Shop Products
Houzz Logo Print
mellyofthesouth

My attempt at hot sauce

mellyofthesouth
12 years ago

Am following one of John's formulas. Since I don't have kefir grains going, I used powdered kefir starter. It has been a week and a half since I started. They didn't do anything for a while then showed signs of life and now have settled down again. Temps in the kitchen are between 70 and 75 now. The pictures uploaded in reverse order. I need to decided how long to leave it out before parking it in the spare fridge.










Comments (7)

  • John__ShowMe__USA
    12 years ago

    Looking good!

    Been a long time since I've made hot sauce. Personally, I would open one jar & test it before putting in the fridge. The others would just keep unopened in a cool place until needed. My basement stays around 60 degrees and is where unopened fermentations are stored.

    Your powdered kefir seems to have done a good job.

    And much seems to depend on how hot the peppers are as to fermentation speed in my limited experience.

    Please let us know the taste results!

  • mellyofthesouth
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    I used datils so it might be a little hot. Probably not to a chilehead but you how it is with mere mortals...

    No basements here. The temp in the kitchen is 74 right now and not likely to get much below that any time soon. That's why I was thinking of putting it all in the spare fridge. I have lots of citrus (limes, ponderosa lemon, meyer lemon, various oranges) in the fridge right now. I was thinking of maybe adding a little lime juice.

    I'll have hubby do a taste test this weekend we are checking out the sauerkraut that we started 2 weeks ago. The kraut's burping has slowed way down so it is probably well on its way. When you taste tested did you taste it straight up or on something? It is all an adventure.

  • John__ShowMe__USA
    12 years ago

    "I used datils so it might be a little hot. Probably not to a chilehead but you how it is with mere mortals...

    For sure do... LOL! I'm what is known in chile-head circles as a 'moderate'. I do grow the hottest peppers in the world, but a little heat goes a long way in my cooking. Flavor is most important & datils are one of the very best. My all-time fav hot sauce is made with datils. (a Florida company)

    "When you taste tested did you taste it straight up or on something?

    Straight up.

    Picked ripe Bhut Jolokia yesterday and put in the dehydrator. Those babies will burn your tongue! Also picked Peppadew & am really impressed with the flavor of them.

  • david52 Zone 6
    12 years ago

    Speaking of peppers, today I was deconstructing some dried jalapeno and Bulgarian Carrot to get the seed and replant - all went well until half an hour later I rubbed my eyes ......

    milk really does work.

  • mellyofthesouth
    Original Author
    12 years ago

    We checked the sauerkraut yesterday. It was ready after two weeks. Tasted the hot sauce. Hubby thought it tasted like hot sauce. I only had litmus paper handy but I got a reading from both the kraut and the sauce. The kraut was more acidic. It is a bit hard to read those colors so it was either around 3 or 4 which meant the sauce was either 4 or 5. Since I don't plan to can the sauce it is not a crisis. But there are no more signs of fermentation going on. No bubbles, etc. Any opinion on how long I should leave it out on the counter? I have room to put it in the spare fridge if I juice some oranges. Also, I have a crisper full on limes. Thoughts on adding lime juice?

  • morz8 - Washington Coast
    12 years ago

    david, I did that breaking dried chiltepines into a recipe with my fingers once. It was certainly a good lesson learned because I've never done it again - think it was at least 30+ years ago :)

  • gardenman101
    12 years ago

    mellyofthesouth,
    Do you have the recipe for the hot suace? or is it posted somewhere else in the forum. My son loves hotsuace, and i tend to use it in cooking as well but i find the prices a little to expensive for the good stuff around here,