Thank you so much for this tip! The fermentation pack is so expensive here in South Africa. I actually found all fermentation supplies inexpensive in a craft beer supplies shop! So for anyone who is starting out like myself. Please gather your supplies in craft beer stores.
What a great channel! I've been binging your videos for the last couple of days in a spree to learn about hotsauce fermentation. This is by far the best channel on chillis and hotsauce out there! Thank you
@@ChilliChump you could try to order the fermentation crocks in Poland as well... In Silesia (southern part of the country) they are known as "bunclok" (spelled 'buntslock'), because they were/are mostly produced in the city called Bolesławiec, which German name of was Bunzlau ('buntslau')... But they are not quite cheap either...
I just discovered your channel and I love it! You're as much fun to watch and as passionate as Scott Rea, the amazing butcher. Thanks for the education.
Hi, I have been fermenting sauces for some time now but alwys up for learning some thing new as I did with one or two of your videos. Thanks. Just a trick I use for my jars. I have 6 old pickle jars that I clean well. The lids I drilled a small 6mm hole. I then insert a 6mm fishtank tube into this and the other en in a bottle half full of water and there is a perfect air trap that is cheap. need one water container for all 6 jars. Great channel thanks
Thanks ChilliChump. I used the plastic baggie method on a 500ml mason jar. 50/50 mix of my own bhut jolokia and arbols, with a slice of onion holding it under a 2.75% solution. Thank you!
Awesome videos man! I just started a Serrano fermentation last week and a jalapeño fermentation today and plan on adding rehydrated chili’s later on as these are the only peppers available to me from the local market until my chili’s and ghost peppers finish maturing. I just couldn’t wait to get to making my own hot sauces haha. What an exciting adventure! Learned a ton from your channel already!!! I’m just using a kilmans jar with the cap screwed on loosely and burp it once a day. Using onion slices to hold everything down inside. Haven’t had any mold yet. Extremely excited to try my very first sauce in the next couple of weeks! Thank you very much for the videos!!!
Ive been following you for a while now but today you finally inspired me to make a small fermentation pot and have a go at a shelf stable sauce (no room left in the fridge). Thought I would take a punt before this years crop 🤞. Your videos have been really helpful over the last 18 months and I have had much better results because of you. Thanks big fella and all the best with the move to Chilli Chump Manor.
I made my fermentation "pots" / jars out of the (Italian made) glass jars with wire locking, glass lids. Just like the one on the shelf, in the upper left hand corner. The lid is thick, heavy duty, and seals tight. Works great! You just have to wet drill the lid with a glass drill bit. And use a deeper / thicker made silicone O-ring, for the air lock. The down side is, for long term storage, you'll want another glass lid, or a silicon plug / stopper for the air lock hole.
This is great! I tried some basic fermenting with just a large sealable glass jar and burped it every day myself for around 2 weeks. Will definitely give this a try!
love how informative your videos are. You helped me make my first fermented hot sauce that turned out fantastically!!! Your a good bloke and cant wait to see more of your knowledgeable videos
Really great informational video on not only how to make fermented foods but also the history, how long weve been doing it, and its health benefits....great content!
Love this channel. I used a similar method of using grommets for my fermenting jar. To create a better seal on a metal lid I used an O-ring that fits between the ridge on the grommet and the lid. Use tubing that fits tightly into the hole in the lid of your fermnting jar and run it into a bottle of salt water, I used a small plastic peanut butter jar with a big hole in the lid for the tube to go through and smaller holes for ventilation.
Another great video. I'm beginning to go back through you're back vids and this was wonderful. Now I have a tip for you. You mentioned that you don't get a great seal with the plastic jars and lids. So try this. Use a square of aluminum foil over the top of the jar but put a small whole in the middle so the air lock passes through and tighten the lid down. The foil creates a gasket making for a better seal. You can use this same trick if you have a loose lid for a pot.
Happy I've been subbed since 1.8k. Just got my fermenting lids in, will be starting my first Habanero fement ever! Thanks all to your videos! From a Canuck across the pond.
Hey Sean great video! It is funny how years ago i fermented corn to make moonshine and now i am fermenting peppers for hot sauces. I have made fermenters as big as a 55 gallon drum. But honestly i learned all this pepper fermenting from watching you. I am using glass jars with homemade lids with bubblers and they work great. I just finished my first 2 sauces both with 2 week ferments. They are amazing! Thanks for the knowledge brother!
Thank you for the kind words and thank you for watching! I also did a lot of beer, wine and cider fermenting before properly getting into fermenting my sauces! Lots of similar concepts. I must admit, I haven't made anything like moonshine before 😄
I work for a brewery and also homebrew beers, meads, wines, and ciders. One thing that I have started using are the food grade PET 5 gal buckets my home improvement store sell with a gasketed lid. Then I drill my own holes and put in the grommets for the airlock/blowoff tube. I’m about to start into hot sauces, so maybe I’ll make a huge batch and try the bucket out.
So many useful tips, thank you. Thanks, especially for the pointer towards the Sterikaps - with some things you just have to know they exist ;) I've just made a fermentation container out of one of those transparent little buckets you get your coleslaw in. For softer material one can also use a 12mm hole punch - works really well. Haven't really tried it, because I'm still waiting for my Habaneros to turn red, but the lid should create a good enough seal for a short to midterm fermentation.
