(homemade, lacto-fermented salsa)
Once you know the amazing benefits of lacto-fermentation (I really just named a few yesterday, Benefits of Lacto-Fermentation), the next question is how to get started and which method works best.
Today I would like to share specifically about the fermentation methods for vegetables. I thought I would share some of the different ways I have made lacto-fermented vegetables, the pro’s and con’s of the different methods, plus some new ideas that I am excited to dig deeper into! As always, I would love to hear your thoughts and experience too.
Before I get into the nitty-gritty details, I also wanted to mention one online store where you can buy an item needed for one of the methods listed below, which is Cultures For Health. I am really impressed with their selection of sourdough starters, yogurt starters for raw milk, milk and water kefir grains, and kombucha mushrooms as well! (And yes, one of the methods below does use one of those listed products! I am excited to try it!).
First there are two main methods I am aware of, both of which I have worked with.
Mason Jar Method: This is the method that Nourishing Traditions and the Body Ecology Diet uses.
Pros: It’s very easy to do. You simple fill your jars up and ferment right in the jar. No special equipment needed. I’ve gotten some great tasting fermented salsa, beets and pickles using this method.
Con’s: I haven’t always gotten as good as tasting sauerkraut with this method. It’s often had to rest in the refrigerator for months before it tasted right to us. This may be especially true since I don’t use the whey, which speeds up the process a bit. To counter this, you can try to ferment it on the counter for longer then the three days. But you will need to release the pressure in the jars, because the longer it sits, the more pressure builds up and the more likely it is to explode your jar. I’ve also had the jars leak a lot.
Traditional Crock Method: Wild Fermentation uses this method. Click link to get detailed instructions. Go here
Pro’s: I have had great success getting some great tasting sauerkraut with this method. I feel like I have a little more control over it, because I am tasting it everyday, after about day 3-5. Then when it tastes just right, I put it in jars. It’s definitely produced our favorite sauerkraut thus far. And this is the method I plan to continue to use the most, especially for sauerkraut.
Con’s: You may need special equipment. This is going to be the easiest with a real crock. I’ve so far been using a large bowl with a plate and weight, but it’s harder to work with.
Now I would like to give a brief overview of different methods using different ingredients.
Salt Ferments
This is the method that I have mostly used. It’s also the traditional way to produce ferments. The salt not only keeps the product more crispy, but it also preserves the vegetables until the good bacteria starts to grow.
Pro’s: First I would have to say that since this is the traditional way to produce ferments (using the crock method), I have a bias towards it. It does produce a very tasty product, and even though it does take a bit longer to ferment, perhaps that longer time period is giving us advantages we don’t know of. Another advantages: Very easy to make, you don’t need extra ingredients, just vegetables and salt, and the finished product tastes great.
Con’s: Some find it too salty. I am a firm believer that good, unrefined, high quality salt is good for you, so I have no problem with salt in my ferments. But taste-wise, some don’t like it as salty. Many, however, don’t use high amounts of salt in a salt ferment, and it turns out great. So for those of you who are having a hard time with ferments coming out too salty, you can probably cut back on the salt significantly. Read Sandor Ellix Katz’s thoughts on simplifying the salting process (he is the author of Wild Fermentation). Salt ferments will also take longer.
Whey Ferments
This is the method that Nourishing Tradition uses.
Pro’s: It adds good bacteria into the ferments, thereby speeding up the fermentation, adding good bacteria, and also allowing you to use less salt.
Con’s: Those who are dairy intolerant can’t use it. You need to make sure you have good tasting whey as well. My mother-in-law, who was successful in making whey ferments found that you need a good tasting whey to make a good tasting ferment. You should also make sure to strain the whey, as one family I knew had gotten some of the whole milk yogurt bits in their ferment and it had gone bad much more quickly.
Saltless Ferments
Yes, you can actually make saltless ferments. The Body Ecology utilizes this method (get directions here) and in Wild Fermentation, there is at least one saltless variation (though he doesn’t necessarily recommend it).
Pro’s: Those who either don’t like the salty taste of ferments, or who try to not have as much salt, like this method. For the Body Ecology diet, you are eating a significant amount of cultured vegetables. If it was very salted, you would be eating a lot of salt. This way allows you to eat a lot of cultured vegetables without eating a lot of salt.
