My last post I showed you how to ferment chile peppers. /item/61883/fermenting-chile-peppers This brief video shows a few more fermentation kits, how to tell when chiles are ready and how to store them.

The Perfect Pickler (www.perfectpickler.com) was the first fermentation kit that I tried a few years ago and I have used it for everything from chiles to kimchi and sauerkraut. It is easy to use and I like it. I would always recommend using a wide-mouth lid rather than a regular-size lid since the wider mouth is easier to pack and get foods in and out of.

The latest fermentation kit I received for my birthday from my daughter Lucie, who is a fermantista. Kraut Source is a new kit which is spring loaded and made of stainless steel. (https://www.krautsource.com/) I have a batch of chiles fermenting in it right now and will let you know what I think about it.

Read the last blog for information on making salt brine, packing your jars and more. Fermenting chile peppers is so easy to do–and my last batch was ready in just 5 days. Besides the great taste and health benefits, I very much like that fermented peppers are still crunchy, whereas chiles that have been canned tend to be soft and sometimes mushy. You can add herbs, garlic, onions or spices to your chile ferments.

Currently, I have two batches of red chiles fermenting and I am going to let them go for a longer period of time since I want to make a hot sauce from them. Some hot sauces (like Tabasco) are fermented for as long as two years! /item/13333/snake-oil-the-making-of-fish-pepper-hot-sauce Since mine are smaller batches, I will have to see how it goes. Once they seem fermented enough to me, I plan on mashing and straining the chile liquor and puree and adding organic apple cider vinegar to it, without heating it. I’ll keep you posted!

Now that autumn is officially here, enjoy what is left of the harvest season–get out there and gather those chile peppers and get fermenting!