The fermentation of hot sauce
Different Kinds of Hot Sauce: Picking Your Pepper
Hot sauce is a popular condiment all around the world. There are a variety of hot sauces that we can create, and they all depend on the original chili peppers we ferment to make them. The most common peppers to use when fermenting chili peppers into hot sauce are habanero, chili, cayenne, jalapeno, and Holland peppers. Habanero peppers are easily found at many farmers markets during the summer time. They come in a variety of colors: green red and yellow. The ghost chili is known for being the hottest or spiciest chili on the earth. Most people that have ghost peppers, find that fermenting them into hot sauce is the best and most tolerable way to make use of them. Cayenne peppers are often found ground up into a spice, however they also find their way into hot sauces often enough. The well-known buffalo sauce is made with cayenne. Jalapenos are one of the most well-known hot peppers and arguably the easiest peppers to access, thus they are great candidates for hot sauce. Holland peppers, or as we know them better as bell peppers, are not as spicy as typical hot peppers. These can be used in fermentation if you do not want as bold of a hot sauce.
The Traditional Fermentation Process
-The fermentation process for hot sauce is similar to that of sauerkraut. First you must choose which hot peppers you want to ferment. Once you have picked out your pepper, remove the stems and chop the peppers into small pieces. Add salt to taste, or if you feel better measuring, 2% by weight. At this point you can get creative and make your hot sauce unique by adding garlic, other spices or other vegetables. You can also add a little bit of sugar if you want to balance out the spiciness of your hot sauce into something a little milder. You then put this concoction in a jar and let it ferment for about one month, or a little longer. Throughout this process keep an eye on your peppers making sure they are completely submerged. You may find spots or layers of mold growing on the top of you hot sauce, if this happens simply skim it off the top. This is normal and will happen sometimes, it doesn’t mean that your hot sauce is bad and you must dispose of it. After you are done fermenting your peppers, dump your concoction into a food processor and liquefy it. You are left with your fermented hot sauce!
Problems Fermenting?
If you are having problems fermenting, you may want to add some sort of starter to your peppers. Good starters for hot sauce include, whey from yogurt or milk, or brine from sauerkraut. These fluids will help give your hot peppers the kick start they need to turn into the sensational, spicy sauce we are desiring.
The History of Hot Sauce
The history of hot sauce is one that goes back over 6000 years ago to Mexico, Central America and South America. It was in these regions that hot peppers were first discovered and eaten. Chili peppers were more than common in the diets of Early Americans. Although archaeologists are unable to confirm or deny whether these Americans fermented these hot peppers 6000 years ago, it is probable that they did. Fermentation is first confirmed in the 16th century, when hot peppers first were transported all around the world. During the time, explorers found the hot peppers from the Americans, and brought them back to Europe, Asia, and Africa. It is at this time that researchers can confirm fermentation was taking place. In order to preserve the peppers, they were fermented and turned into hot sauce. Hot sauce became a new and popular condiment in Europe, Asia, and Africa used to add flavor to traditional meals. However it wasn’t until 1807, when the first commercially bottled hot sauce was sold. Tabasco sauce was first created in 1868 and is the only original hot sauce from that time that is still available and created today.
Hot Sauce Today
Fermentation is not as commonly used to create hot sauce today. Most hot sauces are made commercially instead of the traditional fermentation method. Common fermented sauces that are sold today are Tabasco and Sir Ra Cha. Tabasco sauce, as I mentioned earlier was one of the original hot sauces that was created in the 1800s. Sri Ra Cha is also a traditional hot sauce still sold today that is made by the fermentation method. These sauces can be found in grocery stores and also in traditional Mexican restaurants.
Health Benefits of Hot Sauce
Not only is hot sauce delicious, fun to ferment, and have an intriguing historical past, it also has many health benefits. Hot sauce is full of probiotics, bacteria that is beneficial to our bodies. Studies show that hot peppers kill up to 75 percent of bacteria in our bodies. The most common bacteria in hot sauce, is lactobacillus. It is found in many fermented foods in addition to just hot sauce. Lactobacillus help break down food and absorb nutrients in our bodies. They also do a lot of killing of bad bacteria that we have in our guts that I mentioned a little bit ago. Hot sauce also has capsaicin in it. Capsaicin is a chemical compound that gives hot sauce its most well-known attribute: its spiciness. This spicy sensation causes a rush of endorphins that can work as a type of pain reliever. Doctors have been known to prescribe this to patients suffering from arthritis. Another helpful component of hot sauce is vitamin C. Vitamin C has been known to lower blood pressure. Doctors also have said that those who consume more vitamin C have a lower risk of heart disease. Carotene is another important substance found in hot sauce. Carotene breaks down into vitamin A through the digestion process, which is a kind of antioxidant.
Sample Recipe for a Modern Fermented Hot Sauce
Yield: about 1 quart
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 5 to 7 days
Ready In: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
3 pounds fresh chili peppers
4 to 6 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
2 tablespoons unrefined cane sugar, optional
2 teaspoons unrefined sea salt
Vegetable starter culture dissolved in ¼ cup water, or ¼ cup fresh whey
Instructions:
1. Snip the stems from the chilies, but leave their green tops intact.
2. Combine all ingredients in a food processor, or mince by hand, until chopped to a fine pasty texture.
3. Spoon the chili paste into a glass mason jar and allow it to fermented, covered, at room temperature for five to seven days.
