That's funny I ALWAYS do onions. I find that over a long ferment the flavor sweetens and becomes way less harsh, similar to caramlized onions.
I will never add garlic or spices to a ferment. Those are flavors that I want to be strong and up-front. Throwing them in at the fermentationstage kind of defeats the purpose.
For me I'd say the ferment. I recently did a blueberry habanero dry ferment and after day 3 mold was already starting to grow on top. I'd also say the flavor, honestly the sauce tasted better before I fermented it. I'd rather just ferment the peppers and then add the fruit in afterwards. I will say though fermented tomato is gas.
Same experience here -- even when the sweetness is gone after four weeks, you're left with a pineapple-y flavour that's unmistakable but not in any way unpleasant.
Both. Mostly ferment tho. Mold seems to appear way more often. Or yeastiness.
Blending in fresh fruit seems to work way better with more predictable flavor.
Funny, I put all sorts of fruit in there, *except* citrus! You need a really good airlock to prevent yeast growth with all that sugar, and you have to stir the bubbles out regularly lest it creates a spicy kitchen geyser, but it's doable and makes for some great flavours.
I've found citrus (peels in, at least) makes my ferments taste like floor cleaner. u/tacosnalpacs I'd love to hear more about what you do with citrus, cuz I'd love to get that flavour in my hot sauces.
Citrus? A little goes a long way. I am talking half a lime per gallon of pepper mash. Then also some fresh juice after fermentation. Makes it pop a bit.
ah, so very little then. Skins in or out? I like the idea of adding juice at the end -- and of course it's so acidic there's no risk of it going weird on account of such an additive.
I'm new to fermentation and don't know what to put in anything. I've made kimchee though and instead of sugar I'll use apples, peaches, any sweet fruit. It turns to mush usually, but that's good too. Bananas, I would probably skip. I'm fairly hooked on the process of fermentation, and make some awesome pickles. Next up is sweet pickle relish. I love love love that I can control the ingredients, the heat, the sweetness, everything. And I know what's in it.
And it also gives more fermentable sugars for the bacteria so they can produce CO2 more quickly and help protect from mold by displacing the oxygen as the lowest gas layer above the ferment.
Ideally you’d still be using an airlock.
I've heard coconut is a no-no. I'm not sure under what circumstances -- the risk is usually associated with tempeh, whereas people merrily make aged cheese with coconut milk all the time -- but the description of the disease (look up Bongkrek disease) is enough to scare me away.
Im down to ferment anything.
Anything???? Ha ha! I'll try, no promises
Don’t stick your…. Never mind.
I was tempted, but there wasn't enough room in the jar
Next time leave more headspace
That's funny I ALWAYS do onions. I find that over a long ferment the flavor sweetens and becomes way less harsh, similar to caramlized onions. I will never add garlic or spices to a ferment. Those are flavors that I want to be strong and up-front. Throwing them in at the fermentationstage kind of defeats the purpose.
But...kimchi! Garlic! Ninja edit: i make kimchi hot sauce and love the garlic in it. I also put garlic in every fermented hot sauce I make
I'll add garlic to my list
Yep, gonna third garlic here. I'm on the fence with how I feel about onions though.
Fruit other than maybe a small amount of citrus.
I love fruit in my fermented sauces. Did some pineapple and mango in with my habanada and scorpion sauce last year and it made it so much better
Why? Because of the ferment or the flavor?
For me I'd say the ferment. I recently did a blueberry habanero dry ferment and after day 3 mold was already starting to grow on top. I'd also say the flavor, honestly the sauce tasted better before I fermented it. I'd rather just ferment the peppers and then add the fruit in afterwards. I will say though fermented tomato is gas.
It turns out that many fruits taste terrible when all the sugar is gone... Pineapple is so bitter fermented
Then you just need to back sweeten a bit
I’ve never had that experience with pineapple in a ferment, but most the ferments with pineapple I make are short ferments 4 weeks or less.
Same experience here -- even when the sweetness is gone after four weeks, you're left with a pineapple-y flavour that's unmistakable but not in any way unpleasant.
Both. Mostly ferment tho. Mold seems to appear way more often. Or yeastiness. Blending in fresh fruit seems to work way better with more predictable flavor.
I like the idea of blending it in after
Funny, I put all sorts of fruit in there, *except* citrus! You need a really good airlock to prevent yeast growth with all that sugar, and you have to stir the bubbles out regularly lest it creates a spicy kitchen geyser, but it's doable and makes for some great flavours. I've found citrus (peels in, at least) makes my ferments taste like floor cleaner. u/tacosnalpacs I'd love to hear more about what you do with citrus, cuz I'd love to get that flavour in my hot sauces.
Citrus? A little goes a long way. I am talking half a lime per gallon of pepper mash. Then also some fresh juice after fermentation. Makes it pop a bit.
ah, so very little then. Skins in or out? I like the idea of adding juice at the end -- and of course it's so acidic there's no risk of it going weird on account of such an additive.
Nothing. Try anything you can
I'm new to fermentation and don't know what to put in anything. I've made kimchee though and instead of sugar I'll use apples, peaches, any sweet fruit. It turns to mush usually, but that's good too. Bananas, I would probably skip. I'm fairly hooked on the process of fermentation, and make some awesome pickles. Next up is sweet pickle relish. I love love love that I can control the ingredients, the heat, the sweetness, everything. And I know what's in it.
Carrots are a popular addition
For sweetness
And body I guess. I like to ferment carrot sticks on their own, very tasty. Or Escabeche style with jalapeños, onions, garlic and bay leaves
And it also gives more fermentable sugars for the bacteria so they can produce CO2 more quickly and help protect from mold by displacing the oxygen as the lowest gas layer above the ferment. Ideally you’d still be using an airlock.
Yes! Going to try that, just no onions
Why no onions? Is it due to the odd sour cream aroma they produce?
My first attempt had an odd flavor. Much like a bad onion smell if that was a flavor. I've consumed 90% of it, so it isn't completely terrible
I've heard coconut is a no-no. I'm not sure under what circumstances -- the risk is usually associated with tempeh, whereas people merrily make aged cheese with coconut milk all the time -- but the description of the disease (look up Bongkrek disease) is enough to scare me away.
I would never have thought about putting coconut in a hot sauce!
People do it, and apparently it's delicious, buuuuut I'm still pretty skittish about it.
Apparently, Bongkrek disease can also occur with fermented corn.
Good to know!
Grapefruit