Crock of Time
@crockoftime.com
Your food's destiny awaits: crockoftime.com
Fermenting in the home kitchen with
@cr0ybot.com
sᴇɴᴅ ᴍᴇ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴄʀᴏᴄᴋs
Fermenting in the home kitchen with
@cr0ybot.com
sᴇɴᴅ ᴍᴇ ʏᴏᴜʀ ᴄʀᴏᴄᴋs
Are beets any good in hot sauce? We'll find out!
October 24, 2025 at 12:40 AM
Are beets any good in hot sauce? We'll find out!
This sauce is dedicated to Sampson, who always helped me start my seeds and plant the seedlings, including the ones used for this sauce. I miss my little helper.
October 6, 2025 at 1:58 PM
This sauce is dedicated to Sampson, who always helped me start my seeds and plant the seedlings, including the ones used for this sauce. I miss my little helper.
The combined consistency is perfect. I do add a bit of xanthan gum to keep things homogenized, but not enough to really affect the texture. Also since xanthan gum is hard to blend smooth in water but mixes easily with oil, I use this opportunity to use very flavorful black truffle oil.
October 6, 2025 at 1:50 PM
The combined consistency is perfect. I do add a bit of xanthan gum to keep things homogenized, but not enough to really affect the texture. Also since xanthan gum is hard to blend smooth in water but mixes easily with oil, I use this opportunity to use very flavorful black truffle oil.
Each part has a different consistency. Fermented and smoked chili sauce is thick and luscious, fresh sauce is thin.
Altogether I made 4 quarts of hot sauce. This is about double my previous record of 2L. I do have a dedicated chili garden bed now, so...
I have reserved the solids for another use.
Altogether I made 4 quarts of hot sauce. This is about double my previous record of 2L. I do have a dedicated chili garden bed now, so...
I have reserved the solids for another use.
October 6, 2025 at 1:47 PM
Each part has a different consistency. Fermented and smoked chili sauce is thick and luscious, fresh sauce is thin.
Altogether I made 4 quarts of hot sauce. This is about double my previous record of 2L. I do have a dedicated chili garden bed now, so...
I have reserved the solids for another use.
Altogether I made 4 quarts of hot sauce. This is about double my previous record of 2L. I do have a dedicated chili garden bed now, so...
I have reserved the solids for another use.
With these I removed as many of the seeds as I could and the difference was striking. Almost no solids remained after milling. The seeds leave space for the good stuff to hide within.
October 6, 2025 at 1:40 PM
With these I removed as many of the seeds as I could and the difference was striking. Almost no solids remained after milling. The seeds leave space for the good stuff to hide within.
The smoked and dried chilies were rehydrated in an amount of barely simmering water based on the weight they lost. Left this longer than I meant to and had to add more water before blending. Salt and vinegar were also added.
October 6, 2025 at 1:40 PM
The smoked and dried chilies were rehydrated in an amount of barely simmering water based on the weight they lost. Left this longer than I meant to and had to add more water before blending. Salt and vinegar were also added.
Introducing yet another variable, I decided to go straight to the blender this year. Previously I've used (and almost broken) a food mill attachment for my stand mixer. I do think starting in the blender is the way to go, but straining was difficult and I ended up using my hand mill.
October 6, 2025 at 1:33 PM
Introducing yet another variable, I decided to go straight to the blender this year. Previously I've used (and almost broken) a food mill attachment for my stand mixer. I do think starting in the blender is the way to go, but straining was difficult and I ended up using my hand mill.
Got enough ripe chilies plus some stored in the freezer to finish the main #HotSauce this year, along with smoked and dried chilies from September and vacuum bag #fermented mash from August. Just need to put it all together.
October 5, 2025 at 6:14 PM
Got enough ripe chilies plus some stored in the freezer to finish the main #HotSauce this year, along with smoked and dried chilies from September and vacuum bag #fermented mash from August. Just need to put it all together.
Yesterday I spent the day near the kitchen with my laptop while I slowly dehydrated the sauce at 225°F (convection). Managed to reduce the weight by about half in a little over 4 hours. It's in the freezer while I figure out next steps.
September 24, 2025 at 2:51 AM
Yesterday I spent the day near the kitchen with my laptop while I slowly dehydrated the sauce at 225°F (convection). Managed to reduce the weight by about half in a little over 4 hours. It's in the freezer while I figure out next steps.
Cooked for 7 hours until significantly reduced, probably by about 1/3. Just milled it to remove skin and seeds and ended up with a bit less than 2 quarts of puree. I'm tuckered out so I put it in the fridge for the night, I'll need to reduce this further, probably in a sheet pan in the oven all day.
September 22, 2025 at 1:15 AM
Cooked for 7 hours until significantly reduced, probably by about 1/3. Just milled it to remove skin and seeds and ended up with a bit less than 2 quarts of puree. I'm tuckered out so I put it in the fridge for the night, I'll need to reduce this further, probably in a sheet pan in the oven all day.
Managed to fit them all in the pot, it was pretty close. 😅
September 21, 2025 at 4:15 PM
Managed to fit them all in the pot, it was pretty close. 😅
I once again have more tomatoes than I can eat, so this is all getting cooked down and milled today. Since I recently did ketchup with fermented tomatoes I might dry this into paste and ferment that as a comparison.
September 21, 2025 at 3:39 PM
I once again have more tomatoes than I can eat, so this is all getting cooked down and milled today. Since I recently did ketchup with fermented tomatoes I might dry this into paste and ferment that as a comparison.
