for my first batch of mash i put a salt cap on top to prevent the badies. Im wondering would a vinegar cap work? a couple tablespoons on vinegar? @@ChilliChump
I mostly make kimchi and sauerkraut. I've always gone by smell, color, and looking at the growths. Anything that looks suspicious gets tossed. Cabbage and salt are cheap. I can make another batch. Food poisoning is expensive.
And healthy ferments, no matter how pungent, usually don’t compel you to jerk your head away. If a ferment “went bad” it’s hard to not notice that “something’s waaaay off.”
I appreciate you taking the time to make this video; the uncertainty of things when you first fermenting is difficult. I also GREATLY appreciate that your episodes capture a sauce from start to finish!
My first fermentation is just on 13 days now. I'm thinking of making a sauce with it tomorrow. I had a little bit of white on the top after a few days, but since I cleaned that up it has been good. I've got sauerkraut on the go too, its 12 days old and smelling nice. Cupboard above the fridge is mine now :)
Thank you for all the effort you put in your videos. I'm doing my first fermentation right now and your videos are helping me quite much. Keep up the good work.
From someone who just recently started fermenting with vacuum bags, this was amazing. Even tho most of the air is vacuumed out, tips like these do help and make you feel safer and less worried during the process! Great vid!
Solid man, I've been watching for some time now and the content keeps blossoming nicely. I like how you've come into yourself and owned your channel. Keep up the quality. It's well enjoyed and appreciated, blessed, thank you. Cheers!
Your content and knowledge has led me to successfully ferment my first three batches of hot sauce! All have been super hot peppers, yet after fermenting, the heat is dulled down in a very good way from my perspective. I have gave away bottles with high praise for the product and you have supplied me, Chillichump, with confidence to create. Thank you for all of your efforts, plus sharing your experiences.
That is my pleasure, and that's great to hear that you are having success with your sauces! I have been doing this for a while now but still get a buzz from a successful, tasty sauce!
US author, 'fermentor', and educator, Sandor Katz has some good guidance on this topic in both his videos and books. I was horrified to see some of the 'ferments' he was willing to consume, but both you and he have the same rule of thumb it seems - 'smell'. I follow his advice with respect to sauerkraut and fermented onion/celery/fennel by keeping everything under the level of the brine with a ceramic or glass dish/disk and not using airlocks, but just a 'spring lid' and rubber gasket on a glass pickle jar. Works like a dream. However I am totally with you on 'multi-coloured funky stuff' below the level of the brine. Very much enjoying your videos.
Great video. I have several first batches of tabascos and chiles fermenting and all developed a healthy kahm yeast layer on the top. I scraped off, stirred and allowed further fermenting at lower temps. The thin white milky layer on the top did not return. And, importantly, the batches smelled fine - a little fruity from the esters, but that would be expected - and no smells to suggest anything went bad. Now that I am approaching bottling time, I wanted to be sure all is well and this video answered all of my questions. Thumbs up.
You inspired me to do my own habanero pineapple ginger ferment and it turned out absolutely remarkable with your tips, the color, taste, and heat are all there thanks to you! Appreciate what you do bc its such quality, keepem coming.
Very informative and interesting, thanks. I was about to bin one my ferments due to what I now know is Kahn yeast. Saved me a batch and relieved me a bit.
I think 3 months is the longest I've let a pepper ferment go. I am considering starting one more sauce this year with cranberries that I might let go for 6 months or so.
Just started my first fermentation. Got 30+ superhots (Carolina Reapers, Naga Brain Chocolates, Moruga Scorpions, etc.), combined with a pound of habaneros in a 1.7L jar, as close to a 2.5% brine as I could get. We'll see if this works. Thanks for the work you've done making chili fermentation look fun and accessible, and will return in 6-8 weeks to either scream in delight or scream in horror at failure. Thanks man, your channel is super comfy, love it lots.
Thanks for all your content! Learning so much. On day 10 with my first ever fermentation ( hot Thai/basket of fire/orange habanero mash) One of my jars was growing some mold. Now that I’ve watched this I’m confident it’s fine 👍🏻😁
Did you take the mold out or mix it in? In the video the one he mixed in looked like mold, I get that sometimes and remove them. They are the white fuzzys and sometimes with green. Should I keep em?
As a person who grows peppers in hydroponics I have used several digital ph meters and after losing several crops due to the inaccuracies of them, I will never buy another one. I exclusively use strips and drops now. If you haven't tried hydro, you are missing out. Peppers all year round and the sheer size of the plants is amazing. My last scorpion I grew it was 4 feet in diameter and 6 feet tall. I am starting fresh this year with new seeds. So I have nothing growing at the moment
Hi bkpickell. I haven't had a problem with even the cheapest pH meter in terms of accuracy...as long as I have cleaned it (with deionised, or distilled water, and calibrated it before use). If I just took it out the box and used it without calibrating, I get a fluctuating result. The more expensive one is a little more forgiving in that regard, but I still make a habit of cleaning before packing away and calibrating before use. Also strips are near impossible to use with sauce because of the colour....if I was using it for water alone then strips may be a cheaper option and also less hassle for sure. Also I love the idea of hydroponics. But I like the forgiving nature of soil. I have experimented in the past, and the issue I had with hydroponics is if I am away for a week for work or on holiday and my system fails or electricity goes out, then my plants are more likely to die quicker than if they were in soil. I may still do somethiing with hydro in the future. Like I said, I like the idea of it. The kratky method in particular looks good.
@@ChilliChump i always cleaned and calibrated prior to use and all of my meters cost me more than $80 each. They would calibrate just fine but anything outside of 2 ph from the calibration ph would read very low. It was frustrating. As far as going away, I would hook my system up to a battery backup system designed for computers. As long as a power failure didnt last more than six hours it wouldnt be a problem. They can live a day without light, but water will kill them. I used a flood table for mine. Very easy to set up and maintain. If you are really worried about power failure you could use deep water culture bubble buckets. Those are great for beginners and what I started with. The only thing you need with the exception of buckets hydroten and nutrients is an aquarium air pump and air stone. You can run that on a car battery for a week. I know because I did it when we lost power. Lol
Great video. I have always been scared of fermentation because i wasnt sure what to look for. You have def cleared that up for me. I am trying to make a sourkrout for my dad because it was something from his childhood that was always available. I am so afraid lol to make it but this has helped me be more confident in trying. Thankyou so much for all you do for us.
BTW Chumpie idea for vid ( I will not make pepper videos) I sift my ferments to make a smooth sauce did one yesterday and decided to do something with the pulp. So I mixed: 2 pounds of mince 3 tbs of liquid smoke 3 tbs of scotch bonnet fermented pulp (obviously any other, milder or hotter will do) 1/3 of chopped leek 1 egg ( optionally only if the mixture is too runny add some bread crumbs like 3 - 4 tbs) Mix everything together thoroughly, Form the burgers, fry on mid heat (squeeze them from time to time with the spatula to remove moisture) or barbecue if you prefer that way shove it in a bun with your fav condiments and enjoy. LIterally half hour ago I was smiling eating this. No need for spicy sauce cause patty itself is GORGEOUSLY spicy. Try it mate, even just for yourself. Let me know if you did it and how was it. Cheerio bud.
I'm glad I stumbled onto this video. I've been thinking about following your techniques make a hot sauce. This video will go a long way toward allaying my concerns about food safety.
Great video ....again... why not submerge the mash under brine?...could use a stainless silt or smt of that sort ... the ones u discarded looked worying no doubt ..
