Pulpiteer's grow log 2012

highalt · Oct 12, 2012

Pulpiteer said:
I was at it again tonight making more salsa and more jelly. This time I think I found the best pepper jelly ever: Peach Habanero Jelly

Amazing. This stuff is worth planting a peach tree and growing peach habs every year for. Here is the recipe:

It's an alteration of a recipe found in the Ball Blue Book on canning

Peach Habanero Jelly

Ingredients:

1 quart peaches - peeled, pitted, finely chopped

7 peach habaneros - cored and seeds removed

7 1/2 cups sugar

1/4 cup lemon juice

2 pouches liquid pectin

Instructions:

I use a food processor to chop up the peeled peaches and habaneros.

Mix together the peaches, habaneros, and sugar.

Bring to a boil - stirring in the sugar.

Add the two packs of liquid pectin.

Return to a hard boil for 1 minute.

Begin to test how well it will set (put a few drops on a plat, put in freezer for a half minute and see if it is setting.)

Pack in sterilized jars. Process in boiling water bath for 10 minutes.

Amazing taste - one of my favorites. Enjoy!

Just remembered that you had posted this recipe. Wish I had seen it earlier today. I made Peach Habanero Jam, but the recipe I used called for 25 - 30 habaneros with about the same amount of peaches. Um... that stuff is hot!

I printed your recipe out, and will try it as soon as I get more jars and peaches.

Just amazed at the wide variety of jams, jellies and sauces you've made this season. Awesome glog! Thank you for sharing with us!

Pulpiteer · Oct 12, 2012

PIC 1 said:
Nice job with the ferments Andy. You sure picked some tasty peppers to expierment with. 30 days should give you a well balanced flavor with the ingredients that you chose. The salt will preserve the ferment if you chose to run the longer route of 90+ days. Don't remove the lid until you're ready to process. Some folks tend to take the lid off and "stir" their product up during the process, I still can't figure that one out. Good choice with the air locks...........they do work out nicely with the longer processes as well. Wait til you try the finished product, it brings the sauce making to a new level. By the way, save some of those Bonnets for pickling whole. The vinegar can be used towards some sauce making and the pods are a great addition to the "Jerk" marinade. They're better with age...

Thanks Greg! I do love those Trinidad Scotch Bonnets! Just smelling them as I was cutting them up was nice. I'm curious to see how it turns out. I didn't save any for pickling, but if I get one or two off my plants before the frost I may give that a try. I was thinking 30 - 45 days, probably depending on my schedule around that time. Yeah, I've read that about removing the lid (which would defeat the whole airlock thing I went to the trouble of doing - so I'm with you about it not making sense). I enjoy learning and lactobacillus fermentation is fascinating! I am thinking of possibly trying some sauerkraut next year. I might be able to get a crock from my grandma that's been in the family for awhile, but hasn't been used, so that's kind of cool. Anyway, with this particular sauce I should be able to bottle it. I ordered some bottles, so I'll be able to bottle it and make it shelf safe. Fun stuff.

highalt said:
Just remembered that you had posted this recipe. Wish I had seen it earlier today. I made Peach Habanero Jam, but the recipe I used called for 25 - 30 habaneros with about the same amount of peaches. Um... that stuff is hot!

I printed your recipe out, and will try it as soon as I get more jars and peaches.

Just amazed at the wide variety of jams, jellies and sauces you've made this season. Awesome glog! Thank you for sharing with us!

Thanks Bonnie! I keep meaning to get a couple other jam recipes up there, but it's been a bit busy. I keep thinking that I need a shot of my mounds of jam in the basement before I give more away. Anyway - enjoy that peach jam! And I may have a bunch of jams, but you take the cake with those tasty looking breads and cakes you do. :drooling:

Ok, so if you read last night's post you saw how I got whey starter from yogurt. Well, I thought I'd post a quick and simple recipe for what to do with the leftover yogurt.

I let the yogurt sit overnight on the cheesecloth, draining. This morning I put the rest of the whey in a container and into the fridge and the yogurt was reduced greatly in volume. It's perhaps 33% of what it was with the liquid in it, and it is the consistency of a soft cheese, which is kind of what it is. This is why I got the "original" unflavored yogurt, btw. So, I got out a couple ingredients: about 4 cloves of garlic, some rosemary (I used 1-2 Tablespoons fresh), and 1 teaspoon of Douglah hybrid red powder.

