homemade essentials: sriracha sauce

How To Make homemade essentials: sriracha sauce

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  PREP/PREPARE
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  What you will need? You need a way to finely chop up the chilies (a blender comes to mind), and a non-reactive jar to do the fermentation.
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  How to store it? This sauce will need to be refrigerated, but it will last for six months or more.
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  Fermentation Fermentation can be a tricky business, and the simplest of things can throw it off, so here are some tips on fermentation. The Container The first thing to consider is the container. I would recommend glass, and mason jars have been my go-to container for years. In addition, it must, must, must be sterile. So, before using any container, it should be boiled, and then carefully handled. Sealing The process of fermentation creates gas, so it is important to check on your recipe. If you have screwed a lid onto the jar, it should be cracked open once or twice a day to allow those gasses to escape. You can also cover the top of the jar with a double fold of cheese cloth and secure it with a rubber band. In my case, I use something called a water gas trap. But we will discuss that at a later time. Incidentally, if you seal the jar, and loosen it to release the pent-up gas… that is called, burping. Salt Most fermentation recipes call for a bit of salt. Store-bought salt contains all kinds of things that are not actually salt. For example, iodine. Depending on the brand, and the amount of iodine, it can completely kill the fermentation process. I use sea salt for two reasons: 1. It is iodine free. 2. It contains trace minerals (from the sea water) that enhance the flavor of what you are fermenting. Choose what you will, but no iodine. Water Citified water can contain all kinds of things; two of them being chlorine and/or chloramine. Either of these chemicals will stop the fermentation process dead in its tracks. So, what do you do? Well, depending on which of the chemicals you are dealing with, you have several choices: Off-Gassing If your water contains only chlorine and not chloramine, you can let it sit for 24 hours and the chlorine will dissipate into the environment. Boiling If your water contains only chlorine and not chloramine, you can drive the chlorine off by boiling the water for about 15 minutes.
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  Filtration A charcoal filter is designed to strip your tap water of chlorine and chloramine; carbon filters are necessary for effective removal. Most, if not all, reverse osmosis water systems have a charcoal filter. Chemicals There are chemical methods for removing chloramine, but I am not, and never will go in that direction… That is using one dicey chemical to remove another dicey chemical. Alternate Water Sources I will give you two: one costs; the other is free. 1. Costs… Bottled spring water. 2. Free… Rainwater. When I had my second pergola built, I topped it with a steel roof. When the rains come, the water is directed through a drainage spout into a 20-gallon storage tank. A good rain will fill it in no time. Then, I boil it, run it through a strainer with cheesecloth, and save it in 5-gallon containers. How do I know what is in my water? You can call the city and ask or go to their web site. Temperature Matters Fermentation temperatures above 75f (24c) can make the veggies soft and even slimy. The best temperatures for fermentation are in the 60 – 70f (15 – 20c) range. This way your veggies will remain crisp.
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  Cutting Off The Stems The stems on veggies, should be cut off because they contain enzymes that will hinder the fermentation process, and will cause a problem when you are canning them (we are not canning). So, always cut off the stems.
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  Gather your ingredients (mise en place).
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  Weigh out about a pound of chilies.
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  Cut the stems off.
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  You can leave the seeds in the chilies, for a hotter sauce, or you can remove them before fermenting, your choice. I choose to leave them in and remove later.
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  Add the chilies to a food processor, and give them a few pulses, until chopped up.
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  Add them to a sterile jar with the remainder of the ingredients, following the directions in the fermentation section. Ferment for 3 – 5 days.
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  They are ready when they smell pungent.
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  Strain the mixture through a fine mesh, and push against it to extract as much liquid as possible.
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  I use the back of a soup ladle to push against the pulp.
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  PLATE/PRESENT
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  Store in a non-reactive jar, in the fridge. Enjoy.
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  Keep the faith, and keep cooking.
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  Namasté
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