Overheard a guy at the farmers market say he ferments his hot sauce for exactly 42 days

Tbh, I was picking up some peppers in Portland last weekend and this guy was telling the vendor his whole process. He said he keeps his ferments in a closet that stays at 68 degrees and never opens the jar for the whole six weeks. Honestly, it made me think I rush my ferments too much because I get impatient after two weeks. Has anyone else tried a really long ferment like that for sauce and noticed a big difference?

2 comments

2 Comments

sanchez.mia22d ago

Wait, isn't 42 days exactly six weeks? That guy's math is a little off... but yeah, a long ferment does change things. I went eight weeks once and the flavor got way deeper and more sour, almost like a funky vinegar. It's hard to wait that long though, my two week sauce is still good.

schmidt.grant22d ago

Wait, did you mean eight weeks total or eight weeks after the initial ferment? That funky vinegar note @sanchez.mia is super specific, mine got that way around week seven. I find the sour really takes over after a full month, so a two week sauce is a totally different, much milder thing.