fermenting Does this fermentation look proper?

[Sprawlaholic]

Hey All,
 
I've made hot sauce for many years, but I am trying my hand at a fermented sauce for the first time.
 
This is what my sauce looks like after 4 days.
 
I put in:
 
about 2 pounds of fresnos
one red bell
five cloves of garlic
2 tablespoons of brown sugar
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 tablespoons of salt
 
I blended it to the texture of a rough marinara sauce basically and capped it with an airlock lid (https://www.amazon.com/Easy-Fermenter-Wide-Mouth-Lid/dp/B01DJVVORE/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1490323418&sr=8-1&keywords=ferment+lid)
 
Any advice would be greatly appreciated

 

[MikeUSMC]

Those little white chunks, I'm assuming that's garlic?

Did you put any kind of "starter" in it, like any form of lactobacillus cultures? Starters aren't entirely necessary (you can do a "wild" ferment, but I'm not the guy to ask about that), but they do help the good bacteria get a good jump on any bad bacteria forming (the good stuff "eats" the bad stuff). It can come in the form of whey (the liquid in a yogurt or sour cream container), kimchi or sauerkraut "juice," or over-the-counter probiotics (capsules/powder). Most important, make sure it says "LIVE" cultures on the label of whatever you're extracting it from.

If you didn't use a starter, I wouldn't be surprised if you might start seeing some kahm yeast forming eventually. It's not harmful, but it looks funky, and it'll impart a distinct flavor in your final product. I'd look for a way to keep the mash submerged under the brine too (that'll prevent yeast from forming), but that's just me.

Brine? Did you use one? If not, it looks like the salt is pulling a lot of liquid out, which is good. Again, adding a brine is not entirely necessary, but I prefer to keep the mash submerged in the anaerobic environment (oxygen free) ASAP. Eventually, the whole inside of the jar will be, but not until the good bacteria "burp" and push all of the O2 out through the airlock. You can use cabbage leaves, glass weights, a ziploc bag full of BRINE (in case it leaks, your mash will still do ok), cheese cloth bag full of (sterilized) marbles/glass beads that go in a flower vase, etc.

I'd also keep a very, VERY close on on that airlock. I've heard that the moat on that style airlock dries out VERY QUICKLY (like a day or two)

So far (4 days in) it looks good. You're probably not gonna see much in the very beginning anyway. I've had some that looked completely dead, and then TOOK OFF at 3 weeks!

I hope I'm not overwhelming you, haha. The first ferment can be nerve racking but it does get fun eventually! After a while, you'll be addicted, trust me. Any questions, just ask. There's plenty of people here willing to help you out! Hope that helps. Good luck

 

[Nova]

To answer your question directly, no it does not look proper. 
 
You want everything submerged under the liquid, airlock or no airlock. Cheese cloth and sterilised marbles or even pebbles can be used to do this. 
 
It appears as though you may have fermentation happening. As mentioned before did you use a starter? 

 

[MikeUSMC]

After looking at your picture again, it looks like you might already have something growing in there. Top right corner, right at the shoulder of the jar. What is that?

 

[Sprawlaholic]

Those little white chunks, I'm assuming that's garlic?

Did you put any kind of "starter" in it, like any form of lactobacillus cultures? Starters aren't entirely necessary (you can do a "wild" ferment, but I'm not the guy to ask about that), but they do help the good bacteria get a good jump on any bad bacteria forming (the good stuff "eats" the bad stuff). It can come in the form of whey (the liquid in a yogurt or sour cream container), kimchi or sauerkraut "juice," or over-the-counter probiotics (capsules/powder). Most important, make sure it says "LIVE" cultures on the label of whatever you're extracting it from.

If you didn't use a starter, I wouldn't be surprised if you might start seeing some kahm yeast forming eventually. It's not harmful, but it looks funky, and it'll impart a distinct flavor in your final product. I'd look for a way to keep the mash submerged under the brine too (that'll prevent yeast from forming), but that's just me.

Brine? Did you use one? If not, it looks like the salt is pulling a lot of liquid out, which is good. Again, adding a brine is not entirely necessary, but I prefer to keep the mash submerged in the anaerobic environment (oxygen free) ASAP. Eventually, the whole inside of the jar will be, but not until the good bacteria "burp" and push all of the O2 out through the airlock. You can use cabbage leaves, glass weights, a ziploc bag full of BRINE (in case it leaks, your mash will still do ok), cheese cloth bag full of (sterilized) marbles/glass beads that go in a flower vase, etc.

I'd also keep a very, VERY close on on that airlock. I've heard that the moat on that style airlock dries out VERY QUICKLY (like a day or two)

So far (4 days in) it looks good. You're probably not gonna see much in the very beginning anyway. I've had some that looked completely dead, and then TOOK OFF at 3 weeks!

I hope I'm not overwhelming you, haha. The first ferment can be nerve racking but it does get fun eventually! After a while, you'll be addicted, trust me. Any questions, just ask. There's plenty of people here willing to help you out! Hope that helps. Good luck

 
 

To answer your question directly, no it does not look proper. 
 
You want everything submerged under the liquid, airlock or no airlock. Cheese cloth and sterilised marbles or even pebbles can be used to do this. 
 
It appears as though you may have fermentation happening. As mentioned before did you use a starter? 

 

Hey guys, thanks for the responses.
 
Just for disclosure, I thoroughly read the fermentation sticky.
 
I didn't add a starter, as I followed this recipe:

Just to be on the safe side I'm gonna dump it and start over with starter and marbles on top of cabbage leaves.  Nova and Mike, thanks for the marbles idea, that's great.  I was going to use cheesecloth with rubber bands, but I thought I'd try to be science-y and get the lock.
 
