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pH PH meter?

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salsalady said:
welcome, weaddspice,

I was going to suggest the midrange also.

For the temperature issue, put a really small glass dish (I'm thinking like you get tarter sauce in at a restaurant) in the refrigerator and get it nice and cold. Then when you put a teaspoon of the boiling hot sauce in it, it will draw down the temp quickly. You should probably get/buy a restaurant quality glass dish so it won't shatter from the heat shock.

Have Fun!

salsalady
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salsalady - thank you for the suggestion, I do have some good restaurant quality glass dishes I was planning on using - I would like to use 3 - 4 testing points (After blending, during cooking, right after cooking, and one week out). The PH meter I purchased has a temp range up to boiling point so we will see how that works out. Will be interesting to see how the PH range varies, if much at all.

So I have my new PH meter...seems to be working very well. I have only tested existing sauces I have made - though this weekend is hot sauce making weekend, going to get 6-8 batches made to finalize my Christmas recipe. The meter is pretty easy to use, got calibrated easily enough. Existing sauces are testing around 3.4 which is fantastic. Though knowing this now I may play with my recipe and cut back on the vinegar a bit! It is a great feeling knowing that I am within a safe level!
 
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weaddspice said:
salsalady - thank you for the suggestion, I do have some good restaurant quality glass dishes I was planning on using - I would like to use 3 - 4 testing points (After blending, during cooking, right after cooking, and one week out). The PH meter I purchased has a temp range up to boiling point so we will see how that works out. Will be interesting to see how the PH range varies, if much at all.

So I have my new PH meter...seems to be working very well. I have only tested existing sauces I have made - though this weekend is hot sauce making weekend, going to get 6-8 batches made to finalize my Christmas recipe. The meter is pretty easy to use, got calibrated easily enough. Existing sauces are testing around 3.4 which is fantastic. Though knowing this now I may play with my recipe and cut back on the vinegar a bit! It is a great feeling knowing that I am within a safe level!
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No need to do the extra testing, unless you're doing it out of curiousity.
Since your using vinegar the ph shouldn't change after cooking, providing you don't
decide on reducing your sauce futher to thicken it.

Greg
 
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Weaddspice, that's the same meter I picked up and so far I'm ok with it. Some times it takes a minute or two to calibrate the 40 solution though, does yours do the same?
 
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It means you are to never let the probe dry out. Mine says to store in a cup or jar with 1"-1.5" of either bottled drinking water, 4.01 calibration solution, or MA9015 storage solution.
 
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muskymojo said:
It means you are to never let the probe dry out. Mine says to store in a cup or jar with 1"-1.5" of either bottled drinking water, 4.01 calibration solution, or MA9015 storage solution.
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Correct,.....and always store the meter in the upright position so the probe will always be in contact with the solution.......clean with distilled water.

Greg
 
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I'd really like to hear reviews about that Oakton unit.


weaddspice said:
So, I would like to chime in and ask a question as well - I, like most, have visions of bringing my sauce to market - similar stories, friends and relatives can't get enough of my hot sauce and heading into the holidays have started to request by the case - before I start going into production (In my kitchen) and making a couple hundred bottles I too need to understand certain aspects of my sauce to ensure I don't knock off half my family. I have been putting off the PH meter for some time but need to make that leap - my hold up is what route to go. On one hand I would like to go cheap and simple - a low end $40 unit just to ensure I'm safe (and those sucking down my hot sauce are as well) like this Low Cost. But than reading about PH variances I start getting uncomfy about a low end unit - pretty important stuff the PH level is - so than I think mid range - like this Mid Range, which does pretty much everything I would like, but than I start thinking about going through production, tracking, testing and think I would really like to be able to track PH levels through the cooking process and since I bottle hot (almost boiling) I think I should get a PH meter that can temperature compensate through the boiling point which bring me to this unit Upper end (for me).

So I am conflicted by what I would like and what do I really need - I am planning on doing this for some time - I am probably a newb compared to most only having produced a couple hundred woozy's - but I am planning on going commercial, first at the craft fair level, than maybe some specialty retail, than who knows. Any suggestions from the elders (not in age but experience) and the newbs who have recently gone through this process I would GREATLY appreciate it!
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Great thread. Based on Patrick & Weaddspice's reviews I'm going to buy that same mid-level (or mid-priced) meter. Thanks for the help!

I couldn't tell from the Amazon page I'm ordering from... does it come with (enough) calibrating solution or should I order some extra right away?
 
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PIC 1 said:
Correct,.....and always store the meter in the upright position so the probe will always be in contact with the solution.......clean with distilled water.

Greg
Click to expand...


I just got my ph56 in the mail. This might be a stupid question, but when I store the ph meter can I put the entire meter in a sealed jar? Otherwise, won't the solution it's supposed to be stored in evaporate (if it's just left sitting in a glass)? Likewise, do you guys just store your calibration solution in sealed jars? Or do you discard and use new solution each time you calibrate? Thanks for the help. I'm looking forward to using it!
 
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Stemwinder said:
Great thread. Based on Patrick & Weaddspice's reviews I'm going to buy that same mid-level (or mid-priced) meter. Thanks for the help!

I couldn't tell from the Amazon page I'm ordering from... does it come with (enough) calibrating solution or should I order some extra right away?
Click to expand...

I know it's a bit late, I have not been on here in a bit, but mine did not come with much calibration solution, you should certainly buy extra.
 
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I see that the calibration solutions come in 4.0 and 7.0 (saw some for 4.1 and 7.1 also).  Do I need both? Does it matter if I were to buy a Hanna meter and General Hydroponic calibration solution?  Making my first sauce this season and I want to have this tool in hand and dialed in before I make my fist batch.
 
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I currently have the 4.0 and 7.0 but the last batch I had was the 4.1 and 7.1. I don't think it really matters so long as your meter is dialed in but I'll defer to one of the professionals.
 
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Thanks for all this great info.  A lifesaver!  Apologies for any of my ignorant, noob questions.  But is the purpose of testing Ph here for safety or flavor variables?  I'm brand spankin new to the sauce making and am making sure I have all my peppers in a row to ensure safety as I'm giong straight to woozy bottles once I have a yummy batch. I'm growing datil, habs, scorpion, jalapeno, and tabasco. Anyways, my question is, I've heard pressure canning will kill off any botulism spores as it requires a temperature over boiling point.  I found this infogrphic on botulism that helped me understand its process. I'll post it in a sec once I can figure out how to do so.  Stand by...
Thoughts and judgements to my noob'ness welcome.
 
Cheers!
Here is the link to the "How Not To Die From Botulism" document I mentioned.
 
http://www.scribd.com/doc/230839112/Botulism-Guide
 
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