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fermenting First time fermentation

I am planning on doing a hot pepper mash fermentation adding some pineapple and a few other things my question is do i need to add 6-10% of the total organic matter weight or just the weight of the peppers? Also do i loosely cover it immediately or let it sit open for a bit as i do not have a starter? How long do i ferment it for? I've seen everything from a few weeks to a year as well as in a cupboard, on a counter and in the fridge? Its just going to be a small batch at first. Will freezing peppers i am not going to use affect the flavor later on?
 
i believe the salt is added in relation to the weight of all the mass including any fruits or veggies you use. I do wild ferments so i cover jar with cheesecloth for about a week or until i see separation and bubbles. Then i use an airlock lid and let it sit for a month ( yes, you can go years if done correctly). Good luck!! 
 
Hi Scorpion_fatality!  I normally shoot for 4% salt of total weight of ingredients.  I do not allow open air fermentation as I've not had great results with it - I cap the mash right after mixing and airlock it counting on the lacto present on the unwashed peppers to get things going.  I made a step by step tutorial a while back, here's a link. Welcome to the forum - you've found a wonderful resource for all things hot peppers.  :)
 
Scorpion_fataliity said:
So if the peopers are unwashed how do you get the spider webs and dirt out of the cracks?
 
I'm tempted to say something smart ass like "Spider guts SPEED fermentation son!" but I fear someone would take me literally and I'd look like an ass.  :)
 
Anything with obvious stuff like dirt or webs gets rinsed/washed for sure - but I don't soak em or wash them with citrus or vinegar.  Normally I buy them or pick em, take them inside, wipe with a damp paper towel and thrown em in the cuisinart.  Any questionable pod gets cut open and examined - I don't abide moldy pods - and any rot is cut out or the pod is discarded.    
 
Hi, i ussualy put 2% on mass weight, i mix and cover with airlock right away. And they are fermenting clean and fast. The goal is not to let oxygen in and let  co2 out. I didnt even ave any mold on the top. 
 
I have a question do? The separation od liquids and solids, when it stops ?? 
                                   DID I MAKE mistake if i put alittle bit of dry yeast in the beggining??
                                    I will wait for 2 months and then put mash in oter jar with oak cube..is it ok ,,can i do that fearless??
 
THANK YOU  :)
 
Scorpion_fataliity said:
Could i use a store bought bag of marbles still in the plstic mesh for a weight? Or will having it sealed from beginning and resisting any urge to open be enough to hinder and bad mold?
 
I know several people who ferment with weights - one of them using glass marbles in food saver bags to keep mash under the brine - and they have good results.  Bottom line is that once you seal a ferment the CO2 offgassing is what drive oxygen out of the vessel, so any opening of said vessel is going to allow air in.  Most of my ferments run 3-4 weeks, so waiting on them is not so bothersome I have to open.  :)  
 
I opened it up to smell it and noticed a few black spots on the underside of the lid there hasn't been anything on the peppers them selves. Up till not i have only slightly opened to release pressure as i dont have an air lock is this ferment doomed?
 
Scorpion_fataliity said:
I opened it up to smell it and noticed a few black spots on the underside of the lid there hasn't been anything on the peppers them selves. Up till not i have only slightly opened to release pressure as i dont have an air lock is this ferment doomed?
 
Not unless the mold jumps from the lid and starts growing on the rest.  You cleaned the lid and put it back on so watch things from here on out.  Don't shake it either, else what's on the lid gets in the mash.  Let it ride.  :)
 
S.F.
 
