Does sriracha go bad, does it expire, can you put it in the fridge, how to store it, and all questions answered so that you can get the full flavor and taste.
If you’re a fan of hot sauces, chances are you have Sriracha on hand, like me. It’s one of the best condiments with an interesting origin.
Squeeze some as a topping for your tacos or drizzle on a bowl of ramen and you have a delicious meal.
However, if you have it occasionally, you might wonder, does sriracha go bad?
Let’s find out!
How Long Does Sriracha Last?
Sriracha sauce is made from natural preservatives like vinegar, salt, garlic, and chilies. The distilled vinegar base prevents the formation of E.Coli bacteria.
Red jalapenos contain a chemical called capsaicin which makes chili peppers hot.
Capsaicin can keep away salmonella that causes food poisoning.
So this hot sauce has a longer shelf life than most other sauces, barring hot sauces. An unopened bottle can last beyond two years of its expiry date.
If you have an opened bottle and it’s in a cool, dark place like a pantry, it will last for at least 9 months.
After you open the bottle of this hot sauce, refrigerate sriracha so that it stays fresh for 2 to 3 years.
Does sriracha go bad if you make it at home? Yes, it can! Put it in the fridge and it will last for up to 6 months.
Does Sriracha Need To Be Refrigerated?
The short answer is no. But this applies to the shelf life of the original sriracha.
If you have bought something like Sriracha Mustard or Sriracha Mayonnaise, it means other sauces have been blended with the original recipe and need to be refrigerated.
So, do you need to refrigerate Sriracha? It depends on the type of sauce you have bought.
Having said that, refrigerating sriracha does help to extend the shelf life and retain the original flavor, texture, and color.
Does Sriracha Expire?
Sriracha has an expiry date lasered on the neck of the bottle. But that’s more like how long is sriracha good for eating without losing its quality.
You won’t get sick if you eat sriracha after the printed date. It’s a tough sauce to spoil.
This is owing to the ingredients used to make this hot sauce – salt, vinegar, and naturally grown chili peppers – which are natural preservatives.
Over time, the flavor of sriracha deteriorates and its color becomes duller and darker. You may want to toss it for its loss of quality, not because it’s past its expiration date.
Does Sriracha Sauce Go Bad?
Does sriracha go bad? Yes, it can go bad. Spoiled sriracha has these signs.
- Sour Smell
If the sriracha smells bad, then it has spoiled. Fermentation can lead to a sour smell, signaling that it’s off.
- Mold Spots
If you notice that your sriracha sauce has small, dark mold spots, then it has spoiled.
- Bloated Bottle
There can be gas buildup due to fermentation inside both opened or unopened sriracha bottles.
You should toss the sauce if you see the sauce leaking or the bottle bloated. But before you bin it, take care to open the lid so that you won’t have a minor explosion inside the bin.
- Dull Color
When you leave chilis out, they will take a darker color. So does sriracha sauce and most hot sauces.
Keep it unrefrigerated for too long, the sauce will lose its vibrant red tint and appear brown. Although a darker color may not be a strong sign of spoilage, you may want to check the other telltale signs before you toss it.
- Thicker Texture
Another sign that maybe it’s time to let go of your sriracha is if it has developed a thicker texture. Although it’s not a severe warning to throw it out yet, check to see if the sauce has separated.
If you see a distinct thin liquid floating on top of a thicker sauce, then it’s better to get a new bottle of sriracha.
- Hotter Taste
When chilies age, they become hotter. So, if your sriracha is tasting hotter than usual, then it’s turning bad.
If you have a shelf full of sauces, you could be thinking if soy sauce go bad?
How To Store Sriracha: Best Tips For Use And Storage
How long does sriracha last will depend on the following:
- Keep the sriracha bottle in a dark place, away from direct light so that it cannot penetrate the bottle and degrade the sauce.
- It’s best to keep it in your pantry or cupboard where there is little or no chance of temperature fluctuations.
Make sure that the cupboard is away from the stove or oven.
- The third rule is to keep the sriracha away from any sources of heat like the oven, stove, or an open window through which sunlight can stream in.
- After opening the bottle, always store it in the fridge after closing the cap tightly.
This is especially important if you live in hot and humid climates.
- If your sriracha sauce hasn’t been used in a while, chances are that some of the heavier ingredients have settled at the bottom of the bottle.
Always shake the bottle before use to ensure the ingredients have mixed properly so that there’s no compromise on taste or texture.
- Don’t dip or dunk the sauce bottle tip in food.
This will contaminate the tip and will spoil the sauce sooner than expected. Plus, particles from other food will change the flavor of the sauce. Instead, put the desired amount in a bowl and dip or dunk your food in it.
- Never put any leftover sriracha where you dipped food back in the bottle.
Food borne bacteria will contaminate the whole bottle and will make the sauce go bad.
- Clean or wipe the tip of the sriracha bottle dry after each use.
Otherwise, the tip forms a crust that attracts airborne bacteria and other contaminants. These can trickle back into the bottle and spoil the sauce.
- If the original container is broken, transfer the sauce into a new container that you can cover tightly to preserve the sauce’s flavor and potency.
- If you have homemade sriracha sauce, you have used vinegar only as a preservative.
Commercially made sriracha sauces use extra preservatives to stretch the shelf life. Since homemade sriracha doesn’t contain these, refrigerate it and it will last for 4 to 6 months.
Can You Freeze Sriracha?
Yes, you can freeze sriracha but you don’t need to as it lasts quite long without freezing. More importantly, you should take into account how the sriracha will taste after it’s thawed.
The texture will be thinner after you thaw the frozen sriracha and will taste less spicy and also lose its original flavor.
Also, it makes more sense to keep your favorite sriracha sauce handy so that you can have it anytime you crave it instead of waiting for it to get defrosted.
FAQs
Is Expired Sriracha Okay To Eat?
The expiry date on the bottle of sriracha is a sign of how long it will retain its original quality, taste, and flavor.
You can have expired sriracha sauce within two years of the expiry date.
How Do You Know If Sriracha Sauce Is Bad?
You know when sriracha sauce is bad when you get a sour smell, find the bottle swollen up with gas, the taste of the sauce hotter, the color on the darker and dull side, the sauce has separated, and if there are dark mold spots.
Does Sriracha Go In The Fridge?
Sriracha doesn’t need to go in the fridge if you have it regularly and keep it in a cool, dry place.
If stored in this condition, it will last for up to 9 months.
Does Chili Sauce Go Bad?
Yes, chili sauce can go bad if you don’t refrigerate it.
It will last for a month in the pantry and if refrigerated, it will stay good for up to 9 months.
