[CH] pepper fermentation

Jim Weller (Jim.Weller@salata.com)
12 Oct 98 00:15:11 -0800 

 -=> Quoting "Gregory" to All <=-

 "G> I recently learned about the process used in the making of sauerkraut.
 "G> A process in which micro-organisms are selectively culled by the use
 "G> of salt addition, deprivation of oxygen, monitoring of temperature, and
 "G> lowering of pH.  Would a similar process work with peppers?

Yep!

 "G> What would happen if I shredde some habeneros, mixed with salt, and
 "G> sealed it all in a crock?

You'd have something like tabasco only hotter and better.

 "G> Does anybody have any recipes like this?

MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.05
 
      Title: Tabasco Sauce
 Categories: Info, Spice, Condiments
      Yield: 1 info file
 
      1    Text file
 
  Original McIlheny method ->  Grind peppers. Add 1/2 cup kosher salt
  per gallon of ground peppers and allow to age 1 month in glass or
  crockery jars. Add white wine vinegar to taste and bottle. Age before
  using to blend the flavors together.
  
  Nowadays they do it the same, except that the salted mash goes
  directly into oak barrels. The mash is packed down and the top is
  sealed with oak planks into which holes have been drilled. Avery
  Island (the "island" is really a natural salt dome; originally all
  salt used in production came from natural salt digs in the area),
  where some of the peppers are grown, is the production site. The
  barrels are topped with a thick layer of salt and allowed to ferment.
  The salt layer serves as a permeable barrier that allows gases to
  escape but allows no bacteria, fruit flies, etc. access to the mash.
  McIlhenny allows them to age three years in these oak barrels. After
  aging, the mash is pulled, checked for quality and, if OK, it is
  blended with white wine vinegar (they don't say how much) and aged
  some weeks more ('nother secret!). Finally, the product is pulled,
  strained and the liquid bottled.
  
  Adapting this to your home:
  
  Note: as you must pull the liquid from the peppers, they must be
  fresh, fleshy and of the right state of ripeness. At Avery Island
  they still use the original "critique baton rouge", a red stick
  tinted to the exact color of the peppers to be harvested.  Peppers
  not matching the "critique" are rejected. Old or overdried peppers
  are the key to failure.
  
  The ratio of mash to salt seems to be about the same as for
  sauerkraut. Grind peppers, seeds and all, in a medium to fine grind
  (K-5 cutters). Mix with Kosher salt and put into crock. Cover with
  saucer or other to press the mash down, as in sauerkraut. Liquid will
  form. Allow to ferment until the mash stabilizes (stops fermenting).
  Place the whole thing in a larger, sterile crock and add sterile white
  wine vinegar to taste. Allow to meld another week or so. Run the mash
  through a chinoise, fine strainer, or, last resort, throw it all into
  a bowl lined with cheesecloth, fold the cheesecloth up into a ball
  (like making cottage cheese) and twist & squeeze until the juice is
  extracted. Adjust for taste with salt. Bottle the juice and keep in
  fridge. (Chemists [like me] can play with sodium benzoate or other
  preservatives like BHA. Organic types can stick pins in voodoo dolls
  made in our likenesses.)
  
  Variables: Age of peppers. Variety. Water content. Consistency of
  ripeness.
  
  Hope this helps. Win or lose, it's a lot of fun. The key is : Keep
  all your stuff clean and sanitized! Enjoy the effort! Amaze and
  astound your friends with *your own* hot pepper sauce. If it doesn't
  beat Tabasco, sweat it not. It took him a couple of years to perfect
  it.
  
  From: "Arthur A. Simon, Jr." <aasimon@phoenix.net>
 
MMMMM


                                                            Cheers,

                                                            YK Jim

... From the Jim Weller Beer 'n' Chili Research Association files.