Flavour change over time

Wancieho said:

The sauce ive been making seems to change flavour over time. Now I realise this is a kind of given as the sauce can age as say a wine does but the change is quite drastic.
 
Is it possibly the veg/fruit being added is fermenting or something? Carrots etc.
 
Is there a way to preserve the original fresh-made flavour?
 
Ive been avoiding cooking my pods could this be the problem?

Click to expand...

 
Greetings Wancieho,
Judging from what information you've supplied....here are some thoughts....
 
My guess is that there is indeed some fermentation taking place.
If so, then a significant change in the flavor is to be expected...as the ingredients are broken down by the bacteria and the lactic acid level increases....there by lowering the pH and preserving the sauce. And while refrigeration will slow the fermentation to a crawl,it will continue until the acid level reaches around 3%
 
As far as retaining a fresh-made flavor....that's a balancing act regardless of what method of preservation you decide upon.
 
There are several threads on THP, that address the various options, with recipes and methods of some of the members. In fact there is one by Salsa Lady that is pinned...it's an excellent source with proven and reliable techniques and advice....and IMO, the perfect place to begin.
But outside freezing the pods and later thawing as needed, the pH must be lowered somehow to deter the growth of harmful bacteria(such as with acids like vinegar, lactic or salt curing).
Hope this helps.
Enjoy
CM

Hi Wancieho,
For non-fermented sauce I do cook my sauces. For sauce that I want to try and keep the flavor profile as close to original without adding lots of vinegar. I keep my initial ingredients to a minimum. Then I cook the ingredients and process in a food mill less air is incorporated into sauce and helps to retain a better appearance and flavor profile, in my humble opinion. Then if I make a larger quantity I usually pressure can to kill any bacteria or nasties then allow 4/6 weeks to allow flavors to relax or meld. The sauces I've produced this way have come out fantastic without having to worry about photo levels. Take Chili Monsters advice and check out Salsa Lady's thread it's Great# Also if you have any questions about pressure canning just pm me Cheers!