After reading through these forums for a little bit Im starting to wonder if I am making my sauce wrong. Don't get me wrong my first batch turned out great, but all I am doing is cutting off the stems of some red hot chile peppers I grew this year boiling them in vinegar/salt for about 20-30 minutes then putting in blender blending and putting the mixture in a dark colored bottle for 3 weeks. I see alot of you are using mash and such. So what do you think am I doing it wrong?
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Am I making my sauce wrong
- Thread starter creardon
- Start date
I wasn't trying to ferment it. I had just found a recipe of sorts online, can't remember where. I took this recipe anx tweaked it a little to make it my own. The original said to age it for 1 week and to boil the peppers for 5-10 minutes with the vinegar/ salt mixture.
My first batch turned out great. I already finished up my bottle and a few of my friends who I gave samples to have finished theirs. They have all told me they loved it and I should sell it.
I honestly didn't know anything about fermenting until I started researching on how to get started on selling it. I only grew one plant this year just for making some BBQ sauce, but it has produced so many peppers I decided to make my own Hot Sauce.
So is it better to ferment everything before actually making the sauce or is the way I am making it now OK?
My first batch turned out great. I already finished up my bottle and a few of my friends who I gave samples to have finished theirs. They have all told me they loved it and I should sell it.
I honestly didn't know anything about fermenting until I started researching on how to get started on selling it. I only grew one plant this year just for making some BBQ sauce, but it has produced so many peppers I decided to make my own Hot Sauce.
So is it better to ferment everything before actually making the sauce or is the way I am making it now OK?
what your doing is ok that is how I make my sauces, but for your s and your friend safety, go online or to a pool store and get a ph\meter. POTAWIE is right try to get the phdown to 4. this keeps the sauce free of(or make it harder to grow)botchalism(spelling may be wrong)
creardon,
I bought 100 pH test strips that measure a pH range of 2.8 TO 4.4
They cost me $6.95
http://www.leeners.com/wine-lab-testing.html
I just made a batch of hot sauce and used 5 pH strips.
So, $6.95 bought enough pH strips to acid test 20 batches of Hot Sauce.
I bought 100 pH test strips that measure a pH range of 2.8 TO 4.4
They cost me $6.95
http://www.leeners.com/wine-lab-testing.html
I just made a batch of hot sauce and used 5 pH strips.
So, $6.95 bought enough pH strips to acid test 20 batches of Hot Sauce.
salsalady
Business Member
boil, blend, then test the pH.
Your original process/recipe sounds OK and even tweaking it a little with the vinegar would probably be OK. I would suggest to avoid fermentation recipes until you have a good working knowledge of hot sauce and peppers in general...
Fermenting is taking raw peppers and allowing good bacteria to grow in the peppers, like sauerkraut. If you don't know what's going on, it could end up VERY BAD!
The only thing I might add is-
make the sauce, boil it as desired, blend it,....return to boil!...and then hot pack it in sterile 8OZ jelly jars with a fresh canning lid and ring with a hot water bath to follow---
-or-
boil, blend, boil, hot pack in small sauce bottles with new lids, invert...
Your original process/recipe sounds OK and even tweaking it a little with the vinegar would probably be OK. I would suggest to avoid fermentation recipes until you have a good working knowledge of hot sauce and peppers in general...
Fermenting is taking raw peppers and allowing good bacteria to grow in the peppers, like sauerkraut. If you don't know what's going on, it could end up VERY BAD!
The only thing I might add is-
make the sauce, boil it as desired, blend it,....return to boil!...and then hot pack it in sterile 8OZ jelly jars with a fresh canning lid and ring with a hot water bath to follow---
-or-
boil, blend, boil, hot pack in small sauce bottles with new lids, invert...
Salsalady,
What temp should you try to reach(and maintain) before pouring into bottles?
I have read different temp recommendations of 170...180...190 degrees (f). Is is different temps based upon the altitude possibly?
I recently went with 180 for 5 minutes as is recommended in the recipes and directions posted on Leerners web site,(which is located in north central Ohio)
But I also read a post from the north west U.S. that stated 190 degrees was the minimum.
And secondly,
whats your experience/thoughts on using the pH strips.
I do hot pepper growing and preserving for myself and friends purely as a hobby.
I've grown and canned veggies and fruits my whole life(including pickling sweet bell peppers-red and green), but have always worked from proven recipes (which is not the case with hot peppers)
I understand the acid/alkaline balance, and the need to test/verify the pH.
And it seems that while digital pH meters are quicker and precise in readouts, the pH strips can reliably show me if my sauce is in a safe range.
The strips I used very clearly show if the sauce is in the 3.6 to 3.8 range,
(shades of green)with a 4.0 reading and above is shades of blue.
Now with all that being said...it should go without saying that all bets are off if one has a history of color blindness.
salsalady
Business Member
Others have said it can be difficult to read the color of the litmus papers, I've never used it so can't say for sure. pH meters aren't that expensive.
Here's a couple links for some approved hot sauce and salsa recipes.
http://www.utahcountyonline.org/Dept/Exten/HomeEc/Salsa.asp
http://cru.cahe.wsu.edu/CEPublications/PNW0395/PNW0395.pdf
http://www.longmontmagazine.com/PDFs/SalsaRecipesCanning.pdf
And this one has some excellent links for canning and processing, and a self-guided instructional video.
http://extension.usu.edu/utah/htm/fcs/food-preservation-canning/
Google "extension service salsa recipe" for approved recipes that you can feel safe using.