Con’s: Taste and texture might not be quite as agreeable. You also have to be very careful that everything you use is quite clean otherwise bad bacteria could grow before the good bacteria has a chance. Read this quote from Sander, the author of Wild Fermentation on saltless cultured vegetables,
“Some people promote the idea that salt-free sauerkrauts contain more beneficial organisms than salted krauts. I don’t believe that. The most specific beneficial bacteria we’re after, Lactobacillus, is salt-tolerant and abundantly present even in salty krauts; arguably, salt-free ferments are more biodiverse, but this diversity often results in mushy textures. Though it is possible to ferment vegetables without salt, a little salt results in far superior flavor and texture—and just as much beneficial bacteria. So again, salt to taste.” Source
The Body Ecology store also sells cultures that you can add to jump start the ferment with some good bacteria. It is a bit expensive, but I am sure that it would work great. Others actually just use a bit of coconut kefir, either bought from The Body Ecology store, or homemade. This is a dairy free option to the whey.
Kefir-Ferments
Finally, this is a very interesting method that I just learned about! In my last post Kaylin left a comment mentioning it. I was intrigued! I found this wonderful site talking about it (I’ve quoted them below). I think I just may have to try it.
Pro’s: Like adding the whey, culture, or coconut kefir, it helps the good bacteria grow quickly in your ferment. Some feel that it produces a better product in the end. You can make it saltless as well. When made the saltless way, it will ferment very quickly.
“On the opposite side of the chopping board however, kefirkraut is cultured with the addition of kefir grains incorporated as a starter-enhancer. This permits the culture-process to proceed much more rapidly and efficiently in comparison, and without the use of any salt, or, a small percentage of salt just for taste [or to extend shelf life] may be used, if desired. The culture-product can be tailor-cultured to suit personal preference of the Kefirkraut-Master. Incorporating kefir grains influences a more rapid fermentation and as a result produces culture-vegetables with optimal nutritional value, for oxidation of nutrients is minimised. I would not be surprised if like many kefir recipes, kefirkraut may too produce the powerful antioxidant common to milk kefir, soy kefir and rice milk kefir, as research has shown. This would make an interesting area for further research.”
Con’s: You do need to get your hand on some milk kefir or water kefir grains (like I mentioned earlier, Cultures for Health is one great place to get them). You could run into some of the same problems as saltless ferments (mushy texture), but you can also utilize this method with salt, though it will take a bit longer. Other then that, I don’t know of many disadvantages since I haven’t even tried it yet! Except perhaps that it does conflict with my bias towards the most traditional methods of making sauerkraut.
So there are some of my thoughts and experience thus far in my lacto-fermenting journey. I would love to hear from you! What’s worked and what hasn’t for you?
This post is part of Works for me Wednesday and Real Food Wednesday!
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Last year I made home-canned cucumber pickles using the quick method of a water/vinegar/salt mix and processing the jars. This year I want to use lacto-fermentation. Have you made any lacto-fermented cucumber pickles? I’ve been doing some research and just about everything seems to say I need to make them in 1-5 gallon containers and then when they’re done to transfer them to smaller jars for storage. Do you know if you can make them start to finish in the smaller jars? (I use quart jars.)
I know many people who have with great success. I used the recipe form Eat Fat, Lose Fat to make a wonderful sweet pickle too.
Molly — I’ve made dill cucumber pickles and pickle relish in quart jars using the whey fermentation method for a long time! It works great. I think the reason people make it in bulk is because of how many cucumbers they’re blessed with come summer!
Kimi — I can’t wait to hear about these kefir ferments. How interesting!!
Cheers,
KristenM
(AKA FoodRenegade)
Very interesting. I’m hoping to buy a few crocks (fortunately they’re made locally) and try my hand at a big crock of pickles & kraut this summer. I really want to make pickled beets this way as well. I love the vinegar version.
I’m interested in making my own fermented salsa. But in looking for recipes on-line, I came across a post which brought up the concern for boutillism. Is there any cause for concern? Has me a bit worried about making my own now.
