I'm looking to make a sauce in the future that keeps the flavor of the pepper but doesn't require a ton of salt or vinegar. What is the minimum amount of salt or vinegar you can get away with?
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Bare bones sauce recipie?
- Thread starter Sm1nts2escape
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Not sure on minimum amounts, but I followed AlabamaJack's puree recipe earlier this year for some basic cayenne and hab sauces and they definitely retained the flavour of the peppers. I added a little extra vinegar to make them a bit "runnier", and it didn't affect the flavour noticeably. Could be a good place to start.
http://thehotpepper.com/topic/32602-making-some-puree-todaywill-post-pics-of-the-processits-easy/?hl=puree
http://thehotpepper.com/topic/32602-making-some-puree-todaywill-post-pics-of-the-processits-easy/?hl=puree
Measure pH for shelf-stability. Simple. It's nothing to do with set measurements.
pH for shelf stability is generally below 4.15 (manufacturing legal limit high) - but most manufacturers won't touch a recipe unless it's below 3.6 pH
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Get a pH meter - for home use a good submersible is around $50
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All of your ingredients will have a pH raw. Â When you pasteurize your sauce (or make a mash) the resulting product will have a pH. Provided it's below 3.xx it should be shelf stable (e.g. stuff won't grow in it).Â
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As THP said - ingredients are irrelevant. It's the resulting pH of the sauce that matters.Â
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Get a pH meter - for home use a good submersible is around $50
Â
All of your ingredients will have a pH raw. Â When you pasteurize your sauce (or make a mash) the resulting product will have a pH. Provided it's below 3.xx it should be shelf stable (e.g. stuff won't grow in it).Â
Â
As THP said - ingredients are irrelevant. It's the resulting pH of the sauce that matters.Â
If it is just for yourself, and you keep it in the fridge, you don't need to worry about pH either. Just make the sauce to your liking.
ÂSm1nts2escape said:
If you ferment your peppers first, you will have to add little to no vinegar. The lactic acid of a successful ferment should lower the pH significantly enough to put it in the shelf stable range. Lactic acid has a smaller pKa (dissociation constant) than acetic acid, so its actually the stronger of the 2 weak acids (more acidic, and therefore lowers the pH to a greater extent).
ÂScoville DeVille said:
That is without question the most awesome thread of any kind on THP.
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If SL doesn't do it, you don't want it.
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I reckon I'll make some hot sauce today for no damn reason.
That's hands down the best reason ever to make hot sauce!texas blues said:
I posted the link in post number 2 in this threadÂimpending_bending said: