fermenting My First Pepper Mash

[patrick]

After reading everyone's posts on making a pepper mash I had to give it a shot myself. It was a fun experience and if I get something edible at the end well that's a bonus. I was a little slim on fresh peppers this time of year so I had to go begging. Thankfully Silver Surfer came through for me so a huge thank you to him. On to the pics!

Here's the generous contribution from SS, a little over a pound of the hot stuff.

There are Bhut Jolokia, Red Savina, Antillies Caribbean, 7 Pod Brain Strain, Trinidad Scorpion, Trinidad Congo, Douglah, 7 Pod Brown (I think),Dorset Naga and Fatalii peppers.

I'm one of those guys who trashes everything in the kitchen when I take on this kind of task so to make things less messier I went out and bought the right tools to do the job. A half gallon jug and one of those airlock doohickeys with a food grade cork. I could have gotten by with a quart bottle but isn't bigger usually better? These three items cost me $6 and I found them at a home brew supply store.

Some of my pepper powders in the background.

Time to get some work done. I removed stems and seeds, trying to keep as much of the placental membranes as possible.

The cleaned and ready to go peppers:

More to come...

 

[Chili Monsta]

Patrick....that really looks(and sounds) like a nice batch of mash....and should make some interesting sauces.
Does it have the fermented smell and taste?

 

[patrick]

Hey Monsta, Thanks for the compliment. I'm not real familiar with what "fermented" smells like but I'm thinking yes if it's kind of sour smelling.

When I started this I was thinking this is the sauce itself. I didn't realize this is more of an additive to other sauces I want to make. That would have changed things significantly, would have added a lot less flavor and went with more of a basic mash. Live and learn. At least I'll know what I'm doing for the next one. Right.

 

[Chili Monsta]

Hey Monsta, Thanks for the compliment. I'm not real familiar with what "fermented" smells like but I'm thinking yes if it's kind of sour smelling.

When I started this I was thinking this is the sauce itself. I didn't realize this is more of an additive to other sauces I want to make. That would have changed things significantly, would have added a lot less flavor and went with more of a basic mash. Live and learn. At least I'll know what I'm doing for the next one. Right.

Ah...yes indeed, it has a distinctive sour fragrance like nothing else.
I've always been especially fond of the sour flavor minus the tartness of a vinegar. And IMO it works perfectly for the contrasting tastes found in sweet and sour flavored sauces. Plus...it still maintains the taste of the pepper base used in the ferment.
I've got some chiltepin mash I did last year that to this day still retains that unique "bird pepper" flavor, and is readily distinguishable in the blended sauces where it's used.
The same can be said for a habanero mash, and jalapeno.
I've got a bunch of Aji Limon that I'm gonna begin fermenting soon so it'll be ready by New Years day.
Congrats on your successful ferment...and I hope you enjoy the results of your labors and patience.
Looking forward to any future posts about the mash based sauces (and recipes)you discover.
Enjoy!!

 

[RocketMan]

Just want to add to what CM said about it retaining the original flavors. When I mash I'm not just mashing the peppers but all or just about all of the ingredients of the sauce I'm making. I have one that includes Sweet Potatoes and Golden Raisins and what is surprising is that you can taste the raisins and other ingredients but the sweet that was there is gone. So I get a savory sauce with the fruit flavors intact. Which make for some really killer flavors. I love playing with flavors that way though.

Cheers,
RM

 

[patrick]

Thanks to both of you guys for the info.

I am really intrigued by this mash business. One guy said he adds peppers and salt and that's it and if I'm reading you guys right you add all kinds of things to the mash. I did with this one. Don't remember the exact amounts, it is written down somewhere, but I used onion, smoked garlic, pears, salt, vinegar and about a pound of peppers. Trinidad Scorpion, Bhut Jolokia, Chocolate BJ's and a few 7's.

I think next I'm going to grab a bottle of my favorite BBQ sauce and add a bit of flavor and heat and see what happens.

 

[Chili Monsta]

Thanks to both of you guys for the info.

I am really intrigued by this mash business. One guy said he adds peppers and salt and that's it and if I'm reading you guys right you add all kinds of things to the mash. I did with this one. Don't remember the exact amounts, it is written down somewhere, but I used onion, smoked garlic, pears, salt, vinegar and about a pound of peppers. Trinidad Scorpion, Bhut Jolokia, Chocolate BJ's and a few 7's.

I think next I'm going to grab a bottle of my favorite BBQ sauce and add a bit of flavor and heat and see what happens.

The wide range of endless possibilities is what I find most intriguing about fermentation in general.
There is someone on THP who closes their posts with the phrase..."Its all good".
For me...that's fermenting in a nutshell.

For pepper mash I lean towards an approach where I usually ferment a specific variety because I want that particular flavor and/or heat.
Any other fruit/veggie I add to the ferment are normally intended to serve as the nourishment for the LAB. When the ferment is finished,I can create a complex flavored sauce using any other combinations of ingredients and then add the mash to a desired taste/heat level. I find this allows me much more flexibility for use over the life span of a finished mash.
Now when I make some Kim Chi or Sauerkraut,it's Katie bar the refrigerator door and chain down the kitchen sink, because I'm liable to toss just about anything into the jar.

Note:
I'd be careful about including some of your favorite BBQ sauce in a mixture you are preparing to ferment into a mash. Any preservatives found in the BBQ sauce,could kill the lactic acid bacteria and have a negative impact on the ferment itself.

 

[patrick]

Sounds like you're pretty passionate about mash Chili Monsta, cool.

I think I'm going to make a couple of mashes this year with specific peppers and keep them basic, just peppers, salt and what ever starting agent I go with. Then do like you're talking about and make different sauces and use the mash as a flavoring/heat agent.

As for the BBQ sauce I was referring to adding some of my mash to a bottle and see what happens, not adding BBQ sauce to the mash. Thanks for the tip all the same though.

 

[Downriver]

...for use over the life span of a finished mash.

Hey CM,

That's something I haven't even thought about (and I have a mash going) lol.

What is the "average life span of a mash", and how do you tell when it's "passed"?

 

[patrick]

Great question River.

 

[rmardis]

Some let their age for years, some do not. Mainly because they eat it and can not wait any longer. I would guess like aging wine and things like that. Then you can put it in the fridge to slow the process down. Another thing is, watch your ph. Keeping a ph below 4 is vital.
As for your question "when it has passed", if you see mold on it or smells bad, i would not eat it. time to throw it away. however, do not get your yeast mixed up and think it is mold. i did that last year and through a lot away.
I hope this helps some. I just noticed CM and RM has not jumped in yet and answered your question. they are the masters at this.