1-First, roughly chop the peppers, carrots, and garlic, then pack them into a large jar, leaving at least 1 inch of headspace. Prepare a brine by mixing 1 quart of unchlorinated water with 3 tablespoons of sea salt, and pour enough over the mixture to cover everything, pressing down to keep it submerged. For the fermented version, screw on the lid and place the jar out of direct sunlight at 55-75°F for at least 1 week. During the first 1 to 2 weeks, burp the jars regularly to release gases or use an airlock to prevent issues.

2-After fermentation, pour the contents, including the brine, into a pot with the remaining ingredients like apple cider vinegar, Mexican oregano, ancho chili powder, salt, and cumin. Bring it to a quick boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Let it cool, then process the mixture in a food processor until smooth. Finally, pour the sauce into sterilized jars, seal them, and refrigerate; the flavor gets even better after a week or more.

3-For a non-fermented version of this bold and spicy ancho jalapeno sauce recipe, skip the fermentation. Simply combine the chopped ingredients and vinegar with 1/2 to 1 cup of water in a pot, based on your preferred consistency. Bring it to a boil, simmer for 15 minutes, adjust salt to taste, cool, and process. You can strain it if you want a thinner sauce, giving you that fresher, greener flavor right away.