4. After the chili paste has bubbled and brewed for about a week, set a fine-mesh sieve over a mixing bowl and spoon the fermented chili paste into the sieve. With a wooden spoon, press the chili paste into the slides of the sieve so that the sauce drips from the sieve into the waiting mixing bowl.
5. Once you’ve pressed and pushed the chili sauce through the sieve, pour the sauce from the bowl into jar or bottle and store in the refrigerator. The sauce will keep for several months.
Fermented Hot Sauce Video
Hot sauce is a popular condiment all around the world. There are a variety of hot sauces that we can create, and they all depend on the original chili peppers we ferment to make them. The most common peppers to use when fermenting chili peppers into hot sauce are habanero, chili, cayenne, jalapeno, and Holland peppers. Habanero peppers are easily found at many farmers markets during the summer time. They come in a variety of colors: green red and yellow. The ghost chili is known for being the hottest or spiciest chili on the earth. Most people that have ghost peppers, find that fermenting them into hot sauce is the best and most tolerable way to make use of them. Cayenne peppers are often found ground up into a spice, however they also find their way into hot sauces often enough. The well-known buffalo sauce is made with cayenne. Jalapenos are one of the most well-known hot peppers and arguably the easiest peppers to access, thus they are great candidates for hot sauce. Holland peppers, or as we know them better as bell peppers, are not as spicy as typical hot peppers. These can be used in fermentation if you do not want as bold of a hot sauce.
The Traditional Fermentation Process
-The fermentation process for hot sauce is similar to that of sauerkraut. First you must choose which hot peppers you want to ferment. Once you have picked out your pepper, remove the stems and chop the peppers into small pieces. Add salt to taste, or if you feel better measuring, 2% by weight. At this point you can get creative and make your hot sauce unique by adding garlic, other spices or other vegetables. You can also add a little bit of sugar if you want to balance out the spiciness of your hot sauce into something a little milder. You then put this concoction in a jar and let it ferment for about one month, or a little longer. Throughout this process keep an eye on your peppers making sure they are completely submerged. You may find spots or layers of mold growing on the top of you hot sauce, if this happens simply skim it off the top. This is normal and will happen sometimes, it doesn’t mean that your hot sauce is bad and you must dispose of it. After you are done fermenting your peppers, dump your concoction into a food processor and liquefy it. You are left with your fermented hot sauce!
Problems Fermenting?
If you are having problems fermenting, you may want to add some sort of starter to your peppers. Good starters for hot sauce include, whey from yogurt or milk, or brine from sauerkraut. These fluids will help give your hot peppers the kick start they need to turn into the sensational, spicy sauce we are desiring.
The History of Hot Sauce
The history of hot sauce is one that goes back over 6000 years ago to Mexico, Central America and South America. It was in these regions that hot peppers were first discovered and eaten. Chili peppers were more than common in the diets of Early Americans. Although archaeologists are unable to confirm or deny whether these Americans fermented these hot peppers 6000 years ago, it is probable that they did. Fermentation is first confirmed in the 16th century, when hot peppers first were transported all around the world. During the time, explorers found the hot peppers from the Americans, and brought them back to Europe, Asia, and Africa. It is at this time that researchers can confirm fermentation was taking place. In order to preserve the peppers, they were fermented and turned into hot sauce. Hot sauce became a new and popular condiment in Europe, Asia, and Africa used to add flavor to traditional meals. However it wasn’t until 1807, when the first commercially bottled hot sauce was sold. Tabasco sauce was first created in 1868 and is the only original hot sauce from that time that is still available and created today.
Hot Sauce Today
Fermentation is not as commonly used to create hot sauce today. Most hot sauces are made commercially instead of the traditional fermentation method. Common fermented sauces that are sold today are Tabasco and Sir Ra Cha. Tabasco sauce, as I mentioned earlier was one of the original hot sauces that was created in the 1800s. Sri Ra Cha is also a traditional hot sauce still sold today that is made by the fermentation method. These sauces can be found in grocery stores and also in traditional Mexican restaurants.
Health Benefits of Hot Sauce
Not only is hot sauce delicious, fun to ferment, and have an intriguing historical past, it also has many health benefits. Hot sauce is full of probiotics, bacteria that is beneficial to our bodies. Studies show that hot peppers kill up to 75 percent of bacteria in our bodies. The most common bacteria in hot sauce, is lactobacillus. It is found in many fermented foods in addition to just hot sauce. Lactobacillus help break down food and absorb nutrients in our bodies. They also do a lot of killing of bad bacteria that we have in our guts that I mentioned a little bit ago. Hot sauce also has capsaicin in it. Capsaicin is a chemical compound that gives hot sauce its most well-known attribute: its spiciness. This spicy sensation causes a rush of endorphins that can work as a type of pain reliever. Doctors have been known to prescribe this to patients suffering from arthritis. Another helpful component of hot sauce is vitamin C. Vitamin C has been known to lower blood pressure. Doctors also have said that those who consume more vitamin C have a lower risk of heart disease. Carotene is another important substance found in hot sauce. Carotene breaks down into vitamin A through the digestion process, which is a kind of antioxidant.