I threw together a mash tonight with Japs. Not sure how the color of the sauce will turn out, because I have carrots in the mash, kinda looks like too much orange. It should turn out.  I plan to ferment maybe 90 days.  Ingredients include 667g Japs, 132g each of carrot, papaya, and onion, 3 cloves garlic.  I prepared my brine for 4% just like Dru said.  Here is a website that will help you with salt. After the page indicated, click on the home button to enjoy the rest of the website.  Pretty good info.  http://fermentationrecipes.com/using-measuring-salt-fermentations/1014
 
I used kimchi juice to start fermentation.  Grey Goose in the airlock.  I do not weigh my mash with anything. Fill to shoulder of 1/2 gal. jar.   When I close the lid, I do not open it until the appointed date that I process it.  The less air the better in my opinion. I am looking at opening the lid just after Thanksgiving.  Also canned some marinara today.  [Edited for broken link and spelling].
 
Hope this helps.
 
Jim
 
pOCAvpal.jpg
 
SmokenFire said:
I'm tempted to say something smart ass like "Spider guts SPEED fermentation son!" but I fear someone would take me literally and I'd look like an ass.  :)
 
Anything with obvious stuff like dirt or webs gets rinsed/washed for sure - but I don't soak em or wash them with citrus or vinegar.  Normally I buy them or pick em, take them inside, wipe with a damp paper towel and thrown em in the cuisinart.  Any questionable pod gets cut open and examined - I don't abide moldy pods - and any rot is cut out or the pod is discarded.
Ok so yer saying no spider guts Dru!! Well I stop using those immediately!! What about horn worms??
pepperrookie said:
S.F.
 
I threw together a mash tonight with Japs. Not sure how the color of the sauce will turn out, because I have carrots in the mash, kinda looks like too much orange. It should turn out.  I plan to ferment maybe 90 days.  Ingredients include 667g Japs, 132g each of carrot, papaya, and onion, 3 cloves garlic.  I prepared my brine for 4% just like Dru said.  Here is a website that will help you with salt. After the page indicated, click on the home button to enjoy the rest of the website.  Pretty good info.  http://fermentationrecipes.com/using-measuring-salt-fermentations/1014
 
I used kimchi juice to start fermentation.  Grey Goose in the airlock.  I do not weigh my mash with anything. Fill to shoulder of 1/2 gal. jar.   When I close the lid, I do not open it until the appointed date that I process it.  The less air the better in my opinion. I am looking at opening the lid just after Thanksgiving.  Also canned some marinara today.  [Edited for broken link and spelling].
 
Hope this helps.
 
Jim
 
pOCAvpal.jpg
Yeah that's really full make sure you put in container to catch overflow. It is usually recommended to leave at least 2 to 3 inches of headspace for expansion.

How did you process your marinara? Just did a ton myself. :)
 
The fill on my jar is hard to see from that camera angle.  I only filled the jar to the shoulders.  But, I will keep an eye on it.  It's in the closet resting right now :-)
 
Grant, on the marinara my wife picked 78 pounds of romas at a local farm.  8 lbs per batch, I had to blanch, peel and seed the tomatoes.  Processed using 45 minute water bath.
 
OP, keep us posted on the progress of your ferment.
 
Jim
 
looks great realy :) 

I wanna ask you a question after my process of ferment is done. I read some recipe i need to boil it 10 min and then leave it to cool or something similar...im not sure...HEEELLLLLPP :)

I WANNA HAve homogenous mixture which is not separating in time.
 
P.S sorry for my english..im from Croatia :)
 
matew90 said:
looks great realy :) 
I wanna ask you a question after my process of ferment is done. I read some recipe i need to boil it 10 min and then leave it to cool or something similar...im not sure...HEEELLLLLPP :)
I WANNA HAve homogenous mixture which is not separating in time.
 
P.S sorry for my english..im from Croatia :)
No problem my friend, are you asking steps to finish processing? I usually bring mine to boil then reduce to simmer 10 minutes then run thru food mill medium screen then boil simmer again then into my blender for 4 to 6 minutes back into pan heat to boil and bottle.
 
No more mold yet. It seems to be going good most fermentation activity seems to have stopped it went a few days producing large amounts of bubbles with all peppers floating at the top. Now however it seems to have slowed down with all peppers sinking to the bottom of the jar. Its still got a citrusy smell along with something a little different i cant put my finger on. Thanks for all the info!
 
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