This has been a very helpful video , my girlfriend has a little business making biltong she's also southafrican but now thinking about branching out and making sauces with the 🌶
Hey Dan, that's great to hear. I hope it goes well for her. I do this as a full time business,, selling sauces, my recipe book, amongst a whole bunch of other things. I also provide consultancy to give guidance to others wanting to go down a similar path. You can find out some details on Patreon (patreon.com/ChilliChump) or reach out directly to me and my team through my website if you are interested chillichump.com/contact
@@ChilliChump I was so happy you replied that when I got home from work my girlfriend brought me your recipe book and can't wait to have a look , I used to be a chef for the military for 27 years so making sauces was my thing now I work in mental health
@@dansmith1009 thank you for your support! It will be out in the post to you next week! I'm sure you will enjoy the recipes....more than just sauces in there!
Thank you so much for your free lesson. I will make mine using 30 lts plastic Drum because we have too much peppers spoiling in my country. I just want you to tell me please what is the proportion of vinegar by one liter of water. I will appreciate to hearing from you.
I'm new to this and find your videos very informative but still to the point. Thank you. Sending a wave from sunny SA. Sounds like you once lived here. 😁
Hey man... awesome channel i watched a lot of videos and i realize that you are a Fermentation Master :) Thx a lot for the knowledge that you bring to us. Greetings from Brazil!
I'm already making a 2.5L Fermentation inspired and following your coordinates, my pleasure to be a follower of ur Channel!! Anxious to see and taste the results :) I think i'll let it fermenting, maybe a month, it's good for the first one?? I think i'll experiment putting some Passion fruit later when i'll be mix this in the mixer.
They just opened a new Farm store in my town, and I saw that they have large fermenting crock pots for $25! (19 pound) So excited to get a couple! Thanks for the videos!
Did not know there are fermentation clay pots :O Sauerkraut is common here, and the traditional way was to put the shredded cabbages in barrels, cover with full cabbage leaves, press down with peaces of wood (like small planks) and put rocks on top of those :D A bit more modern way to this was instead of barrels use enameled metal buckets or pots, or plastic buckets (using same principle of weighing the cabbages down).
You could probably order some packing seals (rubber thing in the lid) and replace them with better fits pretty easily. Plumbing supplystores, hardware stores and such probably have them.
Hey I had an idea watching your plastic bag with the rubber band. Have you seen the new silicon lids that stretch over the food or bowls? Ikea sells some in a variety of sizes. I bet those would work just the same and be reusable! I think I'll try it out and see how my luck goes.
excellent video. I live in Japan and I always see your videos. I made an airlock using a cigarette filter tip is much smaller than the conventional airlock. how do I send photos? Thank you very much!!
@@ChilliChump ok I have send now. Sorry I have send 2 times because the email was on spam box. I put a cotton inside to guarantee but have cigarettes tips that have already it will the next buy.
I'm always doing it in a glass jar with a normal lit, and open it at first every day and later on every second day until I eventually don't have to open it anymore. I'm alway just opening it to the point where the co2 is rushing out.
Thank you for making this video. You mention plastic BPA jars. Can you use BPA free water bottles? I'm looking to make water kefir in one as they're much taller and lighter (they get HEAVY when your making 3l) and the small glass jars are taking too much worktop space! Many thanks
Instead of a plastic baggie, you can also use a balloon stretched over the lid. Then just make a pin-prick in the balloon to let the CO2 escape. I make applejack occasionally, and that's what I use instead of an airlock when I'm fermenting my apples.
My last batch I made an airlock lid, similar to the one you made and I must have messed up. I had two quart mason jars, and one of them was from a fermentation kit bought at Walmart for about $12 (almost 9 pounds) that had a jar, a spring to hold food under the brine, and an airlock lid. Simple design, a flat depression in the lid with 4 small holes covered with a flexible membrane. They even sell a pack of two springs and two lids for $9 (just over 6 pounds) and you supply the jars (which I have a dozen or so). The mash in the homemade kit went moldy inside a month while the mash in the store bought kit lasted over a year.
You need to ensure there is a good deal when you make your own. I test using warm water inside the hat, and dishsoap around the seal. Look for bubbles. Some of my homemade jars have been used for 2 year ferments
Hi, I used the plastic bag method with no problems until I think they finished fermenting at which point they developed a white film on top which I thought was mold and I threw them all out. I've subsequently found out that it's Kahm yeast which is absolutely natural and nothing to worry about and can be scraped off after fermentation and before processing, wish I'd known!!
Yep sounds like kahm yeast. I made a video on the topic actually if you wanted to check it out: Is my fermentation safe ua-cam.com/video/SIPAqoxF710/v-deo.html
Hi, what great videos!! I will do this year the 3 hottest peppers, we can grow in Switzerland. After 3/6 months of Lactfermationion, who long will the sauce last in a bottles?
If you sit your fermenting jar on a dish with a little water in the bottom of it. THEN place a cylinder that's large enough to fit over the top of your jar, upside down with he rim sitting in the water...that should do it, as long as you don't allow the water in the dish to dry up. You could use a small vase or an empty plastic juice bottle for example.
Thank you for all the great information and you present it well! I have so many peppers I didn't know what to do with them! But now I do. I decided to give fermentation a try. Five more days until my first attempt is ready and I can hardly wait! And now I want to make my own fermentation containers!
Hi chilichump. Thank you for very interesting videos. Im All New to the chili gorwing univers, and how to ferment the Peppers, did My frist batch føof fermented lemon Chilis this evening and smoked and dried jalapeno yesterday. Im already Thing about what to grow next year, but need some inspiration on what to grow, man what different Peppers Are god for, ( sauce, DRYING, cooking etc.) could be an interesting video.😀👍. Again thank you very Good and usefull videos.