Thanks Jeff! Ferment #1 has finished filming....gotta get it edited now! It won't dissapoint...wow, it was a killer. I think this year my peppers were exceptionally hot. My eyes are watering just thinking about that sauce!
Wow that sounds exciting, cant wait too I love that flavour of the scotch bonnets but never tryed to make a sauce from, maybe after your Video i get enough inspiration.
Very interesting. Based on your videos i am trying my first femented sauce. I for one would be very interested in learning more about the ph meter usage. Cheers
I’m fermenting my first batch of hot sauce... i watched a video where the guy making it just ‘eyeballed’ his measurements. I thought ‘that seems easy’, so i’m trying it. Now, a week later, it’s bubbling nicely in its jar. I am using a large canning jar, so i have to open it daily to burp it, and it smells nice, bubbles actively... BUT. I’m now seeing the white yeast. One video i watched said it’s harmless... i’ve watched others where all weights and measures are specific and they have put me in a bit of a panic about botulism... so after watching several more vids including just now discovering you, i’m convinced what i’m seeing is just yeast, no black mold or anything. It smells fine... my brine is pretty salty so i am not really worried anything bad is going on, i even tasted the brine and it tastes good. Anything else i should worry about? I skimmed the yeast off as much as i could, gave the peppers a stir... i do not have anything weighing down the top layer of peppers as some videos insist is important (because nothing fits through the neck of the jar...) and i’m stirring once in awhile to trade up the stuff on top with lower stuff. But i’ll admit i’m a bit nervous... is it just as simple as ‘no black mold, smells good, therefore it’s probably fine’?
Tom, I really wouldn't be opening the jar up all the time and stirring. Introducing oxygen is the biggest concern from what you have written. You should be fine....but just bear in mind lacto fermentation is an anaerobic process. Have a look at my video on creating your own fermenting jars. Burping the jar also has the risk of introducing oxygen. th-cam.com/video/Sz-I4jlm9mc/w-d-xo.html
Thanks for sharing that. I always learn something from your videos. Someone recently gifted me the Fiery Ferments book you mentioned a while back. I'm going to dabble with some of those recipes this winter. I just started my first batch of Kombucha tea this weekend. Have you ever heard of (or tried) using kombucha culture as a starter for pepper ferments?
Hi Peter! Good to see you back, I always check out your videos when they come out. Some of the peppers you test out, I just can't believe how composed you are with them! I am trying to stay away from using a starter with my ferments. I try to keep it as "natural" as I can, using the lactobacillus that is on the peppers already. Also, I have been reading up on kombucha. I still haven't tasted it, maybe something for me to try in the future (still in two minds about it!)
Hi! I'm a fan from Brazil! I love your work, as it has inspired me into creating new recipes. I would like to know what is this sanitizer solution you use and if it's homemade. If not, what can I use to sanitize my fermentator and air locks without putting my whole process at risk or inserting something that shouldn't be consumed?
Sanitation has never been an issue for me so long as I keep the brine flowing through the ferment and tilt the jar to both release trapped gas and also coat the edges of the jar where any bacteria may start to colonize, with brine
I’m going to try a mash for my next hot sauce ferment. I typically use sliced peppers in the brine because I wasn’t sure what a bad ferment in a mash would look like. Now I know and I’m motivated to try mash. I do see the advantages of a mash, however, I must compare the taste. I have 3 lbs of jalapeños to ferment. Thanks again for this video. Cheers!
I've been wanting to try making a hot sauce mostly just for the fun of it, found you through your hottest hot sauce video. I'm trying to destroy my taste buds, not poison myself, so this was super helpful and informative.
Very handy video. I just made a mash almost a week ago and noticed some white areas forming on the top and was a little worried, but seeing this video can see it was just the yeast forming. I did scrape the top layer off to be safe, but good to know what to look out for.
Your videos are dope. I've made some hot sauces, but never from fermented peppers. A friend of mine gave me a jar of fermented reapers and I want to make a sauce that could be used on chicken wings. I was thinking of blending the peppers with some of the brine, butter, and garlic. What do you think? Should I clarify the butter? Should I wait to add the butter until it's applied to the wings? Side note: totally waiting on that Buffalo sauce video. Keep it up man!
Hi Levi, thank you! I wouldn't add the butter until just before you make your wings...don't add it to the sauce bottle! Garlic and brine is all good though. I would recommend once your wings are cooked, melt some butter in a bowl, mix in some hot sauce, throw your chicken wings and toss them about until coated. Delicious!
I do loads with them! One of my favourite things is Jalapeno poppers (jalapeno with cream cheese inside, and surrounded by bacon....stick it on the BBQ. So good!). I also pickle my peppers, and use them in salads, eat them fresh (not the really hot ones!), make powders....and many other things! Gotta love peppers, so versatile!
Hi Chillichump. Thanks for all of your great videos. I really enjoy them! I found your channel here a few months ago and tried my first pepper ferment. I have 5 large half gallon jars fermenting since early October. These don''t have a layer on top, but there are white bits laying on the peppers that float in the brine when I move the jars. Do you think that this is the kahm yeast you spoke about? Is that something that I can rinse off before making the sauce? I can't really scrape it off since it's spread around so much. I made a small batch of sauce without fermenting and it turned out pretty good. Now I'm really excited to see how it is fermented and hope I can still use this batch. No super hot peppers here, though...just a mixture of cayenne, garden salsa, poblano, some bell peppers and some with garlic. Might go a little hotter next year, though.
Hi Bill, I am glad you are enjoying my videos! If it is only flecks, and it is white, I think you will be fine. No need to scrape it off...or even rinse it off when you process it. Should be fine! If you send me a picture on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook I would be happy to have a look!
@@ChilliChump Thanks for the fast reply!! I have been pretty busy this week but saw you answered the same day. I'm not currently using any of the social media you mentioned, but I think you're right about it being safe. I think/hope it's just kahm yeast that has sunk below the brine surface. I guess I'll have a better idea when I open them and do the smell test. I'll check one jar and if I have any doubt then I'll sign up with instagram or something and send a pic. This is an awesome and informative channel!! I'm always looking forward to the next video! Keep up the good work!
Happy for you to upload it to Imgur.com and put a link here to that too. No need to sign up to social media just for the pic. And I'm really glad you are enjoying my channel!
am here because I had one seaoned hot sauce and one unseasoned hot sauce. I open the unseasoned and processed it into bottles adding some things to preserve the final product. The seasoned one which I put a smidge of garlic and onion in, doesnt smell like the other one exactly, and the liquid went down some and expsoed the tops of the peppers on thetop and that part turned black on spots. The two brines are also not the same. The seasoned brine is yellowish whie the unseasoned brine is redish/orand liek the sauced will be. I am weighing my options. I yielded enough peppers to now have to worry is I toss the one batch or not.
I just found your channel last August but I'm catching up on episodes and really enjoy every video. (I have many, many questions and observations but I'll restrain myself today.) Is there a benefit to fermenting a mash instead of just pepper rings? I ask because I have only ever fermented rings and I really enjoy regularly checking the jars and seeing a torrent of bubbles rush to the surface! Also, I only want to put peppers through the food processor once because cleanng it is a eye burning chore. Thanks.
Hi Spanky (lol...gotta love TH-cam names 😊)! I'm glad you are enjoying my videos! With regards to mash Vs large pieces, I think ultimately it is down to preference. I like to do both....it depends on what I'm trying to get from the particular sauce, or even my mood on the day! I think that mashes will ferment more thoroughly. That could be a good or a bad thing. If you want some of the initial pepper flavour (pre ferment) then larger chunks instead of mash would be the way to go. But ultimately just experiment and see which you prefer. By the way, mash ferment gives more CO² bubbling off in my experience!
