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tutorial Fermenting Peppers 101
- Thread starter RocketMan
- Start date
Is it possible/problematic to ferment with dried peppers (so long as I also use other peppers and probably a little more water?)
I'd like to use a few Ghost or Carolina Reaper in the future for added heat to my typical mix of peppers, but I'm finding it a little difficult to either find them or get to places to find them.
I also don't have a green thumb, plus added cat and dog mean that the plants probably won't last long if I try to grow them myself.
I'd like to use a few Ghost or Carolina Reaper in the future for added heat to my typical mix of peppers, but I'm finding it a little difficult to either find them or get to places to find them.
I also don't have a green thumb, plus added cat and dog mean that the plants probably won't last long if I try to grow them myself.
Also: Fermenting a mash that I've had issues with kahm yeast in the past, due to insufficient salt. Added more salt, and now a salty brine on top. Checked it the other day and the single-piece rubber seals I had had actually caved inwards, to one point exposing the top of the brine.
The kahm yeast inside had clumped up as well - still semi-filmy. Still smelled like kahm yeast. Problem?
I removed it, then heated some water and added a bunch of salt to it to try to finish the job once and for all, replacing the lost brine.
The kahm yeast inside had clumped up as well - still semi-filmy. Still smelled like kahm yeast. Problem?
I removed it, then heated some water and added a bunch of salt to it to try to finish the job once and for all, replacing the lost brine.
Pharthan said:
Yes, it's absolutely possible. I've done it a few times. Just rehydrate the pods in whatever you plan on using for a brine. You could also use another liquid, if you want a different flavor profile in there. I always use a white wine brine (though I have used White Zinfandel before), so I'll rehydrate in that. I've also rehydrated smoked pods in bourbon, then added to the ferment.mitchNC said:
Technically, you may not even have to rehydrate though. The brine should do it on its own, once it's in the fermenting vessel. If not using a brine, the salt should pull enough liquid out of the other fruit/veggies to rehydrate the dried pods
Possibilities are endless
emanphoto said:I'm wondering if this post should get locked as it seems to be a catch-all for every kind of fermenting question and I may have been guilty of this as well.
There's tons of great info here but it's hard to find at 52 pages long and not getting any shorter.
It's the natural evolution of the thread. First timers directed or linked here have a nice read ahead of them and those who've been around check in when new posts pop up. Answering questions here also provides all of us with one thread to share/learn from.
Every article I've read says to keep them in the dark, Nancynmlarson said:
Here's one:
http://www.probioticjar.com/light--temperature.html
"Cover the Jar with a dark kitchen towel. Lactic acid-producing bacteria (LAB) (the bacteria that do the work of fermentation) flourish in the dark, and light kills them. UV Light in the amounts that penetrate the Jar seem to be beneficial to yeasts, and is to be avoided. Yeast, while not necessarily harmful, really interferes with the flavors and texture of a ferment. Wrap the Jar with a dark kitchen towel, or another light-blocking material, and set it in a location in the kitchen where the sun does not shine directly."
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I always keep mine in the small cabinets above my range/microwave. Another bonus to keeping them there is that there's an electrical outlet up there already. I keep them on a seedling heat mat, in the Winter months, to keep the temperature up
MikeUSMC said:Every article I've read says to keep them in the dark, Nancy
Here's one:
http://www.probioticjar.com/light--temperature.html
"Cover the Jar with a dark kitchen towel. Lactic acid-producing bacteria (LAB) (the bacteria that do the work of fermentation) flourish in the dark, and light kills them. UV Light in the amounts that penetrate the Jar seem to be beneficial to yeasts, and is to be avoided. Yeast, while not necessarily harmful, really interferes with the flavors and texture of a ferment. Wrap the Jar with a dark kitchen towel, or another light-blocking material, and set it in a location in the kitchen where the sun does not shine directly."
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I always keep mine in the small cabinets above my range/microwave. Another bonus to keeping them there is that there's an electrical outlet up there already. I keep them on a seedling heat mat, in the Winter months, to keep the temperature up
Terrific information! Thank you for the link. Looks like I'll be cleaning out a cabinet.
Interesting thought regarding the wintertime temperatures, too. I never thought of it this way, but it's probably the same as a yeast bread dough. At lower temperatures, it still rises and lives, but just at a slower rate.
Hmmmm.....I wonder if the flavors change at those lower temps like bread dough does? Longer, slower rises at lower temperatures create better flavor in a bread. Do you have any thoughts on whether a lower, slower ferment creates "better" (or different) flavors in your sauces?
No, sorry. Never even thought about it, honestly. One thing I will say though, is that I'd definitely START the ferment at a "proper" temp (75*ish) to get the process going ASAP. Ensure that all of the oxygen is pushed out of the jar before you start experimenting with letting the temp drop. Purposely starting a ferment at a low temp seems risky to me. Seems like you'd be gambling that yeast/mold wouldn't show up. Especially if you're doing a "Wild" ferment (collecting LAB from the air). Then, I'd definitely make sure it was started at a "good" temp.nmlarson said:
Then again, I could be totally wrong
I've been wrong before, haha
I totally agree with you RM. I've been gone from the forum a while....but I still check in on the "Fermenting 101" posts periodically.RocketMan said:
It warms the heart to see how the fermenting recipes have evolved and overall interest grown since this thread began. (that's a lot of hot sauce!)
A heartfelt tip of the hat to you old friend.
CM