Could you attach a vacuum hose accessory to the end of the water airlock (red cap area) and vacuum out the initial air inside the mason jar ? I’m guessing the water in the airlock might just bubble like a water pipe while vacuuming - unless the vacuum is too strong it might suck the water out of the airlock ?
Less headspace (you want as little as possible) so the co2 can displace the oxygen. But enough headspace so the liquid isn't pushed through the airlock
In Mexico, the cheap airlock is a balloon. A Large balloon like the ones you use in a party, you stretch it to fit your jar top, like the elastic band , and you poke a tiny hole at the top of the balloon, when fermentation is active the balloon inflates with co2, and it slowly scapes at the hole, then when it´s done the balloon falls and bends creating a seal to prevent oxigen from coming in. I normally soak the balloon in sanitizer before using it. Works perfect with small jars when its hard to find an airlock stopper.
Great content and like your pragmatic delivery style. Can you add lemon or lime into the brine or can this be added at the post fermentation stage when you add vinegar?
Thank you! You could add the lemon/lime into the brine. I would just be conscious of ensuring the salt is still at 2-3% when taking the extra juice into consideration. You can also add the lemon/lime juice at the end of the ferementation...but I think that may reduce shelf life, I am not entirely sure (lemon juice that hasn't got preservatives in goes off...so I would assume it would go off in the sauce too if it wasn't fermented. Still looking into this!)
Hi, I started to make my own pickles and i love it. I want to try your way of making tabasco sauce. During the fermentation process, do i keep the jar in the fridge? Or room temperature is ok?
The fridge you see me using is a modified one. It maintains whatever temperature I need for fermentation. You can see how its built here: ua-cam.com/video/nMMbdDRJaUY/v-deo.html You need to maintain temperatures of around 20'C or 68'F ideally for lactofermentation.
Is there a way to test air leaks at the junction of hole, grommet and airlock? I can smell my ferment at the grommet area and am thinking I have the slightest airleak even though I did it all very neat and tidy and everything was very snug.
@@ChilliChump great idea! I am thinking that next time I will use some silicone glue on top around the grommet/lid area. Is it possible that even this slight amount of oxygen could be detrimental to the ferment? Many thanks for the relply!
Im making my own using mason jars and plastic caps. I've got the double bubbler style and the tube style airlocks my question is sometimes you use starsan (which i have) and sometimes you use brine in the airlocks is there a difference?
Don't put them in a normal fridge. You need around 20'C to ferment. My fermenting fridge (the Ferminator) is modified to maintain whatever temperature. You can ferment at room temperature...but it needs to be around 20'C
Hey Roni, I have done a video in the past where I dried chillis to get seeds from them. See if this video helps you out! ua-cam.com/video/rr8K7PYvgo0/v-deo.html
I really like these videos! I just made my first fermented batch this week based off your starter series, very well done! I was wondering about your cleaning methods and reusing your jars and lids. I've cleaned it a ton and it still has the fermented pepper smell to it. Keep the vids coming!
If it is glass, then put them in the dishwasher on high heat...or boil them on the stove. However, I'm not too worried about the smell, I try to use that equipment only with my fermenting or sauce making...so it isn't much of an issue. Just make sure they are as clean as can be
I have a airlock that already has a rubber thing on it and i just push it in the lide is that also good to use?? And i ferment most of the time for 1 month to 2 monhts
Hi thanks for the video. I recently started fermenting using masons jar, but I've come across a glass liquid dispenser with tap, would such a container work or would the tap cause issues
Thanx for the excellent tips.. I just want to brew some wine, beer or cider and I have one of those 5lt Sunpet jars, would it be safe to use your DIY grommet method or do I really need 100% airtight container for it.
For bigger fermentation container, what kind of plastic container is safe fermentation(HDPE, PET.etc) and can be used repeatedly? Or i must use oak barrel? Thankyou :)
What point do I use the smaller black grommet? Also, after starting my fermentation process, as I keep on checking the fermentation process, do I keep on opening the red cap on the airlock?
No...don't open the container during fermentation. That defeats the point of the airlock. You are trying to keep oxygen out of your fermentation. Have a look at this beginners guide video of mine: ua-cam.com/video/iQqyA5zbps0/v-deo.html Also have a look at my fermenting videos ua-cam.com/play/PLuQ_ySnkV1elfcdlvXeIQUEzVI87vtZqF.html
Subscribed and really enjoying your work. Question on the in-jar fermentation technique you provide: unlike your description of the open crock and need to keep below the brine level, why is this not needed in the jar? I understand the lid and seal, but if there is still air at the top, then isn’t it still susceptible to mold and yeast?
If you follow my cleaning and sanitising process, then there should be no pathogens inside the jar....or at least very minimal. That's why I don't submerge anymore. But there really is no problem with submerging things below the brine, that would be a more surefire way to ensure a safe fermentation. I am not against that at all!
howzit, I'm like day-one new to fermenting and am doing some research before I start. Can someone please tell me why you can't just put the lid on the jar loosely, so that the CO2 can escape? I mean, it's still covered, it's still sealed... it's just loose.
