fermenting Making a mash?

[Feuerschlucker]

Personal suggestions for making a mash? I plan on fermenting it as well.
Ive read several things on this website, but it would be nice to see what your personal techniques are.

 

[salsalady]

Are you asking how people grind up their chiles?  Blender, food processor...???? 
 
If your going to ferment, then just chop, mince or grind up fresh chiles.  If you're just going straight to sauce, you'll get a smoother texture by cooking chopped/diced/whatever chiles first, then blender it up.
 
 
In case you haven't seen the Fermenting 101 thread...

 

[Feuerschlucker]

Nah, just trying to get a generalization of what people do. I've read the link you sent me on another post I made. Thanks though.

 

[SmokenFire]

Nah, just trying to get a generalization of what people do. I've read the link you sent me on another post I made. Thanks though.

 
I just wash the peppers, trim the stems (leave the 'star') and then rough chop the peppers, onion, carrot before it goes into a food processor.  Add salt (be sure to read rocketman and salsa lady's and other's thoughts on how much salt needs to be added to be safe) and a couple heads (yes heads) of peeled garlic.  Recipes vary, but that's the one I got from this site.
 
Then it all goes into a mason jar with an airlock that I bought from amazon.  3-6 weeks later you take it out, cook it all together, put it through a food mill (you decide how thick or thin the sauce is) and then run what emerges through the blender a few times (that way it doesn't separate).    

 

[wildseed57]

My ferment is the basic 101 except I like to destem and deseed and some times roast and peel depending on the pepper, it takes a few more peppers to get the same amount heat as it would if you didn't deseed. I feel that the mash and final sauce is less bitter and the flavor is more uniform,  I rough chop the pods, garlic carrots, fruit or what ever I'm using and I like using two types of sea salt that is both large and small ground and I use a prestarter that is a commercial type.
I have a type that is very good for making Kimchee this all goes in a glass beer fermenter that I have with a airlock left over from my beer making days,  after it ferments enough I go by taste as some mashes take longer to ferment.  Then its the standard blend down cook and blend again. Works for me.

 

[salsalady]

 
I just wash the peppers, trim the stems (leave the 'star') .    

 Interesting....leave the star part of the stem where it's attached to the pod?  Please explain why you leave part of the stem to be chopped up into the mix.  Have you noticed any difference in flavor?   

 

[Dustin]

If you are going to ferment the mash, there is no need to cook it. The reason you ferment is to keep it shelf stable and bring the pH below a certain level. Choose one or the other, not both. If you are going to ferment, let it go for no less than a month. The longer the better, but trust me I know how impatient one can get waiting for a sauce to finish. Never open the container. Keep it sealed with an airlock of some type. Once you open it, you let out the CO2 keeping mold from forming on the top of your mash.

Also, I am not sure about leaving any part of the stems on. If you blend it up too much, you'll end up with bits and pieces of the stem in your finished sauce. Never use a blender that will break up or damage the seeds either. You are only trying to break up the fruit part of the pepper.

Personally, I use 6% of salt for Habaneros, and around 8-10% for milder peppers like Serranos or Fresnos. Play with the amounts, but if you use too little it will mold and become unusable. Do not add garlic, carrots, etc unless you specifically want those flavors in your sauce. You can always add that kind of stuff to your pepper mash later if you want.

 

[Feuerschlucker]

Interesting stuff, and a lot of diversity in techniques. . . . which is exactly what I wanted. Thanks a lot guys, keep the suggestions coming though!

 

[Feuerschlucker]

Also, I am not sure about leaving any part of the stems on. If you blend it up too much, you'll end up with bits and pieces of the stem in your finished sauce. Never use a blender that will break up or damage the seeds either. You are only trying to break up the fruit part of the pepper.

 
Why is that? What difference does it make, other than the obvious texture change.
Don't the seeds add spiciness??

 

[Dustin]

The only difference it would make is that you'd have the fibrous stem and seed bits in your finished sauce, giving it a not very pleasant texture. You want the seeds in the mash, but strain them out when you're done.

 

[SmokenFire]

 Interesting....leave the star part of the stem where it's attached to the pod?  Please explain why you leave part of the stem to be chopped up into the mix.  Have you noticed any difference in flavor?   

 
I first got the idea when making an asian style chili sauce that instructed me to do so - IIRC the recipe author stated keeping the pod intact with the star makes your finished product less bitter.  There is no stem in the mash, just the star at the top.  Provided you've got fresh pods the star blends easily and there is no fiberous content in the finished sauce like others thought might happen - cut the stems off with scissors and go.  I do this same thing when halving for dehydration too.  YMMV but I have had great success and I'd encourage you to try a small batch like this.  
 
The batch I'm eating up now is based on a recipe by Phillip that can be found here: http://thehotpepper.com/topic/38044-second-attempt-at-awesome-hot-sauce/page-2
 
You'll see a pic of my mash on the 2nd page.  That batch fermented for 6 weeks.  I put it through the 2nd screen (larger holes) of my food mill, cooked it, blended it and put it in jars.  PH of 3.8 in the finished product and I'd compare it to a very hot and more flavorful Sriracha.  

 

[Feuerschlucker]

The only difference it would make is that you'd have the fibrous stem and seed bits in your finished sauce, giving it a not very pleasant texture. You want the seeds in the mash, but strain them out when you're done,

 
Ah, Ill keep that in mind. Thanks for the pointers.