Mary Ellen,
I haven’t heard of that being a problem before. My understanding is that if the cultured vegetable’s ph is lower then, I think 4.5, you will be safe. But I could be wrong. Obviously, for any cultured vegetable you are taking responsibility for the outcome, and if you felt more comfortable knowing the ph you could get ph strips to test your batches. Did you read about it actually happening to someone, or just someone mentioning it as a possibility?
If anyone else has anything to add, I would love to hear your thoughts!
Where is a good source for a crock?
KH: I haven’t bought mine yet, so I would check around for a good price. Watch for two things: they should be lead free. Also, some companies have cheaper prices, but then they charge much more for shipping, so watch out! Here’s one place I found that carries some old-fashioned, American made lead free crocks.
Kimi – Someone just bought it up as a possibility. No mention of anyone actually getting sick.
Maybe I’ll get the ph strips just be on the safe side 🙂 Thanks!
I just started my first batch of Nourishing Traditions Latin American sauerkraut! I can hardly wait to taste it!
In addition, I am 7 weeks pregnant and do have some concern about safety while pregant. It’s understood that we do this at our own risk, but would be very encouraging to hear everyone’s take on lactofermentation and safely.
Thank you for the inspiration!
Tabitha
I have a question. If one has wheat and gluten allergies can they use kefir grains? Probably a silly question but i was not sure and wanted to find out?! thanks for the info.
Very interesting! I’ve so far done only lacto-fermentation with whey, but am hoping on making some sauerkraut too (the salt preservation variety) . . .
I’ve also got this book on my amazon list for more recipes . . . has anyone tried it?
Preserving Food without Freezing or Canning: Traditional Techniques Using Salt, Oil, Sugar, Alcohol, Vinegar, Drying, Cold Storage, and Lactic Fermentation
http://www.amazon.com/Preserving-Food-without-Freezing-Canning/dp/1933392592/ref=wl_it_dp?ie=UTF8&coliid=I3T8CO05QUQAKZ&colid=3VRQ9SKBS6590
I’m also looking forward to making more pickles this year . . . looking forward to more on this series!
Best,
Sarah
First off I love fermentation!!!
I have made from the NT book: Latin American kraut, plain kraut, carrots and ginger, daikon radish and kimchi. I usually use whey because it tastes so much better to me than the salted ones ( I didn’t have whey once). I ended up buying a large rubber maid container that was rectangular and about 8 inched tall x 18 inches long to “pound” my veges in because it is less messy then I pack it in mason jars, let it sit for 3 days and then into the fridge. I eat the kraut on its own, I put the carrots and daikon radish on my salads( I think I will add hot peppers next time for more flavor) and it actually seems like a salad dressing to me. I made dill pickles and used a grape leaf to keep the pickles crisp. They are not as dilly as store bought but they are not bad. I will be tweaking that recipe a little. I also added whole garlic to the pickles both for flavor and to eat. I also make Kombucca and have gotten cultures from the “Cultures for Health” I am brewing my first batch with theirs. My own “Mothers” did n’t look as healthy as those I saw online so that is why I ordered new. I did drink what I cultured from my own and it was good but I just didn’t like the look of the Mother’s I had grown. Needless to say my fridge is full of mason jars because I also have kefir, buttermilk, yogurt and sour cream. I made the Punch from NT and I think I would make it again but I will wait until summer. It was not like the punch we are used to and I made the ginger ale, that will be another summer drink. My next project will be to try Kvass and coconut kefir. I made strawberry banana smoothies from my kefir this week because I don’t care for the taste of it plain. I am hoping the coconut tastes better.
Tabitha,
According to Sally Fallon, you should be able to tell if something went wrong with your ferment as it will smell quite bad (hasn’t happened to me yet). I don’t know enough about it to say for certain (for the record, I don’t think the FDA approves of lacto-fermented foods), but I do know that all of us who make ferments have never had a problem before. And also consider that this is a very old practice…..it’s been around for a long time! I think you are probably more likely to get sick from poorly washed lettuce then your ferment. Hope that helps!
Karen,
I don’t think it should be a problem for you. 🙂 They aren’t really “grains” in that sense of the word.
Sarah,
If I remember right, I got that book from the library a while back and it has a lot of interesting recipes. Unfortunately I had to return it before I really got the chance to try anything. It definitely had a lot of ideas though!