My man keep up the awesome videos!!!! So my first fermentation has been going on for 16 days now. I have a feeling its gonna be super hot as just opening the cabinet its fermenting in smells like satan's farts (in a good way) I was wondering if when I blend it I could put in some pineapple? (Also vinegar, lemon and seasoning) I was wondering if its okay to add in the pineapple since it hasn't been fermented? Also would it compromise the sauce later on or spoil it. Just some concerns before I take the plunge to make my first sauce!!! Cheers mate
Thank you! Sounds like it is fermenting just right....lol, satans farts. Adding pineapple will be no problem at all! Firstly it is quite acidic anyway, so won't affect the shelf life (probably will improve it). The safety aspect of fermenting is to make the sauce more acidic, and adding the pineapple will contribute to that. What I will suggest though is that you freeze your sauce for a couple of days, or alterntively put it on the stove to simmer for 10 minutes. This is to kill the fermentation. If you don't do that then the pineapple will begin fermenting and you will lose the sweetness, as well as create pressure in the bottle due to the release of CO2!
Ohhhh I see I totally didn't know it would continue to ferment! Thanks for the heads up. I'll add the pineapple and ingredients, blend it, simmer it on the stove and fill up some woozy bottles for my first hot sauce. I gotta thank you for that! I'm tempted to make a video and post it on my page even though it's about fish lol but I do love hot sauce!
@@ChilliChump great thanks if i start to see any rust ill just replace the lid right away they are very very inexpensive :) going to try kimchi next week
It really depends on what sauce you are making. But I like to ferment for at least 3 weeks. I have a couple I am doing for a year at the moment. Have a look at some of my sauce videos for some ideas: ua-cam.com/play/PLuQ_ySnkV1elfcdlvXeIQUEzVI87vtZqF.html
I use the same set-up: a glass jar with air-lock. But I am struggling with fungus. How to keep all the chilies in the brine to avoid fungus? What could be a good diy solution? I did not find a solution yet. I tried a plastic bag filled with water but it block the air-lock.
I find if you clean the jar well before you start, then once the fermenting starts give the jar a swirl a couple times after a day or two. The brine and the CO2 should keep the mould away. I don't have too much problem with fungus/mould. The other thing you can do it use a large slice of onion to keep the peppers under the brine. Check out my other videos on fermenting you will see what I mean (I don't do the onion trick with every fermentation)
Thank you so much for this tip! The fermentation pack is so expensive here in South Africa. I actually found all fermentation supplies inexpensive in a craft beer supplies shop! So for anyone who is starting out like myself. Please gather your supplies in craft beer stores.
What a great channel! I've been binging your videos for the last couple of days in a spree to learn about hotsauce fermentation. This is by far the best channel on chillis and hotsauce out there! Thank you
Thank you Rufus, that is very kind of you to say!
@@ChilliChump He is right, this is by far the most educational yet enjoyable channel about hot sauce/ peppers/ fermentation. Thank you for doing this
@@ChilliChump simply use tape to seal ur cap no need hard tight cap
@@ChilliChump you could try to order the fermentation crocks in Poland as well...
In Silesia (southern part of the country) they are known as "bunclok" (spelled 'buntslock'), because they were/are mostly produced in the city called Bolesławiec, which German name of was Bunzlau ('buntslau')... But they are not quite cheap either...
Great visual instructions on fermentation jars. Exactly what I was looking for. Thank you.
I just discovered your channel and I love it! You're as much fun to watch and as passionate as Scott Rea, the amazing butcher. Thanks for the education.
Your videos are actually insane. So much stuff explained perfectly. Love it!
Thank you!
Hi, I have been fermenting sauces for some time now but alwys up for learning some thing new as I did with one or two of your videos. Thanks. Just a trick I use for my jars. I have 6 old pickle jars that I clean well. The lids I drilled a small 6mm hole. I then insert a 6mm fishtank tube into this and the other en in a bottle half full of water and there is a perfect air trap that is cheap. need one water container for all 6 jars. Great channel thanks
So just a clear tube that you would normally use for a airstone?
Thanks ChilliChump. I used the plastic baggie method on a 500ml mason jar. 50/50 mix of my own bhut jolokia and arbols, with a slice of onion holding it under a 2.75% solution. Thank you!
Awesome videos man! I just started a Serrano fermentation last week and a jalapeño fermentation today and plan on adding rehydrated chili’s later on as these are the only peppers available to me from the local market until my chili’s and ghost peppers finish maturing. I just couldn’t wait to get to making my own hot sauces haha. What an exciting adventure! Learned a ton from your channel already!!! I’m just using a kilmans jar with the cap screwed on loosely and burp it once a day. Using onion slices to hold everything down inside. Haven’t had any mold yet. Extremely excited to try my very first sauce in the next couple of weeks! Thank you very much for the videos!!!
What a great channel!! thank you so much for your time!! I love it!
I've just subscribed to your channel, I could listen to your instructions all day long.
Just got into contact with Mr Chilichump to get some help with fermentation equipment. Very helpful guy and super quick to respond! Quality UA-camr!!!
Ive been following you for a while now but today you finally inspired me to make a small fermentation pot and have a go at a shelf stable sauce (no room left in the fridge). Thought I would take a punt before this years crop 🤞. Your videos have been really helpful over the last 18 months and I have had much better results because of you. Thanks big fella and all the best with the move to Chilli Chump Manor.
Thanks Nathan, and good luck with your fermentation!
Fantastic video very well made and awesome presentation.
I made my fermentation "pots" / jars out of the (Italian made) glass jars with wire locking, glass lids. Just like the one on the shelf, in the upper left hand corner. The lid is thick, heavy duty, and seals tight. Works great! You just have to wet drill the lid with a glass drill bit. And use a deeper / thicker made silicone O-ring, for the air lock.