The Ball canning page w/ recipes-
http://www.freshpreserving.com/pages/new_recipe_pages/215.php
As far as temperatures go, it's up to the process authority. My process authority said to heat the sauce to 180F, fill bottles, cap and invert. Others have said theirs is 180, and I belief the FDA regs suggest 190F. The process authority will review your recipe and ingredients and the process they suggest/dictate may vary depending on the ingredients used in the recipe. Use the 190F to be safe.
In order to sell sauces in Washington state, I have to send a sample of the product, packaged in the bottles it will be sold in, the complete recipe and detailed description of the whole process from start to finish of how the sauce is made, where the ingredients come from, etc. to a "Process Authority". A Process Authority is a person or business who is recognized and certified by the state of Washington and the FDA to be able to review processes and recipes, test the product for various things and make determinations and certifications as to the safety of that product. They not only test hot sauce and salsa, they are responsible for every type of food product...fresh pasta, beef jerky, chocolates, ice cream, fresh tofu, all types of sauces... any food product that is made in Washington state for resale.
Regulations vary from state to state, but in Washington, for me to sell retail at farmers markets and festivals, just within our county, I have to get licensed through the local health department and to wholesale the product, I have to get licensed through the State of Washington. Contact your local health department. They'll get you started.
And spend LOTS of time reading in the "hot sauce making" forum and the "Bottling, Packaging,..." forum.
Hope this helps~
SL
Here's a couple links for some approved hot sauce and salsa recipes.
http://www.utahcountyonline.org/Dept/Exten/HomeEc/Salsa.asp
http://cru.cahe.wsu.edu/CEPublications/PNW0395/PNW0395.pdf
http://www.longmontmagazine.com/PDFs/SalsaRecipesCanning.pdf
And this one has some excellent links for canning and processing, and a self-guided instructional video.
http://extension.usu.edu/utah/htm/fcs/food-preservation-canning/
Google "extension service salsa recipe" for approved recipes that you can feel safe using.
The Ball canning page w/ recipes-
http://www.freshpreserving.com/pages/new_recipe_pages/215.php
As far as temperatures go, it's up to the process authority. My process authority said to heat the sauce to 180F, fill bottles, cap and invert. Others have said theirs is 180, and I belief the FDA regs suggest 190F. The process authority will review your recipe and ingredients and the process they suggest/dictate may vary depending on the ingredients used in the recipe. Use the 190F to be safe.
In order to sell sauces in Washington state, I have to send a sample of the product, packaged in the bottles it will be sold in, the complete recipe and detailed description of the whole process from start to finish of how the sauce is made, where the ingredients come from, etc. to a "Process Authority". A Process Authority is a person or business who is recognized and certified by the state of Washington and the FDA to be able to review processes and recipes, test the product for various things and make determinations and certifications as to the safety of that product. They not only test hot sauce and salsa, they are responsible for every type of food product...fresh pasta, beef jerky, chocolates, ice cream, fresh tofu, all types of sauces... any food product that is made in Washington state for resale.
Regulations vary from state to state, but in Washington, for me to sell retail at farmers markets and festivals, just within our county, I have to get licensed through the local health department and to wholesale the product, I have to get licensed through the State of Washington. Contact your local health department. They'll get you started.
And spend LOTS of time reading in the "hot sauce making" forum and the "Bottling, Packaging,..." forum.
Hope this helps~
SL
SL,
I thank you very much for the feedback!
As usual, your responses are knowledgable and thorough.
I agree with your statement about reading the exact color on pH test strips.
No doubt,it can be an visual interpretation issue, based upon ones ability to differenciate between shades of a color .The differences can be very slight.
However, at least with the ones that I purchased, there is no doubt about the color when you are below or have reached the 4.0 pH level and above.
Before I used them the first time,I selected a couple commercially bottled sauces,along with the pepper mash I purchased from Leeners,and did a pH strip sample on each using the strips.
Each bottled sample measured at 3.6
It was very obvious and the colors were exact when compared to the color chart supplied with the strips.
After performing this excercise, I felt reassured that I could reliably and safely determine the pH level in my finished product if it was around the 3.6 level, and undoubtably would know if it was at or above the 4.0 level.
As I commented previously, this is only a hobby for me...and considering the size of the batches I make, I would have to make around 600 bottles of hot sauce before the cost of a pH meter would be reached.
But, if I start having folks waiting in line for my hot sauce, I might consider altering my thinking....probably by enlisting a co-producer to bottle my recipes.
Thanks again for the information and your input...It is highly appreciated and very helpful.
CM
salsalady
Business Member
monsta-
sounds like you're on the right track, and it's good that you are aware of and monitoring the pH. Thanks for your input on using the test strips. It seems to work for you, I'm sure it'll help out other,too. And yes, given the cost of a pH meter for the hobbyist, the test strips are DEFINITELY better than just winging it and hoping for the best.
SL
Thank you all for your inputs. Since as of right now I am making small batches I will probably start out with pH strips, unless I can find a pH meter really cheap. But since as of right now I am just making it for friends and family I will definitely be getting some strips.
SL
My interest in hot sauces has sort of evolved from life long interests in gardening,canning/preserving and more recently cooking competition chili.
I only offically registered with THP recently, and it didn't take long until I was reading your posts( on a range of topics) when I was searching for some direction and clear answers to questions regarding techniques and safe practices.
As I read some of your posts,I detected almost a sense of duty to assist and inform, THP members like myself,by sharing your experience and knowledge.
The info you shared in those posts helped me realize the importance if monitoring the pH levels when I was making hot sauces.
For that and what I'm sure is yet to come...I tip my hat in respect and with graditude.
CM