Ok, I am new to hot sauce making and have really fallen in love with it. My concern is if I am on the right path or not. Here's what I did to make my hot sauce: I took some jalapenos, habaneros, white onion, and cilantro and rough chopped it in my food processor. Then, I put the mash in some jars about 2/3 full and pressed it down to the bottom, and covered with some kosher salt to draw some liquid out. I put the tops on and set them in a water bath to can. I let the mash sit for 30 days to ferment, I got bubbles and it seemed to ferment, I think. Afterward, I added some white distilled vinegar and let sit for another 2 weeks. I do not have a pH tester yet, so I don't know what my level is at. I really like the flavor that I have developed and have had a few people try it with positive feedback. I just want to make sure that I am doing this process going in the right direction and trying to minimize my rookie mistakes. Any tips or advice is very much appreciated. Thanks in advance!
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fermenting My first fermentation and hot sauce batch...
- Thread starter International Texan
- Start date
First off, Welcome to the forum.
There are 2 stickies at the top of this thread. One is on Hot Sauce Making and the other is on Fermentation and both are smack full or great information on how to safely make a great hot sauce.
With regard to the ferment you did, I have to first ask how hot the water bath was that you put the jars in. If that water was too hot then you may have killed off any natural lacto bacteria that might have been in there. Second what was the ambient temperature where you kept the jars for the 30 days? lacto like it best in the 85 to 95 range but will still do their thing at lower temps they'll just take longer to do it.
With a fermented mash there is generally no need to add any vinegar or other acid unless it's to achieve the flavor profile you developed for your sauce. The fermenting process makes Lactic Acid which brings down the PH of he mash.
Please take some time to read through the Hot Sauce and Fermenting 101's. While this isn't rocket science it is easy to mess up and make someone sick and none of us want to do that. Post any question you might have and we'll get answers up for you. There are a lot of very knowledgeable people on here both professional and hobby sauce makers. Post pictures when you make something. The unofficial rule is no pics, didn't happen round these parts. Mostly though have fun.
Cheers,
RM
There are 2 stickies at the top of this thread. One is on Hot Sauce Making and the other is on Fermentation and both are smack full or great information on how to safely make a great hot sauce.
With regard to the ferment you did, I have to first ask how hot the water bath was that you put the jars in. If that water was too hot then you may have killed off any natural lacto bacteria that might have been in there. Second what was the ambient temperature where you kept the jars for the 30 days? lacto like it best in the 85 to 95 range but will still do their thing at lower temps they'll just take longer to do it.
With a fermented mash there is generally no need to add any vinegar or other acid unless it's to achieve the flavor profile you developed for your sauce. The fermenting process makes Lactic Acid which brings down the PH of he mash.
Please take some time to read through the Hot Sauce and Fermenting 101's. While this isn't rocket science it is easy to mess up and make someone sick and none of us want to do that. Post any question you might have and we'll get answers up for you. There are a lot of very knowledgeable people on here both professional and hobby sauce makers. Post pictures when you make something. The unofficial rule is no pics, didn't happen round these parts. Mostly though have fun.
Cheers,
RM
have fun!
I have a similar thread going ....
After the 30 days of fermentation, I guess it would then be a good idea to boil the mixture and add a little vinegar prior to bottling it so as to kill any live bacteria (good and bad bacteria both) and stop the fermentation prior to that final bottling of your hot sauce?
After the 30 days of fermentation, I guess it would then be a good idea to boil the mixture and add a little vinegar prior to bottling it so as to kill any live bacteria (good and bad bacteria both) and stop the fermentation prior to that final bottling of your hot sauce?
salsalady
Business Member
different vinegars can impart more or less flavors.... if you do a proper ferment, then at the end, you have to choice of different processing methods to preserve the sauce you've made.
Add a dash of vinegar for good measure (unless you have an accurate and calibrated pH meter) ...or not...it's your choice...and then refrigerated.
Add a dash of vinegar, puree/blender/etc and Hot Pack as detailed in other posts
Don't add anything and do a proper pressure-canner process. Simple pressure canner required, with typical Mason-type jars.
Add a dash of vinegar for good measure (unless you have an accurate and calibrated pH meter) ...or not...it's your choice...and then refrigerated.
Add a dash of vinegar, puree/blender/etc and Hot Pack as detailed in other posts
Don't add anything and do a proper pressure-canner process. Simple pressure canner required, with typical Mason-type jars.