The down side is, for long term storage, you'll want another glass lid, or a silicon plug / stopper for the air lock hole.
This is great! I tried some basic fermenting with just a large sealable glass jar and burped it every day myself for around 2 weeks. Will definitely give this a try!
Your videos are amazing! Really quality content, so much useful information and tips, truly deserving of more audience. Keep up the good work!
Thank you! That's very kind of you to say!
love how informative your videos are.
You helped me make my first fermented hot sauce that turned out fantastically!!! Your a good bloke and cant wait to see more of your knowledgeable videos
Thank you Rob, very kind of you to say! Got a bunch of new sauce videos coming very soon!
I cant wait
The Kilner fermentation kit is wonderful!
Really great informational video on not only how to make fermented foods but also the history, how long weve been doing it, and its health benefits....great content!
Love this channel.
I used a similar method of using grommets for my fermenting jar. To create a better seal on a metal lid I used an O-ring that fits between the ridge on the grommet and the lid. Use tubing that fits tightly into the hole in the lid of your fermnting jar and run it into a bottle of salt water, I used a small plastic peanut butter jar with a big hole in the lid for the tube to go through and smaller holes for ventilation.
Thanks David ❤️
Another great video. I'm beginning to go back through you're back vids and this was wonderful. Now I have a tip for you. You mentioned that you don't get a great seal with the plastic jars and lids. So try this. Use a square of aluminum foil over the top of the jar but put a small whole in the middle so the air lock passes through and tighten the lid down. The foil creates a gasket making for a better seal. You can use this same trick if you have a loose lid for a pot.
Or just some plastic wrap. The aluminium and acidity is not a great combination.
Happy I've been subbed since 1.8k. Just got my fermenting lids in, will be starting my first Habanero fement ever! Thanks all to your videos! From a Canuck across the pond.
Hey Sean great video! It is funny how years ago i fermented corn to make moonshine and now i am fermenting peppers for hot sauces. I have made fermenters as big as a 55 gallon drum. But honestly i learned all this pepper fermenting from watching you. I am using glass jars with homemade lids with bubblers and they work great. I just finished my first 2 sauces both with 2 week ferments. They are amazing! Thanks for the knowledge brother!
Thank you for the kind words and thank you for watching!
I also did a lot of beer, wine and cider fermenting before properly getting into fermenting my sauces! Lots of similar concepts. I must admit, I haven't made anything like moonshine before 😄
I work for a brewery and also homebrew beers, meads, wines, and ciders. One thing that I have started using are the food grade PET 5 gal buckets my home improvement store sell with a gasketed lid. Then I drill my own holes and put in the grommets for the airlock/blowoff tube. I’m about to start into hot sauces, so maybe I’ll make a huge batch and try the bucket out.
Great Channel , I learned a lot . Muchas Gracias , Saludos desde Costa Rica.
So many useful tips, thank you. Thanks, especially for the pointer towards the Sterikaps - with some things you just have to know they exist ;)
I've just made a fermentation container out of one of those transparent little buckets you get your coleslaw in. For softer material one can also use a 12mm hole punch - works really well.
Haven't really tried it, because I'm still waiting for my Habaneros to turn red, but the lid should create a good enough seal for a short to midterm fermentation.
Really, really great videos you make sir.
This has been a very helpful video , my girlfriend has a little business making biltong she's also southafrican but now thinking about branching out and making sauces with the 🌶
Hey Dan, that's great to hear. I hope it goes well for her. I do this as a full time business,, selling sauces, my recipe book, amongst a whole bunch of other things. I also provide consultancy to give guidance to others wanting to go down a similar path. You can find out some details on Patreon (patreon.com/ChilliChump) or reach out directly to me and my team through my website if you are interested chillichump.com/contact
@@ChilliChump thank you so much we will look into this
@@ChilliChump I was so happy you replied that when I got home from work my girlfriend brought me your recipe book and can't wait to have a look , I used to be a chef for the military for 27 years so making sauces was my thing now I work in mental health
@@dansmith1009 thank you for your support! It will be out in the post to you next week! I'm sure you will enjoy the recipes....more than just sauces in there!
Excellent video, great info! Just what I was looking for, but to make mead, in micro batches since I very rarely drink. Thank you!
Thank you so much for your free lesson. I will make mine using 30 lts plastic Drum because we have too much peppers spoiling in my country. I just want you to tell me please what is the proportion of vinegar by one liter of water. I will appreciate to hearing from you.
I'm new to this and find your videos very informative but still to the point. Thank you. Sending a wave from sunny SA. Sounds like you once lived here. 😁
Thanks Nancy, welcome to my channel! And yes I grew up in South Africa!
Hey man... awesome channel i watched a lot of videos and i realize that you are a Fermentation Master :) Thx a lot for the knowledge that you bring to us. Greetings from Brazil!
Hello and welcome to my channel Gabriel!
I'm already making a 2.5L Fermentation inspired and following your coordinates, my pleasure to be a follower of ur Channel!! Anxious to see and taste the results :) I think i'll let it fermenting, maybe a month, it's good for the first one?? I think i'll experiment putting some Passion fruit later when i'll be mix this in the mixer.
A month is good! Let me know how it turns out!
Fantastic video. Thanks for explaining it so plainly. You’ve inspired me to make my own hot sauce. Love the channel. Please keep making more content.
