes you rich."
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 420
Offline
Originally Posted by Rykat
fortunate you did not touch your eyes or nose also - WOW - can that hurt - been there never again


Touching the eyes would be especially bad if one wore contacts. Been there, done THAT (& I only handling crushed red chili peppers).


A hug is the shortest distance between friends. ~ Author Unknown
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 10,850
E
Offline
E
The moral of this tale is, be careful where you put your hands.

Joined: May 2010
Posts: 80
T
Offline
T
green coconut milk kinda helps but the internal rum solution is best. love the hot sauce.

Last edited by Timmy; 09/28/10 10:54 PM.
Joined: Feb 2010
Posts: 420
Offline
Originally Posted by Ernie B
The moral of this tale is, be careful where you put your hands.


Be very, very careful!!


A hug is the shortest distance between friends. ~ Author Unknown
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,444
Offline
Originally Posted by Ernie B
The moral of this tale is, be careful where you put your hands.


Ernie,

That life lesson applies to soooooo much more than just cutting up peppers!!!!!!! laugh

PB


I've already told you more than I know.
Joined: Sep 2002
Posts: 10,850
E
Offline
E
PB, cutting up peppers is "boot camp", then you go forward and really get burned smile

Page 1 of 2 1 2

Link Copied to Clipboard
March
S M T W T F S
1 2
3 4 5 6 7 8 9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16
17 18 19 20 21 22 23
24 25 26 27 28 29 30
31
Cayo Espanto
Click for Cayo Espanto, and have your own private island
More Links
Click for exciting and adventurous tours of Belize with Katie Valk!
Who's Online Now
0 members (), 183 guests, and 0 robots.
Key: Admin, Global Mod, Mod
Forum Statistics
Forums44
Topics79,199
Posts500,011
Members20,460
Most Online7,413
Nov 7th, 2021



AmbergrisCaye.com CayeCaulker.org HELP! Visitor Center Goods & Services San Pedro Town
BelizeSearch.com Message Board Lodging Diving Fishing Things to Do History
BelizeNews.com Maps Phonebook Belize Business Directory
BelizeCards.com Picture of the Day

The opinions and views expressed on this board are the subjective opinions of Ambergris Caye Message Board members
and not of the Ambergris Caye Message Board its affiliates, or its employees.

Powered by UBB.threads™ PHP Forum Software 7.7.5