About making fermented hot pepper sauces

11 years ago

I first learned about preparing fermented hot sauces from this forum, this year, turned in that direction by sjetski. Well better late than never;)

I picked up tips from the internet. There seem to be two ways of doing it.

One, the peppers (and garlic and such) are crushed or chopped fine with salt and left to ferment, loosely covered. And the mixture is stirred fully once or twice a day until a 'fermented to taste' then vinegar is added. This is clearly an aerobic fermentation.

The second, whole or sliced peppers are completely covered in brine, made to stay put under brine covered tightly for a length of time. Then drained out of the brine and pureed with vinegar. This seems to me an anaerobic fermentation.

I have done the first type. I found many recipes for Sriracha type sauces that are made this way and it works quite well.

My question is what is the difference between the two types? As far as I know lacto-fermenting bacteria are aerobic fermenters. What is happening in the second type of fermentation? Does anyone know the significant difference in taste between the two methods of fermentation?

Thank you!

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Comments (4)

woohooman San Diego CA zone 10a
11 years ago
One is using a starter(microbes) to get the action going and is, IMO, TRUE fermentation. The second is nothing more than pickling, using the salt and vinegar to preserve the peppers.

I use lacto to do my hot sauce..just started a batch today. In the second option, I keep the peppers whole, usually jalapenos and/or serranos and served much like i would serve a cucumber pickle...sandwiches, salads, toppings, condiment. If you like your hot sauce like i do, tangy but not vinegary, lacto is the way to go. Also, it isn't necessary to add vinegar to your finished lacto mash...I don't.

For much more info..

click here

Kevin
katyajini thanked woohooman San Diego CA zone 10a
katyajini
Original Author
11 years ago
Thank you for that link woohooman. I love the tangy taste of the first type. But I must be doing something wrong. The fermentation starts, flavor grows then after about 7 days it does not taste good anymore and goes on to taste worse and worse. It has an alcoholic burn and bitterness to it. I don't get that. I will practice some more but I don't know what I am doing wrong. K.
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kentishman
11 years ago
The lactic fermentation produces a pH that is low enough that vinegar isn't required. Some people don't like a vinegary taste. I've only done one lactic fermentation (cranberries, pears, and Congo Trinidad peppers), and the resulting sauce had a very different taste than sauces I've made with vinegar.
woohooman San Diego CA zone 10a
11 years ago
K:

Try fermenting for 4-6 weeks. What else are you adding to the mash besides peppers?

Kevin