I put the garlic and rosemary in a small food processor and chopped them up good. Then I mixed that and the powder in the yogurt. I'll refrigerate overnight which will allow the flavors to blend nicely. What I'll have is a soft cheese like spread, good on bread or crackers.

So, if you're thinking about fermenting, use plain yogurt and cheesecloth to get some whey, and throw this simple recipe together when you're done. It's a win-win!

Thanks for stopping by!

ajijoe · Oct 13, 2012

im going to have to give this a try some day!!
thanks for the inspiration Andy!!
may do it with some AJI's (go figure right?)
your friend Joe

Sethsquatch · Oct 19, 2012

Nice season Andy! You really nailed those powders, jams, & sauces. The ferment is really cool too.

I was talking to my garden store guy the other day about what to do with all these pepper plants. My tumbler composters are not equipped to handle the mass of branches. He said to take out any that look funky/diseased and lay the rest down in the bed. Cover with mulch and till it in next spring. I am also going to add some lime to the mix to really get things going.

It sure will be nice to have a little break from the crazy harvesting for a few months! Nice job on the overwinters too. Have you had the freeze up there yet? Also, you should check out fatalii.net - they have a really great tutorial on making bonsai/bonchi peppers. It seems like a nice project for the off season. Those in ground plants can get really amazing "trunks". I think it would be worth your while to dig one or tow up and try it. It sure would be an awesome conversation piece in the church!

I have mine under flourescents. It's a morouga and I am seeing some new growth after just one week! Anyway, you did a great job this year! See you on the other side of the season!

PaulG · Oct 19, 2012

Awesome finish, my friend! You have really explored the
chili pepper realm this season, bro! I guess tonight is the
big freeze for you - hope that you survive, even if the plants
take a hit!

Has been a great ride following your glog this year, Andy.
Have fun heating up this winter and getting ready for germinating!

Pulpiteer · Oct 21, 2012

ajijoe said:
im going to have to give this a try some day!!
thanks for the inspiration Andy!!
may do it with some AJI (go figure right?)
your friend Joe

Go for it! I shared some today with my family who were over for two of my children's birthday party (two October birthdays). They thought it was too hot, but mixed it in with some chili and loved it. I also amazed them that I could just eat it and not be affected. Let me know how it goes!

Sethsquatch said:
<br />
Nice season Andy! You really nailed those powders, jams, & sauces. The ferment is really cool too.

I was talking to my garden store guy the other day about what to do with all these pepper plants. My tumbler composters are not equipped to handle the mass of branches. He said to take out any that look funky/diseased and lay the rest down in the bed. Cover with mulch and till it in next spring. I am also going to add some lime to the mix to really get things going.

It sure will be nice to have a little break from the crazy harvesting for a few months! Nice job on the overwinters too. Have you had the freeze up there yet? Also, you should check out fatalii.net - they have a really great tutorial on making bonsai/bonchi peppers. It seems like a nice project for the off season. Those in ground plants can get really amazing "trunks". I think it would be worth your while to dig one or tow up and try it. It sure would be an awesome conversation piece in the church!
I have mine under flourescents. It's a morouga and I am seeing some new growth after just one week! Anyway, you did a great job this year! See you on the other side of the season!

That's just about what I'm doing, but I'm going with no tilling next year. I'll chop them down, let them mulch, throw some leaves on them when I get a chance, then in the spring I'll cover them with wood mulch from the city and I'll have what amounts to a sheet mulch. I've heard tilling is a short term gain, but not as good long term in regards to the micro organisms in the soil. Sounds like you've got a similar plan though, really. I'm excited to see how it all works.
I hear ya about the break. I've been so busy with the garden stuff it's crazy, but I'm glad to have that issue too. We've had several frosts, but I've got lots of pods hanging on and some plants hanging tough, but they're on their last legs. I'll have to check that out on fatalii.net - sounds interesting... It would be a great conversation piece. Actually, it would probably only enhance my rep as the crazy pepper pastor in the area. There are worse things I could be known for :lol:

.
Good to hear from you Seth - great season!

PaulG said:
Awesome finish, my friend! You have really explored the
chili pepper realm this season, bro! I guess tonight is the
big freeze for you - hope that you survive, even if the plants
take a hit!

Has been a great ride following your glog this year, Andy.
Have fun heating up this winter and getting ready for germinating!

Thanks so much Paul! The plants have taken a hit, but they are surprisingly tough. Still got a few pods hanging on, but we're at the end now. Now it's time to prep for winter.

It's been great having you pop in Paul - you're such a great contributor to this community! We'll all be starting up our too many plants before we know it!

