Lacto Fermented Dried Pepper Hot Sauce Recipe
I use the Noma Guide To Fermentation method when lacto fermenting. It is a great book and resource for those serious about fermentation and how it works. Get your copy here.
Ingredients:
2 oz Chile de arbol
.25 pequin peppers
1 shallot (I used 5 yellow pearl onions in the video)
7-10 cloves garlic depending on size
1/4 c brine from previous ferment or the juice from unpasteurized sauerkraut (can be store bought)
Fine sea salt
Filtered or bottled spring water
Tools needed:
Mason jar
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Fermentation lid with air lock (link is for wide mouthed jars)
Fermentation weight
Cutting board
Sharp knife
Mixing bowl
Ramekin or small dish
Blender
Fine mesh strainer
Small ladle
Measuring cup
How to make it:
Wearing gloves while handling the peppers is recommended.
Remove seeds from the peppers. I find it easiest to cut stem end off and roll the pepper in my fingers letting the seeds fall from the pepper.
Rough chop the onion or shallot, depending on what you're using.
Lightly smash the garlic on the cutting board, remove the outer paper layer.
Place the jar on the scale, set to grams and tare (zero) there scale.
Place the peppers, garlic and shallot into the mason jar. Fill jar with water just to the bottom of the neck of the jar. Record that weight and multiply by 2.5 %. This will be the amount of fine sea salt needed to make the brine.
For example:
The your weight of the ingredients plus water is 825 g
825 x .025 = 20.625 g
If your scale won’t read decimal points, round to the nearest whole number. 21 g is the amount of salt needed to make the brine.
Pour the water from the jar into a mixing bowl, holding back the ingredients.
Add small dish on the scale, tare and add the calculated amount of salt. Add salt to the water and mix thoroughly to dissolve. Add the newly made brine back to the jar with the ingredients. Add the brine to the jar and place fermentation weight. Make sure that the ingredients stay submerged underneath the brine level. Any ingredient allowed to be exposed to air may mold and you will most likely need to discard the batch and start over.
Ferment on your countertop or in the pantry away from direct sunlight at room temperature for 2 weeks to 1 month. I have a place in my pantry that stays relatively consistent temperature wise. I find that this ferments best at 68-75 degrees F.
Once the fermentation process is done I check the pH to make sure it is under 4.6. This one was at 3.7 pH, well below that threshold where bad bacteria may grow. Add all ingredients to a small stock pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes, keeping a lid placed on the pot to reduce evaporation of liquid and to hold back the fumes from the peppers. The fumes may irritate your eyes and or sinuses. You may also want to crack a window or turn on your hood vents to help with the fumes. I usually make my spicier sauces outside, which really helps.
Once the ingredients are done simmering, place in a blender and blend for 1 minute. I like to strain my sauces for a smoother sauce through a fine mesh strainer. Cool to room temperature, optionally check the pH again. I store my sauces in mason jars, though hot sauce bottles are great too.
This will keep for many months in the refrigerator.
Enjoy on tacos, burritos, eggs, really wherever you like hot sauces!
Enjoy
Logan
