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tutorial Fermenting Peppers 101

One thing i started doing is making sure i have some good sugar carbs in there. Still tweaking things a bit to see what works best and taste the best.
Yes indeed ..... those little LAB's like to have something to munch on regularly...and their "bio-waste" is what contributes to a successful ferment.
They're kinda like those gold fish my Daughter used to have....the more she fed them (which she loved to do),the more waste product they left behind.(which she wasn't nearly as fond of)

Here is a very interesting research paper that is loaded with some good info.
It takes the approach that fermenting vegetables is actually nothing more that an ecosystem in a jar.
http://www.humanecologyreview.org/pastissues/her151/scottandsullivan.pdf

And here's a link to a food safety site that has a good article on salting and brining vegetables.
While their methods, ingredients and measurements are a little different than what I follow, there is some good info there.
http://www.foodsafetysite.com/consumers/resources/deskreference.html

Have a great weekend my friend.
Due to the cold front we've got coming through tonight....I'll be spending mine doing something with the abundance of pods I've gotta pick this evening after work.
CM
 
Due to the cold front we've got coming through tonight....I'll be spending mine doing something with the abundance of pods I've gotta pick this evening after work.
CM

Send them to me Bro :rofl:

Hope it doesn't kill everything but it could mean a nice evening in front of the fire place with that certain special someone. :cool: As for me it's dinner at Emril's at Universal City Walk tonight :eek:

Bon Appetit,
RM

PS Great links as alway's CM!
 
Send them to me Bro :rofl:

Hope it doesn't kill everything but it could mean a nice evening in front of the fire place with that certain special someone. :cool: As for me it's dinner at Emril's at Universal City Walk tonight :eek:

Bon Appetit,
RM

PS Great links as alway's CM!
As a matter of fact...the ol gas fire logs might just have to be called into action this weekend. While I hate to see the growing season end...(especially with all the new blooms I've got), I absolutely love autumn weather and all the associated activities.

Dinner at Emrli's sounds great....and in the interest of good digestion,I'd suggest letting someone else pick up the tab if the opportunity presents itself.
Considering the major drop in temperature being predicted for these parts....I've got a couple pounds of ripe Big Jim's and NUMEX 64 that I'm gonna use in a big pot of red.
 
Dinner at Emrli's sounds great....and in the interest of good digestion,I'd suggest letting someone else pick up the tab if the opportunity presents itself.
They have a special deal this month which of course ends tonight, where you get an appitizer, dinner and dessert for $30.00 each. Taking the wife and older daughter to dinner.

Considering the major drop in temperature being predicted for these parts....I've got a couple pounds of ripe Big Jim's and NUMEX 64 that I'm gonna use in a big pot of red.
Now that sounds like a plan! Can't wait till it's cold enough to make a big pot of Red. Course that means like February :eek:

Cheers,
RM
 
So I followed the direction here to ferment a habenaro hot sauce. Its been about 24 hours and no activity. How long does a typical fermentation take to really see some activity? I'm using a canning jar with an airlock on top (homebrewing hobby helped with the requirement for the airlock). Oh, and I used hooch from my sourdough starter.
 
I just opened a hab ferment the other day. I used 6% salt by weight, whey from my kefir, and a air lock. I never really noticed any action from mine. However, i ended up opening 30 days later, and things are great. Others of mine i seemed to see lots of action, but that one i did not and things worked out. So, so not freak out :eek: I am sure the others on here will tell you a lot better than i. Just letting you know my experience. Good Luck
 
So I followed the direction here to ferment a habenaro hot sauce. Its been about 24 hours and no activity. How long does a typical fermentation take to really see some activity? I'm using a canning jar with an airlock on top (homebrewing hobby helped with the requirement for the airlock). Oh, and I used hooch from my sourdough starter.

It can vary from ferment to ferment, mostly depending on how much sugar is available and how much is readily available. Usually within 48 to 72 hours I will see some action. Don't depend on bubbling as a sign. Alot of time I'll see action in te jar, veggies will rise up and there will be bubbles of gas, before I see action from the bubbled.
 
Thanks for sharing this information. I have often wondered about this as I grow a few peppers each year.
I just realized that I joined 7 years ago and never posted before. Sorry for not doing it in the introduction thread.
 
So I followed the direction here to ferment a habenaro hot sauce. Its been about 24 hours and no activity. How long does a typical fermentation take to really see some activity? I'm using a canning jar with an airlock on top (homebrewing hobby helped with the requirement for the airlock). Oh, and I used hooch from my sourdough starter.

