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fermenting Aji amarillo and Aji pineapple mash.

So I thought I`d better do a C.baccatum-only sauce and see how it turned out.
 
I found frozen Aji amarillo at the local Latino market. Imported from Peru, no less! then  I picked the last of my Aji pineapple. Here`s the chopping board before the blender and the mash ready to ferment.
 
2lbs Aji amarillo, half a pound of Aji pineapple. 3.6% salt by weight, Lacto starter culture.
 
 
 

 
 
 
Roguejim said:
So, no water is added to the mash? Maybe that's where I screwed my mash up...

How did you determine the amount of salt?
No water at all, although I doubt adding water would screw things up unless there were bacteria or fungal spores in it. 
 
I weighed the final mash, then made the mash 3.6% salt by weight. I used pickling salt, which has no Iodide or anti-caking agents. 
 
I just processed this ferment and it`s turned out rather well. The flavors were really great. Very sour and very baccatum-y. It really didn`t need much, just a little bit of sweetness to calm down the sourness, so I added the juice of 4 large oranges and that`s it!
 
Here it is, ready to mature a little. It`s by far the best sauce I`ve ever made, if I do say so myself  :rolleyes:
 
 
Roguejim said:
So, when you finished the fermentation, the mash got cooked with the orange juice?  I would have thought it would thicken up too much.  I need to try this, again.
 
More or less, Jim.
 
I brought the fermented mash to a simmer in a large pan and let it cook for about 10 minutes with the lid on. After that I took it off the stove, let it cool a bit and carefully and put it through the blender twice. I then added the juice of 4 large oranges and 2 cups of water, put it back on the heat and simmered for another 15 minutes with the lid on. I then blended it again, carefully, and put it through a sieve as there were a lot of seeds and smashed up seeds in there. 
 
Sterilised the jars etc and canned the sauce in a boiling water bath for 15 minutes. 
 
Roguejim said:
I see.  You're not taking any chances, are you, i.e., employing a boiling water bath?  Do you bother taking a pH reading?
I don`t believe I`m taking any chances, no. It`s the standard way of sterilizing and preserving. The boiling water was about 4" above the tops of every jar. The sauce was also cooked thoroughly before canning, too. 
 
Prior to cooking, the pH was 3.8, using a disposable pH stick. I didn`t check it again after cooking.
 
Nigel said:
I don`t believe I`m taking any chances, no. It`s the standard way of sterilizing and preserving. The boiling water was about 4" above the tops of every jar. The sauce was also cooked thoroughly before canning, too. 
 
Prior to cooking, the pH was 3.8, using a disposable pH stick. I didn`t check it again after cooking.
I see. I was under the impression that sauces that are thorougly cooked, with a pH below 4.0 don't need the standard canning water bath. But, I really don't know. I thought I had read that in the sauce tutorial posted on the site here.
 
SmokenFire said:
 
Hal,
 
Nigel means these or something like them.   :)
 
And absolutely great looking sauce Nigel.  Wonderful color.  How is the heat?  
Yep, those are exactly what I mean. They come is different ranges, too. 

Not really high quality Litmus, different chemistry. Similar, but different. And a whole lot more accurate.
 
Thanks a lot, The heat is reasonable, surprisingly so for just being pure baccatum. It`s also one that will be easy make again any time I want to, given I can buy the frozen Peruvian Aji amarillo. 

Roguejim said:
I see. I was under the impression that sauces that are thorougly cooked, with a pH below 4.0 don't need the standard canning water bath. But, I really don't know. I thought I had read that in the sauce tutorial posted on the site here.
That may well be the case, Jim, but there`s nothing like overkill when it comes to bacteria  :P
 
I've got a bunch of aji pineapple. I want to make a real pale sauce so plan to add some white jolokia, nectarine, onion. We will see how it turns out.

The sauce looks great, but I don't have any Amarillo. Looks like Habs may be a close substitute
 
FGpepperguy said:
I've got a bunch of aji pineapple. I want to make a real pale sauce so plan to add some white jolokia, nectarine, onion. We will see how it turns out.

The sauce looks great, but I don't have any Amarillo. Looks like Habs may be a close substitute
might turn out good, however the bhuts will overpower the Pineapples so you will most likely not taste them at all, that is unless of course your using them as filler in the sauce
I made a sauce with just aji pineapple pepper and low vinegar I used ball fruit fresh instead and it turned out good
 
thanks your friend Joe
 
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