Anybody tried Sriracha sauce?

[Tibor]

If you have a good brine cover it should not have any impact on the flavor. Was your salt brine at least 2 TBS salt/Qt. water? . Leave the film on top alone if it has no mold on it and don't move it to a cooler spot. My 2 cents.

[KittyJ]

Oops -- checked my notes, and I only used 1T/qt., unless that's a typo. Not sure how I messed that up. No mold. I added 2c water w/3T salt, try and even it out. Maybe the wrong thing to do, but....that's how we learn!

Thanks. If I've screwed it up completely, feel free to say so.

[Tibor]

It might be too salty but it will keep fermenting fine. At the end if it's too salty you can cut it with something. It should work out. Next time it'll be different .

[KittyJ]

Thanks. So, if this comes back (and it looks as if it might) do I just leave it alone? The peppers have only been fermenting for 2 weeks, planned to leave them for total of 5. What do I do about the yeast when it's time to take the veggies out of the crock and make sauce? Am having same issue with kraut, which I only plan to leave one more week.

Odd that both crocks, one of which has been used before, the other brand new, are getting this yeast. Sure hope I can avoid it in the future.

[Tibor]

Simply skim it off before you take out the peppers .It is harmless. My fermented carrots have a film over them most of the time. I get small strainers with long handles at Asian markets up north just for that purpose. Down to 2 inch screen discs with a tight mesh , I skim the surface as best I can and scoop out whatever I want. I've never gotten sick from any residue.
If you don't have a copy of Sandor Katz's book Wild Fermentations, get it. It has answers to most of your questions. It will inspire you to make all kinds of stuff. It is a valuable asset to any fermenteer.

[Christopher Weeks]

It isn't at all odd that you have that yeast in both. It happens all the time in my kitchen.

[KittyJ]

Thanks for your answers. This stuff just looks frightening, I guess, to a newbie. I used to have one of those Asian skimmers, will see if I can find another one. And I won't worry about it any more.

I do have Wild Fermentations, but didn't see anything about this in the index and don't remember reading about it previously. I'll see if I can find it. That book really has inspired much of what I try, and I like it very much.

Christopher, I guess I thought it was odd because I had three other film-free ferments before these two came along.

Thanks again, and I'll try not to be a pest in the future!

[Christopher Weeks]

Yeah, I guess maybe it's odd in your kitchen, and I should have just said that that fits within the "normal" umbrella of my experiences. The point was just to be reassuring.

I get a very thin pellicle of this stuff on most of my vegetable ferments. But for whatever reason, when I ferment pepper for quite a while, it starts out that way and then build up into a thick, waxy substance. And it is maybe a little gross or disconcerting, but it doesn't seem to hurt anything.

[KittyJ]

Thanks. I read elsewhere that people sometimes have issues if they use a Bubbies brine as a starter, and that's what I did with this kraut so that could be why. I think I also used some for the previous kimchi and pickles, but in smaller amounts. But the peppers were all wild -- no starter added.

It seems to be under control at the moment. I tried getting some out with a skimmer, but it wasn't thick enough. I used a clean cloth and swabbed the surface of the brine and around the waterline of the crock sides.

I do appreciate the reassurances. Hand-holding is a good thing to have when one is learning this kind of thing. The kraut is coming out on Saturday, the peppers have another couple of weeks to go. Not worried about either of them at the moment, thanks to you and Tibor.

Sandor is speaking to a group here in Eugene on Sunday, but I can't go. It would be awesome to hear all he has to say and teach.

[Tibor]

Kitty, you really don't need a starter of any kind for vegetable ferments. You can, of course, but really no need. Just let it do it's thing.
When you feel your kraut is done ,pour off all the liquid on top , wipe the sides and then empty the crock into jars. I tend to compost the liquid. As long as you got a good tight lid, your kraut is fine in the fridge for a very long time, with no liquid. I believe it stays crunchier longer that way.
When your peppers are done, strain all the brine and save it. It should be very hot and delicious. You could add some back into the blender if you want to liquefy your peppers. You could ferment carrots(or anything!), in it for 10 days on the counter,or use it in cooking.
And finally, you could find many talks by Sandor online. It's more fun in person but they are great to watch. I saw him at The Evergreen State College years ago.
I hope your ferments work out great !