So it's been over a week. Never saw any activity in the airlock but there is no mold/yeast on top and it doesn't smell funny. In addition, there are now three distinct layers: fine sediment in the bottom, middle layer very clear and upper layer less fine sediment. Looks like a lot of the pics on this website. I bought some ph strips from my homebrew store. When do you think would be a good time to test the ph? Now, 30 days,etc? I know opening the lid will allow oxygen in so the fewer times the better.
 
So it's been over a week. Never saw any activity in the airlock but there is no mold/yeast on top and it doesn't smell funny. In addition, there are now three distinct layers: fine sediment in the bottom, middle layer very clear and upper layer less fine sediment. Looks like a lot of the pics on this website. I bought some ph strips from my homebrew store. When do you think would be a good time to test the ph? Now, 30 days,etc? I know opening the lid will allow oxygen in so the fewer times the better.

Awesome, your sauce is working. I usually go minimum of 45 days and max of 90 but CM has some that are, I think he'll have to confirm, a year or more old. How long to let them ferment is solely up to you and you'll be ok if you made them into a sauce now. Check your ph when you open your sauce and again after the sauce is done and has cooled to 60 degrees F.

Cheers,
RM
 
So here is the picture. I think what you're saying is to not check the ph until I'm done with the fermentation, preferably more than 30 days or up to a year. After I open and make a hot sauce then check the PH again. Is this correct? So if the ph is above 4 then I add vinegar and I would be good to go?

Here is a pic of current status:

2011-10-11%25252020.27.03.jpg


Woo Hoo, finally got the pic to show up.
 
Thanks for sharing this information. I have often wondered about this as I grow a few peppers each year.
I just realized that I joined 7 years ago and never posted before. Sorry for not doing it in the introduction thread.

WOW
First off, :welcome: from PA.
I know a lot of us lurk for a while before joining or posting, but 7 years!!! Either you are a busy busy person or you have been absorbing a lot of info and know the site top to bottom.
:rofl: just playin
once again :welcome:
 
I've had so many requests for this I thought it would be easier to make a thread of it. Chili Monsta and I put it together and tried to cover as much as we could think of to cover. If you have questions feel free to ask.

Fermenting Peppers 101
By RocketMan and Chili Monsta

Starters

In fermenting peppers we use microaerophilic bacteria called Lactobacillus. The Lactobacillus eats the sugars in the mash then poops Lactic Acid and farts CO2. The Lactic Acid which is produced lowers the PH of the mash making it an acidic environment in which other bacteria such as botuline toxin, which would contribute to ruining the mash, cannot exist. As such the use of acids like as vinegar and lime or lemon juice are not needed but may be used in a sauce for the flavor.

There are several different ways to start a pepper mash fermenting and all will result in the same finished product. I will focus on 3 of them here.

A couple of things in common to all methods are that once the lid is on and the fermentation is going gas (CO2) is given off. Some people like to attach an Airlock to the lid so that the gas can escape while others just place the lid on loosely. Either way the idea is to prevent Oxygen from getting in and maintain the CO2. This helps to prevent any bad bacteria from getting in. The fermentation jar cannot be stuffed full of peppers or you will have pepper juice everywhere. The peppers will rise and fall within the liquid they are fermenting in initially so some space, say 1 to 1 ½ inches needs to be left in the top of the fermentation jar to allow for the pepper to rise. Some like to add weights to hold the peppers down. Some of the cheese cloth with glass beads will work very well for this.

1. Wild Fermentation. For a wild fermentation you are going to collect the wild yeast that is in the air and use it to ferment the peppers. To do this you first need to add enough salt to the mash so that the bad bacteria can’t infect your mash before the good bacteria get going. Typically this is somewhere between 6 and 10 percent of weight. Some add a little Ascorbic Acid as well to retard mold. Place your mash into a container and cover the top with several layers of Cheese Cloth to keep out any dirt but to allow the bacteria to get in. Once you see that mash bubbling away you can loosely add a lid and allow the fermentation to continue.


2. Whey Starter. Whey is the liquid that is seen in a tub of yogurt when it is allowed to sit for a while. The whey is collected as shown in the pictures here. Thanks Chili Monsta.
The whey is then added to the pepper mash and helps to kick start the fermentation process. Less salt is needed in these mashes as there is no delay waiting for the Lactobacillus to be collected and a good fermentation can be seen within a couple of hours.

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3. Sourdough Starter. Some like to use the hooch from a sourdough starter. This is the method I use. As with the Whey method the hooch is added to the mash and there is less of a salt requirement. Fermentation can be seen starting within a couple of hours. I like this method best as I don’t have to buy a tub of yogurt each time I want to start some peppers and I get to enjoy some of the best homemade bread around. I have included a very simple recipe for making a sourdough starter that can be used within 2 weeks to start some pepper fermenting or making bread.

Hooch

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4. Other Starters. The juice from Sauerkraut and Kim Chi can also be used to start fermentation.

