What's the fridge life of this homemade chilli oil?
April 8, 2022 12:58 PM Subscribe
A recipe for Szechuan chilli oil says it should be consumed within three days. Really? Can I change the recipe slightly to improve that?
Here's a quick version of the recipe:
Onions, garlic, spring onions simmering in oil for 15 minutes with some dry spices (star anise, cinnamon, bay leaf), then strained into a jar with chilli flakes, fried onions, sesame oil, soy sauce, and salt.
According to the recipe, it only keeps for three days. I presume this is due to a botulism risk. Trying to research it lead quickly to multiple contradictory answers, so my questions (and thought process) are:
Is there still a risk of botulism if the garlic is sieved out before storage?
Would I reduce the risk if I cooked it at a much higher heat after sieving out the garlic, to kill the botulism spores?
Is there a risk from the fried onions added at the end? Could I simply remove them and add them just before serving?
Or, more generally: is this three day limit reasonable? If so, can I extend it by changing something about the process? I'd love to have this on hand in the fridge, but can't just make a new batch every few days.
Here's a quick version of the recipe:
Onions, garlic, spring onions simmering in oil for 15 minutes with some dry spices (star anise, cinnamon, bay leaf), then strained into a jar with chilli flakes, fried onions, sesame oil, soy sauce, and salt.
According to the recipe, it only keeps for three days. I presume this is due to a botulism risk. Trying to research it lead quickly to multiple contradictory answers, so my questions (and thought process) are:
Is there still a risk of botulism if the garlic is sieved out before storage?
Would I reduce the risk if I cooked it at a much higher heat after sieving out the garlic, to kill the botulism spores?
Is there a risk from the fried onions added at the end? Could I simply remove them and add them just before serving?
Or, more generally: is this three day limit reasonable? If so, can I extend it by changing something about the process? I'd love to have this on hand in the fridge, but can't just make a new batch every few days.
Which recipe are you using? Both the Woks of Life and the NYT recipe indicate the recipe can last 6 months / indefinitely in the refrigerator.
posted by many more sunsets at 1:16 PM on April 8, 2022 [3 favorites]
posted by many more sunsets at 1:16 PM on April 8, 2022 [3 favorites]
I generally keep mine for 2-6 weeks in the fridge and would theoretically keep it for longer, but I finish it way before it is close to going off (the oil would likely go rancid first). You're not doing a traditional canning/long-term preservation process in a recipe like this. You're making a flavored oil that is kept refrigerated and isn't treated like it's shelf stable. Sometimes if I make a giant batch, I will freeze half to be used after the first half is finished, but again, it's not on the shelf, it's in a freezer. You don't need to apply canning protocols to food that will be refrigerated instead of being stored at room temp for months/years.
posted by quince at 2:14 PM on April 8, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by quince at 2:14 PM on April 8, 2022 [2 favorites]
Botulism spores are killed at 121C for 3 minutes, regardless of acidity. This is very achievable when cooking in oil (typical deep frying temperature is 175C), though it's not clear what temperature your recipe would reach. When you're dealing with pieces that need some time to reach a specific temperature on the inside, you need to add extra time.
Real world, I'd feel quite comfortable keeping this in the fridge for months without worry, assuming the garlic and onions are in small enough pieces and quantity that they are covered by oil. I would cook the chilli flakes and fried onions in the hot oil a little bit.
If your risk tolerance is lower, omit the onions, sieve out the garlic and then return to the stove to cook at 130C or so for a couple minutes, though I don't think that's necessary. You could also treat the onions like the garlic.
posted by ssg at 3:36 PM on April 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
Real world, I'd feel quite comfortable keeping this in the fridge for months without worry, assuming the garlic and onions are in small enough pieces and quantity that they are covered by oil. I would cook the chilli flakes and fried onions in the hot oil a little bit.
If your risk tolerance is lower, omit the onions, sieve out the garlic and then return to the stove to cook at 130C or so for a couple minutes, though I don't think that's necessary. You could also treat the onions like the garlic.
posted by ssg at 3:36 PM on April 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
I make this basic thing regularly (except with Szechuan pepper and chopped peanuts) and keep it in the fridge for 3 months at time. I can't imagine there is significant risk here
posted by dis_integration at 4:47 PM on April 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
posted by dis_integration at 4:47 PM on April 8, 2022 [1 favorite]
The three-day limit is absurd.
posted by Conrad Cornelius o'Donald o'Dell at 9:45 PM on April 8, 2022 [2 favorites]
posted by Conrad Cornelius o'Donald o'Dell at 9:45 PM on April 8, 2022 [2 favorites]
Response by poster: Thanks all, my recipe is essentially the same as the Woks of Life one, but with spring onions. I felt like their 3-day limit was ridiculous, so it's good to get a bit of confirmation of that feeling!
posted by twirlypen at 12:01 AM on April 9, 2022
posted by twirlypen at 12:01 AM on April 9, 2022
When I make a big batch of XO sauce, I'll freeze them in ~0.5 L quantities in wide-mouthed jars.
Dig out a few tablespoons/ as needed from the frozen stock, allow to thaw.
posted by porpoise at 8:57 PM on April 9, 2022
Dig out a few tablespoons/ as needed from the frozen stock, allow to thaw.
posted by porpoise at 8:57 PM on April 9, 2022
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Take care that you do NOT fuck up the acidity -- like, actually go buy pH test strips to make sure you hit the target (or, better, overshoot it) or the bacteria can grow.
posted by aramaic at 1:06 PM on April 8, 2022 [1 favorite]