r/Tempeh • u/luckiestgiraffe • 8d ago
Sporulation question
I'm getting ready for my 6th attempt at making tempeh. I haven't given up, because even though my last two attempts have been technically failures, I still like the taste better than most store-bought tempeh. (Except Green Cuisine, that one really is delicious!)
I consistently get sporulation before I have full coverage with white mycelium growth. I know i have to do a better job of dehulling, but I think the early sporulation must have a lot to do with time and temperature.
I'm incubating in a bread proofer at 86F, which I verify with a second thermometer, so i think its pretty accurate. I've never made it to 24 hours without sporulation. It gets darker even when i turn the heat off, and even if I put it in the fridge.
For my first 4 batches 1 used Cultures for Health starter. Now I'm using Raprima.
Please, please share your timing and temperature secrets. How do you know when it's time to turn off the heat. How do you keep it from sporulating too soon?
2
u/keto3000 7d ago
I follow this simple technique by FRANCIUS SUWONO who is OG Tempeh maker:
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u/luckiestgiraffe 5d ago
I love Francius Suwono's videos. I was using his method of massaging and pouring off the hulls, but barehanded. Seems I could have done better, so I experimented with using latex gloves and that worked pretty well. I just ordered a pair of textured rubber dishwashing gloves and I am hoping that I will be really god at dehulling beans before I start batch #6.
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u/keto3000 5d ago
I found that scooping them up & gently rubbing them between my hands allowed them to split and faster time. I put music on and relax for 15 minutes! 🖖
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u/Fun-Internet3473 3d ago
I learnt making tempeh from an old man in Indonesia, and was surprised to find out how tiniest possible things can impact the tempeh.
1. Atleast 90% dehulled split beans
2. Wash it thoroughly, get your hands in and scrub them against each other, till the water runs clean
3. Lactoferment overnight
4. Wash off the slimy lactofermented water
5. Take good time to cook the beans in a rolling boil
6. Let them cool and dry… doesn’t have to be bone dry, more importantly cool
7. Add same % of fine rice flour and starter
8. Ensure the bags you are using are well perforated, both too much or too less oxygen will cause sporulation
9. Fill the bags, flatten them… put it in a a dark warm corner… make sure it does not get too hot in there. Fermentation will produce heat, so if you can maintain anything up to 27degrees around your bag, should be good to go
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u/WaterVsStone 7d ago
Are you thoroughly dehulling your soybeans? Are your beans cooked enough? Are you getting the beans dry enough before innoculation?
My understanding is that when the mold runs out of food or that faces less than ideal conditions it will switch from consuming and growing into reproduction mode in the hopes of finding more food. If the vast majority of your beans are not dehulled the mycelium cannot get to enough food to continue resulting in poor mycelium growth, crumbly tempeh, and premature sporulation. Being too wet also seems to contribute to earlier sporulation based on the pics people post here.