fermenting High Salt Pepper Mash Help

[b.saucy]

I just got some samples of pepper mash from Louisiana Pepper Exchange, and I'm now trying to figure out what to do with them! The salt content is really high for most of the pepper varieties (12-16%). I'm not really sure what to add to them that will dilute the salt without completely masking the pepper flavors. Most of the pepper varieties are not very spicy, so I'm not sure if adding other ingredients will still allow the pepper flavors to come through.
 
The nice thing is that the pepper mash is fermented, and it's convenient to purchase mash in this form, but it's just wayy too salty. I'm aiming for a final salt content in my recipe of around 2-4%. Any recommendations or even sample recipes I could try out would be super helpful. 

 

[salsalady]

Hi b.saucy,
 
I believe LAPE has other formulas that are-
not fermented, with salt and/or vinegar
not fermented, with no salt or vinegar
have just vinegar or just salt
salt fermented, then with vinegar added
have lower salt, have higher salt.....
 
They have more options than are listed on their website as they work with many large sauce makers.
 
Other than purchasing other mashes....you could try to find more fresh pepper of the same variety that's in the mash you have.  More $$ and more work and not fermented, but it will stretch the amount you have.  You might actually like the blend of fresh and fermented.  Personally, I don't like a hard fermented flavor, but have done blends of 1/2 ferment and 1/2 fresh which I really like and are well received by others. 
 
Another option is to purchase more mash of the same chiles with no salt and mix it with what you have.  To get the salt content to your goal, you'd probably be looking at 12 parts NoSalt to 1 part SaltMash.  So now you are purchasing 12x more than what you'd planned.  More $$$? 
 
If you think mixing plain NoSalt mash with the salted mash you have would dilute the fermented pepper flavor too much, you could do a fermentation of 12 parts NoSalt with 1 part SaltMash and use a fermentation starter like Caldwells or Cabbage leaves.  So you are basically having to re-ferment the new stuff with what you'd already purchased. 
 
This is obviously more work.and hassle.  I don't know how much high salt mash you have and if it is worth it to try and salvage it or just set it aside and order new stuff.   
 
Good Luck and to THP
 
Hope this helps~
salsalady