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fermenting onions in ferment discolored???

brownb4

brownb4

ok, so i have my second batch of peppers(fatalii) about 35 days into their ferment. i did a coarse chop on the peppers and packed in jars with brine. later decided to add onion to the mash, so i sliced thin and added to the top of the mash. these are in quart jars with airlocks.

so the onion has turned a greyish/brown color on top of the mash. is this normal? it is not a purty color for the sauce but will probably blend into the finished color of gold fatalii. i haven't opened it to smell as it is so close to the 45 days i was shooting for.

i will try to post pics later.

Thanks,

Ben
 
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No, that is not normal. Your onions have oxidized from the air you let into the jar. Did you use anything to help keep the ingredients under the brine? I try to add everything to the mash upfront and then I dont touch it again till it's finished.
 
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According to what you said the peppers had 35 days in the brine. They're going to be fine but your going to need to remove the onion and since it's been opened I'd suggest processing the sauce now. Add fresh onion and what ever other ingredients while processing and check and adjust your Ph as needed to get below 4.0.
 
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yup, both peppers and onions have been in for the 35 days. its just that the onion was on top of the peppers and when the mash floated for the first 2 weeks the onions were exposed and discolored. you think its ok? it would smell off if its turned right?

Thanks,

Ben
 
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You have to be really careful with onion. Did ya know they say if you only use half an onion you are suppose to throw the other half away they start collecting bacteria almost instantly. I still use the other half of the onion don't get me wrong. I also know this about them and its true I have done it before. If there's illness going around your house and you cut an onion in half and place half on top of the refrigerator on a plate it will turn brown gray or black as it collects the illness floating around the house.
 
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yeah i have heard that. we eat half onoins all the time, stored in a ziploc in firdge but some are several days old. i would eat the whole thing if the kids wouldn't complain so much. i love em and they hate em.....
 
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As long as the other half of the onion isn't discolored or has an "off" odor, I'd say it'd be fine if you cook it. A lot of onions have a black mold just underneath the outer layers. Are you sure it's not that?
 
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nooooope! it's gone. cracked em open tonight and could barely smell the fatalii over the rotten onion smell. blech!!!! i'm just glad i didn't care for the fatalii too much or i would be bummed. i was hoping the ferment would change the flavor profile to the better.


awww well, thanks for all the replies guys.

Ben
 
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Don't let this one set back stop you or turn you off of fermenting peppers. You should try again and put everything into the ferment, weight it down and let it run a good 45 days and then make your sauce. Just make sure it's all below the brine this time.
 
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no worries here RM. my first try at fermenting was cayennes and turned out pretty well, kids love it but its not hot enough for me. to me a failure is just a learning experience and drives me harder to get it right.
 
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