Adding a layer of oil on the top couldn't prevent the development of molds? Great video, I'm binge watching your channel since 2 days. Thx for the great work. Cheers from France.
I have always been hesitant incorporating oil in my sauces. In fact one of the reasons I started fermenting my hot sauces is because of an amazing hot sauce my mom makes. She uses oil on the top, and I was reading up about the safety of that...the articles and research appeared to suggest that it wasn't a good way to do things. I would have to go back and read through again...but I don't use oil as a barrier right now. And thank you for watching! I'm glad you are enjoying the videos!
Did you make the PH meter video that you talk about in this video? I just got me the cheap yellow meter (I didn’t know it would be in this video so I’m happy about that) I’d like to know more about using it. Thanks again for your time and knowledge.
Did a small batch fermentation and after a couple weeks my mash had a pH of 2.3. It's very acidic and pungent. Any idea how I could balance it out a bit so it doesn't have such a bite? Love the channel so much. You've given me a wonderful hobby that I get to share with many people. Thanks!
Thank you, I am glad you enjoy my channel! Thank you for watching! With regards to your sauce, you could add some ripe bell peppers to dilute the heat a bit. Or you could add tomatoes, but that would change the sauce quite a bit! Onions are another option.
I have used up my pepper stash for the year... Although I haven't released all the videos for them just yet. So a few more to go. Unfortunately I didn't do a BBQ sauce this year. I have it on my list though for the next year. Keep the suggestions coming!
Gday, you mention you can stir in the kahm yeast rather than scrape it off. Why would you do that, or why wouldn't you do that? Edit: I kept watching and you kind of answered that. Only stir in if it is a little bit
They were both using the sterikap airlock, I think it was down to that (the little white thing on top of the lid). The one with the metal cap had that too but I tried to save it by putting on the normal lid. Not saying the sterikaps are bad, I just don't think they are meant for longer fermentations.
If it’s a clean ferment it’s a chilli sauce, if it’s a bad ferment just call it spicy Kombucha. 😃 Hey that’s an idea, try a chilli ferment with a Scoby!
Love your videos! Quick question. Whats your fermentation temperature? Im guessing around 20•c. When i do beer its anywhere between 10-22•c depending on style. Keep the vids coming!
Thank you! Similar to beers, it really depends what I am going for. But generally speaking...19 for a longer ferment, 20/21 for a quicker ferment (3-4 weeks)
You can really tell the difference between the vibrant ferments and the infected ones - what is the worst bacteria that can grow in these sorts of things? Will it be a case of making the ferment taste horrible or could there be health effects?
The worst thing you could get when processing food (ferments, canning etc.) is botulinum or botulism. That is a killer! I actually wrote a a piece on food safety on my website. I have done an accompanying video, but not yet finished editing! www.chillichump.com/lets-talk-about-food-safety/
So many questions answered here, thank you! I have a question please, what is the difference with fermenting the mash alone versus pieces in brine? What makes you decide one versus another method? Cheers!
Hey there. I make the decision on whether to do a mash or brine ferment depending on the type of sauce im going for, flavours I want and how long I will ferment it. I would recommend a brine ferment for beginners though, easier to "fix" if something goes wrong!
Brine it is then! I am a beginner! Thank you so much for everything your teaching in your video series, so inspiring and helpful! Now, my wife asking if I'm done buying things.. receiving things from Amazon on a regular basis! hahaha I'm using 2 grow tents for now with leds, planning to bring most of them outside in pots this spring, not sure if I can do (in tents) all year round? will see! Cheers from Ottawa, Canada!
Hi, do you have a video on how you sanitise your fermentation vessels prior to starting a ferment? Also, I have heard of starsan in the context of brewing, much higher volumes than fermenting food. Can you talk to how safe it is for food fermentation and how you use it?
Hey, really appreciate your channel. Found it via recommendations since I'm into fermenting too, and now I got myself a new future hobby after moving to the house with garden :) How come that you use plastic containers for fermenting? AFAIK even BPA free plastic isn't safe when dealing with acidic environments like when fermenting. I recently fermented simple green and red hot peppers from the supermarket here and the brine became very thick, do you know anything about this? Thanks!
Hi there! I have done a lot of research on using plastic for fermenting. And BPA free plastic containers are safe. In fact most of my vinegar that I buy comes in BPA free plastic containers and that is far more acidic than any fermentation I've done! With your fermentation...did you by any chance add carrots?
@@ChilliChump Hi, you're right about the vinegar I'm glad that I asked! The fermentation was only roughly chopped green and red chilis from the supermarket here in Israel (I don't know the strain but they're like Jalapeno plus hot), red bell pepper, garlic and a little bit of brown sugar in a 2.4% brine. Also an onion since I used your trick to submerge + fermenting weight :) It sat in the dark but temp wasn't stable at all, between 22-28C depending on the hour. Fermentation was bubbly but after 7 days there were no new bubbles so I stopped, blended and added some vinegar to it. The smell was great but the brine that I sieved out was of a thicker nature, something I never encountered with Sauerkraut or other random veggie ferments. This temp control fridge is def. on my list, great idea!
No problem! I think the temperature was a little bit high, that might have caused theproblem. I like to keep my temperature around 19' and 20' Celsius. See if you have somewhere that is a little cooler for the next fermentation maybe
Excellent video! Super informative! Does anyone know if there was a video was made for using a PH meter? If so, does anyone have a link? I couldn't find it... :)
thanks again for such great videos. i'm guessing you'd get pretty sick if you tried to save fermentations gone bad. do you know what went wrong with the last two?
@@ChilliChump that is how you know you are the chili master [bows head in reverence]. i'm two weeks into my first ever batch! i'm so excited. thanks so much for your channel :)
I really enjoyed the video, but I feel like you could have explained a few methods of how to prevent your ferment going bad or reasons you suspect your two bad ferments have gone wrong :)
First fermentation is doing great, thanks for the inspiration and all the tips. I've always wondered though: what's the difference between fermenting a mash and fermenting chopped peppers? Are there pros and cons to each method? Do the results differ somehow? When is it better to use one or the other? Thanks.
Hi Dominik, I am glad to be of help! With regards to your question, I did a video on the topic, hopefully it answers your question: th-cam.com/video/1IyrvH-Gexk/w-d-xo.html
Just started my first fermentation 15 days ago, apparently it stopped fermenting (there is not visible bubbles). I used 2.5% salt brine. Everything is looking good, peppers with vibrant colors, nothing growing in the jars, but the smell, mhhh. It smells like when you leave a pepper in a plastic bag on your coutertop or your fridge for too long. Since it is my first time doing it I'm not sure if it is ok to use it. Any advice? I been growing peppers for many years but all my sauces where made fresh or cooked, until I find your channel and your fermented hot sauces. 🇲🇽
@@ChilliChump The smell is more like a jalapeño starting to go bad (even when I am using only C. Chinense). I am doing 3 jars: #1 mostly Red Peppers with pink salt, PH 5.3 #2 mostly Peach, Yellow, White peppers with Sea Salt, PH 5.2 #3 50% Red Peppers and 50% color peppers with table salt, PH 4.4 The #3 is the less smelly and it's the only one that smells like a hot pepper.