Kathy,
Good for you! You are doing great! We always liked to make smoothies with our kefir too. It was a bit strong to our taste by itself.
So far I have used only the Mason Jar method, with both the salt and whey methods. My experience with sauerkraut has only been bad, bad, bad. It was just incredibly salty and we didn’t enjoy the taste at all. One poor jar has been sitting in the fridge for a long time, with no one very interested in eating it. (Though I’m curious to taste it now, as you mentioned the jar method needed months to taste good to you).
I’ve made dill-style pickles using the salt method, and those were amazing. We really loved them! I’ve also tried fermented berry syrups, with whey, and they took a while to grow on us, but in the end we started to enjoy them.
Aside from these foods, I’ve mostly stuck to dairy products (yogurt, kefir, cream cheese, etc.), sourdough breads, and kombucha (which I love!). I’ve also tried some water kefir grains, with no success, but just received some new ones so that I can give it another try. I’m eager to find another fermented beverage that we can drink more often!
Thanks for the information on Wild Fermentation. It’s a book I’ve been eyeing for quite a while and I’m glad to know that you like it so much. 🙂
If you are looking for crocks, the place to go is a good, old-fashioned country auction. This is THE place to get cast iron cookware and canning equipment, too. I don’t know what brand new crocks cost, but they are a fairly spendy item even at auctions–an DH and I had to leave behind 2 big ones when we left MO to move to CA–boo,hoo! If you want to buy new, the go-to place is http://www.lehmans.com
I cannot tell you how thrilled I am to find your website! It is SUCH a fabulous resource of information, and posted by a “real person” that’s actually trying the the recipes and whatnot…
I found your site a few weeks ago, and I thought I was pleased then. But I just saw your post about fermented foods, and I’m so excited! This has been an area of interest for me, but I’m a bit reluctant to start as I don’t really have any other guidance than Nourishing Traditions… which is more vague than I care for. So I will be watching these posts with GREAT interest!
Thank you SO much! I’ve already shared your blog with someone else – it’s a real treasure!
Crock-wise you cannot beat a Harsch. They are expensive but do the job realy well. I use mine for the traditional salt versions of kraut.
But for time and ease the quart mason jar is great for whey cultured veggies, salsas, etc.
I have had the easiest time with kombucha. SO much so that I have a two gallon glass jar full of scoby’s.
I just got kefir grains and have to tweak the culture time as it has been turning out really, really sour. Any kefir tips would be appreciated.
This may seem like a silly question, but growing up in Texas, I can honestly say that I never even SAW saurkraut growing up…. what do you use it with besides hotdogs? (I watch enough TV to know that’s the general use for it, haha)
Oh April, try making a Ruben casserole, to die for! Sauerkraut on top of meatloaf is also great. Beef roast & kraut are also winners.
To solve my fizzing over problem, I just had to use a bigger jar. I use a quart jar filled about 3/4 full. (I make small batches) Then I take a quart ziploc bag, fill it 1/4 of the way full with salted water (in case it leaks). I spread the bag around the kraut, fold the bag top over the jar, put the lid on the jar tight and let it sit 3 days on the counter. This has produced a really good flavored, crunchy, sour kraut.
Now whey fermented pickles were horrible. I used oak tree leaves for crunchiness, but they never really got “sour” and after 2 weeks they were so soft it was disgusting to eat. I don’t think I’ll try those again, unless my garden gives me an abundance of cukes, which it usually does not! (*I know, what kind of a gardener am I?? LOL)
Sarah – I have that book and it’s fascinating. It’s not expensive, definitely worth the purchase. I got it over the winter so I’ve only made a few things from it but planning many more for harvest season.
There is a great kefir making group and they share their grains for the cost of shipping: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Kefir_making/.
Also, if you buy the crock you will need a plate or wooden board to sink the veggies down. I lost my first batch made in the crock and can’t find a suitable lid after shelling out all the money to have it shipped to me. The pine lid that I paid good money for swelled up so much that my dh had to drill it out. Needless to say I do NOT recommend the crock for fermentation. Someone commented on my blog entry saying cypress board works better but you have to make that yourself.
Happy fermenting!