And speaking of Paul - he sent me a wonderful assorted care package of fresh pods!
I got most of the names right as I tried to match labels with peppers. What an awesome gift!

I've been doing some experimenting with hot sauce making. Here's a bunch of the ingredients:

I took some douglahs and chocolate habs and turned my gas grill into a smoker... kind of... seemed to work ok.

So those are hickory smoked chocolates - the two choices at the hardware store were hickory and mesquite. Anyway, if you're curious to try, all I did was soak the wood chips, put them in an aluminum pan with holes poked in the bottom, then put that on the flavor strip or whatever they call that thing over the burner. Then I put another pan of a water and cider mix on the grate. It's indirect heat, so you heat the wood chips on the one side, but put the peppers on the other side and try to keep the temp at about 200.

Here's the peppers ground up:

and here's the sauce bottled up

It's got douglahs, chocolate habs, vinegar, honey, salt, thyme - it's hot. Not sure on the flavor yet, still waiting for it to blend.

Another experiment is my 7 pod sauce. 7 Pods, roasted onion and garlic, pineapple:

I think I used too much onion on this one. Ugh... still learning... but I thought I'd share my failures too, since others can learn. I think the biggest thing is to store the sauce in the refrigerator overnight, taste it once it has blended, then decide on the bottling.

I'm playing around with creating some labels - here's one for the 7 Pot sauce.

Alright, that's all for tonight. I'll have to take some pics and do a post on my over wintering activities in the next few days.

3/5King · Oct 21, 2012

Everything is looking great Andy. Smoked pods are so good. I love the smell of smoked anything....I might try and make a candle that smells like some good smoke, that's how good it is. Your sauces look awesome, I love the label. Can't wait to see everyone's overwintering.

Pulpiteer · Oct 21, 2012

Thanks King! Did I read the schedule right.. are your bears playing the Lions tomorrow? All I can say is... if the Lions lose you won't hear of this again.

3/5King · Oct 21, 2012

Yes they are. Hear of this again?

Pulpiteer · Oct 21, 2012

3/5King said:
Yes they are. Hear of this again?

What I mean is, if the Lions lose I won't be talking to you about the game :lol:

highalt · Oct 22, 2012

Need a LOVE button, instead of like, for that hot sauce label!!!

Yeah, I can definitely think of worse things to be known for than the Crazy Pepper Pastor. I live in a small town, and have a similar reputation, minus the pastor part. I think Pepper Diva sounds better than the Crazy Pepper Lady though. Guess it's better than being one of those Crazy Cat Lady's where they find like 100 cats living in a two bedroom house or something. :rofl:

KiNGDeNNiZ · Oct 22, 2012

Love the label as well. I feel y'all on the names. At work the Hispanic workers call me chili king (my real name). Or chili loco. Will have to dissect your brain for the 7pod sauce

DocNrock · Oct 23, 2012

Smoked pods and both of the sauces look awesome. About ready to try my hand at a second sauce attempt in a couple of weeks. Keep it up!

Spicegeist · Oct 24, 2012

Pulpiteer said:
Another experiment is my 7 pod sauce. 7 Pods, roasted onion and garlic, pineapple:

Sounds and looks great!

Beehunter · Oct 24, 2012

Andy i thought i would stop in and say hello. What an awesome array of sauces. the label for the 7 pot sauce rocks! i found it truly awesome. keep up the awesome awesomeness. awesome

RocketMan · Oct 24, 2012

Andy that Peach Jam brought to mind another peach yummy you could try. Peach Pate de Fruits, they're a French candy kind of like a Jelly Bean or a Gum Drop. Chewy, flavorful jellied squares rolled in sugar. They have a strong, vibrantly fruity flavor because they're made with fresh peach puree. Here's an example:

6 medium-size peaches, flavorful and ripe (to yield 2 cups puree)
4 Fataliis
1.5 oz (3 tbsp) granulated sugar (1)
.5 oz (1-1/2 tbsp) powdered pectin
15 oz (2 cups) granulated sugar (2)
4 oz (1/3 cup) light corn syrup or glucose
1-1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice

Preparation:
1. Prepare an 8x8 pan by lining it with aluminum foil or parchment paper and spraying it with nonstick cooking spray.

2. In a small bowl, combine the powdered pectin and the first quantity of sugar (1) and mix well. Have the second quantity of sugar (2), the corn syrup, and the lemon juice near the stove, as once you start cooking the candy, the recipe moves quickly and you will need to have everything prepared and within easy reach.

