Time to make some sauce.. I hope.

[pit 4 brains]

I have done a few jalapeno ferments before without knowing what I or it was doing. They came out well but I never gave much thought about making sauce and bottling it. I always just blended it up and put it in a mason jar to use as is.
This year, my second in SC, I reaped a fairly large crop of habies and jalpenos. I used most of the jalapenos for general cooking purposes but I still had a bunch left and two plants worth of habies so I thought I might give this a try. I'm used to the clasp jars and the masons for regular canning but I also found these self-burping lids from Ball. Figured I'd give them a try. I like the idea of the airlock but the spring smashed my peppers to the bottom. I guess this is supposed to happen.

Yesterday I got my pH meter (that jcam222 & xray recommended) and jars in the mail. Until now I have never tested for pH so now I'm in the learning stage. I calibrated it with 4.0 and it was spot on, tested white vinegar and it read 2.5, hit the top of the jalapenos and it was 3.0. I'm fairly confident everything is good since there's only white fuzz, no green mold and the smell of all containers is sweet and fruity.
My plan is to strain and reserve the brine, puree the fruits with enough of the brine to make the sauce, the n bottle it with basic canning methods for sterility. Reserve the remaining brine for jazzing up anything that I don't want sauce in, i.e. scrambled eggs, bacon cure, who knows.
What are your favorite jars for ferms? I like the clasp type myself but the ball lids are second on my list. I just don't think I'll use the springs next time. I do want to get some glass or ceramic weights though.

I just ordered some Carolina Reaper seeds. Now I'm planning my germination station in my garage for them. My habs and jalapenos grow by themselves in the garden.

-Pete

 

[Steve H]

If using the wide mouth mason jars. I use these. To keep things submerged.

They work really good. Better than the glass weights. And those spring things from ball.

You can just barely see them in the jars. They keep the peppers fully submerged. And form an air pocket for the airlock.

I'll be storing some of the hot sauce in these. The rest in bail style mason jars.

 

[jcam222]

I assume by “white fuzz” it’s more white “flake” as in Kahm yeast? Anything “fuzzy” is a concern. I have been getting far less Kahm in my ferments since I started using Steramine tablets and soaking all my equipment prior to loading. Typically get it now only if I have a jar I open to address floaters.

 

[xray]

I’ve only used glass weights and a baggie filled with brine as weights….but I’m interested in what Steve used.

There’s also something called a pickle pusher that I want to try.

 

[Steve H]

There’s also something called a pickle pusher that I want to try.

I saw those too. But, they must be made out of gold for the price they want for them.

 

[Steve H]

I have been getting far less Kahm in my ferments since I started using Steramine tablets

I just ordered these. I've been having good results with just using the sanitize and heated drying on my dishwasher. Better safe than sorry though.

 

[xray]

I saw those too. But, they must be made out of gold for the price they want for them.

Yeah they were around $40 on Amazon as I recall. I know you posted the link with yours in another hot sauce thread, can you post it again so I can bookmark it? I have to disable my adblock to click on Amazon links here.

 

[Steve H]

.but I’m interested in what Steve used.

Here you go Joe

https://www.amazon.com/BETTER-than-Glass-Fermentation-Weights/dp/B01GB0Y0N0?th=1&language=en_US

 

[tx smoker]

Looks like you're off to a good start. Can't wait to see the finished product. There's been a lot of fermenting going on here and I'm starting to get the fever

Robert

 

[pit 4 brains]

If using the wide mouth mason jars. I use these. To keep things submerged.
View attachment 653563

They work really good. Better than the glass weights. And those spring things from ball.
View attachment 653564

You can just barely see them in the jars. They keep the peppers fully submerged. And form an air pocket for the airlock.

View attachment 653565

I'll be storing some of the hot sauce in these. The rest in bail style mason jars.

Do those things collapse or just disappear in the brine? I can't see them at all.

I assume by “white fuzz” it’s more white “flake” as in Kahm yeast? Anything “fuzzy” is a concern. I have been getting far less Kahm in my ferments since I started using Steramine tablets and soaking all my equipment prior to loading. Typically get it now only if I have a jar I open to address floaters.

The white fuzz I was referring to is this white mass of something in one of the jars. It's just hanging around like a cloud. I purged a bit of brine and it smells good.

Looks like you're off to a good start. Can't wait to see the finished product. There's been a lot of fermenting going on here and I'm starting to get the fever

Robert

Robert, If it comes out well, you just might get to see it up close..

 

[Steve H]

Do those things collapse or just disappear in the brine? I can't see them at all.

They are funnel shaped. The rough bottom goes down into the jar. The wider top of it is just slightly smaller the the inside edge of the jar. That way. When you put the lid on. It pushes the veggies down into the brine. You can see it a bit better in this pic.

There is a hole in it. To allow some of the brine to fill it slightly. But, leaving a void for the airlock Or the burping lid that you already have.

 

[pit 4 brains]

They are funnel shaped. The rough bottom goes down into the jar. The wider top of it is just slightly smaller the the inside edge of the jar. That way. When you put the lid on. It pushes the veggies down into the brine. You can see it a bit better in this pic.
View attachment 653589

There is a hole in it. To allow some of the brine to fill it slightly. But, leaving a void for the airlock Or the burping lid that you already have.

Too cool. I'll have to add those to my list of thing to get. Where'd ya get them?

 

[Steve H]

Too cool. I'll have to add those to my list of thing to get. Where'd ya get them?

Amazon. Look at post #8 for site.

 

[pit 4 brains]

Amazon. Look at post #8 for site.

Missed that one .. thanks..

 

[jcam222]

Do those things collapse or just disappear in the brine? I can't see them at all.

The white fuzz I was referring to is this white mass of something in one of the jars. It's just hanging around like a cloud. I purged a bit of brine and it smells good.


Robert, If it comes out well, you just might get to see it up close..

I’ve never seen Kahm but n a mass like that and submerged. Always is on the surface for me. I’m not 100% certain what to think of that. Good smell in and of itself is positive but not 100% indicative of good / bad is my understanding. Perhaps others can chime in.

 

[pit 4 brains]

I’ve never seen Kahm but n a mass like that and submerged. Always is on the surface for me. I’m not 100% certain what to think of that. Good smell in and of itself is positive but not 100% indicative of good / bad is my understanding. Perhaps others can chime in.

Yes interesting as it is only like that in the one jar. The other spring jar has some snow globe effect when stirred. the other mason jars are packed with brine and fruit so there's no telling there. Th clasp jar is clear as day with just some garlic and/or onion remnants floating. Either way, everything is and has been submerged in the same brine for the same time and there's absolutely no green gunk on top.

 

[pit 4 brains]

Going back to my brewing days, I think this is just simply trub. It is trying to sink but is almost neutrally buoyant. I'll bet if I could add some sugar in there it would get right back to work..
I might do a little experiment on this one after I get it's pH. I wish I had my old hydrometer now, there may be some habanero booze a cookin in there.

 

[kuroki]

That's looking great!
I am wanting to try this myself.
Is there a thread on here I haven't found yet that would have all the basics and important information for fermenting peppers?

 

[pit 4 brains]

Well... This did not turn out well. These have been sitting for 5 weeks or so but they looked like this after a day or two. Definitely no sauce, just ground up pepper matter in brine. I wanted to post this up earlier but kept getting side tracked. What am I missing here..?

 

[pit 4 brains]

Certainly helps to actually upload the pics..