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fermenting MikeUSMC's Ferments (pic heavy)

MikeUSMC

MikeUSMC

What's up, gang! Hope you don't mind, but I was kinda hoping to set up shop here, with the fermenting crew! Just officially joined THP today, but I've been lurking for quite some time, and you guys gave me enough confidence to start making/bottling my own stuff. Huge thanks in advance to all of you guys! You guys rock.

Anyway, here's a few concoctions I've been working on for the last year or so. All hobby stuff; mostly gifts for friends and family. A lot of these have been bottled up and given away already, but I thought I'd share what I've been working on so far. Here goes.....

My signature sauce ("Original Recipe"):
Douglahs, Chocolate Scotch Bonnets, pineapple, raisins, sweet onion, garlic, ginger, brown sugar, agave nectar, molasses, sea salt, Moscato wine (brine), powdered LB packets (starter)


Another few-
Red: Smoked red bells, smoked Red MoAs, smoked 7 Pot Lavas, sweet potato, roasted onion, roasted garlic, honey, sea salt, Moscato brine
Green: Blackened tomatillos, blackened Poblanos, jalapeños, and Scotch Bonnets (all green), sweet onion, roasted garlic, pineapple, cilantro, agave nectar, sea salt



Hobby labels for those ^:






My latest one (just processed about a week ago, not bottled yet):
Scotch Bonnets, golden raisins, baby carrots, red onion, fresh garlic, yellow bell pepper, yellow mustard, ginger, turbinado sugar, sea salt, ground turmeric, Pinot Grigio brine

Looked crazy, hahaha


I've got a few more ideas up my sleeve, and a freezer full of pods from last season! Thanks for looking, everybody!
 
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(Don't mind these chicken scratch notes; they're just for me to look at later ;) )

Left to right:
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Manzano ferment: 4/14-7/18, pH 3.06: super sour (fermented "tang"), but dissipates quickly. Maybe add 1/2 cup of agave nectar to balance it out

Black Cherry Bourbon Vanilla: 4/22-6/18: pH 2.99: smelled like straight smoke, very smoky up front, but had a lingering sweetness on the back end, not as hot as expected, still need to add more cherries and vanilla during processing

Blueberry Pineapple Chipotle: 3/4-7/18: Super thick after initial blend, added 12oz water BEFORE checking pH 3.29 (DOH!) : holy fucking cumin, tastes like Mexican food with a touch of pineapple coming through, definitely need to add more blueberries


Gonna let these rest in the fridge for a couple of weeks, then tweak them and bottle. Plus a few more, still up in the cabinet ;)
 
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MikeUSMC said:
-3lbs Manzanos
-1/2 cup agave nectar
-1 teaspoon pink Himalayan salt
-4g probiotic powder (starter)

That's it.
"K.I.S.S."
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stickman said:
OOH, I'm a sucker for a good Manzano sauce! Good luck with this one Mike, I wanna know how it comes out. If you like it, let me know... I'd be interested in buying or trading for a bottle. Cheers!
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Guatemalan Insanity Pepper said:
THIS ^ is right up my alley, my eyes got big  :shocked:  my mouth started to salivate  :drooling:    a straight Manzano sauce  :party:   I can't wait to see and read how this one turns out !
 
this offer goes to you as well Rick if it sounds like a sauce you might like i'd love to get your opinion on it 

I want in on this traders club  :lol:
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If you guys are waiting on me (unless you forgot about this ;) ), I'm afraid I'm gonna have to bow out of this sauce trade/train. I processed this a little over a month ago, and I've been trying to tweak it ever since. It smelled absolutely fantastic, but it tastes like you're sucking on a penny, lol

Nastily bitter, and I can't figure out how to get rid of the flavor yet keep it a "true" Manzano sauce. I've read through a lot of old threads here, trying to find an answer. So far, every couple of weeks, I've tried adding a little white vinegar, agave nectar, honey, and white sugar (one ingredient every few weeks). Brought to a boil, then put back in the fridge and taste tested again a week or two later.

I'm just about out of ideas, and I think I might have to add some pineapple or something to fix it. I really don't want to, to keep it a (basically) straight Manzano sauce, but I'm running out of options here. Sorry guys. Opinions/advice welcome
 
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I have Passion fruit and Scotch Bonnets along with lots of  Manzanos in my sauce Mike, I have never made a straight Manzano sauce.
I cant imagine why yours would have a metallic taste though  :think:
Still would like to send you some of my sauce to try. PM me your address :) 
 
 
:cheers: 
 
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MikeUSMC said:
If you guys are waiting on me (unless you forgot about this ;) ), I'm afraid I'm gonna have to bow out of this sauce trade/train. I processed this a little over a month ago, and I've been trying to tweak it ever since. It smelled absolutely fantastic, but it tastes like you're sucking on a penny, lol

Nastily bitter, and I can't figure out how to get rid of the flavor yet keep it a "true" Manzano sauce. I've read through a lot of old threads here, trying to find an answer. So far, every couple of weeks, I've tried adding a little white vinegar, agave nectar, honey, and white sugar (one ingredient every few weeks). Brought to a boil, then put back in the fridge and taste tested again a week or two later.

I'm just about out of ideas, and I think I might have to add some pineapple or something to fix it. I really don't want to, to keep it a (basically) straight Manzano sauce, but I'm running out of options here. Sorry guys. Opinions/advice welcome
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Ool... Well, you tried Mike. I've never detected bitterness in any ripe Manzanos I've tasted, but that brings up whether the pods were ripe to begin with. Most Pubiscens varieties, and Manzanos in particular, are slow to ripen. What makes it hard to spot is that the pods can look ripe even though they're not. I think that's why so many people have a negative germination expereince with them.

As far as what to put in a sauce using Manzanos as the base... My impression of them is a sorta combination of cooked black beans and apricots. The beans might be problematic for a pourable sauce, but how about using fresh apricots or nectarines... Maybe peaches even?

Sent from my LGL44VL using Tapatalk
 
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Thanks, guys.

Rick, the Manzanos were definitely ripe. I cut open, deseeded, and taste tested them as I was making the mash ;)

"hot stuff" had the same problem, not too long ago; "metallic" taste in sauce. Everybody was chiming in with great ideas; maybe it was the pot it was cooked in, maybe the lime juice turned bitter after it was cooked, maybe the sugar got burnt, etc. All good stuff, but nobody ever nailed it down, and it was chalked up to a lost batch. Ahh well, what can you do? Win some, lose some

GIP, I'll PM you tonight, bud. Thanks!
 
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Nah, not anymore. I'd have to check, but I think I only have about a pound left, and I'm pretty sure I smoked them too. I ate the other 2lbs raw, just like an apple or minced up and sprinkled on food. So freakin' good ;) Maybe I'll try a mixed smoked Manzano/Bonnet ferment.

I'd say that 90% of my ferments are done with frozen pods. I always have good results too. I doubt I'm going to completely give up on this last one though; I'll probably just end up adding fruit or something. Kinda bummed though, because I really wanted a "straight" Manzano sauce.

I've gotta keep reminding myself, because I forget ALL the time: not ALL sauces need to be fermented, lol :rofl: I started doing it to get away from using vinegar, and I've been hooked ever since
 
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I hear ya on the last point. I tend to only used aged peppers for my sauces, jarred for 2+ years. But if I'm going to add a bunch of ingredients, or introduce something like smoke, fresh chiles work just as well and my aged peppers can continue to age.

Respect your tenacity but I'm thinking metallic is pretty damn permanent. Good thing you got a million good ones ready to go.
 
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