Fermenting.

[Worth1]

I think this is white pine cant remember.
I do have some White Oak I will replace it with.
The ones Lehmans sells are made from poplar and they recommend preserving the wood beforehand.



Worth

[Worth1]

Okay now for the next day cold pepper taste report.
I am very satisfied with the taste of the peppers both the regular and the sweet.
The sweet ones aren't that sweet just a wee bit sweet.
They are every bit as good and crunchy as the crunchy pickled peppers you get in the jar like the Mezzetta hot chilies.
Yesterday I was a little put off but today they are good.
It is kind of hard to tell about this stuff if you are standing over a big crock of peppers.
Worth

[Worth1]

I pulled the pine disk and made a smaller single disk made from white oak with a pressed in oak dowel sticking up.

The lid comes down and pushes the wood disk under the brine.

Worth
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[Cole_Robbie]

I find the subject of fermentation to be very intimidating. It's about microscopic stuff I can't see. I really have no idea what is going on. I think there is stuff I am supposed to buy...I don't know what stuff. It's all very confusing to someone who has never done it before, or even seen it being done.

[Father'sDaughter]

Originally Posted by Cole_Robbie

I find the subject of fermentation to be very intimidating. It's about microscopic stuff I can't see. I really have no idea what is going on. I think there is stuff I am supposed to buy...I don't know what stuff. It's all very confusing to someone who has never done it before, or even seen it being done.

I'm the opposite. I know the mechanics of how to ferment things, I will sit for endless amount of time watching it in action, and I love the smell of a good fermentation. I'm not so interested in the how and why. I just know it does what it does and if I follow the basic rules, it usually produces a good result.

I make breads with both commercial yeast and sourdough starter. I've fermented malt and barley to make beer. I've made wine from grape juices and mead from honey. I always ferment my tomato seeds in open containers.

I don't like cucumber pickles, and sauerkraut is something my husband enjoys more than I do, but this thread now has me wanting to try my hand at fermenting some peppers.

[Rajun Gardener]

Cole, I feel the same way. I'm doing my 1st batch and I'm glad I used a 1 gallon jar so I can see what's happening in there.

I woke up this morning to it starting to ferment, I used a surgical glove over the top to check the process and it's waving at me. All of the mash floated to the top of the brine and it's bubbling. I had to push the container of water back down to keep the mash below the brine so I need to figure something out to keep it down.

Worth, will those little bits floating ruin this batch?

[Worth1]

They should be fine just skim the top off.
How did you end up with so much fluid?


Now, 'this thread and a few more threads about food has shown more about some of the people here than any other discussion combined.

As a kid I had a bedroom that was like some sort of mad scientist room.
Wires and batteries jars of bubbling who knows what bug collections strange smells and fumes, animal skeletons and sculls.
And books stacked up everywhere.

Worth

[Rajun Gardener]

I mixed a quart of brine and used it all. Is that gonna mess it up?

[Rajun Gardener]

I've been reading more about fermenting and found a few articles saying that mold shouldn't develop using an air lock system. I also found one recommending using white oak, grape or blackberry leaves in the crock to maintain crispy vegetables, they contain tannins.

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by Rajun Gardener

I mixed a quart of brine and used it all. Is that gonna mess it up?

No it just makes it troublesome.
You will know if it is messed up because you just will.
You will not want to eat it smell it or be around it.
To give yourself some input on what this would be like just chop up some peppers and add water and watch it rot.
It wont take long.
When it comes to nasty smells I dont think there is anything much worse than rotted peppers.
I rot the left over trimmings on purpose in a bucket and toss them on the compost pile.

[Rajun Gardener]

I saw a few youtubes and some people keep some of the brine to use as a starter for the next batch. Have you tried this?

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by Rajun Gardener

I saw a few youtubes and some people keep some of the brine to use as a starter for the next batch. Have you tried this?

I have read about it and they do it with sauerkraut sometimes.
I read a whole report on it somewhere but dont remember where.

When you find the video on YouTube with the woman from the university of Alaska making sauerkraut head for the hills no better yet watch it. it is comic to say the least.
I can see why she is doing it but talk about going to the extreme on measurements and other information.
Worth

[Rajun Gardener]

After reading and watch more youtubes, it seems like it's hard to mess this up. I've seen everything from using a towel for a lid, all more peppers as you go, stirring it daily, adding sugar if you use green peppers, using an air lock to just lightly tightening a mason jar lid to using any jar.

I added sugar and removed the lids I had to hold the mash down and stirred it up. Now it's all mash and not a big bowl of brine, the peppers really float up above the brine.

I wish I would've added carrots, I think the sweetness will make a better sauce.

[Worth1]

What are you going to do with this after it is finished?

Worth

[Rajun Gardener]

I'm gonna make hot sauce with the big batch and I'll eat the other jar. It's a learning thing so I have to try it and then make a decision if I like it.