Can you tell me what the grommet is actually called? With the ridge. Also size in inches please
Thank for sharing us 🙏 from Cambodia 🥰
Man these videos are great! Surprised you have so few subs I think keep up the cracking content and your channel will explode
They just opened a new Farm store in my town, and I saw that they have large fermenting crock pots for $25! (19 pound) So excited to get a couple! Thanks for the videos!
That's a great price! The fermenting crocks are really good, definitely something to have in your cupboard!
220 dollars here in australia =(
Did not know there are fermentation clay pots :O Sauerkraut is common here, and the traditional way was to put the shredded cabbages in barrels, cover with full cabbage leaves, press down with peaces of wood (like small planks) and put rocks on top of those :D A bit more modern way to this was instead of barrels use enameled metal buckets or pots, or plastic buckets (using same principle of weighing the cabbages down).
Great info, thanks for sharing this. I got into fermentation this year and this is super to know.
You could probably order some packing seals (rubber thing in the lid) and replace them with better fits pretty easily. Plumbing supplystores, hardware stores and such probably have them.
Hey I had an idea watching your plastic bag with the rubber band. Have you seen the new silicon lids that stretch over the food or bowls? Ikea sells some in a variety of sizes. I bet those would work just the same and be reusable! I think I'll try it out and see how my luck goes.
Good job, everything perfectly explained. Thank you :)
as i eat pickled Guerkins i use the 688g glass jars and the lids seal tight
excellent video. I live in Japan and I always see your videos. I made an airlock using a cigarette filter tip is much smaller than the conventional airlock. how do I send photos? Thank you very much!!
Hi Alison, thank you for watching! That airlock sounds interesting! You can contact me through my website chillichump.com/contact
@@ChilliChump ok I have send now. Sorry I have send 2 times because the email was on spam box. I put a cotton inside to guarantee but have cigarettes tips that have already it will the next buy.
I'm always doing it in a glass jar with a normal lit, and open it at first every day and later on every second day until I eventually don't have to open it anymore. I'm alway just opening it to the point where the co2 is rushing out.
Just found your channel! It’s awesome! I am a big chillies and I do a bunch of fermented foods at home.
Im growing jalfuego and orange scotch bonnets! Hopefully I can keep them alive, and make some great sauces as you do!
Thank you for making this video. You mention plastic BPA jars. Can you use BPA free water bottles? I'm looking to make water kefir in one as they're much taller and lighter (they get HEAVY when your making 3l) and the small glass jars are taking too much worktop space! Many thanks
Really useful. Many thanks.👍🏻
Thanks. Great help. One question. What happens if you fill the container completely with brine, and there is no air pocket about the solution left?
Fermentation creates co2, so I wouldn't suggest doing that. You need space for expansion, or expulsion of the co2
@@ChilliChump thanks!
Instead of a plastic baggie, you can also use a balloon stretched over the lid. Then just make a pin-prick in the balloon to let the CO2 escape. I make applejack occasionally, and that's what I use instead of an airlock when I'm fermenting my apples.
I'm just starting but I already swear by 3-piece airlocks and in the early stages, a blowoff tube system which is really easy to make.
My last batch I made an airlock lid, similar to the one you made and I must have messed up. I had two quart mason jars, and one of them was from a fermentation kit bought at Walmart for about $12 (almost 9 pounds) that had a jar, a spring to hold food under the brine, and an airlock lid. Simple design, a flat depression in the lid with 4 small holes covered with a flexible membrane. They even sell a pack of two springs and two lids for $9 (just over 6 pounds) and you supply the jars (which I have a dozen or so). The mash in the homemade kit went moldy inside a month while the mash in the store bought kit lasted over a year.
You need to ensure there is a good deal when you make your own. I test using warm water inside the hat, and dishsoap around the seal. Look for bubbles. Some of my homemade jars have been used for 2 year ferments
Hi, I used the plastic bag method with no problems until I think they finished fermenting at which point they developed a white film on top which I thought was mold and I threw them all out. I've subsequently found out that it's Kahm yeast which is absolutely natural and nothing to worry about and can be scraped off after fermentation and before processing, wish I'd known!!
Yep sounds like kahm yeast. I made a video on the topic actually if you wanted to check it out:
Is my fermentation safe
ua-cam.com/video/SIPAqoxF710/v-deo.html
@@ChilliChump Thanks, great video.
I wonder does top without plastic ring work on mead or might it go bad
great video as allways
the Lakeland jars which are actually Hefman are £14-09 for 2 from onbuy
Hi, what great videos!! I will do this year the 3 hottest peppers, we can grow in Switzerland. After 3/6 months of Lactfermationion, who long will the sauce last in a bottles?
Thank you! If fermented and bottled correctly, then at least a year on the shelf
If you sit your fermenting jar on a dish with a little water in the bottom of it. THEN place a cylinder that's large enough to fit over the top of your jar, upside down with he rim sitting in the water...that should do it, as long as you don't allow the water in the dish to dry up. You could use a small vase or an empty plastic juice bottle for example.
Thank you for all the great information and you present it well! I have so many peppers I didn't know what to do with them! But now I do. I decided to give fermentation a try. Five more days until my first attempt is ready and I can hardly wait! And now I want to make my own fermentation containers!
thanks!!! excellent review!
