Are a few air bubbles in a fermenting pepper jar okay?
I'm making America's Test Kitchen's fermented jalapeno recipe for the first time. Here's a pay-walled link.
The general idea is you pack halved-through-the-stem jalapenos, shallots, garlic and lime zest into a quart jar, make a high-salinity brine, pour it over (tight packing keeps the peppers submerged), then ferment at 50-70F for 10-14 days. Refrigerate for up to five months. This works fine, but I noticed when I tried the first batch that there were a few air bubbles trapped by the halved jalapenos. Is that a problem? I know I need to keep the peppers submerged or they will start to rot, but are a few small air bubbles trapped by the food okay? I can't easily fix the air bubbles through any method I've imagined. I can't shake the jar. That would just distribute the headspace. I might try packing them concave-side-up next time, but that makes it tricky to pack them tightly.
I've consulted a few other recipes like this one that don't mention air being a problem, and I've seen a few other passing references on the web to air bubbles being okay in fermented food as long as the food isn't producing gas from a bacterial process. But, I'm new to this, and I don't want to accidentally give myself some kind of food poisoning.
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Quick Answer about "Are a few air bubbles in a fermenting pepper jar okay?"
The lactic acid fermentation process produces lactic acid bacteria that create gases when they feast on the vegetables. These gases are often visible as bubbles throughout the jar after a few days at room temperature and are a good sign.How do you tell when peppers are done fermenting?
After 4-5 weeks, remove the fermentation weight and smell and taste test. Your fermented peppers should smell peppery and pleasantly sour. They should taste tart, savory, and spicy.Why are there tiny bubbles in my jam?
Occasionally, air bubbles may appear when making jam. When pouring the jam into jars, pour quickly and use a bubble freer or a plastic knife around the inside edge of the jar. If the bubbles are moving inside the jar 24 hours after processing, this is a sign of spoilage, and jam should not be used.How do you get bubbles out of jam?
I use a chop stick for mashing out the bubbles. I do this full time for work FWIW. Also you can tap the jar lightly on the counter top while you're doing it. Jams are a bit thick for this to work, but it's a good trick for pickles and less viscous preserves.Beginner's guide to fermentation, airlocks and what to look for
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