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Fermented pepper mash
Kingudaroad,
I have made Tabasco wine once, just for curiosity. Some raisins were added to balance the flavor, whole Tabasco peppers, a packet of wine making yeasts (60 cents), Red Star-Pasteur Champagne brand and water. Fermenting crock was made from the empty 1 gallon red wine glass container. The lid was discarded and the rubber stopper and double bubble air-lock was inserted into it. This is a typical wine making set-up available everywhere on Internet. With slight modifications it will work for making sauerkraut and pickles - you can see it at http://www.wedlinydomowe.com/food-pr...raut/equipment just below Fermenting clay crocks.
The product turned out great of a very nice light brown color. Needless to say it was incredibly hot and had alcohol in it. If you can swallow it you are the man. I used it for making salad dressings.
Te reason I refer to this experiment is the fermenting crock. My experience is limited to sauerkraut, pickles and wine making and usually when a vegetable such as cucumber or shredded cabbage gets in direct contact with air, the scum follows on the top. This white foam is produced by yeasts and molds and should be removed on a regular basis. Yeasts and molds need air to live and if a barrier is created between vegetable and yeasts, there is no reaction.
The easiest way to create such a baffle is to submerge the product in its own brine. This means to weigh it down. It also helps to pack it fully in a container as this creates less space and air. Fermenting crocks equipped with the air-lock are the best solution, as the fermenting gas (CO2, soda gas) pushes the air out of the container. No air, no slime production.
You have added 8% salt by weight which will definitely inhibit growth of spoilage bacteria, but...it may prevent the growth of fermenting bacteria (lactic acid bacteria). I don't know how much sugar Tabasco pepper contains, sauerkraut contains about 3%. Those bacteria live by breaking down sugar into lactic acid, acetic acid (vinegar), carbon dioxide (soda gas) and some other compounds.
My guess is that Tabasco peppers are so hot that they inhibit other bacteria. Nevertheless adding some vinegar to your mixture cannot harm. Vinegar always provides some safety. I think that you will get pretty good Tabasco sauce, just keep an eye on those yeasts and any foam that may accumulate on top. Just scoop it up with a spoon.
Kingudaroad,
I have made Tabasco wine once, just for curiosity. Some raisins were added to balance the flavor, whole Tabasco peppers, a packet of wine making yeasts (60 cents), Red Star-Pasteur Champagne brand and water. Fermenting crock was made from the empty 1 gallon red wine glass container. The lid was discarded and the rubber stopper and double bubble air-lock was inserted into it. This is a typical wine making set-up available everywhere on Internet. With slight modifications it will work for making sauerkraut and pickles - you can see it at http://www.wedlinydomowe.com/food-pr...raut/equipment just below Fermenting clay crocks.
The product turned out great of a very nice light brown color. Needless to say it was incredibly hot and had alcohol in it. If you can swallow it you are the man. I used it for making salad dressings.
Te reason I refer to this experiment is the fermenting crock. My experience is limited to sauerkraut, pickles and wine making and usually when a vegetable such as cucumber or shredded cabbage gets in direct contact with air, the scum follows on the top. This white foam is produced by yeasts and molds and should be removed on a regular basis. Yeasts and molds need air to live and if a barrier is created between vegetable and yeasts, there is no reaction.
The easiest way to create such a baffle is to submerge the product in its own brine. This means to weigh it down. It also helps to pack it fully in a container as this creates less space and air. Fermenting crocks equipped with the air-lock are the best solution, as the fermenting gas (CO2, soda gas) pushes the air out of the container. No air, no slime production.
You have added 8% salt by weight which will definitely inhibit growth of spoilage bacteria, but...it may prevent the growth of fermenting bacteria (lactic acid bacteria). I don't know how much sugar Tabasco pepper contains, sauerkraut contains about 3%. Those bacteria live by breaking down sugar into lactic acid, acetic acid (vinegar), carbon dioxide (soda gas) and some other compounds.
My guess is that Tabasco peppers are so hot that they inhibit other bacteria. Nevertheless adding some vinegar to your mixture cannot harm. Vinegar always provides some safety. I think that you will get pretty good Tabasco sauce, just keep an eye on those yeasts and any foam that may accumulate on top. Just scoop it up with a spoon.
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