fermenting Small batch vinegar mash

[Diabolus]

OK so I've been reading all these sauce making threads for hours now but I'm still really scared of botulism. All I want to do is make small batches at a time. Maybe enough to fill a couple of 8 oz jam jars. That should last me a couple of weeks in the fridge. I actually like all the vinegary sauces like Tabasco and Louisina cayenne sauce and I don't want to mess around with fermentation. But I want to try to make my own starting with simple ingredients, like peppers, salt and vinegar. Later I might add the pineapples and mangoes.

So I go to the freezer and pull out last seasons bag of frozen fatalii. Now what? Start with Step 1.

 

[salsalady]

here's a link to lots of recipes-

http://www.pepperfool.com/recipes/hotsauce/basic_sauce.html

basic steps are-
-chop/food processor the peppers
-add vinegar and salt- follow a recipe or just to taste
-simmer in SS or glass pan for 20-30 minutes
-put back in food processor or run it through a sieve if you want a smoother texture
-jar and refrigerate


Once the peppers are cooked and they have some kind of acid on them, that will keep them good in the refer for quite a while. Unless you have a reliable pH meter/tester, err on the side of caution and eat it up within a couple weeks. I would go with at least 1/2 cup vinegar to 6 cups ground peppers. You may need to add a little water to the pan to get the peppers cooking without burning.

It's pretty simple to make more, or if you do a larger batch, just stick it in the freezer in smaller freezer tubs to make it easy to defrost more when you need it. That keeps it fresh in the refer without having to make another batch every 3 weeks.

Good Luck- post pics?


oh yea- I may be wrong about this, but I think "mash" refers to fermented or aged pepper. It sounds like you are wanting to make a regular ol' pepper sauce.

And pineapple and mango are acid foods that will help lower the pH of the sauce, which is a good thing. Ingredients like raw garlic and raw onions, and the peppers themselves are "low acid" items and those are the ones you gotta watch out for with the botulism, especially in an uncooked sauce.

 

[Diabolus]

Thank you very much salsalady. You summed it all up perfectly for me. I will print your advice and keep a copy in the kitchen.

Also yes indeed I don't want to bother with fermenting or aging, so a regular sauce is fine with me.

 

[Scorpion]

I think also a safe method of protecting your sauces etc is to have a 25% vinegar/acid to ingredient mix. ie: 100ml of raw sauce then add 25 ml vinegar and boil for at least 10 min. Then follow safe bottling procedures. I Bottle my sauce at a min of 90C straight after I have whacked boiling water in and then out of my bottle.

Hard for anything to live in that!

Also be aware that with vinegars that some are low acid...so avooid them, these are mainly your wine vinegars in my experience.