3. Peel the peaches and coarsely chop them into pieces. Chop the Fataliis removing seeds only. Place them in a saucepan over medium heat and simmer them until they release their juice and are very tender. Place in a blender or food processor and process until they are a smooth puree.

4. Strain the puree over a measuring cup and measure out 2 cups of spicy peach puree. If you have extra puree, save it for a different use. Place the puree in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and bring it to a simmer. Once simmering, add the pectin-sugar mixture while whisking continuously. Once incorporated, add the second amount of sugar (2) in several batches, and continue to whisk constantly until the candy comes to a boil.

5. Once it boils, add the corn syrup and continue to cook and whisk. Insert a candy thermometer and continue to boil, whisking frequently, until the mixture reaches 230 degrees F. This process takes awhile--usually about 25-35 minutes, depending on your pan and heat. Alternate whisking with scraping the bottom of the pan with a rubber spatula to prevent scorching. At first the candy will be fairly thin, but as it cooks it will thicken and start to spatter, so watch your hands. When it is ready the candy will be quite thick, and will mass together and pull away from the sides of the pan.

6. Once the proper temperature is reached, remove the pan from the heat and immediately whisk in the lemon juice.

7. Scrape the candy into the prepared pan and smooth it into an even layer. Allow it to set at room temperature for at least 3-4 hours, or overnight.

8. Carefully remove the candy from the pan and peel off the foil backing. Cut it into small 1-inch squares and dredge the squares in granulated sugar to serve. Store Peach Pâtes de Fruits in an airtight container in the refrigerator, and roll them in sugar again after refrigeration.

Note:Pectin is a jelling agent often used in canning. It can be found in well-stocked supermarkets near the canning supplies or in the baking section.

PS. If the kids can't handle the heat, well, you know. Have a great week brother.

allaKAZAAM · Nov 1, 2012

Hey Pulpiteer!
Got a question for yah...
Hoping you or maybe someone reading this will help out.

I have a bunch of Jalapeno's to use up. I would like to make a sweet chili sauce with them...BUT...I prefer to have very little or no vinegar (will only use Apple Cider Vinegar). Do you or anyone have a recipe I can look at and more than likely use?

Thanks!

Mark

gnslngr · Nov 4, 2012

Yellow 7's were made to mix with pineapple and garlic..........and fresh ginger

...Pineapple juice is a good acid source for those who recoil at vinegar.
I love the Pastor Andy's 7 Pods of Wrath -got that cool 60's horror flick poster feel , and a great name.
Whew- time to crash brother -tough night with the subs.

stc3248 · Nov 4, 2012

Andy...been neglecting everything the last several weeks, but those sauces and LABEL are outstanding! I sure hope this thread isn't done!!! I love the detailed cooking/saucing/gelling instructions, and I will be referencing here often once I have a little more time on my hands!

Any pics of the labeled up sauce???

Pulpiteer · Nov 5, 2012

Ugh... neglecting the glog again. Sorry!

highalt said:
Need a LOVE button, instead of like, for that hot sauce label!!!

Yeah, I can definitely think of worse things to be known for than the Crazy Pepper Pastor. I live in a small town, and have a similar reputation, minus the pastor part. I think Pepper Diva sounds better than the Crazy Pepper Lady though. Guess it's better than being one of those Crazy Cat Lady's where they find like 100 cats living in a two bedroom house or something.

Thanks Bonnie! Yeah, I could have a worse rep - so I'll take it!

KiNGDeNNiZ said:
Love the label as well. I feel y'all on the names. At work the Hispanic workers call me chili king (my real name). Or chili loco. Will have to dissect your brain for the 7pod sauce

Thanks Denniz! I plan on posting an updated recipe for that sauce that worked better.

DocNrock said:
Smoked pods and both of the sauces look awesome. About ready to try my hand at a second sauce attempt in a couple of weeks. Keep it up!

Thanks Doc! It's all a learning adventure, isn't it? Each time I make one I think I figure out a little bit more. Makes me appreciate the folks who are really good at it.

Spicegeist said:
Sounds and looks great!

Thanks!

