Oak Cubes in Sauce Making

[chiltepin]

Hello everyone,
 
I first heard of oak cubes from my THP friend matew90 from Pazin.  He uses oak cubes to get a little more flavour from his ferments.  This afternoon I picked some Tabascos and was interested in a ferment using these peppers.  Not 3 years in an Oak barrel. haha.  Anyway, I ran across a recipe for Tabasco-style hot sauce that used oak cubes, of all things. 
 
I know it is used in home beer and wine making.  And matew90 uses them.  I was wondering if you are using oak cubes in hot sauce?
 
Here is a recipe using oak cubes.
 
http://honest-food.net/2014/08/21/fermented-hot-sauce-recipe/

 

[AldenMiller]

Interesting idea, I might have to start another ferment and try this.
 
Easy enough to take a scrap of oak and char it a little with a propane torch and then toss it in the next ferment.
 
-Alden

 

[hogleg]

Interesting idea, I might have to start another ferment and try this.
 
Easy enough to take a scrap of oak and char it a little with a propane torch and then toss it in the next ferment.
 
-Alden

 
IMO I would skip the propane, n' toast over a oak wood fire. 

 

[JohnsMyName]

I wouldn't toast at all. I'm thinking you would get a gross acrid taste in the ferment. I'd leave as is to impart a mellow woody flavor. I know they char barrels for liquor, but this is a different animal. Also they sell wood extracts in liquid form made for adding to homemade liquor. I've been thinking about trying both those and the cubes. Probably best to start with just pepper/salt mash until you get it figured out. Also I wouldn't use chinense to start, tobasco, cayenne, red jalapeño, red Fresno, etc would all be better bases IMO.

Disclaimer, I've never tried this, but have been thinking about it for a few weeks.

 

[dragonsfire]

Ive heard this used in wine ferments to speed up the process, should work for the sauces too , great idea

 

[chiltepin]

FYI. When I go to Amazon they sell the cubes in a medium toast. Just like the wine barrels. Good idea to DIY.

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004NXSK20/ref=as_li_tl?ie=UTF8&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=B004NXSK20&linkCode=as2&tag=hunanggarcoo-20&linkId=6N4KK6QTOSH6BX6O

 

[AldenMiller]

I am wondering if air dried oak or kiln dried oak is better to start with.  The only oak trees I have on my property are pin oak.  I will have to see if there are any oak trees shedding some branches in the nearby park.
 
-Alden

 

[oldsalty]

I tried oak chips in my sauce. But friends kept getting splinters and didn't like the chunks!! Hahaha

 

[dragonsfire]

lol, must not have been very good quality Oak for it to fall apart

 

[JohnsMyName]

Hahaha! Yeah Salty, your supposed to add the oak AFTER you blend.