Extra Tasty Fermented Jalapeno Relish

Fermented relish, ingredients chopped with a knife.

Ingredients:

12 jalapeños

1 red bell pepper

3 cloves garlic

1 small red onion

1 oregano stem

Fine sea salt (for the brine done by weight - 3% brine)

Filtered, unchlorinated water or bottled spring water

***Once fermented, strain out the relish reserving the brine. Mix in 1/4 c white wine vinegar, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp black pepper, 1 tsp chili powder, 1/8 tsp cumin, and 1 tbsp honey.

Tools needed:

Pint size mason jar w/lid

Fermentation weight (small jar or ziplock bag filled with water)

Sharp knife

Cutting board

Food processor (can chop ingredients with a knife)

Ramekin

How to make it:

Clean the peppers under cold running water.  Cut stems off jalapeños and the root ends off the garlic cloves.  Halve the jalapeños and cut into 1/2 inch thick slices.  Cut stem top off the bell pepper, cut off into sections around the seeds and placenta, rough chop.  Check that the seeds/placenta on the peppers are not discolored on any of the peppers.  If there are any discolored seeds, scrape them out with paring knife or spoon.  Any peppers that look like they’re starting to go bad on the inside, discard.  The bell pepper should be cut to be about the same size as the garlic cloves.

Peel the garlic, cut off the root ends.  Peel onion and rough chop removing root end.  All of the ingredients are to be cut about the same size so that it processes evenly.  If using a knife, rough mince the ingredients about the same size.

Place all ingredients into a food processor and pulse 3-5 times in 5 second intervals.  If you are using a knife to chop ingredients, skip this part. The ingredients should resemble a fine dice and not processed to the point of being completely broken down.

Set scale to read grams.

Place the jar on scale, zero out (tare).   Fill the jar with the processed ingredients, fill with filtered water.   Leave enough head space so that you can put a weight in the jar (about 2 inches of head room).  Record that weight.

The following equation will get us the amount of fine sea salt for the brine:

Ingredients in the jar plus the water x .03 (3%) = amount of sea salt we need for the brine in grams.  Ex:  if the ingredients plus water is 312 g, multiply it by .03 which equals 9.36 g.  I round down to 9 grams as that decimal place is minimal.  Plus, my scale doesn't weight in grams.

Pour out some of this liquid into a mixing bowl.  Place an empty ramekin on the scale, tare the scale.  Add the calculated amount of salt to the ramekin and add to the water that is in the mixing bowl.  Mix thoroughly with whisk and add this salty water back to the jar with the ingredients.  Place a water filled ziplock bag in the jar keeping the ingredients weighted down. It is important to keep the ingredients completely submerged.  Let sit at room temperature away from direct sunlight.  I have a special spot in my pantry for my ferments since the temperature is consistent and away from light.  Let ferment for 7 days.  Around day 3, you will see some bubbling activity…a good sign that it is fermenting properly.  I taste at day 3 to see how the fermentation process is going and if it needs to go longer.  If it is too hot in your house, it will ferment faster.  I keep my ferments around 68-75 degrees for best results.

Check pH if you are able to do so after the 7 days.  Any reading less that 4.6 is acceptable and safe to consume.  It should be around 3.6-3.8 if the fermentation process worked the way is should.

Enjoy

-Logan