Last of my 2022 (Ash & Ember) and 2023 (Firefruit Elixir) hot sauce reserves from before the move. This summer I've been working on the next batch since the hiatus, feels good.
#fermentation
#fermentation
September 21, 2025 at 2:21 PM
Last of my 2022 (Ash & Ember) and 2023 (Firefruit Elixir) hot sauce reserves from before the move. This summer I've been working on the next batch since the hiatus, feels good.
#fermentation
#fermentation
About 10 hours later, most of the chilies are dry enough to store with some dessicant. Some of the thicker ones still need a few more hours in the dehydrator.
September 6, 2025 at 11:45 AM
About 10 hours later, most of the chilies are dry enough to store with some dessicant. Some of the thicker ones still need a few more hours in the dehydrator.
Now it's time to dry the chilies.
This needs to be done so that I can store them at room temp until I'm ready to make hot sauce.
I'll let these go overnight at about 135°F.
This needs to be done so that I can store them at room temp until I'm ready to make hot sauce.
I'll let these go overnight at about 135°F.
September 6, 2025 at 1:07 AM
Now it's time to dry the chilies.
This needs to be done so that I can store them at room temp until I'm ready to make hot sauce.
I'll let these go overnight at about 135°F.
This needs to be done so that I can store them at room temp until I'm ready to make hot sauce.
I'll let these go overnight at about 135°F.
6 hours later, these smoked chilies are mostly done, though some of the larger ones were a bit too piled up so I will probably mix those up and let them continue.
The point is smoke flavor, not drying, which is the next step.
The point is smoke flavor, not drying, which is the next step.
September 5, 2025 at 11:28 PM
6 hours later, these smoked chilies are mostly done, though some of the larger ones were a bit too piled up so I will probably mix those up and let them continue.
The point is smoke flavor, not drying, which is the next step.
The point is smoke flavor, not drying, which is the next step.
I'm not actually all that good at this. I'll often need to restart the coals because I choked the airflow too much.
I threw some mandarin orange peels in after having some for lunch because why not.
I threw some mandarin orange peels in after having some for lunch because why not.
September 5, 2025 at 6:55 PM
I'm not actually all that good at this. I'll often need to restart the coals because I choked the airflow too much.
I threw some mandarin orange peels in after having some for lunch because why not.
I threw some mandarin orange peels in after having some for lunch because why not.
I do my best to keep the temperature below 200°F, usually hovers around 175°. This is not precision cold smoking. I hang out nearby with a spray bottle to cool off the coals/chips when needed and adjust the openings to restrict airflow.
September 5, 2025 at 4:42 PM
I do my best to keep the temperature below 200°F, usually hovers around 175°. This is not precision cold smoking. I hang out nearby with a spray bottle to cool off the coals/chips when needed and adjust the openings to restrict airflow.
I use a standard Webber grill for smoking with lump charcoal and cherry wood chips. I do have this insert that keeps the heat mostly contained and just one edge of the line of charcoal is lit. Soaked wood chips go on top and I monitor the temperature.
September 5, 2025 at 4:15 PM
I use a standard Webber grill for smoking with lump charcoal and cherry wood chips. I do have this insert that keeps the heat mostly contained and just one edge of the line of charcoal is lit. Soaked wood chips go on top and I monitor the temperature.
Chili halves are spread as much as possible in these various baskets to promote airflow, and I'll actually stack two of these since I don't have much space which you'll see in the next post.
September 5, 2025 at 4:07 PM
Chili halves are spread as much as possible in these various baskets to promote airflow, and I'll actually stack two of these since I don't have much space which you'll see in the next post.
Pausing here to provide alt text for the first 3 images of this thread.
September 5, 2025 at 2:48 PM
Pausing here to provide alt text for the first 3 images of this thread.
I split each chili in half for maximum surface area, and the skin doesn't allow smoke penetration quite as much as a wet fleshy surface does.
September 5, 2025 at 2:18 PM
I split each chili in half for maximum surface area, and the skin doesn't allow smoke penetration quite as much as a wet fleshy surface does.
The prep table: chilies, gloves, cutting board and knife, and some of these perforated grill pans.
And a pumpkin spice latte, for the right vibes.
And a pumpkin spice latte, for the right vibes.
September 5, 2025 at 1:56 PM
The prep table: chilies, gloves, cutting board and knife, and some of these perforated grill pans.
And a pumpkin spice latte, for the right vibes.
And a pumpkin spice latte, for the right vibes.
Time to smoke some chilies for the yearly hot sauce. Beautiful day for it, high of 64°F.
September 5, 2025 at 1:45 PM
Time to smoke some chilies for the yearly hot sauce. Beautiful day for it, high of 64°F.
About 2 years ago, I wanted my next video to be about my best hot sauce yet. Then life happened, and I haven't made a video or posted on the website since.
Today I started fermenting this year's hot sauce. No recording, minimal photos, just me and my trusty physical notebooks.
Today I started fermenting this year's hot sauce. No recording, minimal photos, just me and my trusty physical notebooks.
August 24, 2025 at 10:20 PM
About 2 years ago, I wanted my next video to be about my best hot sauce yet. Then life happened, and I haven't made a video or posted on the website since.
Today I started fermenting this year's hot sauce. No recording, minimal photos, just me and my trusty physical notebooks.
Today I started fermenting this year's hot sauce. No recording, minimal photos, just me and my trusty physical notebooks.