homemade chilli ferments..and more..

rotters · 18 Nov 2019 at 17:39

Really got into growing chillies and tomatoes and a whole other bing of veg on my allotment this year.

Had a bumper crop of chillies..probably over 500 from a few plants grown in the greenhouse.

I use a 2% himalayan salt brine

Truly delicious.

I am currently pickling some cucamelons too which are zingy and fun.

Anyone else here like ferment stuff?

I plan on adding to this thread as time goes by.

rotters

Begbie · 18 Nov 2019 at 17:42

No, but I love pickles and plan on growing chillis next year.

I do it all the time when making Japanese food with cucumbers etc. Delicious.

krooton · 19 Nov 2019 at 09:56

I have a batch of sauerkraut on the go, love the stuff! Sucks it takes over 3 weeks for it to get ready.

BUDFORCE · 19 Nov 2019 at 17:32

I have a chest freezer so just whack my homegrown chilli's in there, I was semi successful this year, I grew Habanero's, got hmmm maybe 100 of a couple of plants. Better than last year which was pretty much a write off.

I need to find a decent source for seeds it makes the difference I think it was about 4-5 years ago I grew a load of Dorset Naga chilli's, really strong seeds and plants with 100's of ferociously hot but fragrant chilli's.

rotters · 19 Nov 2019 at 18:53

@BUDFORCE ping a message at [email protected] I have 10 varieties I am going to be growing..infact it may be more. I will share some with you. Just need your address. I bought some Apache, pot black, paper lanterns, piquante,
apricots, friars hat and ghost chillis this weekend and I will be divvying the fresh seeds on Thursday.

I am also growing:

Basket of fire (but this is an f1 so wont grow from seeds)
Golden Cayenne
Habanero
Jalapeno
Maules red hot
Patio fire
Bolivian rainbow

So I will have 13 varieties that could be grown from seed if you would like some.

rotters

diverse180 · 20 Nov 2019 at 17:30

Nice haul of chillies there, Rotters!

rotters said:
...Anyone else here like ferment stuff?

Always loved pickled and fermented foods, and while I was bedridden with flu recently I stumbled upon the 'It's Alive' series on the Bon Appetit channel and ended up blitz watching them all.

Some fun vids, and some really tasty recipes, which might be of interest

krooton · 21 Nov 2019 at 09:38

BA channel rules, we love Gourmet Snacks from the BA Test Kitchen.

Mercenary Keyboard Warrior · 21 Nov 2019 at 10:42

BUDFORCE said:
I have a chest freezer so just whack my homegrown chilli's in there, I was semi successful this year, I grew Habanero's, got hmmm maybe 100 of a couple of plants. Better than last year which was pretty much a write off.

I need to find a decent source for seeds it makes the difference I think it was about 4-5 years ago I grew a load of Dorset Naga chilli's, really strong seeds and plants with 100's of ferociously hot but fragrant chilli's.

Personally unless starting a new strain I keep my own seeds. I pick the best 2 chillies and use the seeds from them, over a couple of years my cherry bombs went from small tomato size to closer to small orange size.

When drying seeds I use the same approach but into one of two locations. Prep, I slice down the side of a chilli with a scalpel (sharp knife would be fine) so the insides are open in effect, this also keeps the chilli whole and contains the seeds. I then either place it on top of my router, or in the airing cupboard. Leave for 2-3 weeks until its just a hard dry dehydrated chilli. Then wrap into kitchen towel and put in a dry cupboard. Following year I then break open the dry chilli, plant a load of seeds and your good to go

rotters · 21 Nov 2019 at 15:44

diverse180 said:
Always loved pickled and fermented foods, and while I was bedridden with flu recently I stumbled upon the 'It's Alive' series on the Bon Appetit channel and ended up blitz watching them all.

love this show..followed his recipe for kraut..best I have ever eaten.

rotters

diverse180 · 9 Dec 2019 at 16:10

Will have to try the kraut recipe!

Just sampled one of my half-sour pickles (10 day brine so far) and damn they're good!

krooton · 10 Dec 2019 at 09:01

Unpacked my 3-week kraut last night, froze some portions in plastic bags and the rest in a kilner jar.

Today's lunch is going to be pork sausage and sauerkraut sandwiches

TheBrooder · 13 Dec 2019 at 10:39

I used to make sauerkraut which although delicious was a bit of a pain using clip-top jars.

I had to cover the kraut with a cabbage leaf then put a smaller jar on top and clip the top making sure the liquid covered everything. As it fermented it would leak out of the rubber seal so I had to stand the jars in a tray and drain and clean it every few days because of the smell.

There's probably a better way of doing it with clip-tops, I'll have to look into it again.

Temujin · 13 Dec 2019 at 14:21

diverse180 said:
Nice haul of chillies there, Rotters!

Is it half sour because it doesn't use any vinegar or other sour agent? I mean i loves me some pickles, but i'm not sure if they are as good with no vinegar, is it even a pickle at that point.. I wonder if the addition of the souring agent makes it a full sour over a half sour..

krooton · 14 Dec 2019 at 13:18

TheBrooder said:
I used to make sauerkraut which although delicious was a bit of a pain using clip-top jars.

I had to cover the kraut with a cabbage leaf then put a smaller jar on top and clip the top making sure the liquid covered everything. As it fermented it would leak out of the rubber seal so I had to stand the jars in a tray and drain and clean it every few days because of the smell.

There's probably a better way of doing it with clip-tops, I'll have to look into it again.

I use one of these
https://www.lakeland.co.uk/72471/Lakeland-Fermentation-Jar-with-Air-Release-Valve-1-4L

Still have to sit it in a bowl, and use some glass weights I bought, but simple enough.

rotters · 14 Dec 2019 at 16:02

@krooton that is the same jar I keep my sourdough in.