Beehunter said:
Andy i thought i would stop in and say hello. What an awesome array of sauces. the label for the 7 pot sauce rocks! i found it truly awesome. keep up the awesome awesomeness. awesome

I will make an awesomely awesome attempt at awesomeing some awesomeness :lol:

RocketMan said:
Andy that Peach Jam brought to mind another peach yummy you could try. Peach Pate de Fruits, they're a French candy kind of like a Jelly Bean or a Gum Drop. Chewy, flavorful jellied squares rolled in sugar. They have a strong, vibrantly fruity flavor because they're made with fresh peach puree. Here's an example:

6 medium-size peaches, flavorful and ripe (to yield 2 cups puree)

4 Fataliis

1.5 oz (3 tbsp) granulated sugar (1)

.5 oz (1-1/2 tbsp) powdered pectin

15 oz (2 cups) granulated sugar (2)

4 oz (1/3 cup) light corn syrup or glucose

1-1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice

Preparation:
1. Prepare an 8x8 pan by lining it with aluminum foil or parchment paper and spraying it with nonstick cooking spray.

2. In a small bowl, combine the powdered pectin and the first quantity of sugar (1) and mix well. Have the second quantity of sugar (2), the corn syrup, and the lemon juice near the stove, as once you start cooking the candy, the recipe moves quickly and you will need to have everything prepared and within easy reach.

3. Peel the peaches and coarsely chop them into pieces. Chop the Fataliis removing seeds only. Place them in a saucepan over medium heat and simmer them until they release their juice and are very tender. Place in a blender or food processor and process until they are a smooth puree.

4. Strain the puree over a measuring cup and measure out 2 cups of spicy peach puree. If you have extra puree, save it for a different use. Place the puree in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and bring it to a simmer. Once simmering, add the pectin-sugar mixture while whisking continuously. Once incorporated, add the second amount of sugar (2) in several batches, and continue to whisk constantly until the candy comes to a boil.

5. Once it boils, add the corn syrup and continue to cook and whisk. Insert a candy thermometer and continue to boil, whisking frequently, until the mixture reaches 230 degrees F. This process takes awhile--usually about 25-35 minutes, depending on your pan and heat. Alternate whisking with scraping the bottom of the pan with a rubber spatula to prevent scorching. At first the candy will be fairly thin, but as it cooks it will thicken and start to spatter, so watch your hands. When it is ready the candy will be quite thick, and will mass together and pull away from the sides of the pan.

6. Once the proper temperature is reached, remove the pan from the heat and immediately whisk in the lemon juice.

7. Scrape the candy into the prepared pan and smooth it into an even layer. Allow it to set at room temperature for at least 3-4 hours, or overnight.

8. Carefully remove the candy from the pan and peel off the foil backing. Cut it into small 1-inch squares and dredge the squares in granulated sugar to serve. Store Peach Pâtes de Fruits in an airtight container in the refrigerator, and roll them in sugar again after refrigeration.

Note:Pectin is a jelling agent often used in canning. It can be found in well-stocked supermarkets near the canning supplies or in the baking section.

PS. If the kids can't handle the heat, well, you know. Have a great week brother.

Thanks - that really sounds good. I'm going to have to try that if I get a chance, maybe closer to the holidays... Thanks for sharing.

allaKAZAAM said:
Hey Pulpiteer!
Got a question for yah...
Hoping you or maybe someone reading this will help out.

I have a bunch of Jalapeno's to use up. I would like to make a sweet chili sauce with them...BUT...I prefer to have very little or no vinegar (will only use Apple Cider Vinegar). Do you or anyone have a recipe I can look at and more than likely use?

Thanks!

Mark

Sorry for the late reply, Mark. The thing that comes to mind for me is raspberries. They go great with jalapenos in jam, and in fact I think I've used apple cider vinegar with raspberries and jalapenos. I don't have a recipe, just the raspberry idea... Good luck!

gnslngr said:
Yellow 7's were made to mix with pineapple and garlic..........and fresh ginger...Pineapple juice is a good acid source for those who recoil at vinegar.
I love the Pastor Andy's 7 Pods of Wrath -got that cool 60's horror flick poster feel , and a great name.
Whew- time to crash brother -tough night with the subs.

Ginger is something I've not ever used, but am wanting to start. I need to get a feel for it. I have some ground ginger I am going to use with some of my pepper powder concoctions. Thanks for the compliments on the label - fun to come up with. And as always, thanks for stopping by!

stc3248 said:
Andy...been neglecting everything the last several weeks, but those sauces and LABEL are outstanding! I sure hope this thread isn't done!!! I love the detailed cooking/saucing/gelling instructions, and I will be referencing here often once I have a little more time on my hands!

Any pics of the labeled up sauce???

I haven't printed them out yet, but I'll make sure to get pictures of the finished and labeled products. I do still plan on keeping up on the thread, just fell behind there for a bit. I hope to get some pics up today.

Thanks for checking out the glog everyone!