Pro tip: That one neighbor who taught me how to pickle jalapenos changed everything

I was over at Mike's house last summer in Tucson, and he showed me his setup for lacto-fermenting jalapenos with just salt water and a jar. He said he does it every August when they come in from his garden, and the batch lasts him through winter. Has anyone else tried fermenting peppers from a local farmer's market instead of store bought? I'm curious if the flavor difference is worth the extra effort.

2 comments

2 Comments

derek_brown281mo ago

I totally get what you're saying about texture being better with farmer's market ones. For me though, the flavor difference is actually pretty big if you start with super fresh peppers that still have that green snap to them. Store bought jalapenos have usually been sitting in a truck for a week and lose some of that punchy heat. I let mine sit for at least 3 weeks before cracking a jar, and the farmer's market batch always ends up brighter and more complex. That's just my experience though, Mike's method is solid either way lol.

piper_flores691mo ago

Mike's August batch timing is smart because that's when peppers are at their peak, but I've got to ask - are you really noticing that big of a difference between farmer's market and store bought once they're fermented? I've done both and honestly the texture was more consistent with the farmer's market ones, but the flavor was pretty similar after a few weeks in the jar. How long are you letting yours sit before you crack them open?