2017 Hot Sauce - Batch #2

dragon49 said:

 

This is the same recipe that I used in the last batch, except the peppers were different types:
 
7 7 Pot Douglah Peppers
7 Yellow Scotch Bonnet Peppers
1 Pint of Blueberries
1 Banana 
4 Tablespoons Maple Syrup
1 Tablespoon Kosher Salt
2 Limes
4 Tablespoons of Concentrated Lemon Juice
 
I threw the ingredients into my Ninja, added a little water and blended to a puree. I then dumped the mix into a pot, added more water and boiled it down for two hours. This was the consistency that I wanted. It was enough to fill a little more than one 16 ounce Mason jar.
 
The 4.4 pH was high for my sauces, but very safe.  It is quite a mystery to me why this differs so much from the last batch which came in at 1.9.
 
This has the identical heat and flavor as the last batch that I made—delicious and hot, but not deadly.
 

 
 

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It's because of the free radical capsaicinoids. 

salsalady said:

 
It's because of the free radical capsaicinoids. 

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Thanks as always, but please elaborate - or are you kidding?
 
 
These were the only differences in the batches:
 
Batch 1 - 12 Yellow 7 Pot Peppers and 2 Chocolate Ghost Peppers - All peppers had been frozen for 2 years.
Batch 2 - 7 Yellow Scotch Bonnet Peppers and 7 Yellow 7 Pot Peppers - Fresh
 
Batch #1 - Boiled down for 1 hour and 40 minutes
Batch #2 - Boiled down for 2 hours - Both batches started with around the same amount of extra water before being boiled down - I haven't been very scientific about this, but I did produce a little less sauce than
                  last time.
 
I'm assuming that my first batch must have had more SHUs as Yellow 7 Pots are hotter than Yellow Scotch Bonnets.
 
As I was in the middle of composing this, I paused to re-test, and I no longer trust my equipment (https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005H78ZI0/)
 
 
I don't have any calibration liquid, so I used my tap water to calibrate and the water came in at 6.2 (NYC tap water is supposed to be 7.2) so when the sauce measured 3.4, I just added 1.  Now, 90 minutes later, my tap water tested 8.0 and the same batch of hot sauce (now refrigerated) came in at 4.0, so the adjustment down would make it 3.2.  I don't know the exact pH of my tap water, but doubt it would fluctuate that much between testings.  Regarding the refrigeration, the internet tells me that the pH goes up as it gets cooler, so I blame my equipment for the discrepancy, not the temperature.
 
I did eat some of the hot sauce in between testings, but I can't imagine that even if everything wasn't evenly mixed, it could account for 1.2 pH difference between the two samples.
 
I'm annoyed that I can't get a consistent number, but I remain confident that the batch is safe.
 
Salsalady - should I get a new pH meter?  Are the discrepancies explainable?  Math isn't my strong suit, but these are pretty simple adjustments to make and I don't think I did anything wrong.

 I was just channeling a little James Bond as he was headed off to the Health Spa-
 
Bond- "I'm to eliminate all free radicals...."
Moneypenny-"Oh ,that does sound dangerous.  Do be careful!"
 
------------------
 
Sorry if it threw you for a loop. 
 
 
The 7 Pot recipes will definitely have higher SHU than habanero recipes.  ph of habs and 7 Pots should be similar. 
 
I've experienced fluctuating pH reading as the temp is stabilizing.  I try to use the cups in the freezer method to temper the heated sauce to make real time pH readings.   The Hannah meter I have is low end, basic equipment.  I use it for general pH while working on a recipe.  After the recipe is finalized, I send the samples off to the Process Authority for final pH testing and process review.  Once the sauce is tested and approved, I use exactly the same ingredients and same process every time.  
 
Kind of a different story from making all individual batches.    
 
 
 

salsalady said:

 I was just channeling a little James Bond as he was headed off to the Health Spa-
 
Bond- "I'm to eliminate all free radicals...."
Moneypenny-"Oh ,that does sound dangerous.  Do be careful!"
 
------------------
 
Sorry if it threw you for a loop. 
 
 
The 7 Pot recipes will definitely have higher SHU than habanero recipes.  ph of habs and 7 Pots should be similar. 
 
I've experienced fluctuating pH reading as the temp is stabilizing.  I try to use the cups in the freezer method to temper the heated sauce to make real time pH readings.   The Hannah meter I have is low end, basic equipment.  I use it for general pH while working on a recipe.  After the recipe is finalized, I send the samples off to the Process Authority for final pH testing and process review.  Once the sauce is tested and approved, I use exactly the same ingredients and same process every time.  
 
Kind of a different story from making all individual batches.    
 
 
 
 

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I had a feeling you were kidding, but I missed the Bond reference
 
For future batches, I'll get some calibration liquid and try and test everything at a normalized temp.
 
Ty 
 

I use 5% white vinegar as a quick calibration between uses of calibration solution, it should read about 2.4.

Hope this helps.

Also, the "powers that be" say to make the sauce and then either stick the whole sauce (or a sample of the sauce) in the reefer for 24 hours for the sauce to completely blend.  THEN do the pH test.  Allowing all the ingredients to come to the pH equilibrium.

salsalady said:

in the reefer for 24 hours

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  that does look like a 24 hour reefer....

That looks incredible saving this thank you!


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Hafners said:

I use 5% white vinegar as a quick calibration between uses of calibration solution, it should read about 2.4.

Hope this helps.

Click to expand...

 
 

salsalady said:

Also, the "powers that be" say to make the sauce and then either stick the whole sauce (or a sample of the sauce) in the reefer for 24 hours for the sauce to completely blend.  THEN do the pH test.  Allowing all the ingredients to come to the pH equilibrium.

Click to expand...

 
 
I was about to calibrate with vinegar and re-test with one batch that's been in my refrigerator since yesterday afternoon, but the batteries in my tester are shot.  I'll go to a jeweler during the week to get them replaced, as they are three watch style batteries.  Perhaps the batteries running out of juice was responsible for my inconsistent readings.  I'll respond to the thread with the new reading.

I bought some official calibration liquid and got new batteries.  The first reading that I reported at 4.4 was just a drop high.  New and improved tests show it came in at 4.2.