I have not taken the time to watch all of your videos, which are very interesting and educative and cool because I just found out about your channel. I'm growing peppers for a few years now and this year I'm really exited in fermenting some of my peppers. My question is HOW and how long can you store fermented hotsauce? I'm currently fermenting my first try and it's at 9 days fermenting as we speak and looking very healthy. I want to go for 2 full weeks of fermenting, but I do not know what to do to store it for a long time. Kindly advice :-) Chilli lover Vector
Hi Victor....I would go longer than 2 weeks. I would suggest at least 3 weeks, but even better 4 to 6 weeks. If you fermented correctly and bottle correctly, the sauce will last for years on the shelf (no refrigeration required)
@@ChilliChump Hi there, thanks for the fast reply! the thing is that I do not have a waterlock on my jar (just yet) so I have to open up the jar every day to let it have it's burp. But then oxygen get in and I'm afraid that if I wait to long it might go bad. Or am I being over concerned here?
It isn't ideal...and you could end up with mould on top. Have a look at this video I did, there are some cheap/free ways to make airlocks! th-cam.com/video/Sz-I4jlm9mc/w-d-xo.html
Ok, I just put my peppers in about a 3% solution on Saturday (4 days ago). I did 3 large jars and one is already bubbling and a bit cloudy, the other 2 are bubbling a bit, but nothing like the first. Is the one that is already bubbling ok, should I open quickly and check? I am only planning on fermenting for about 2 weeks to make sauces for Christmas presents. I really enjoy your videos and insight.
Hi Sean, I wouldn't open them. They sound just fine. Let them run for the 2 weeks...I may even suggest 3 if you are able. If there is any activity (which you said there is) then they are just fine! Let me know how it turns out!
@@ChilliChump, so I visually checked them again and the one I am concerned about looks like some water bubbled out of the bubbler top and it is cloudy. I also noticed two of my garlic cloves in the jar are turning a bluish color, could I have put too much liquid in the jar and it is overflowing a bit. The other two look great. I will let them run for 3 weeks as you have suggested. Thanks, Sean
It is possible you put too much liquid...the fermentation process will cause the liquid level to rise anyway (bubbles pushing on the contents of the jar). And don't worry about the blue garlic, it is normal! To me it sounds pretty healthy, so just keep an eye on it, but you should have a good result at the end!
A follow-up question I have to this: what's the best way of disposing of a failed fermentation? If you tossed it in some compost, would it be all right, or would the salt and acid make it plant poison? Or would the bad bacteria take over and a compost monster would eat your house?
Thanks for that, really helpful. I've made a large hot pepper ferment and the brine is a bit milky. Is that ok or will it depend on the smell? It's been fermenting for 2 or 3 weeks.
Milky is no problem at all. I was hoping one of my fermentations would have milky brine to show, but unfortunately I didn't. Milky brine is absolutely normal (the stuff you see at the bottom of Fermentation #1 is just that milkiness all settled at the bottom.)
Thanks for the helpful reply. I sent you a photo on twitter of the ferment I did from our work garden a week or 2 ago, it's going well (now I know that milky is ok!) Your channel is a mine of information and inspiration, so much so that I plan to scale up and experiment with a view to selling sauces and a few other things. Thank you! Keep up the brilliant work.
Here you go th-cam.com/video/iQqyA5zbps0/w-d-xo.html I would also recommend looking at my fermenting playlist: th-cam.com/play/PLuQ_ySnkV1elfcdlvXeIQUEzVI87vtZqF.html
@@ChilliChump awesome im new in the fermenting game with peppers and you give a lot of awesome tips on it thanks a mill and keep it up im rooting for you
Hi, I am coming to the end of my first attempt at fermentation and I see white spots all over the top that should be Kahm yeast but I’m not exactly sure if I should remove it or stir it in. Any suggestions? Thank you for all your help, love your channel!
hi don't mean to be a besserwisser, but I always boil the water before I add it at the start. maybe you could prevent some of the stuff growing in there with that easy step. water from the tap, and even from a bottle will have bakteria in it. regards, gerard
great advice. love the expression on your face when you opened up the healthy ferments. You look very happy :-)
You have to get joy out of even the little things in life! 😊
for my first batch of mash i put a salt cap on top to prevent the badies. Im wondering would a vinegar cap work? a couple tablespoons on vinegar? @@ChilliChump
I mostly make kimchi and sauerkraut. I've always gone by smell, color, and looking at the growths. Anything that looks suspicious gets tossed. Cabbage and salt are cheap. I can make another batch. Food poisoning is expensive.
And healthy ferments, no matter how pungent, usually don’t compel you to jerk your head away. If a ferment “went bad” it’s hard to not notice that “something’s waaaay off.”
I'm making my first sauerkraut. Is it suppost to smell like someone farted? Is looks ok and there is no growth
A sulphur smell is normal in the beginning. It should go away after a week or two
Hey just want to say Thanks, man! I'm learning a lot from your videos
The saucespence is killing me! Looking forward to seeing more about the new sauces.
Lol. Soon my friend, soon!
I appreciate you taking the time to make this video; the uncertainty of things when you first fermenting is difficult. I also GREATLY appreciate that your episodes capture a sauce from start to finish!
It is my pleasure!
Just started my first fermentation 10 days ago. I'm glad to have found your channel. Thank you for all the great tips and tricks! Keep it up!
My first fermentation is just on 13 days now. I'm thinking of making a sauce with it tomorrow. I had a little bit of white on the top after a few days, but since I cleaned that up it has been good. I've got sauerkraut on the go too, its 12 days old and smelling nice. Cupboard above the fridge is mine now :)
Thank you for all the effort you put in your videos. I'm doing my first fermentation right now and your videos are helping me quite much. Keep up the good work.
I’ve been browsing through your channel and I really appreciate you sharing your knowledge from 0 to 100 😊 Definitely subscribed 💪
From someone who just recently started fermenting with vacuum bags, this was amazing. Even tho most of the air is vacuumed out, tips like these do help and make you feel safer and less worried during the process!
Great vid!
Solid man, I've been watching for some time now and the content keeps blossoming nicely. I like how you've come into yourself and owned your channel. Keep up the quality. It's well enjoyed and appreciated, blessed, thank you. Cheers!
Thank you for the very kinda words Kirk!
This is brilliant mate. I’ve always got excess chillis (in Scotland no less) and this has always been on my mind when I ferment.
Sir ChilliChump, your happiness is our happiness ❤️
Your content and knowledge has led me to successfully ferment my first three batches of hot sauce!
All have been super hot peppers, yet after fermenting, the heat is dulled down in a very good way from my perspective. I have gave away bottles with high praise for the product and you have supplied me, Chillichump, with confidence to create.
Thank you for all of your efforts, plus sharing your experiences.
That is my pleasure, and that's great to hear that you are having success with your sauces! I have been doing this for a while now but still get a buzz from a successful, tasty sauce!
Even if I wasn't already subscribed and liking every video, your reaction to the first sauce you opened would have cemented it!
That was a surprise for me, especially because I hadn't even fully opened that jar yet!
And thank you for checking out and liking my videos!
US author, 'fermentor', and educator, Sandor Katz has some good guidance on this topic in both his videos and books. I was horrified to see some of the 'ferments' he was willing to consume, but both you and he have the same rule of thumb it seems - 'smell'. I follow his advice with respect to sauerkraut and fermented onion/celery/fennel by keeping everything under the level of the brine with a ceramic or glass dish/disk and not using airlocks, but just a 'spring lid' and rubber gasket on a glass pickle jar. Works like a dream. However I am totally with you on 'multi-coloured funky stuff' below the level of the brine. Very much enjoying your videos.