Hi chilichump. Thank you for very interesting videos. Im All New to the chili gorwing univers, and how to ferment the Peppers, did My frist batch føof fermented lemon Chilis this evening and smoked and dried jalapeno yesterday. Im already Thing about what to grow next year, but need some inspiration on what to grow, man what different Peppers Are god for, ( sauce, DRYING, cooking etc.) could be an interesting video.😀👍. Again thank you very Good and usefull videos.
Could you attach a vacuum hose accessory to the end of the water airlock (red cap area) and vacuum out the initial air inside the mason jar ? I’m guessing the water in the airlock might just bubble like a water pipe while vacuuming - unless the vacuum is too strong it might suck the water out of the airlock ?
I guess you could. But not really necessary if you leave the right amount of headspace. The co2 will displace the air (and oxygen)
@@ChilliChump what would be too much or too little headspace ?
Less headspace (you want as little as possible) so the co2 can displace the oxygen. But enough headspace so the liquid isn't pushed through the airlock
@@ChilliChump thanks for replying !
In Mexico, the cheap airlock is a balloon. A Large balloon like the ones you use in a party, you stretch it to fit your jar top, like the elastic band , and you poke a tiny hole at the top of the balloon, when fermentation is active the balloon inflates with co2, and it slowly scapes at the hole, then when it´s done the balloon falls and bends creating a seal to prevent oxigen from coming in. I normally soak the balloon in sanitizer before using it. Works perfect with small jars when its hard to find an airlock stopper.
Great tip, thank you!
old salsa jars are what i've been using.
Great content and like your pragmatic delivery style. Can you add lemon or lime into the brine or can this be added at the post fermentation stage when you add vinegar?
Thank you! You could add the lemon/lime into the brine. I would just be conscious of ensuring the salt is still at 2-3% when taking the extra juice into consideration. You can also add the lemon/lime juice at the end of the ferementation...but I think that may reduce shelf life, I am not entirely sure (lemon juice that hasn't got preservatives in goes off...so I would assume it would go off in the sauce too if it wasn't fermented. Still looking into this!)
Hi, I started to make my own pickles and i love it. I want to try your way of making tabasco sauce. During the fermentation process, do i keep the jar in the fridge? Or room temperature is ok?
The fridge you see me using is a modified one. It maintains whatever temperature I need for fermentation. You can see how its built here: ua-cam.com/video/nMMbdDRJaUY/v-deo.html
You need to maintain temperatures of around 20'C or 68'F ideally for lactofermentation.
this will be useful when i buy a distillation setup to make solvent pure ethanol/fuel ethanol with some methanol or with boron salts dissolved
Is there a way to test air leaks at the junction of hole, grommet and airlock? I can smell my ferment at the grommet area and am thinking I have the slightest airleak even though I did it all very neat and tidy and everything was very snug.
Mix a bit of dishsoap with water, and put it around the grommet. It will make little bubbles if it is leaking
@@ChilliChump great idea! I am thinking that next time I will use some silicone glue on top around the grommet/lid area. Is it possible that even this slight amount of oxygen could be detrimental to the ferment? Many thanks for the relply!
Would a small sandwich bag serve to create a seal, maybe? Could be a cheap improvement.
Yeah I did think about that, we used to do that when I was younger, use plastic bags around the lid to seal a plastic soda bottle properly
Is spring the optimal season to ferment in South Africa
As long as you can maintain around 20'C, anytime of the year is ideal
You are so clever!!
Great video
Thanks..bro.great video..i from malaysia
Im making my own using mason jars and plastic caps. I've got the double bubbler style and the tube style airlocks my question is sometimes you use starsan (which i have) and sometimes you use brine in the airlocks is there a difference?
Do you need a fermenting fridge to ferment chillies or can you just put in a normal fridge thank you
Don't put them in a normal fridge. You need around 20'C to ferment. My fermenting fridge (the Ferminator) is modified to maintain whatever temperature. You can ferment at room temperature...but it needs to be around 20'C
@@ChilliChump thank you
Can be make fermentation tube with Medical Infusion set ...
Great video. What is the name of the drill bit you use please?
Thank you. It is a stepped drill bit
Also those airlocks do you put any liquid in or do they come already with liquid in them thank you for your channel
You put liquid in them.
Is it possible to use a water-sealed crock to make wine?
Yeah...that would work
can you use the twin bubble airlock with the predrilled sterikap lids?
Does this work for tobacco ?
Can you please show how to dry chillies correctly.vedy much appriciated vids btw learned alot from your instructions
Hey Roni, I have done a video in the past where I dried chillis to get seeds from them. See if this video helps you out! ua-cam.com/video/rr8K7PYvgo0/v-deo.html
Can fermentation happen without fermentator chamber
Yes. You can do it at room temperature (around 20'C).
Hello Shaun, I have a question, if I wanted to ferment larger volumes, would it be correct to use a stainless steel fermenter?
I personally don't use stainless steel for my large batches
I really like these videos! I just made my first fermented batch this week based off your starter series, very well done! I was wondering about your cleaning methods and reusing your jars and lids. I've cleaned it a ton and it still has the fermented pepper smell to it. Keep the vids coming!
If it is glass, then put them in the dishwasher on high heat...or boil them on the stove. However, I'm not too worried about the smell, I try to use that equipment only with my fermenting or sauce making...so it isn't much of an issue. Just make sure they are as clean as can be
I have a airlock that already has a rubber thing on it and i just push it in the lide is that also good to use?? And i ferment most of the time for 1 month to 2 monhts
as long as it is airtight, then it is fine.
