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fermenting Can I mash peppers already canned?
- Thread starter Ozzy2001
- Start date
Ozzy2001 said:
Hey Ozzy! Welcome to THP. Fermenting is awesome - you've come to the right place. Being that the habs have been already packed in vinegar I doubt any natural LAB exists to ferment them. Options exist - adding a starter, etc but were I you I think I'd just take those and process. Simmer the whole kit and kiboodle till soft, blender up real good, continue cooking till desired thickness, taste and balance w sweet/salt. You wanna get crazy throw some onion, garlic, fruit of your choice, etc in the pot. That should give you a nice start on sauce with peppers you grew.
When you're ready to ferment find yourself some ripe peppers and check out the fermenting peppers thread if you haven't already. LOTS of recipes around here - the search function is your friend.
I'd think it would ferment.
I don't know about if the PH (vinegar) would mess things up,but I'd think you could adjust that with baking soda or?
My point is,I don't think the ferment depends on anything but the sugars etc. in the peppers.
You use a starter for fermentation anyway.
Sour dough starter has alcohol that turned to vinegar in it.
Thats where the sour taste comes from.
All sour Dough starter needs to keep active is more food to get it bubbling again.
Ph stops some yeasts from growing I don't know about the stuff you use to ferment peppers,yogurt type stuff.
I've only made Sour dough starter , wine and beer.
I've had gal. jars of peppers in vinegar ferment when I left them out on the counter...
Might be because it had a fruit/cider/wine Vinegar in it,I don't know.
My Fridge went out one time and my pickled peppers started to ferment.
They had other veggies in the jars though too - carrots,onion,garlic and spices.
I used a lot more vinegar than 50% in my peppers most times.
I used almost straight vinegar because as I ate them I added new peppers to the jug.
It never emptied in years.
I don't know about if the PH (vinegar) would mess things up,but I'd think you could adjust that with baking soda or?
My point is,I don't think the ferment depends on anything but the sugars etc. in the peppers.
You use a starter for fermentation anyway.
Sour dough starter has alcohol that turned to vinegar in it.
Thats where the sour taste comes from.
All sour Dough starter needs to keep active is more food to get it bubbling again.
Ph stops some yeasts from growing I don't know about the stuff you use to ferment peppers,yogurt type stuff.
I've only made Sour dough starter , wine and beer.
I've had gal. jars of peppers in vinegar ferment when I left them out on the counter...
Might be because it had a fruit/cider/wine Vinegar in it,I don't know.
My Fridge went out one time and my pickled peppers started to ferment.
They had other veggies in the jars though too - carrots,onion,garlic and spices.
I used a lot more vinegar than 50% in my peppers most times.
I used almost straight vinegar because as I ate them I added new peppers to the jug.
It never emptied in years.
I may just blend them up then. I have garlic and carrots packed in with them anyway. I used some of them making a jerk marinade for a turkey on Thanksgiving. I didn't anticipate the habs getting so mushy, which is why I figured I'd chop them up for some sauce now. After reading some its sounds like most of the Chinese peppers do that.
Although if I added some other fresh peppers and a starter I wonder if the labs in those would kick start it.
Although if I added some other fresh peppers and a starter I wonder if the labs in those would kick start it.
I agree with SmokenFire that the vinegar has already killed any natural LAB and don't know if even a starter will work? I would just keep your peppers in the pickle juice and wait till you acquire either frozen or fresh peppers to start a ferment with. I am already on my last jar of pickled peppers and can't get enough to snack on this time of year.
Interesting question and my inquisitive mind made me go looking for more information about LAB and their tolerance to low Ph environments which led me to discover this off by Robert Hutkins of the University of Nebraska:
http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1028&context=foodsciefacpub
According to the article the LAB have the ability to adjust their internal Ph despite what the external Ph is thus allowing them to maintain Homeostasis. This allows them to survive in very acidic environments. So, it is doubtful that the Vinegar killed off the LAB, which would account for the peppers you had when your fridge went out starting to ferment Smoke.
If though they were hit packed it placed into a BWB as part of the canning process, it is very possible that they would have been killed by the heat.
Either way I'd say go for it. I'd probably add fresh peppers to the mix as well as some garlic, onion and some carrots. Collect some whey for a starter and on a shelf to go for a good 45 days.
If you do it post back here what you do and plenty of pics, we all love our pepper porn round here
Cheers,
RM
http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1028&context=foodsciefacpub
According to the article the LAB have the ability to adjust their internal Ph despite what the external Ph is thus allowing them to maintain Homeostasis. This allows them to survive in very acidic environments. So, it is doubtful that the Vinegar killed off the LAB, which would account for the peppers you had when your fridge went out starting to ferment Smoke.
If though they were hit packed it placed into a BWB as part of the canning process, it is very possible that they would have been killed by the heat.
Either way I'd say go for it. I'd probably add fresh peppers to the mix as well as some garlic, onion and some carrots. Collect some whey for a starter and on a shelf to go for a good 45 days.
If you do it post back here what you do and plenty of pics, we all love our pepper porn round here
Cheers,
RM
Wow, very interesting. Thanks Rocket. I think I'll probably give it a try. I only cold packed do to the amount of vinegar I used so chances are they will work out according to that research. I only have a few cans of habs anyway so I was going to add some fresh ingredients regardless. I will definitely post some follow ups after I get underway.