A few people add the flavor of Sriracha to anything from scrambled eggs for breakfast to avocado toast to meaty dishes served at dinner.
If you’re not among them, You may not think of how to use that half-full bottle of Sriracha that has been sitting in your fridge for a while.
How long does Sriracha last? A sealed bottle of Sriracha can last until 24 months after the date on the label, provided appropriate storage conditions. A Sriracha bottle that is opened and kept in the refrigerator will last 24 months. Sriracha that is stored in the pantry should last about 9 months.
If you’re a sriracha fan, continue reading to find out ways to preserve this flavor properly, how you can ensure it stays fresh and what are the warning signs of Sriracha that are not good.
Does Sriracha Go Bad?
Sriracha is a favorite for many different foods, like burrito bowls, eggs, and even steak. It’s even on our list of the most delicious ramen sauces! This is why we’d love to have it for a lifetime.
Unfortunately, just like other condiments, Sriracha can be perishable. Unsuitable storage conditions can make the sriracha spoil quite easily. If you properly store the sauce, you’ll benefit from its lengthy shelf life.
Sriracha is made up of chilies and distilled vinegar. Although additional ingredients in the commercially-produced sauce extend its shelf-life, vinegar is the primary natural preservative.
Vinegar is acetic. It eliminates the microbes that cause food spoilage. Vinegar and the additional preservatives in the sauce give this sauce lengthy shelf life.
There is one issue that almost all users of Sriracha encounter. The sauce is available in large bottles. Because it’s moderately hot, most people use a small amount to spice up their meals.
People who don’t use this red sauce frequently will end up with an entire bottle of Sriracha and aren’t sure what to do with it.
How to store Sriracha?
If you’ve been putting off this hot sauce and only recently started using it, you might be thinking about what you should do to store it to ensure the longest shelf quality and life.
In a nutshell, all you need to do is put away a bottle of Sriracha as you would other condiments in the refrigerator and/or in the cupboard.
A bottle of Sriracha that is unopened is not required to be refrigerated. Because of the airtight packaging and the preservatives in the sauce, the sauce is stable on shelves. This being said, there are three rules to be following.
The first thing to do is keep the bottle of Sriracha away from hot sources. Avoid direct sunlight and also heating sources such as the stove or oven.
Then, put it in a dark area far from sunlight. Sriracha comes in clear bottles. Natural light can quickly pass through and cause it to degrade.
Also, be sure to store the sauce in a place where the temperature doesn’t change. You could certainly store the sauce in the cupboard.
But not near the stovetop because the steam that cooks causes variations in temperature that can cause the sauce to spoil faster than it ought to.
Keep your Sriracha that isn’t opened in the cabinet, pantry, or someplace cool, dry, and dark. For an unopened bottle of Sriracha, you can keep it in the refrigerator. Be sure to close the cap following every use.
Can Sriracha Be Left Unrefrigerated?
As we’ve already discussed, an opened bottle of Sriracha does not require refrigeration. It’s surprising; you don’t need to chill an unopened bottle of Sriracha too.
You can keep it inside the kitchen pantry or in a cabinet in the kitchen where it’s dry, dark, and, most importantly, cool.
It isn’t recommended to keep Sriracha refrigerated in the event that it is extremely hot in your area and it is difficult to locate a moderately cool space.
When leaving the sauce in its refrigerator, ensure the temperature in the storage space is stable. If not, the quality of the sauce is likely to decrease rapidly.
How Long Does Sriracha Last?
Sriracha has quite a long shelf life. Even if you do not use it often but still like it as a condiment for dinner, purchasing a bottle of Sriracha is very affordable.
The shelf-life of the chili sauce can be measured by the date of best-by printed inside the bottle.
But, as we know, the date you print is just an estimate of how long the product will keep its finest quality. If you don’t go past the date printed on the label, remove the sauce once it has passed the best-by time.
The date on the packaging isn’t important if you do not properly store the product. Therefore, regardless of the date printed on the packaging, be sure to store Sriracha according to the previously mentioned storage guidelines.
Store-bought sriracha sauce contains preservatives. These extend the shelf-life of the spice. An open bottle of Sriracha can last at least 24 months beyond the date printed on it.
If you take a sip of Sriracha that is older than the date on the label, examine the bottle carefully to determine whether it’s still safe to drink.
An open bottle of Sriracha can have an average shelf life of is 24-months when stored in the refrigerator and an airtight bottle. When stored inside the cupboard, an open bottle of Sriracha is suitable for approximately 9 months.
If the bottle that contained the original Sriracha is damaged, move it to a different bottle or jar that you can seal securely and ensure that the taste and intensity of the sauce don’t diminish.
How Long Does Homemade Sriracha Last?
Since homemade Sriracha sauce doesn’t contain preservatives, the sauce’s shelf life is typically shorter.
Although vinegar acts as a natural preservative, it is advised to store homemade Sriracha inside the refrigerator. The homemade Sriracha can last about 4 to six months.
Can You Make Sriracha Last Longer?
It’s impossible to make Sriracha last much longer than it already is. But you could make it work the other way around. Understanding how you can ensure the longest shelf-life from the sauce and improve its longevity is crucial.
The first thing to do is take the required amount into a small bowl if you’re using Sriracha as a dipping sauce. Place the bottle back in the place you’ve been keeping it.
The best practice to always adhere to is not putting any leftover sauce back in bottles. In doing this, you could end up with food particles accumulating in the sauce.
They will not just give hints of other flavors to the sauce but also cause it to degrade more quickly.
Another way to ensure that the flavor of Sriracha is in top form is to ensure that you clean the top of the bottle. It is usually crusty when there is the leftover sauce.
Removing dry sauce from the container will stop dried particles from entering the sauce and altering its texture.
Can You Freeze Sirarcha?
Freezing is the most efficient method of storage that extends the shelf-life of various products. Can you freeze Sriracha? Yes, you can. Freezing Sriracha is safe. The other thing you need to ask is whether you really have to.
It is not necessary to store Sriracha in a freezer since it will last long enough in the refrigerator and within the cupboard. Furthermore, freezing and defrosting Sriracha can make the sauce thinner and make it less flavorful and spicy while altering the taste.
Additionally, you don’t know when you’ll want a splash of Sriracha over your meals. Take off the frozen portion before you eat it, and let the sauce melt.
How Can You Tell When Sriracha isn’t good?
It is not common for sriracha sauce to spoil. What happens most often is that the sauce’s flavor diminishes, and if there’s nothing the sauce can add to the food, it is possible to think that it’s been spoiled.
However, this doesn’t mean it’s impossible for Sriracha to go bad. If you leave it in a humid and hot environment, You will definitely see the symptoms of bad Sriracha.
These are indicators that suggest that the food is not to be used:
Mold If there is mold on the sriracha bottle, the sauce has to be removed.
Odorous Smell If the spice has a smell that is off, it’s safe to throw it away. The best Sriracha is a delicious scent that is scented with garlic and some other flavors that can be added. It should not have a smell of fermented.
The texture changes last but certainly not least; if you detect changes in the texture of the sauce, throw it out and open a fresh bottle.
If there isn’t any clear evidence of spoilage, and the sauce hasn’t sat in your refrigerator or pantry longer than it was intended to take a taste. If it’s tasty, it’s safe to add it to your meals.
One of the reasons people believe it’s time to get rid of the spicy condiment is changing color. It is normal for chili-based sauces such as Sriracha to darken over time.
