[gmac]

I've got some going right now too (hot sauce). Just whatever peppers made it. Mostly cayenne. Not sure how much water to add. Ended up with about 1 1/2 cups in the pickle jar. Gonna add the same again in vinegar per above which should make lots of hot sauce for me.

[kylekohlmorgen]

Just finished up some hot sauce ala Euge. Awesome stuff!

[erockrph]

So how can you tell if your hotsauce fermentation is going? I haven't seen any real visible signs of fermentation in mine over the last couple of weeks. I did add garlic to mine, and I know it can have some antibacterial properties, so I can't help but wonder if that is having some effect.

Any suggestions on how to kick it off if it isn't fermenting?

[gmac]

how can you tell if your hotsauce fermentation is going? I haven't seen any real visible signs of fermentation in mine over the last couple of weeks. I did add garlic to mine, and I know it can have some antibacterial properties, so I can't help but wonder if that is having some effect.

Any suggestions on how to kick it off if it isn't fermenting?

I added garlic too. A couple cloves or so and I sure don't have much visible activity either. There are a few bubbles in the pepper pulp but nothing that looks at all like a vigorous ferment. I'm not gonna screw with mine now but I would leave the garlic out next time until after the ferment is done. No mould after a week and a bit either but that may come. I've also been swirling mine once in a while because its just too much like a starter

[HoosierBrew]

Mine didn't ferment vigorously, but I gave it a month, it developed the mold on top, and came out freaking amazing. Gonna make more soon.

[majorvices]

Mine didn't ferment vigorously, but I gave it a month, it developed the mold on top, and came out freaking amazing. Gonna make more soon.

same with mine. never saw much more than a few bubbles and then mold but the first batch was great.

[majorvices]

I may have found a way to keep your fermented hot sauce from molding. Drawing from sauer kraut I made a brine and, after the hot sauce sat for a couple days I gently poured the brine over the surface so that it remained separated from the sauce. This keeps the sauce out of contact from the air and, so far, has prevented mold.

[HoosierBrew]

Good idea.  I'll try that on the next batch !

[morticaixavier]

a house mate with more gumption than I finally got around to picking some olives of the tree in the backyard and putting them up to cure.

Starting to taste okay after nearly 2 weeks in the brine. still a bit acrid.

[clef051]

I make my own fermented hot sauce and can testify that they will spontaneously ferment on their own without any help.

What I do is rinse the peppers, roughly chop them and then puree in a blender with water and about 6% salt by weight. Makes a pepper slurry that will be fermenting within 24 hours at room temp. I do this in a loosely covered mason jar leaving some headspace for expansion. You may have to rap the fermenter on the counter to knock solids back into the liquid as they will be pushed upwards by the fermentation. Any mold that forms can be scraped/lifted away before packaging- I can assure you that this does not ruin the product.


After 30 days or so in primary I puree again with about half it's volume of vinegar added. Strain any bulky solids remaining, package and store at room temp forever if desired. It only gets better...

I'm printing this for future reference I don't have many peppers this year but plan on doing some next year.

[cornershot]

I make my own fermented hot sauce and can testify that they will spontaneously ferment on their own without any help.

What I do is rinse the peppers, roughly chop them and then puree in a blender with water and about 6% salt by weight. Makes a pepper slurry that will be fermenting within 24 hours at room temp. I do this in a loosely covered mason jar leaving some headspace for expansion. You may have to rap the fermenter on the counter to knock solids back into the liquid as they will be pushed upwards by the fermentation. Any mold that forms can be scraped/lifted away before packaging- I can assure you that this does not ruin the product.

After 30 days or so in primary I puree again with about half it's volume of vinegar added. Strain any bulky solids remaining, package and store at room temp forever if desired. It only gets better...

I have some surplus jalapenos and cherries. Think  I'll give this a try. Just to clarify, is this 6% salt by weight of the peppers or the slurry? Thanks for the recipe!

http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=GidC1DSahxY&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3DGidC1DSahxY

[gmac]

Whizzed up my hot sauce in the blender with 50 percent by volume vinegar. Wow, that's friggin hot!!!
Added about a 1/4 cup brown sugar to try to mellow it out a bit. I don't have the Souhwest palate that you guys must have. 95% Cayennes and 5 percent scotch bonnet with just a couple Thai bird chiles. Hot!!

Tastes ok, we'll what I can taste over the heat. A tiny drop off the tip of a spoon sends me to the sink for water. Have about a litre.

[majorvices]

The brine trick seemed to work. I'm on day 19 and full fermentation (bubbles and "hiss" when I cracked open the jar my wife sealed not knowing) - no mold!

[cornershot]

Just finished and packaged my fermented hot sauce. Mine used 75% jalapenos and 25% cherry peppers with 6% salt by weight of the peppers and just enough water to help the blender make a slurry. This was allowed to ferment 30 days and then whizzed up in the blender with 50% by volume white vinegar.
The color is yellowish-green, like bile. It smells of jalapenos and a funky, earthy, brett-like aroma. It tastes just like it smells- only a little hotter than expected with just the right amounts of salt and vinegar. Overall, what can I say? I love it! It burns but it's so interesting I can't keep my hands off it. Looking forward to the morning endorphin rush. Ahhhh-oooooo!

[theoman]

I'm thinking of giving kimchi a try this weekend. Any tips?