However, Mike, you mentioned that my airlock may be subpar.  Do you recommend a lock like this? https://www.amazon.com/Twin-Bubble-Airlock-Carboy-Bung/dp/B00A6TRKO4/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&qid=1490376516&sr=8-3&keywords=airlock+fermentation
 
Thanks again for the tips, I've always wanted to do fermented sauces and I'll have about 15 plants this year, so I'll have pounds of pepper guinea pigs for trial and error

 

[oldsalty]

I wouldn't throw it out yet looks perfectly fine to me some more close up pics would be nice. Airlock lid is fine i do like a little more brine in mine but iv'e seen smoke use a dry style like this with great success. no need to toss it kahm  yeast is harmless if it has any white growth. Do you have a ph pen if not def invest in one if your going to ferment. i use the cabbage method and have posted many times in fermentation 101 with all the proper ways to do it . cabbage works great as a cover to keep mash contained. But again you will get increased liquid after time as peppers give off liquid so don't panic. Everything looks fine and i do see what looks like sepperation from fermentation so just relax. But get a ph Pen very important. Airlock is not sub par just requires some attention. keep filled with liquid. You are doing fine and Welcome to the fermentation Crew  

 

[MikeUSMC]

I'd say that if you use the cabbage leaves, you won't need the marbles (and vice versa). One or the other will be fine.

Air locks: the "S" type ones you linked will work. Probably a lot better than the one you currently have. Like I said, I heard the water evaporates super quickly in those; you'd really have to be diligent checking on it.

The air locks I use are these ones, they come with the jar lids and the gaskets too. You could also make your own for less money, but I'm lazy, haha. Something like these here:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01CYZOEJG/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1490378684&sr=8-4&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=airlock+lids+for+mason+jars&dpPl=1&dpID=415bwzMcr8L&ref=plSrch

I highly recommend NOT getting this style though:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00MW97ERY/ref=mp_s_a_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1490378774&sr=8-8&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=airlock+lids+for+mason+jars&dpPl=1&dpID=41Uh4jeZcoL&ref=plSrch

Every single time I've used those ^, I've had a hell of a time getting them off. Every SINGLE time


Best of luck, man! Let us know how you make out

 

[Sprawlaholic]

I'd say that if you use the cabbage leaves, you won't need the marbles (and vice versa). One or the other will be fine.

Air locks: the "S" type ones you linked will work. Probably a lot better than the one you currently have. Like I said, I heard the water evaporates super quickly in those; you'd really have to be diligent checking on it.

The air locks I use are these ones, they come with the jar lids and the gaskets too. You could also make your own for less money, but I'm lazy, haha. Something like these here:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01CYZOEJG/ref=mp_s_a_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1490378684&sr=8-4&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=airlock+lids+for+mason+jars&dpPl=1&dpID=415bwzMcr8L&ref=plSrch

I highly recommend NOT getting this style though:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B00MW97ERY/ref=mp_s_a_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1490378774&sr=8-8&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=airlock+lids+for+mason+jars&dpPl=1&dpID=41Uh4jeZcoL&ref=plSrch

Every single time I've used those ^, I've had a hell of a time getting them off. Every SINGLE time


Best of luck, man! Let us know how you make out

 
Thanks, dude, I just ordered those locks you linked.
 
Just out of sheer curiosity, why do you keep a medieval torture device on your stove?  Hazing some new recruits with ungodly heat and a good old, "thank you sir, may I have another"?

 

[Downriver]

A little late to your party sprawl, but hopefully you didn't throw this out because it's ready to process now, lol. Sriracha can be a quick ferment, 5-10 days or so. But what ever you do, DON'T use that much xanthan gum when you process. A little goes a looong way. Look close at the vid when she's stirring the sauce in the blender after adding the xanthan. See those globs of red, snotty looking stuff hanging off the spoon? NOT good eats lol. Personally, I don't think you need the stuff in this recipe.
 
By the way, there's lots of different ways to ferment. I think your process was fine. In your pic, fermentation is already underway. The mash has floated to the top and there's an inch or two of liquid on the bottom. If you had used weights or cabbage etc, this wouldn't happen but it's not a show stopper. All you need to do is just "ratchet" the jar back-and-forth several times, until the solids sink. That releases the air trapped in the mash. Do this a few times a day and you're good to go.
 
Keep after it and let us know how things turn out.

 

[Sprawlaholic]

A little late to your party sprawl, but hopefully you didn't throw this out because it's ready to process now, lol. Sriracha can be a quick ferment, 5-10 days or so. But what ever you do, DON'T use that much xanthan gum when you process. A little goes a looong way. Look close at the vid when she's stirring the sauce in the blender after adding the xanthan. See those globs of red, snotty looking stuff hanging off the spoon? NOT good eats lol. Personally, I don't think you need the stuff in this recipe.
 
By the way, there's lots of different ways to ferment. I think your process was fine. In your pic, fermentation is already underway. The mash has floated to the top and there's an inch or two of liquid on the bottom. If you had used weights or cabbage etc, this wouldn't happen but it's not a show stopper. All you need to do is just "ratchet" the jar back-and-forth several times, until the solids sink. That releases the air trapped in the mash. Do this a few times a day and you're good to go.
 
Keep after it and let us know how things turn out.

 
Thanks, DR, much obliged.

 

[ShowMeDaSauce]

I have those white lids with air locks but nothing ive tried compares to a E-Jen fermenter with a inner lid.

They are offered as small as .6 liter for $4 http://www.shoplivart.com/kitchenware-1/food-storage.html