Hi thanks for the video. I recently started fermenting using masons jar, but I've come across a glass liquid dispenser with tap, would such a container work or would the tap cause issues
Shouldn't cause an issue. Just make sure nothing metal is touching the liquid
@@ChilliChump thank you so much
Would a small aquarium non-return valve possibly work or is it not airtight enough or pressure difference not large enough between jar and outside?
I don't think it will work very well. Those valves are meant for water, so may not be airtight for the long term
Thanx for the excellent tips.. I just want to brew some wine, beer or cider and I have one of those 5lt Sunpet jars, would it be safe to use your DIY grommet method or do I really need 100% airtight container for it.
You could do it in the sunpet. But not if you are going to be letting it sit for too long after primary fermentation.
Chillichump I suppose if I make a gallon it would go in 1 month. Would that still be ok with Sunpets?
Yeah I think you should be ok. Would depend on quite a few things though, not just the jar
Brilliant just brilliant now I know how to make wine and I'll be able too turn it into vinegar thanks
For bigger fermentation container, what kind of plastic container is safe fermentation(HDPE, PET.etc) and can be used repeatedly? Or i must use oak barrel? Thankyou :)
Just make sure you are using a food-grade plastic, from a legitimate source.
@@ChilliChump thankyou so much
open Q and A too anyone
i see Chinese ferment with whole carrots any reason i cant julienne the carrots then put them in ?
What point do I use the smaller black grommet?
Also, after starting my fermentation process, as I keep on checking the fermentation process, do I keep on opening the red cap on the airlock?
No...don't open the container during fermentation. That defeats the point of the airlock. You are trying to keep oxygen out of your fermentation.
Have a look at this beginners guide video of mine: ua-cam.com/video/iQqyA5zbps0/v-deo.html
Also have a look at my fermenting videos ua-cam.com/play/PLuQ_ySnkV1elfcdlvXeIQUEzVI87vtZqF.html
Superb. Thanks.
Subscribed and really enjoying your work. Question on the in-jar fermentation technique you provide: unlike your description of the open crock and need to keep below the brine level, why is this not needed in the jar? I understand the lid and seal, but if there is still air at the top, then isn’t it still susceptible to mold and yeast?
If you follow my cleaning and sanitising process, then there should be no pathogens inside the jar....or at least very minimal. That's why I don't submerge anymore. But there really is no problem with submerging things below the brine, that would be a more surefire way to ensure a safe fermentation. I am not against that at all!
Can you use a non-toxic silicone or rubber to create a seal on the inside of the lid?
I don't see a problem with that at all...just make sure there is space for it to breath
@@ChilliChump Thanks.
howzit, I'm like day-one new to fermenting and am doing some research before I start. Can someone please tell me why you can't just put the lid on the jar loosely, so that the CO2 can escape? I mean, it's still covered, it's still sealed... it's just loose.
You can do that if you like. I don't, because I don't want to risk ruining my harvest I just spent 9 months growing.
My man keep up the awesome videos!!!! So my first fermentation has been going on for 16 days now. I have a feeling its gonna be super hot as just opening the cabinet its fermenting in smells like satan's farts (in a good way) I was wondering if when I blend it I could put in some pineapple? (Also vinegar, lemon and seasoning) I was wondering if its okay to add in the pineapple since it hasn't been fermented? Also would it compromise the sauce later on or spoil it. Just some concerns before I take the plunge to make my first sauce!!! Cheers mate
Thank you!
Sounds like it is fermenting just right....lol, satans farts. Adding pineapple will be no problem at all! Firstly it is quite acidic anyway, so won't affect the shelf life (probably will improve it). The safety aspect of fermenting is to make the sauce more acidic, and adding the pineapple will contribute to that. What I will suggest though is that you freeze your sauce for a couple of days, or alterntively put it on the stove to simmer for 10 minutes. This is to kill the fermentation. If you don't do that then the pineapple will begin fermenting and you will lose the sweetness, as well as create pressure in the bottle due to the release of CO2!
Ohhhh I see I totally didn't know it would continue to ferment! Thanks for the heads up. I'll add the pineapple and ingredients, blend it, simmer it on the stove and fill up some woozy bottles for my first hot sauce. I gotta thank you for that!
I'm tempted to make a video and post it on my page even though it's about fish lol but I do love hot sauce!
I have the tools to drill through and de-burr the metal Mason jar lids is there any reason I couldn't use that with one of the rubber grommets?
No reason at all. That will work just fine. Just keep an eye out for rust (the salt in the ferment may prove corrosive to the metal)
@@ChilliChump great thanks if i start to see any rust ill just replace the lid right away they are very very inexpensive :) going to try kimchi next week
how long do you need to ferment your Chillies
It really depends on what sauce you are making. But I like to ferment for at least 3 weeks. I have a couple I am doing for a year at the moment.
Have a look at some of my sauce videos for some ideas: ua-cam.com/play/PLuQ_ySnkV1elfcdlvXeIQUEzVI87vtZqF.html
I use the same set-up: a glass jar with air-lock. But I am struggling with fungus. How to keep all the chilies in the brine to avoid fungus? What could be a good diy solution? I did not find a solution yet. I tried a plastic bag filled with water but it block the air-lock.
I find if you clean the jar well before you start, then once the fermenting starts give the jar a swirl a couple times after a day or two. The brine and the CO2 should keep the mould away. I don't have too much problem with fungus/mould. The other thing you can do it use a large slice of onion to keep the peppers under the brine. Check out my other videos on fermenting you will see what I mean (I don't do the onion trick with every fermentation)