So cute! Thanks for the info! Im doing my first pepper fermentation with jalapeños from my local farm.
Brilliant timing. I have had my first fermentation going for about 2 weeks now (based on one of your recipes) and was wondering exactly this.
Excellent video that everyone should watch till the end. Thanks CC 👍🏼
This guy has inspired me to make my own fermented chilli sauce. Also absolutely trust your nose! It’s why we have one.
Great video. I have several first batches of tabascos and chiles fermenting and all developed a healthy kahm yeast layer on the top. I scraped off, stirred and allowed further fermenting at lower temps. The thin white milky layer on the top did not return. And, importantly, the batches smelled fine - a little fruity from the esters, but that would be expected - and no smells to suggest anything went bad. Now that I am approaching bottling time, I wanted to be sure all is well and this video answered all of my questions. Thumbs up.
im learning so much! ima try to do a fermented hotsauce. i do it as small hobby and love to share with people.
Hi Danny, let me know how your fermented sauce turns out!
You inspired me to do my own habanero pineapple ginger ferment and it turned out absolutely remarkable with your tips, the color, taste, and heat are all there thanks to you! Appreciate what you do bc its such quality, keepem coming.
That's brilliant to hear! I'm glad it turned out well!
Always nice to come back to this when in doubt of whats happening with my ferments.
Very informative and interesting, thanks. I was about to bin one my ferments due to what I now know is Kahn yeast. Saved me a batch and relieved me a bit.
I think 3 months is the longest I've let a pepper ferment go. I am considering starting one more sauce this year with cranberries that I might let go for 6 months or so.
I'm so glad I watched this. I was starting to worry when I saw white stuff on the bottom of my jar. Thanks, Shaun.
Just started my first fermentation. Got 30+ superhots (Carolina Reapers, Naga Brain Chocolates, Moruga Scorpions, etc.), combined with a pound of habaneros in a 1.7L jar, as close to a 2.5% brine as I could get. We'll see if this works. Thanks for the work you've done making chili fermentation look fun and accessible, and will return in 6-8 weeks to either scream in delight or scream in horror at failure.
Thanks man, your channel is super comfy, love it lots.
Good luck with your fermentation! Let us know how it turns out!
Thanks for all your content! Learning so much. On day 10 with my first ever fermentation ( hot Thai/basket of fire/orange habanero mash) One of my jars was growing some mold. Now that I’ve watched this I’m confident it’s fine 👍🏻😁
My pleasure John, and I hope your sauce turns out great!
Did you take the mold out or mix it in? In the video the one he mixed in looked like mold, I get that sometimes and remove them. They are the white fuzzys and sometimes with green. Should I keep em?
THANK YOU! This video helps so much!
very important video.........thanks soooo much
As a person who grows peppers in hydroponics I have used several digital ph meters and after losing several crops due to the inaccuracies of them, I will never buy another one. I exclusively use strips and drops now.
If you haven't tried hydro, you are missing out. Peppers all year round and the sheer size of the plants is amazing. My last scorpion I grew it was 4 feet in diameter and 6 feet tall.
I am starting fresh this year with new seeds. So I have nothing growing at the moment
Hi bkpickell. I haven't had a problem with even the cheapest pH meter in terms of accuracy...as long as I have cleaned it (with deionised, or distilled water, and calibrated it before use). If I just took it out the box and used it without calibrating, I get a fluctuating result. The more expensive one is a little more forgiving in that regard, but I still make a habit of cleaning before packing away and calibrating before use. Also strips are near impossible to use with sauce because of the colour....if I was using it for water alone then strips may be a cheaper option and also less hassle for sure.
Also I love the idea of hydroponics. But I like the forgiving nature of soil. I have experimented in the past, and the issue I had with hydroponics is if I am away for a week for work or on holiday and my system fails or electricity goes out, then my plants are more likely to die quicker than if they were in soil. I may still do somethiing with hydro in the future. Like I said, I like the idea of it. The kratky method in particular looks good.
@@ChilliChump i always cleaned and calibrated prior to use and all of my meters cost me more than $80 each. They would calibrate just fine but anything outside of 2 ph from the calibration ph would read very low. It was frustrating.
As far as going away, I would hook my system up to a battery backup system designed for computers. As long as a power failure didnt last more than six hours it wouldnt be a problem. They can live a day without light, but water will kill them.
I used a flood table for mine. Very easy to set up and maintain. If you are really worried about power failure you could use deep water culture bubble buckets. Those are great for beginners and what I started with. The only thing you need with the exception of buckets hydroten and nutrients is an aquarium air pump and air stone. You can run that on a car battery for a week. I know because I did it when we lost power. Lol
Great video. Awesome advice. Thanks for keeping us safe.
This video is mandatory. Great examples.
That's a great vid. Very helpful! Much appreciated.
Great video. I have always been scared of fermentation because i wasnt sure what to look for. You have def cleared that up for me. I am trying to make a sourkrout for my dad because it was something from his childhood that was always available. I am so afraid lol to make it but this has helped me be more confident in trying. Thankyou so much for all you do for us.
Thanks Jacqueline! I love sauerkraut too! I do make it, it is a fun and easy Fermentation! I should maybe film the next one I do.
@@ChilliChump that would be awesome. I would totally watch it.
Great knowledge there cuzzy! Keep up the great work!
This helps alot, thanks for the video.
Brother this video is gold thank u ...
BTW Chumpie idea for vid ( I will not make pepper videos)
I sift my ferments to make a smooth sauce did one yesterday and decided to do something with the pulp.
So I mixed:
2 pounds of mince
3 tbs of liquid smoke
3 tbs of scotch bonnet fermented pulp (obviously any other, milder or hotter will do)
1/3 of chopped leek
1 egg
( optionally only if the mixture is too runny add some bread crumbs like 3 - 4 tbs)
Mix everything together thoroughly,
Form the burgers, fry on mid heat (squeeze them from time to time with the spatula to remove moisture) or barbecue if you prefer that way shove it in a bun with your fav condiments and enjoy.
LIterally half hour ago I was smiling eating this. No need for spicy sauce cause patty itself is GORGEOUSLY spicy.
Try it mate, even just for yourself. Let me know if you did it and how was it.
Cheerio bud.
That sounds delicious! I will give it a go and let you know what I think!
I'm glad I stumbled onto this video. I've been thinking about following your techniques make a hot sauce. This video will go a long way toward allaying my concerns about food safety.
Wonderful video! Thank You for sharing this!
Great video ....again... why not submerge the mash under brine?...could use a stainless silt or smt of that sort ... the ones u discarded looked worying no doubt ..
Very informative, thanks for sharing. Ferment # 1, Can't wait till your video on that one.
Thanks Jeff! Ferment #1 has finished filming....gotta get it edited now! It won't dissapoint...wow, it was a killer. I think this year my peppers were exceptionally hot. My eyes are watering just thinking about that sauce!
Wow that sounds exciting, cant wait too
I love that flavour of the scotch bonnets but never tryed to make a sauce from, maybe after your Video i get enough inspiration.
Very interesting. Based on your videos i am trying my first femented sauce.
I for one would be very interested in learning more about the ph meter usage.
Cheers
I will definitely do that in the future. I have to get through editing a few videos and will be able to do the pH meter video after that.