Sustainable,
That is the beauty of a Harsch crock. The weight is porous stone and it comes in 2 pieces (think a circle cut in half). That way you can always pull it out and it will not get stuck.
Hi Kimi, just wanted to let you know about my own cultured veggie experiments. I have had great success with body ecology methods but screw top mason jars wouldn’t work because the tops always blew off! Now I have the latch top style and it works better but I have to double the gaskets to hold the pressure.
So my current health experiment is with zeolites but also green juice fasting, 2 weeks of green juice and heavy doses of zeolites is so amazing at detoxifying I could rant about it endlessly, but back to fermentation.
I decided to ferment my fresh green juice/spirulina with cultured veggi/kefir starter so I wouldn’t have to juice every day in case my energy was low during detox. I added lots of FOS chicory inulin to the first batch to make sure the organisms were well fed. The results were amazing, its just like drinking the fresh juice out of a batch of kraut. I currently have some transfers fermenting and after my fast I want to try to add the fermented juice to some shredded veggies and see what happens. It’s kind of a deconstructed way of doing it so it should be interesting.
Sounds like you are doing some great work, there, Spencer…If you like the idea of jars instead of crocks, they do make fermentation jars that have special lids with a gasket that releases gases built up by fermentation as seen here http://sauerkrautsluts.tribe.net/photos/6fac0e8f-cd0c-4334-8064-7c17a4c3a443
and another style here
http://www.simply-natural.biz/Picklemeister.php
Hope that helps!
Oh I’m scared I’m scared I don’t know why but I am when it comes to fermenting! Ok this is a goal for myself to try the salt method in a mason jar because i have both.
Hi has anyone made the beet kvass from Sally Fallons book nourishing traditions. I have made some and it has mould on top, i have lifted it off but am not sure
if i should use it.
Could you post some recipes using some the vegetable fermentation method? Or perhaps links to good recipes?
Hi Kimi!
Thanks for your great post. 🙂 I recently got my NT book and have been almost overwhelmed – to the point that I don’t know where to start first! We have no access to raw milk, so – like you – I plan on making sauerkraut with just salt and cabbage.
I wanted to mention this: my sister was unable to get whey for a while and when she made her sauerkraut, she used probiotics. When she was breaking down the cabbage with a wooden spoot or mallet, she broke open a capsule or two of probiotics, sprinkled the contents over the cabbage, and continued to pound away. She said she got very good results that way! I may try it myself.
I love the Body Ecology Culture Starter. I’ve been using it for 5 years and never had a bad batch. If you love the saltiness of traditional ferments, like I do, simply sprinkle salt and drizzle olive oil over the veggies when serving.
Also, you can also add a bit of Rapadura to the mix before fermenting to provide extra food for the good bacteria.
Has anyone fermented kale or chard? I’d like to do it with just salt. Can I do it on it’s own, or should I mix it with cabbage?
For people who exhibit high blood pressure thus must not use salt (spdium), can potassium chloride be used? Will the beneficial microbes live in the presence of the potassium salt?
I’ve only used the NT method with using whey and salt in mason jars. I have had good success with the saurkraut- and I hate storebought kraut!! I did find that the flavor was MUCH better after the jars sat in the back of the fridge for several months. Last summer I made pickles using a brine made of pickling salt, water and herbs and immersed the cucumbers in it for three days. They were excellent months later, both in taste and crispy texture. When they were ‘done’ I put them in jars and refrigerated.
I would like to try the crock method without whey though- the fermented pickles I tried to make according the NT recipe was disgusting. No mushy cukes for me!
Last summer, I made the NT whey-based sauerkraut and dill pickles in quart mason jars – YUM!! Even my 2 year old loves them!
I did notice that the tops of the pickles became rather mushy the longer they sat in the fridge, but I just cut the top off and enjoyed the rest of the pickle. Then I read what Sono Harris mentioned about needing to add a bit of horseradish to the pickles to keep them crispy. I haven’t yet had an opportunity to try that, since we aren’t quite in cucumber season where I live. But I’m eager to see those results this year.
Also, the first time I made sauerkraut, I pounded my cabbage by hand. With the huge mess it made, I almost gave up and never returned. Then a thought struck me – let my Kitchen Aid mixer do the pounding. Viola! It worked like a charm with delicious results.
