At The Chilli Mash Co, chilli mash is more than just a product — it’s the heart of everything we do.
Whether you're a hot sauce enthusiast, a professional chef, or a food manufacturer looking for premium-grade ingredients, chilli mash offers a versatile and flavour-rich base that can transform any dish or product.
In this article, we'll explore what chilli mash is, how it is made, its various uses, and why it’s becoming a staple in the food industry worldwide.
What Is Chilli Mash?
At its core, chilli mash is the purest expression of the chilli pepper — a transformative yet straightforward ingredient made through lacto-fermentation, the same natural process used to craft sourdough, kimchi, and kombucha. Fresh chillies are crushed, salted, and left to ferment slowly under carefully controlled conditions. The result is a deep, complex, living base full of flavour, colour, and aroma — the starting point for truly exceptional hot sauces. This rich, pulpy mash contains the skin, seeds, and juices of the chillies, delivering intense heat and deep flavour.
Think of it as the raw, unrefined essence of chilli — bold, spicy, and packed with natural capsaicin, the compound that gives chillies their heat. Depending on the variety of chilli used, the mash can range in colour from bright red to green, orange, or deep red, and the heat level can vary from mild warmth to explosive intensity.
Unlike many manufacturers who use vinegar (acetic acid) to speed up fermentation or control spoilage, Chilli Mash Company is one of the only producers in the world that creates its mash entirely without acetic acid. This natural method preserves the authentic taste of the pepper, unlocking rich umami depth and gentle tang while retaining the fruit's original fire and fragrance.
What began as a passion project in a home kitchen over fifteen years ago has evolved into the UK's only independent large-scale producer of fermented chilli mash — and one of the few in the world that still produces it the traditional way.
From making our own sauce batches in Portsmouth to supplying artisan makers, national brands, and global distributors, our mash production has always been guided by one principle: flavour first, integrity always.
Every batch we produce is the result of patient fermentation, scientific precision, and a deep respect for the natural fermentation process. No shortcuts. No chemical accelerants. Just chillies, salt, time, and care.
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1. Harvesting Fresh Chillies
We work with trusted growers, both locally and internationally, to source premium fresh chillies. Each variety is selected for its unique flavour profile, heat level, and suitability for mash production.
2. Cleaning and Sorting
Chillies are washed, sorted, and quality-checked to ensure only the best fruits are used. Damaged or spoiled chillies are removed.
3. Crushing and Salting
The chillies are crushed into a thick paste and mixed with salt. Salt acts as both a flavour enhancer and a natural preservative triggering fermentation.
4. Fermentation
Our chilli mash is fermented for up-to several months in airtight containers. During fermentation, natural bacteria break down the sugars in the chillies, creating a tangy, complex flavour and improving the mash’s shelf life.
5. Storage and Packaging
Once matured, the mash is stored in food-grade containers and can be sold in bulk or used as an ingredient in our signature sauces and condiments.
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