The Mash

Peppers are naturally low in sugars and as fermentation works from the sugars can be hard to start. Many like to ferment just the pepper in their mash while others like to add the other ingredients. I typically mash all of the ingredients of a sauce recipe so that there are more sugars for the bacteria to work on. Most all recipes will include Carrots, Onion, and Garlic. With these added there will be ample sugars for a good fermentation.

Setting up the Fermentation jar. Using the above ingredients, shredded the carrots and ran all of the peppers with the seeds and ribs if you want the added heat, onion and garlic, through a Food Processor then put it all into a glass jar big enough to hold it all. Add the Starter and gave it a stir. Dissolve 2 tablespoons salt into 2 cups warm water and poured it over the top till all veggies are under water. A word here about salt. Pickling salt is the salt of choice here as it is just salt. Other salts such as kosher salt include an anti-caking ingredient and may have Iodide. While these will not harm the fermentation or the consumer they may change the look of the final product.

Fermentation time. I would typically not run a fermentation for less than 30 days. Mine usually go for 45 to 90 days. Now, that said there are some that will let them go for years. Tabasco is reputed to ferment their peppers for a 3 year period. The time you decede to go with is totally up to you.

Fermentation is complete.
This is the point where cleanliness becomes your best friend. Everything that touches your sauce now needs to be sanitized. This is easily accomplished using unscented bleach and water. Using the big pot you plan to boil the sauce in fill it with hot water and a couple of tablespoons of bleach. Allow everything that will touch the sauce to soak for 15 minutes then place them into an area you have designated as your clean zone. Next comes your bottles, caps and reducers. These can be run through your dishwasher with the heated dry turned on. When done place them into the clean zone.

It is now time to make some sauce. Pour all of the contents from the fermentation jar into a big pot and bring it to a boil for 30 minutes. Very carefully then run them through a Blender in batches until is smooth then back into the pot. Bring it to a boil again adding some water if it is too thick for another 20 minutes. Then run the entire batch through the blender again. Now you should have a very smooth sauce. Return the sauce to the pot and heat to 195 degrees F for 15 minutes then carefully funnel into the bottles. Add a reducer and a cap and place it upside down for another 15 minutes to allow the caps to sterilize.

Other.

Helpful Links.

Fermenting pickles and peppers
http://www.grist.org/article/2009-09-18-real-deal-pickles-pickled-pepper-hot-sauce-apickling-made-simple

Steps to fermenting peppers
http://www.nathalielawhead.com/candybox/ferment-your-own-hot-sauce-raw-tabasco

Several good recipes and instructions
http://nourishedkitchen.com/fermented-hot-chili-sauce-recipe/

Get Cultured (Nourished Kitchen free e-book)
http://issuu.com/nourishedkitchen/docs/getcultured?mode=embed&layout=http%3A%2F%2Fskin.issuu.com%2Fv%2Flight%2Flayout.xml&showFlipBtn=true

Bob Hurt Hab Mash
http://www.scribd.com/doc/27415695/How-to-Make-Habanero-Pepper-Mash-and-Hot-Sauce

Nice fermentation blog
http://okanagandailyspecial.blogspot.com/2010/09/home-made-tobasco-sauce.html

Q/A about mash process
http://en.allexperts.com/q/Food-Engineering-Manufacturing-2446/2010/12/pepper-mash-1.htm

Kitchen Gardens blog/ 5 step HS recipe
http://kitchengardeners.org/recipes/make-your-own-hot-sauce

A very simple to make a starter.

Small russet potato
2 Cups Flour
2 Cups Water
1 packet (3 tsp) Active Dry Yeast

Put the whole potato into a pot with enough water to cook the potato down to mush. Once it is falling apart put it into a blender with 2 cups of the water. It’s ok to add water if there is not enough left and blend until it’s smooth. Let cool till warm and pour into the container you r going to hold it in. Add 2 cups flour and the dry yeast. Mix well but lumps are ok as they will work out. Place this on a pie pan or something that will hold anything that boils over.

A good working starter after feeding

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For the next 3 days every morning add 2 Tbs Flour and 2 Tbs Water. After the 3rd day just let it work for another 3 days. When it starts to settle clean the container if it boiled over any and place into the fridge for another 6 days. Now you should have a good amount of hooch built up and be ready to ferment some peppers. You’ll only need a couple of tablespoons of hooch for a quart jar of peppers, I typically run a gallon jar at a time and use ¼ cup, the rest I mix back into the starter. After you have the peppers going it’s time to make the bread. This is a simple recipe I use for a San Francisco style Sourdough bread. It’s great toasted for breakfast or sliced in half for a Sub sandwich or a Panini.