Some people with dairy issues can have goat dairy (depending on the problem)… if that is the case you can use goat whey. I find that whey fermentation is a good way to use up whey from cheese making.
Can you store lacto-fermented foods long term, or do they have to be stored in the fridge? That seems the only down side, “traditional” canning lets me put up my summer vegetables for a year or so.
I think it’s nicer to salt ferment because then you are using the microbes from the vegetable and not from the added whey. This might mean you get more variety, such as some otherwise lost strains of beneficial bacteria! I lacto-pickled some radishes recently: YUM!
can you tell me alternatives for whey in lacto-fermentation?
what other raw materials can be used aside from whey and vinegar for lacto fermentation?
please send me an e-mail about this ASAP, thanks:)
i really need this for my investigatory project in science, thanks:)
It’s so exciting to read so many comments from other fermentation freaks! I mean that in the nicest possible way… I’ve been fermenting stuff off and on for about 5 years now. Someone passed on a tip to me that adding whey to sauerkraut was responsible for making them too mushy, and sure enough I’ve had better success without it. It really isn’t necessary; the right cultures will show up from the air if you just use brine. I like whey for making lacto-fermented sodas. I’m having fun experimenting with that and also water kefir grains. They are so quick, though, that I’m building up a stock of kombucha because I have so many other cultured drinks around now.
As to safety, botulism is a concern with pressure-canned products because it grows under anaerobic conditions, whereas lacto-fermentation is done in the presence of oxygen. Plus, if you use recommended amounts of salt, it kills bad stuff. The lactobacilli and other beneficial bugs are more salt-tolerant and they also help to crowd out any bad stuff. If you use reasonable hygiene and salt, botulism isn’t an issue. I do recommend “The Joys of Pickling” by Linda Ziedrich, revised edition. Her first chapter is an excellent primer on pickling and fermentation, with lots of safety tips and the basic science behind them. She has a chapter on brine pickling, another on sauerkraut, kimchi and other cabbage pickles, then others on chutneys, salsas, etc etc although those are mainly for water-processing/canning with vinegar and often a lot of sugar. Still, they are good inspiration as far as combinations and seasonings.
Back in April, Sarah asked about this book:
Preserving Food without Freezing or Canning: Traditional Techniques Using Salt, Oil, Sugar, Alcohol, Vinegar, Drying, Cold Storage, and Lactic Fermentation
I have it and it’s pretty interesting but not that practical unless you’re experienced and don’t need detailed directions. It’s a translation from the French and not all the recipes are very exact. It is of historical interest. I think it would be much better if revised for American kitchens and tightened up a bit, but it would take a lot of recipe trial and refinement. The recipes are from many different contributors so it’s quite uneven, repetitive, and some parts contradict others.
I was just searching for a lacto-fermented salsa recipe. Seems like I saw one recently on one of my favorite food blogs but I can’t remember which one! Any clues would be appreciated!
Jeanmarie
Erica said: Erika 07.06.09 at 3:49 am
can you tell me alternatives for whey in lacto-fermentation?
what other raw materials can be used aside from whey and vinegar for lacto fermentation?
please send me an e-mail about this ASAP, thanks:)
Vinegar is not used in lacto-fermentation (except maybe a tiny bit in some recipes, for flavor, but I wouldn’t try it as a beginner). At its most basic, all you need is salt and water and vegetables. You may not even need extra water if you get enough liquid from pounding the vegetable to release its juices, as with cabbage for sauerkraut. You can also do fruits but that’s a little trickier. The best thing for beginners is sauerkraut, I think. Find The Joys of Pickling or go to the Wild Fermentation site for tips. Good luck!
Jeanmarie
Maybe this is a silly question, but is it still lacto-fermentation if you don’t use any milk products (the salt-only method, for instance)?
And what is distinctive about a fermentation crock? How does it differ from the crock that goes in a crock pot?
how do I know if my whey has gone bad? I am new to all of this and working my way through “Nourishing Traditions”
I like the salt ferments, not too fond of the results/flavor with whey ferments.
Also, Lactic Acid Bacteria need many of the minerals that are introduced by good quality sea-salt or himilayan salt.
Some great articles on fermenting and salt on the Pickl-It.com website, http://www.pickl-it.com/ search for salt using their search form.