In Poland we are fermenting many things, cabbage, kale, mushrooms, cucumbers, as along as you do not smell any off flavours you can dig in ;)
I’m fermenting my first batch of hot sauce... i watched a video where the guy making it just ‘eyeballed’ his measurements. I thought ‘that seems easy’, so i’m trying it. Now, a week later, it’s bubbling nicely in its jar. I am using a large canning jar, so i have to open it daily to burp it, and it smells nice, bubbles actively... BUT. I’m now seeing the white yeast. One video i watched said it’s harmless... i’ve watched others where all weights and measures are specific and they have put me in a bit of a panic about botulism... so after watching several more vids including just now discovering you, i’m convinced what i’m seeing is just yeast, no black mold or anything. It smells fine... my brine is pretty salty so i am not really worried anything bad is going on, i even tasted the brine and it tastes good. Anything else i should worry about? I skimmed the yeast off as much as i could, gave the peppers a stir... i do not have anything weighing down the top layer of peppers as some videos insist is important (because nothing fits through the neck of the jar...) and i’m stirring once in awhile to trade up the stuff on top with lower stuff. But i’ll admit i’m a bit nervous... is it just as simple as ‘no black mold, smells good, therefore it’s probably fine’?
Tom, I really wouldn't be opening the jar up all the time and stirring. Introducing oxygen is the biggest concern from what you have written. You should be fine....but just bear in mind lacto fermentation is an anaerobic process. Have a look at my video on creating your own fermenting jars. Burping the jar also has the risk of introducing oxygen. th-cam.com/video/Sz-I4jlm9mc/w-d-xo.html
Thanks for sharing that. I always learn something from your videos. Someone recently gifted me the Fiery Ferments book you mentioned a while back. I'm going to dabble with some of those recipes this winter. I just started my first batch of Kombucha tea this weekend. Have you ever heard of (or tried) using kombucha culture as a starter for pepper ferments?
Hi Peter! Good to see you back, I always check out your videos when they come out. Some of the peppers you test out, I just can't believe how composed you are with them!
I am trying to stay away from using a starter with my ferments. I try to keep it as "natural" as I can, using the lactobacillus that is on the peppers already. Also, I have been reading up on kombucha. I still haven't tasted it, maybe something for me to try in the future (still in two minds about it!)
Thanks a lot, had been panicking a lot over some kahm yeast in my tepache
This video is very helpful. 👌🏻👌🏻
I'm not sure if I'll ever again make hot sauce without fermenting the peppers. The difference is huge.
Great video 👍
Great video!
Id leave that one in the glass too, not looking good, throw it out if in doubt. Shame you had to get rid but better safe than sorry
Hi! I'm a fan from Brazil! I love your work, as it has inspired me into creating new recipes. I would like to know what is this sanitizer solution you use and if it's homemade. If not, what can I use to sanitize my fermentator and air locks without putting my whole process at risk or inserting something that shouldn't be consumed?
WOW 0 thumbs down, as of this post, nice job man!
Sanitation has never been an issue for me so long as I keep the brine flowing through the ferment and tilt the jar to both release trapped gas and also coat the edges of the jar where any bacteria may start to colonize, with brine
great video, thx so much
I’m going to try a mash for my next hot sauce ferment. I typically use sliced peppers in the brine because I wasn’t sure what a bad ferment in a mash would look like. Now I know and I’m motivated to try mash. I do see the advantages of a mash, however, I must compare the taste. I have 3 lbs of jalapeños to ferment. Thanks again for this video. Cheers!
Have a look at this video, may give you a couple more pointers...I discuss mash Vs brine method. th-cam.com/video/1IyrvH-Gexk/w-d-xo.html
@@ChilliChump Got it. Thanks as always.
Informative video, thank you!
Thank you Linas! And it is my pleasure!
I've been wanting to try making a hot sauce mostly just for the fun of it, found you through your hottest hot sauce video. I'm trying to destroy my taste buds, not poison myself, so this was super helpful and informative.
Very handy video. I just made a mash almost a week ago and noticed some white areas forming on the top and was a little worried, but seeing this video can see it was just the yeast forming. I did scrape the top layer off to be safe, but good to know what to look out for.
I'm glad it helped!
Your videos are dope. I've made some hot sauces, but never from fermented peppers. A friend of mine gave me a jar of fermented reapers and I want to make a sauce that could be used on chicken wings. I was thinking of blending the peppers with some of the brine, butter, and garlic. What do you think? Should I clarify the butter? Should I wait to add the butter until it's applied to the wings? Side note: totally waiting on that Buffalo sauce video. Keep it up man!
Hi Levi, thank you! I wouldn't add the butter until just before you make your wings...don't add it to the sauce bottle! Garlic and brine is all good though. I would recommend once your wings are cooked, melt some butter in a bowl, mix in some hot sauce, throw your chicken wings and toss them about until coated. Delicious!
you can always pour some oil on the top. it separates fermentation from the oxygen - i use it for some time and nothing was ruined :)
My only concern with introducing oil, especially for longer fermentations, is that there is a risk of the oil going rancid.
Great video! Very informative. I wonder what you do with your peppers besides make mashes and sauces.
I do loads with them! One of my favourite things is Jalapeno poppers (jalapeno with cream cheese inside, and surrounded by bacon....stick it on the BBQ. So good!). I also pickle my peppers, and use them in salads, eat them fresh (not the really hot ones!), make powders....and many other things! Gotta love peppers, so versatile!
Hi Chillichump. Thanks for all of your great videos. I really enjoy them! I found your channel here a few months ago and tried my first pepper ferment. I have 5 large half gallon jars fermenting since early October. These don''t have a layer on top, but there are white bits laying on the peppers that float in the brine when I move the jars. Do you think that this is the kahm yeast you spoke about? Is that something that I can rinse off before making the sauce? I can't really scrape it off since it's spread around so much. I made a small batch of sauce without fermenting and it turned out pretty good. Now I'm really excited to see how it is fermented and hope I can still use this batch. No super hot peppers here, though...just a mixture of cayenne, garden salsa, poblano, some bell peppers and some with garlic. Might go a little hotter next year, though.
Hi Bill, I am glad you are enjoying my videos!
If it is only flecks, and it is white, I think you will be fine. No need to scrape it off...or even rinse it off when you process it. Should be fine! If you send me a picture on Instagram, Twitter or Facebook I would be happy to have a look!
@@ChilliChump Thanks for the fast reply!! I have been pretty busy this week but saw you answered the same day. I'm not currently using any of the social media you mentioned, but I think you're right about it being safe. I think/hope it's just kahm yeast that has sunk below the brine surface. I guess I'll have a better idea when I open them and do the smell test. I'll check one jar and if I have any doubt then I'll sign up with instagram or something and send a pic. This is an awesome and informative channel!! I'm always looking forward to the next video! Keep up the good work!
Happy for you to upload it to Imgur.com and put a link here to that too. No need to sign up to social media just for the pic.
And I'm really glad you are enjoying my channel!
Great video! Did the PH meter video ever make it online? Can't seem to find it on the channel.
Not yet! It is coming up...been a bit busy with getting my season started. But things should find a rhythm now, so will free up some time
No rush! Take it easy! Doubt your foot makes things easier 😉. Get well soon and have a great growing season!
am here because I had one seaoned hot sauce and one unseasoned hot sauce. I open the unseasoned and processed it into bottles adding some things to preserve the final product. The seasoned one which I put a smidge of garlic and onion in, doesnt smell like the other one exactly, and the liquid went down some and expsoed the tops of the peppers on thetop and that part turned black on spots. The two brines are also not the same. The seasoned brine is yellowish whie the unseasoned brine is redish/orand liek the sauced will be. I am weighing my options. I yielded enough peppers to now have to worry is I toss the one batch or not.
