Hey All,
This year I decided to embark on my first fermentation. I had a lot of success last year using the peppers fresh (previously frozen) and made a few sauces. I wanted to get some different flavors. I read the fermentation sticky and decided to try and use some wild yeast in the air to get it going. I weighed my peppers and created a mash by using a blender. I added about 7-7.5% pickling salt by weight of the peppers. One mash I made is strictly just salt, Carolina Reapers, some water, and a splash of white vinegar.
The other is Habaneros, garlic, salt, water, and a splash of vinegar. I've been using those silicone pickling pipes instead of the bubbling type airlocks, and it's been about 3 or 4 weeks now. I'm not seeing much activity at all and I'm afraid that I didn't add enough water. I filled two 16oz jars with reapers, and only added about half a cup of water to each jar. The habaneros are in 20oz jars, and added just about as much water, maybe a little more. I only used enough water just to get them to blend well. They smell great, but the orange habanero jars are getting a little discolored, darkening near the top of the jar. Could this be the garlic? Both of the jars are doing it.
I'm afraid I may have messed them up by not adding enough water, I'm sure I have enough salt. I don't see any kind of bubbling activity, but the mash is pretty thick, so maybe the bubbles wouldn't be moving around so much. Thoughts? I plan to let it go another few weeks before mixing the mashes together with more water and vinegar to bring it to the correct ph before adding in additional ingredient if desired for the sauces.
I really think I'm going to make a smaller batch that's just straight Reapers, I've had a few people request it so might make a nice Christmas gift. Thanks.
This year I decided to embark on my first fermentation. I had a lot of success last year using the peppers fresh (previously frozen) and made a few sauces. I wanted to get some different flavors. I read the fermentation sticky and decided to try and use some wild yeast in the air to get it going. I weighed my peppers and created a mash by using a blender. I added about 7-7.5% pickling salt by weight of the peppers. One mash I made is strictly just salt, Carolina Reapers, some water, and a splash of white vinegar.
The other is Habaneros, garlic, salt, water, and a splash of vinegar. I've been using those silicone pickling pipes instead of the bubbling type airlocks, and it's been about 3 or 4 weeks now. I'm not seeing much activity at all and I'm afraid that I didn't add enough water. I filled two 16oz jars with reapers, and only added about half a cup of water to each jar. The habaneros are in 20oz jars, and added just about as much water, maybe a little more. I only used enough water just to get them to blend well. They smell great, but the orange habanero jars are getting a little discolored, darkening near the top of the jar. Could this be the garlic? Both of the jars are doing it.
I'm afraid I may have messed them up by not adding enough water, I'm sure I have enough salt. I don't see any kind of bubbling activity, but the mash is pretty thick, so maybe the bubbles wouldn't be moving around so much. Thoughts? I plan to let it go another few weeks before mixing the mashes together with more water and vinegar to bring it to the correct ph before adding in additional ingredient if desired for the sauces.
I really think I'm going to make a smaller batch that's just straight Reapers, I've had a few people request it so might make a nice Christmas gift. Thanks.
