When the weather here in Thailand is HOT and the pineapples drop to as low as 10 baht each (maybe USD 30 cents) it's time to make Tepache!! What is Tepache? It's an ancient Mexican homebrew, traditionally made from fruit skins and sometimes added corn, simply fermented with sugar. The most common tepache recipe is made from pineapple skins!
Best part, you get to EAT all the yummy fresh juicy pineapple flesh first! Oh yeah! But when you get to this part, where the pineapple skins are staring up at you from the kitchen bench? You're going to FERMENT THEM instead of tossing or composting them!
What do you need?
- A warm kitchen or warm, sheltered fermenting spot
- One large ceramic fermenting pot or you can use a stainless steel stock pot
- The skins (and maybe core, if it's too tough to eat) of 2 or 3 pineapples
- Two cups of sugar - I used coconut palm sugar but your can use soft brown sugar too
- Cinnamon sticks or slices of fresh ginger
Make sure you obviously wash the pineapples well first.
Put the pineapples skins, the sugar and the sliced ginger or cinnamon in a big pot. If you're using granulated or block palm sugar, dissolve it in a cup or two of hot water first.
Add about 4 liters of clean drinking water to cover.
Now here's the tricky, technical bit: weight the pineapple skins and ginger with a small upturned plate so EVERYTHING stays 100% immersed under the water!
Cover and leave in a warm spot for 3-5 days, checking it daily to make sure everything stays submerged. After the second day you can TASTE it. It should have tiny bubbles - like champagne - and be pleasantly sweet. If you prefer it a little less sweet, leave it a day longer. Check and taste it often - in a hot kitchen it can turn to vinegar very quickly!!
You may get a little foamy fermenting scum on the surface, which is FINE. Carefully remove it with a spoon...
When you're happy with the flavour, strain and serve - keep in an airtight bottle if you're wanting to retain the light bubbles, or simply store in a glass jug if you're happier with it flat.
UNBELIEVABLY REFRESHING!!
Big girls party version? Use it as a punch base with either rum or tequila and some pretty fruit slices...
If you like kombucha, you're gonna love Tepache!! It's a little softer in taste and no messing about with the scoby!!
The nutritional and probiotic profile is going to vary per batch, depending on the fruit you start with, the sugar content, the type of sugar and the fermenting time. But basically Tepache has a similar probiotic profile to sauerkraut, with predominantly bacteria from the Lactobacillus family. It IS mildly alcoholic - around 1% typically.
My suggestion? If you're looking for better health, USE COCONUT SUGAR, which is not only VEGAN (unlike some processed sugars), but rich in vitamins and minerals and SO RICH IN FLAVOUR! If coconut sugar is new to you, you really should read this: 10 Reasons to Switch to Coconut Sugar
Tepache is a fabulous budget choice, a health choice, and a sustainable zero-waste choice.... easy, refreshing, quick, and super yummy!!
On that note, I'm off to get me some more pineapples!! Enjoy!! 🍍
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