That was a great video! I've had one ferment go bad so far. When I opened it, there was no question. Haha, they can be gross.
Thank you! Yeah, a bad fermentation does not smell great. I have had one smell like an animal had died inside!
Today I am making strawberry, ginger, kiwi, jalapeno, serano, and some kind of unknown whitish yellowish pepper.
That sounds like an interesting one! Let me know how it turns out!
I just found your channel last August but I'm catching up on episodes and really enjoy every video.
(I have many, many questions and observations but I'll restrain myself today.) Is there a benefit to fermenting a mash instead of just pepper rings? I ask because I have only ever fermented rings and I really enjoy regularly checking the jars and seeing a torrent of bubbles rush to the surface! Also, I only want to put peppers through the food processor once because cleanng it is a eye burning chore. Thanks.
Hi Spanky (lol...gotta love TH-cam names 😊)! I'm glad you are enjoying my videos!
With regards to mash Vs large pieces, I think ultimately it is down to preference. I like to do both....it depends on what I'm trying to get from the particular sauce, or even my mood on the day! I think that mashes will ferment more thoroughly. That could be a good or a bad thing. If you want some of the initial pepper flavour (pre ferment) then larger chunks instead of mash would be the way to go. But ultimately just experiment and see which you prefer. By the way, mash ferment gives more CO² bubbling off in my experience!
What if some jars didn't bubbles but no mold on top. Used fresh peppers from garden and bought suoer hot from pepper farmers.
Adding a layer of oil on the top couldn't prevent the development of molds? Great video, I'm binge watching your channel since 2 days. Thx for the great work. Cheers from France.
I have always been hesitant incorporating oil in my sauces. In fact one of the reasons I started fermenting my hot sauces is because of an amazing hot sauce my mom makes. She uses oil on the top, and I was reading up about the safety of that...the articles and research appeared to suggest that it wasn't a good way to do things. I would have to go back and read through again...but I don't use oil as a barrier right now.
And thank you for watching! I'm glad you are enjoying the videos!
Did you make the PH meter video that you talk about in this video? I just got me the cheap yellow meter (I didn’t know it would be in this video so I’m happy about that) I’d like to know more about using it. Thanks again for your time and knowledge.
I haven't yet had a chance. Maybe one for this weekend! I'll see what I can do
When you opened that first one your reaction was similar to mine when i opened my reaper fermentation. Straight gas mask after that.
Lol...there may or may not be reapers in that jar 😊
@@ChilliChump no better flavor for a pepper in my honest opinion
Did a small batch fermentation and after a couple weeks my mash had a pH of 2.3. It's very acidic and pungent. Any idea how I could balance it out a bit so it doesn't have such a bite? Love the channel so much. You've given me a wonderful hobby that I get to share with many people. Thanks!
Thank you, I am glad you enjoy my channel! Thank you for watching!
With regards to your sauce, you could add some ripe bell peppers to dilute the heat a bit. Or you could add tomatoes, but that would change the sauce quite a bit! Onions are another option.
nice vid.. btw i would love it if you were to make a super hot bbq sauce recipe. maybe something with trinidad chocolate peppers if you have any
I have used up my pepper stash for the year... Although I haven't released all the videos for them just yet. So a few more to go. Unfortunately I didn't do a BBQ sauce this year. I have it on my list though for the next year. Keep the suggestions coming!
Gday, you mention you can stir in the kahm yeast rather than scrape it off. Why would you do that, or why wouldn't you do that?
Edit: I kept watching and you kind of answered that. Only stir in if it is a little bit
What would be the main reasons behind a failed fermentation? Do you know what went south with those sauces that failed you?
They were both using the sterikap airlock, I think it was down to that (the little white thing on top of the lid). The one with the metal cap had that too but I tried to save it by putting on the normal lid. Not saying the sterikaps are bad, I just don't think they are meant for longer fermentations.
awesome video and very informative thank you, never heard the term "manky" before but I figured it out, you must be from across the pond ;)
He is from the other side of the pond. Not a South African term so could be from the "when we side". Lol
Above the brine level would make a good album title.
If it’s a clean ferment it’s a chilli sauce, if it’s a bad ferment just call it spicy Kombucha. 😃 Hey that’s an idea, try a chilli ferment with a Scoby!
Love your videos! Quick question. Whats your fermentation temperature? Im guessing around 20•c. When i do beer its anywhere between 10-22•c depending on style. Keep the vids coming!
Thank you! Similar to beers, it really depends what I am going for. But generally speaking...19 for a longer ferment, 20/21 for a quicker ferment (3-4 weeks)
My room temperature is hotter than 20-21°c, what should i do?
Try find somewhere in your house that is cooler...basement maybe, or a cupboard somewhere?
Great vid, so helpful. Where are the jars from? Can't find that sort of thing on Amazon (UK).
Which ones specifically were you interested in? Here are some on Amazon that I use: geni.us/16oz_500ml_canningjars
You can really tell the difference between the vibrant ferments and the infected ones - what is the worst bacteria that can grow in these sorts of things? Will it be a case of making the ferment taste horrible or could there be health effects?
The worst thing you could get when processing food (ferments, canning etc.) is botulinum or botulism. That is a killer! I actually wrote a a piece on food safety on my website. I have done an accompanying video, but not yet finished editing! www.chillichump.com/lets-talk-about-food-safety/
@@ChilliChump Thanks mate - I'll go check out your website
So many questions answered here, thank you! I have a question please, what is the difference with fermenting the mash alone versus pieces in brine? What makes you decide one versus another method? Cheers!
Ohhh!! I just found my answer in your other video, thanks!!
th-cam.com/video/snNRZBhCh3w/w-d-xo.htmlm55s
Hey there. I make the decision on whether to do a mash or brine ferment depending on the type of sauce im going for, flavours I want and how long I will ferment it. I would recommend a brine ferment for beginners though, easier to "fix" if something goes wrong!
Brine it is then! I am a beginner! Thank you so much for everything your teaching in your video series, so inspiring and helpful! Now, my wife asking if I'm done buying things.. receiving things from Amazon on a regular basis! hahaha I'm using 2 grow tents for now with leds, planning to bring most of them outside in pots this spring, not sure if I can do (in tents) all year round? will see! Cheers from Ottawa, Canada!
Hi, do you have a video on how you sanitise your fermentation vessels prior to starting a ferment? Also, I have heard of starsan in the context of brewing, much higher volumes than fermenting food. Can you talk to how safe it is for food fermentation and how you use it?
Hey, really appreciate your channel. Found it via recommendations since I'm into fermenting too, and now I got myself a new future hobby after moving to the house with garden :) How come that you use plastic containers for fermenting? AFAIK even BPA free plastic isn't safe when dealing with acidic environments like when fermenting. I recently fermented simple green and red hot peppers from the supermarket here and the brine became very thick, do you know anything about this? Thanks!
Hi there! I have done a lot of research on using plastic for fermenting. And BPA free plastic containers are safe. In fact most of my vinegar that I buy comes in BPA free plastic containers and that is far more acidic than any fermentation I've done!
With your fermentation...did you by any chance add carrots?
@@ChilliChump Hi, you're right about the vinegar I'm glad that I asked! The fermentation was only roughly chopped green and red chilis from the supermarket here in Israel (I don't know the strain but they're like Jalapeno plus hot), red bell pepper, garlic and a little bit of brown sugar in a 2.4% brine. Also an onion since I used your trick to submerge + fermenting weight :) It sat in the dark but temp wasn't stable at all, between 22-28C depending on the hour. Fermentation was bubbly but after 7 days there were no new bubbles so I stopped, blended and added some vinegar to it. The smell was great but the brine that I sieved out was of a thicker nature, something I never encountered with Sauerkraut or other random veggie ferments. This temp control fridge is def. on my list, great idea!