I’m wondering if anyone has tried making cultured vegetables w/ an airlock? I’d love to see this reviewed/compared with the other methods. I’ve just started my first batch (of beets) this way so I don’t have anything to report yet…
Here’s a fairly recent review by a favorite blogger of mine: http://feedmelikeyoumeanit.blogspot.com/2010/06/pickl-it-versus-harsch-may-best-vat-win.html
Kate
If the airlock is in a truly air-tight container with a good seal, it creates an ideal anaerobic environment for fermentation which the lactic acid bacteria love. Experiences with Pickl-It have shown that the anaerobic environment accelerates fermentation, reduces mold and other contamination, and results in a cleaner look / taste to the resulting fermented food.
http://www.pickl-it.com/faq/96/special-equipment-lacto-fermentation/
I’ve done quite a few of Nourishing Traditions fermented veggie/fruit recipes, with mostly wonderful outcomes.
I get most of my whey as per NT’s suggested method of dumping plain, quality yogurt into a tea towel- lined collander overnight to let the whey drip from it. I put the whey into jars to store in the fridge, they last for weeks, even months.
Curious, has anyone fermented chard? I know you can ferment chard stems but wonder about the leaves. My beloved stepmom says it won’t work, that it will turn slimy.
Blessings!
I am using the Pickl-It system (it is a fermenting jar with an airlock) and LOVE it. I couldn’t stand the slimy sauerkraut I produced with mason jars and crocks. My sauerkraut is crisp and tastes amazing. I can’t wait to try it with cucumbers this summer. I couldn’t bring myself to pay for the Harsh crock, but this seems to get the same results at a much more manageable price point. It seems to speed up the process as well, but I am still experimenting with that.
First, I love kraut… canned, jarred, homemade… love it! I use it on everything from burgers & dogs to sandwiches, wraps & casssaroles. I also love dairy products & all the blue cheeses, so I couldn’t resist making some saurkraut. I used the whey/salt recipe from thefamilyhomestead.com 2wks ago and it looks great! I’m still waiting to taste.
Here’s where my experiment begins:
I had the kosher salt and cabbage.
Not having any whey; I drained the liquid from the top of my un-openned plain yogurt, sour cream & cottage cheese containers.
Not having a crock; I used a heavy 1 gallon ziptop bag to ferment my batch. I filled the plastic freezer bag about 2/3 full and squeezed all the air from it. Leaving the cabbage submersed in it’s own juice & whey in an “air tight” container.
I left it on the counter at about 76F overnight. In the morning it had some gas that had risen to the top so I vented it carefully as not to introduce any air. I moved it to the ceramic floor of my pantry and monitored the temp for 2 days at between 73-76F. By this time it was bubbling nicely so I vented it again without loosing the “air tight” seal. 3 days later, it had gassed again about the same amount; so I vented and moved to the fridge. The smell was perfect! It has been at 45F for about a week now and the gassing slowed or stopped. The kraut is turning clear and the liquid looks nice. The bag is still “air tight” and the kraut feels firm & squeeky when pressed between the fingers and bag.
Questions:
Has anybody ever tried this method?
When do I taste it?
“I used a heavy 1 gallon ziptop bag to ferment my batch.”
Have you checked into the negative health aspects of using plastic on your food that has lactic-acid? Food scientists and material-science engineers put great effort into determining if a substance is insert/unaffected by salt or a variety of acids. Plastic bags are not tested to be salt-resistance, or lactic-acid resistant. What negative chemicals do you suppose are leaching into the food from the plastic you’re using, Dennis? I think this is dangerous.
Kate
INERT, not INSERT. 😉
Kate
I’m new to fermenting vegetables and made several different recipes using whey. My pickles and dilly carrot sticks look cloudy but smell and taste all right. Is it normal to be cloudy and should I be concerned? I welcome your advise. Thanks, Joyce
Girl, you have GOT to write a book. So much of the information you give is complimentary to what I have learned in NT and WF but comes from a more traditional stand point. That is very important to me, because I believe those things originated with God since they have been internationally used since time began. Therefore, I feel they are smartest to follow. I can’t remember it all though and am getting over run with notes. Need a book to reference.