fermenting Fermented chilli sauce

[moyboy]

Hi folks

Im looking to do some fermented chilli sauces this season in Australia and I have a question regarding the process of fermentation, or more to the point, when to add certain ingredients?

Im planning to do my own Tabasco sauce and Tabasco style using fataliis and Ill be making a few different batches (plain, chipotle, garlic etc) and my question is when should I add the additional flavour ingredients? When I first create the mash or when I mix with vinegar?

Im planning on having the mash sit on oak staves for at least 12 months and the vinegar for a month before straining.

Any advice from previous experience would be greatly appreciated.

Cheers

 

[Siv]

I don't have any experience but I'm trying the same thing. This video is my guide!
 
[media]https://youtu.be/dRkXaa8ttM8[/media]

 

[sirex]

It's really up to you. Some people do it before. Some after.

A lot of people don't like the taste of fermented garlic and will do it after the active ferment.

Whatever you do make sure to check the pH after you've added additional I gresients to ensure you are still in a shelf stable range. Most of what you add after the active ferment is going to raise the pH (with the exception of the highly acidic material such as lemon juice, vinegar etc.)

 

[mitchNC]

I'm finding that 3 weeks gives me the flavor I want.
I'm growing 26 cayenne plants this year, and I'm getting about a quart of peppers every other day.
 
I just make a 3% brine, wait 3 weeks, mash, add a little less than 1:1 vinegar, blend with xantham gum, and bottle.
It's delicious.
 
My meter says 3.0 pH but I need to calibrate it to be sure.

 

[moyboy]

I don't have any experience but I'm trying the same thing. This video is my guide!
 
[media]https://youtu.be/dRkXaa8ttM8[/media]

 
Thanks for the video, it gave me some good tips especially using a stir plate. And I went into his tabasco style video which opened my eyes even more, lots of help....
 
pH is something I'll research more and I've seen a few detailed posts on the subject here.
 
I'm really taking note about the flavour that fermented garlic and impart on the finished sauce so I think I'll just add the garlic when I add the vinegar. Then the question is do I use powdered or fresh garlic? Powdered will most likely give a bigger garlic flavour in the short mixing time of a few weeks but fresh garlic may give a smoother flavour.... Lots to research and ponder.

 

[mitchNC]

I've been making my sauces this year without garlic.  Not sure why garlic is such a default  ingredient.
My best friend is allergic so I started making sauces without it.  I honestly don't miss it in chilli sauces.