No problem!
I think the temperature was a little bit high, that might have caused theproblem. I like to keep my temperature around 19' and 20' Celsius. See if you have somewhere that is a little cooler for the next fermentation maybe
Excellent video! Super informative! Does anyone know if there was a video was made for using a PH meter? If so, does anyone have a link? I couldn't find it... :)
thanks again for such great videos. i'm guessing you'd get pretty sick if you tried to save fermentations gone bad. do you know what went wrong with the last two?
To be honest I purposely got those to mould for the purpose of demonstration. I didn't sterilise or clean properly...or seal the jars properly.
@@ChilliChump that is how you know you are the chili master [bows head in reverence]. i'm two weeks into my first ever batch! i'm so excited. thanks so much for your channel :)
I really enjoyed the video, but I feel like you could have explained a few methods of how to prevent your ferment going bad or reasons you suspect your two bad ferments have gone wrong :)
I explained some common issues you will see, based on thousands of fermentations I have done. I created a couple common issues just for the video
First fermentation is doing great, thanks for the inspiration and all the tips.
I've always wondered though: what's the difference between fermenting a mash and fermenting chopped peppers? Are there pros and cons to each method? Do the results differ somehow? When is it better to use one or the other? Thanks.
Hi Dominik, I am glad to be of help!
With regards to your question, I did a video on the topic, hopefully it answers your question: th-cam.com/video/1IyrvH-Gexk/w-d-xo.html
Just started my first fermentation 15 days ago, apparently it stopped fermenting (there is not visible bubbles). I used 2.5% salt brine. Everything is looking good, peppers with vibrant colors, nothing growing in the jars, but the smell, mhhh.
It smells like when you leave a pepper in a plastic bag on your coutertop or your fridge for too long.
Since it is my first time doing it I'm not sure if it is ok to use it. Any advice?
I been growing peppers for many years but all my sauces where made fresh or cooked, until I find your channel and your fermented hot sauces. 🇲🇽
The primary fermentation will be done at this stage. So don't expect too much activity anymore. Is it a sulphur smell, like rotten eggs?
@@ChilliChump The smell is more like a jalapeño starting to go bad (even when I am using only C. Chinense).
I am doing 3 jars:
#1 mostly Red Peppers with pink salt, PH 5.3
#2 mostly Peach, Yellow, White peppers with Sea Salt, PH 5.2
#3 50% Red Peppers and 50% color peppers with table salt, PH 4.4
The #3 is the less smelly and it's the only one that smells like a hot pepper.
If it smells bad, I wouldn't risk it
now I'm curious about the pH of the bad fermentations
I have not taken the time to watch all of your videos, which are very interesting and educative and cool because I just found out about your channel. I'm growing peppers for a few years now and this year I'm really exited in fermenting some of my peppers.
My question is HOW and how long can you store fermented hotsauce?
I'm currently fermenting my first try and it's at 9 days fermenting as we speak and looking very healthy. I want to go for 2 full weeks of fermenting, but I do not know what to do to store it for a long time. Kindly advice :-)
Chilli lover Vector
Hi Victor....I would go longer than 2 weeks. I would suggest at least 3 weeks, but even better 4 to 6 weeks.
If you fermented correctly and bottle correctly, the sauce will last for years on the shelf (no refrigeration required)
@@ChilliChump Hi there, thanks for the fast reply! the thing is that I do not have a waterlock on my jar (just yet) so I have to open up the jar every day to let it have it's burp. But then oxygen get in and I'm afraid that if I wait to long it might go bad. Or am I being over concerned here?
It isn't ideal...and you could end up with mould on top. Have a look at this video I did, there are some cheap/free ways to make airlocks! th-cam.com/video/Sz-I4jlm9mc/w-d-xo.html
Ok, I just put my peppers in about a 3% solution on Saturday (4 days ago). I did 3 large jars and one is already bubbling and a bit cloudy, the other 2 are bubbling a bit, but nothing like the first. Is the one that is already bubbling ok, should I open quickly and check? I am only planning on fermenting for about 2 weeks to make sauces for Christmas presents. I really enjoy your videos and insight.
Hi Sean, I wouldn't open them. They sound just fine. Let them run for the 2 weeks...I may even suggest 3 if you are able. If there is any activity (which you said there is) then they are just fine! Let me know how it turns out!
@@ChilliChump, great! Thanks for the insight.
@@ChilliChump, so I visually checked them again and the one I am concerned about looks like some water bubbled out of the bubbler top and it is cloudy. I also noticed two of my garlic cloves in the jar are turning a bluish color, could I have put too much liquid in the jar and it is overflowing a bit. The other two look great. I will let them run for 3 weeks as you have suggested.
Thanks, Sean
It is possible you put too much liquid...the fermentation process will cause the liquid level to rise anyway (bubbles pushing on the contents of the jar). And don't worry about the blue garlic, it is normal! To me it sounds pretty healthy, so just keep an eye on it, but you should have a good result at the end!
@@ChilliChump, perfect! Thanks again, hopefully I won't bother you anymore other than telling you how it comes out. I am looking forward to it.
A follow-up question I have to this: what's the best way of disposing of a failed fermentation? If you tossed it in some compost, would it be all right, or would the salt and acid make it plant poison? Or would the bad bacteria take over and a compost monster would eat your house?
I don't think I would suggest putting it in your compost, the salt would not be great!
Thanks for that, really helpful. I've made a large hot pepper ferment and the brine is a bit milky. Is that ok or will it depend on the smell? It's been fermenting for 2 or 3 weeks.
Milky is no problem at all. I was hoping one of my fermentations would have milky brine to show, but unfortunately I didn't. Milky brine is absolutely normal (the stuff you see at the bottom of Fermentation #1 is just that milkiness all settled at the bottom.)
Thanks for the helpful reply. I sent you a photo on twitter of the ferment I did from our work garden a week or 2 ago, it's going well (now I know that milky is ok!)
Your channel is a mine of information and inspiration, so much so that I plan to scale up and experiment with a view to selling sauces and a few other things. Thank you! Keep up the brilliant work.
Hi Mark, I checked Twitter. Didn't see anything there?
@@ChilliChump I'll send it again.
Hey do you have a tutorial on how to do a Mash fermentation ?
Here you go
th-cam.com/video/iQqyA5zbps0/w-d-xo.html
I would also recommend looking at my fermenting playlist:
th-cam.com/play/PLuQ_ySnkV1elfcdlvXeIQUEzVI87vtZqF.html
@@ChilliChump awesome im new in the fermenting game with peppers and you give a lot of awesome tips on it thanks a mill and keep it up im rooting for you
Do you ever save your brine? If so, what uses do you put to it?
I do save my brine! Have. A look at this video I did recently, I talk about a couple ways to use it! th-cam.com/video/WN7VX7VzyLY/w-d-xo.html
Hi,
I am coming to the end of my first attempt at fermentation and I see white spots all over the top that should be Kahm yeast but I’m not exactly sure if I should remove it or stir it in. Any suggestions?
Thank you for all your help, love your channel!
hi
don't mean to be a besserwisser, but I always boil the water before I add it at the start.
maybe you could prevent some of the stuff growing in there with that easy step.
water from the tap, and even from a bottle will have bakteria in it.
regards, gerard