Sample Recipe for a Modern Fermented Hot Sauce
Yield: about 1 quart
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 5 to 7 days
Ready In: 25 minutes
Ingredients:
3 pounds fresh chili peppers
4 to 6 cloves of garlic, peeled and minced
2 tablespoons unrefined cane sugar, optional
2 teaspoons unrefined sea salt
Vegetable starter culture dissolved in ¼ cup water, or ¼ cup fresh whey
Instructions:
1. Snip the stems from the chilies, but leave their green tops intact.
2. Combine all ingredients in a food processor, or mince by hand, until chopped to a fine pasty texture.
3. Spoon the chili paste into a glass mason jar and allow it to fermented, covered, at room temperature for five to seven days.
4. After the chili paste has bubbled and brewed for about a week, set a fine-mesh sieve over a mixing bowl and spoon the fermented chili paste into the sieve. With a wooden spoon, press the chili paste into the slides of the sieve so that the sauce drips from the sieve into the waiting mixing bowl.
5. Once you’ve pressed and pushed the chili sauce through the sieve, pour the sauce from the bowl into jar or bottle and store in the refrigerator. The sauce will keep for several months.
Fermented Hot Sauce Video
References
Brown, David. "One Hot Archaeological Find." Washington Post. The Washington Post, 16 Feb. 2007. Web. 9 Mar. 2015. <http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/15/AR2007021502130.html>.
Carollo, Kim. "The World's Hottest Pepper: Brings Pleasure and Pain Relief." ABC News. ABC News Network, 20 Feb. 2012. Web. 10 Mar. 2015. <http://abcnews.go.com/Health/capsaicin-ingredient-hot-peppers-offers-medical-benefits/story?id=15727011>.
"Food Bacteria-spice Survey Shows Why Some Cultures like It Hot | Cornell Chronicle." Food Bacteria-spice Survey Shows Why Some Cultures like It Hot | Cornell Chronicle. 1 Apr. 1998. Web. 9 Mar. 2015. <http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/1998/03/food-bacteria-spice-survey-shows-why-some-cultures-it-hot>.
Goepp, Julius. "Newly Discovered Health Benefits of Vitamin C." LifeExtension.com. 1 Apr. 2008. Web. 9 Mar. 2015. <http://www.lef.org/magazine/2008/4/Newly-Discovered-Benefits-Of-Vitamin-C/Page-01>.
Katz, Sandor Ellix. The Art of Fermentation. White River Junction, Vermont: Chelsea Green Publishing, 2012. Print.
McGruther, Jenny. "A Recipe: Fermented Hot Chili Sauce." Nourished Kitchen. 9 June 2014. Web. 9 Mar. 2015. <http://nourishedkitchen.com/fermented-hot-chili-sauce-recipe/>.
Willingham, Val. "There's More To Hot Sauce Than Just Heat." CNN. Cable News Network, 27 Jan. 2007. Web. 9 Mar. 2015. <http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/blogs/paging.dr.gupta/2007/01/theres-more-to-hot-sauce-than-just.html>.
Brown, David. "One Hot Archaeological Find." Washington Post. The Washington Post, 16 Feb. 2007. Web. 9 Mar. 2015. <http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/02/15/AR2007021502130.html>.
Carollo, Kim. "The World's Hottest Pepper: Brings Pleasure and Pain Relief." ABC News. ABC News Network, 20 Feb. 2012. Web. 10 Mar. 2015. <http://abcnews.go.com/Health/capsaicin-ingredient-hot-peppers-offers-medical-benefits/story?id=15727011>.
"Food Bacteria-spice Survey Shows Why Some Cultures like It Hot | Cornell Chronicle." Food Bacteria-spice Survey Shows Why Some Cultures like It Hot | Cornell Chronicle. 1 Apr. 1998. Web. 9 Mar. 2015. <http://www.news.cornell.edu/stories/1998/03/food-bacteria-spice-survey-shows-why-some-cultures-it-hot>.
Goepp, Julius. "Newly Discovered Health Benefits of Vitamin C." LifeExtension.com. 1 Apr. 2008. Web. 9 Mar. 2015. <http://www.lef.org/magazine/2008/4/Newly-Discovered-Benefits-Of-Vitamin-C/Page-01>.
Katz, Sandor Ellix. The Art of Fermentation. White River Junction, Vermont: Chelsea Green Publishing, 2012. Print.
McGruther, Jenny. "A Recipe: Fermented Hot Chili Sauce." Nourished Kitchen. 9 June 2014. Web. 9 Mar. 2015. <http://nourishedkitchen.com/fermented-hot-chili-sauce-recipe/>.
Willingham, Val. "There's More To Hot Sauce Than Just Heat." CNN. Cable News Network, 27 Jan. 2007. Web. 9 Mar. 2015. <http://www.cnn.com/HEALTH/blogs/paging.dr.gupta/2007/01/theres-more-to-hot-sauce-than-just.html>.