The first recipe I tried was the Tabasco recipe: ground red peppers and salt, left to ferment. The juice from the fermentation would cover the peppers and, after suitable aging, would become the mash that was strained and diluted with vinegar to become a Tabasco-like sauce.
Not successful. One author I read said that his mash became moldy 3 times and each time he scooped out the mold and added some vinegar to it. I lacked his fortitude: when mine became flecked with bits of green mold, it went into the compost. After some additional research, I intend to try again since a fermented sauce appeals very strongly to me.
In my refrigerator at the moment is a jar of hot peppers, vinegar and salt and it is wonderful. You chop the peppers, simmer them with vinegar and some salt until they are cooked. Blend and let age in the fridge until you strain and thin with vinegar to the consistency and heat you want.
The smell of the cooked peppers (a cayenne and red jalapeno mix) was intoxicating–a very pimento-peppery smell and just out of the blender, it was delicious. A week later, the mash has thickened and still tastes and smells wonderful. I don’t know the yield this year, but I think that I can make a batch next year for seasonal gifts to the deserving.
For those who are interested, the mix was 1 1/2 lbs peppers, 3 cups white vinegar and 3 tsp sea salt. The peppers were local and I told the farm stand owner that I wanted cayenne but she could mix other hot peppers in as long as they were red. Hence the jalapeno mix.
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I have read 32 to 1 (peppers to salt). Did you press the hot pepper down in the liquid or otherwise keep it covered?
Hi there, i used to make a similar recipe, we just crushed the hot red pepper in a food processer and add salt then let it ferment for about a week, we would jar it and add a bit of olive oil on the top of the jar before closing it. I cannot remember the amounts of peppers to the amount of coarse salt, any suggestions as to the amount. We would put the mix in spaghetti sauce or just on the side of our plate when eating, any ideas on the amounts. elta