fermenting Mash with Defrosted Peppers

[BigBones]

Hi,

Basically, I've been freezing a few ripe Bhut Jolokia peppers almost every day for a while now. I now have a lot and I am wondering if it will still work to make pepper mash?

My 1st guess would be yes, but just to make sure so that I don't waste all these nice peppers!

Thanks,
Benoit

 

[xXA_HillbillyXx]

I cant think of a single reason you couldn't use them.. frozen peppers will be softer than fresh when they are thawed because of the ice crystals... but that should be the only side effect... unless they have been in their long enough to be freezer burned... then they will get a funky taste

 

[BigBones]

I've been freezing them only since mid/end of August. Last weekend, I cut down the 2 plants before the 1st frost and hung them upside down in my basement. It's now all turning orange so I'll have a looooot of ripe ghost peppers! It will be a big batch of pepper mash

 

[Chili Monsta]

Greetings Big bones
There are a few things I'd suggest you be aware of and strongly consider before using frozen pods in a fermented mash.
1.
Freezing does not destroy spoilage organisms like Clostridium botulinum ( botulism) for example... it just stops their growth temporarily.
However, Clostridium botulinum will not grow and produce toxin at freezer temperatures of 0 degrees Fahrenheit or below.(but how many home freezers hold at 0 degrees or below?)
When thawing your pods remember that freezing didn't destroy any spoilage organisms that might have been present on the surface or inside the pods....so as the temperature of pods rises during thawing, growth of spoilage organisms begins.
The faster the frozen food warms up, especially on the surface, the faster the growth of spoilage organisms.
Frozen pods should be thawed out in the refrigerator where the spoilage organisms will not grow as fast.
2.
The enzymes(proteins)that contribute to ripening,texture color and flavor of vegetables, is slowed down by freezing, but they can still continue.(that's why some veggies are blanched before freezing)So some changes in color and taste should probably be expected.
3.
Freezing changes the water contained in the vegetable into ice. As the ice expands,it causes the cell walls of food items to rupture....which is why the texture is much softer and limp when it thaws.
The loss of water in the cells, besides causing what we refer to as freezer burn,therefore reduces the natural juice/liquid that is very important to successful ferments.

Fermenting vegetables/peppers is a preservation method where the growth of healthy bacteria is coaxed and promoted in hopes of outnumbering and/or displacing unwanted/unhealthy bacteria.
Success and safety depends upon the creation of an acidic oxygen free environment before the unhealthy bacteria can become established.
There are many variables involved, but by following some established guidelines, what is a quite complex balancing act is actually very safe and has been used for centuries.
Personally,I use my frozen pods for preparing foods and sauces that are fully cooked and/or canned....and in the interest of safe and successful ferments use fresh vegetables or pods.
CM
edit:typo's

 

[xXA_HillbillyXx]

^^+1^^

 

[BigBones]

Thanks for the inputs! However I think I'm still gonna give it a try since I don't know what else to do with so many bhut jolokias. If it doesn't work.. oh well.

Benoit

 

[Downriver]

...or,

thaw, drain, dehydrate. Store whole or grind to powder.

Might be a safer way to go, and you preserve your harvest.

jmo

 

[rmardis]

I froze mine and then fermenting when i had enough. It seemed to work well.

 

[annie57]

Yeah, I'd probably freeze, dehydrate and grind; (in truth, I'd make more sauce). Pretty thin skinned pepper, but on that turning process, can somebody tell me:

I want to save the bhut plants, overwinter, get headstart for next spring, dig them up, but if I cut the branches with most fruit, will they turn if hung upside down in dark/light, whatever? Or could I just pick the green fruit and store in shoebox with some apples? I've done that with green tomatoes before--put 'em in brown bags/shoe boxes with apples, in dark place, and while better than winter grocery-store-bought, not as good as vine ripened. Still, like to have another batch of ripened bhuts for another round of sauces. (One can only eat so many fried green tomatoes but then there's the idea of fried green ghosts? Hmm.

 

[steel-n-peppers]

Botulinum toxin is heat labile ... so if you are concerned ... cook your finished mash for 10+ minutes at temps greater than 100 C.

I have used frozen Caribbean Reds for mashes ... with the appropriate amount of salt and a few probiotic tablets.

When it is done ... I cook it down some ... which takes care of any botulinum toxin that could have been produced.

Then I pressure can it ... 15 lbs for 1 hr ... to kill all remaining nasties and their endospores.

I like the taste and 'smoothness' of fermented peppers ... I'm not interested in the digestive benefits of eating "live" Lactobacillus containing foods ...

Cooking then pressure canning might be overkill ... but I give away alot of stuff to friends ... so I like to "err on the side of caution"

 

[PIC 1]

Botulinum toxin is heat labile ... so if you are concerned ... cook your finished mash for 10+ minutes at temps greater than 100 C.

I have used frozen Caribbean Reds for mashes ... with the appropriate amount of salt and a few probiotic tablets.

When it is done ... I cook it down some ... which takes care of any botulinum toxin that could have been produced.

Then I pressure can it ... 15 lbs for 1 hr ... to kill all remaining nasties and their endospores.

I like the taste and 'smoothness' of fermented peppers ... I'm not interested in the digestive benefits of eating "live" Lactobacillus containing foods ...

Cooking then pressure canning might be overkill ... but I give away alot of stuff to friends ... so I like to "err on the side of caution"

+1 on the pressure canning, that's how I handle it when making my southwest salsa which contains less acidic indgredients such as black beans, corn, celery......variety peppers..etc.
Tomato based salsa's get water-bathed...