And since you now have a good Sourdough starter
Sourdough Bread

Ingredients

• 4 3/4 cups bread flour
• 3 tablespoons white sugar
• 2 1/2 teaspoons salt
• 1 (.25 ounce) package active dry yeast
• 1 cup warm milk
• 2 tablespoons margarine, softened
• 1 1/2 cups sourdough starter
• 1 extra large egg
• 1 tablespoon water

Directions

In a large bowl, combine 1 cup flour, sugar, salt, and dry yeast. Add milk and softened butter or margarine. Stir in starter. Mix in up to 3 3/4 cups flour gradually, you may need more depending on your climate.
Turn dough out onto a floured surface, and knead for 8 to 10 minutes. Place in a greased bowl, turn once to oil surface, and cover. Allow to rise for 1 hour, or until doubled in volume.
Punch down, and let rest 15 minutes. Shape into loaves. Place on a greased baking pan. Allow to rise for 1 hour, or until doubled.
Brush egg wash over tops of loaves.
Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes, or till done as it may take another 10 to 20 minutes if you use stoneware like I do.

Great info! I plan to do my own first batch this spring using what we have on the Island. I plan to use Papaya, Soursapp and Gava in addition to your base. But my question is can I use Wine/Meade Yeast as a starter?
 
I'm no expert but I'm believe the yeast won't work. The process is completed through a bacteria: Lacto I believe (don't know the full name) not yeast. Not sure if using yeast would create something shelf stable becauase it would require a significant amount of alcohol so using Lacto is the best bet because it changes the ph level.
 
Hi, guys! First post, looking forward to doing my first ferment starting tonight.

I have a batch of seeded green jalapenos for a milder sauce, a batch of de-stemmed cayenne (seeds in), and de-stemmed Serrano (seeds in). Planning on weighing each batch, measuring out 3.6% salt by weight, putting each in turn into a food processor with whatever whey I can muster from whole milk yogurt, blending but not pureeing, adding to StarSan-sanitized pickle jars, filling with distilled water to cover just the top of the mash, then adding a small sanitized zip-lock bag half-filled with water in order to keep the mash below the fluid level. Then setting the lids on top, only partially turned on (but not tightening, so CO2 can escape).

Am I missing anything?

Am I going to run into troubles by not adding carrots, onions, garlic, etc. in order to get the carbohydrate level up?

Best regards - great thread!
 
Welcome to the forums PepperJunky. Sounds like you have it. You won't have any problems with out adding the additional ingredients but your fermentation might run faster and less aggressive without them. You also might have to add some additional acid to bring the ph down low enough. Jalapenos, Cayennes and Serranos, sounds like a good tasty mix.

Cheers,
RM
 
Welcome to the forums PepperJunky. Sounds like you have it. You won't have any problems with out adding the additional ingredients but your fermentation might run faster and less aggressive without them. You also might have to add some additional acid to bring the ph down low enough. Jalapenos, Cayennes and Serranos, sounds like a good tasty mix.

Cheers,
RM

Thanks, RocketMan!

Well, the zip-locks didn't turn out so well; enough mash & seeds went right around it that I aborted that attempt and left them out. So there is nothing weighing down the mash. Concern #1.

I only had about 1tsp of whey to put in the jalapeno mash and 1tsp in the cayenne mash, then the yogurt fell in on itself and mixed together to the point that I didn't get any whey in the serrano mash. Concern #2.

They're sitting in my 72F office with the lids screwed on very lightly. Last thing I want to do is get sick, first thing I want to do is have 3 tasty hot sauces, second thing I want to do is contribute information to this thread so people can learn from my mistakes.
 
Funny, I feel just the way I did as a home-brewer noob. So many things to consider, so many things that might go wrong - but in this case, I consider it more serious (health wise) - botulism, etc. Want to be safe, particularly considering that I'd like to pass off some of this to some pepper junky friends.
 
I'm starting to get the expected hairy white patches (not shown in pic below). I just need affirmation that this is OK and skimming it off (and necessarily exposing the mash to oxygen) is A-OK. As a homebrewer, I am definitely not used to seeing and adjusting to this kind of thing as being OK!

Do I need to give the top of the mash a few squirts of vinegar or something? Or do I just need to deal with this on a regular basis?

I really wish I could have weighed the mash down with something, but ran out of ideas because the neck of the pickle jars are smaller than the body. When I do sauerkraut in a 2g glass jar, I put a paper plate on top and weigh it down with a tupperware container of water. Works great, no white hairy thingies!

From left to right: serrano, cayenne, jalapeno.

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You can weigh it down with a ziplock bag of water. Skim it if it makes you feel better but I've gotten it on a few of mine and never skimmed it and the sauces were really good.

Cheers,
RM
 
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