Fermented Vegetables Are Super Foods, Make Them At Home
You can ferment almost any vegetable, cucumbers (pickles) and cabbage (sauerkraut) are the most popular in the West. Fermenting your own vegetables may seem intimidating, but it is not difficult once you know the basic method.
Below are 9 tips that will help you get started, as follows:
1. Use Organic Ingredients: Starting out with fresh, toxin-free food ensures a better outcome. If you do not grow your own, local organic farmers will likely sell cabbage, cucumbers, and other vegetables by the case if you wish to make a large batch.
2. Wash Vegetables and Prepare Them Properly: Wash your vegetables thoroughly under cold running water. You want to remove bacteria, enzymes, and other debris from the veggies, as remnants could affect the outcome of your fermentation.Next decide whether to grate, slice, or chop them, or simply leave them whole. The decision is up to you and depends mostly on what you plan to do with the finished products i.e.will you use them as a condiment, a side dish, or as an appetizer?.
Keep the size of the vegetables consistent within each batch, as the size and shape will impact the speed of fermentation. Grated veggies will have the texture of relish when finished and may not need an added brine.
Chopped vegetables will take longer to ferment and usually require brine; cucumbers, radishes, green beans, and Brussels sprouts may be left whole.
3. Use Pint and Quart Jars: There is no need to spend large amounts of money on containers. You do not want to use plastic, which may leach chemicals into your food, or metal, as salts can corrode the metal. Large, glass Mason jars with self-sealing lids make perfect fermentation containers, and they are a good size for most families. Make sure they are the wide-mouthed variety, as you will need to get your hand or a tool down into the jar for tightly packing the vegetables
4. Try a Stone Crock: If you want to make larger batches, try a stone crock. You can ferment about 5 lbs of vegetables in a 1-gallon container, so a 5-pound crock will hold about a 5-gallon batch.5. Prepare the BrineMost fermented vegetables will need to be covered with brine. While you can do wild fermentation, this method is more time consuming, and the end product is less certain. Instead, try one of the following brine fermentation methods:
5. Salt: Salt suppresses the growth of undesirable bacteria while allow salt-tolerant Lactobacilli strains to flourish. Salt will also lead to a crisper texture, since salt hardens the pectins in the vegetables. There are compelling reasons for adding a small amount of natural, unprocessed salt, such as Himalayan salt to your vegetables.
For example, salt:
a. Strengthens the ferment’s ability to eliminate any potential pathogenic bacteria present
b. Adds to the flavor
c. Acts as a natural preservative, which may be necessary if you’re making large batches that need to last for a larger portion of the year
d. Slows the enzymatic digestion of the vegetables, leaving them crunchier
e. Inhibits surface molds
5: Starter Culture: Starter cultures may be used on their own or in addition to salt, and they can provide additional benefits. For instance, I recommend using a starter culture specifically designed to optimize vitamin K2. The research found we could get 400 to 500 mcgs of vitamin K2 in a 2-ounce serving of fermented vegetables using a starter culture, which is a clinically therapeutic dose.
The water used for your brine is also important. Use water that is filtered to be free of contaminants, chlorine, and fluoride.
6. Let the Vegetables Ripen: Once packed for fermentation, the vegetables need to ripen for a week or more for the flavor to develop. You need to weigh the vegetables down to keep them submerged below the brine.
7. Move the Veggies to Cold Storage: When the vegetables are ready, you should move them to the refrigerator. How do you know when they are ready? First, you might notice bubbles throughout the jar, which is a good sign. Next, there should be a pleasant sour aroma. If you notice a rotten or spoiled odor, toss the veggies, wash the container, and try again. Ideally, test the vegetables daily until you reach the desired flavor and texture. They should have a tangy, sour flavor when they’re done fermenting, but you can let them ferment an extra day or two depending on your preference.
8. Label Them: You will quickly forget when you made which batch and what is inside your jars. A label can include the ingredients, the date made and how many days you left it to ferment. The latter will help you in perfecting the “perfect” recipe.
9. Take a Local Class: Many communities host pickling or preserving classes to help you learn this traditional method of food preservation. So even if you don’t have a recipe passed down from your grandmother, you can still learn how to make fermented foods. Many groups even get together to make large batches at a time.
Making Fermented Vegetables, the Steps
Below are steps are all it takes to make wonderful fermented vegetables at home.
Vegetable and Herb Selection
The first step is gathering up your vegetables. Make sure they are all organic. Cabbage (red or green) should be the “backbone” of your blend, comprising about 80%. Choose dense, tightly packed heads. Five or 6 medium-sized cabbages will yield 10 to 14 quart jars of fermented vegetables.
Remember to reserve some cabbage leaves for the jar tops.
Add in hard root vegetables of your liking, such as carrots, golden beets, radishes, and turnips. Peel your veggies as the skins can impart a bitter flavor. I also enjoy adding red bell pepper, Granny Smith apples, and even a hot pepper, like a habanero (make sure you wear gloves!). One pepper for the entire batch is plenty.
Aromatics can be added in small quantities, a little goes a long way, as fermenting concentrates the pungent flavors.
Tasty additions include peeled garlic, peeled ginger, and herbs such as basil, sage, rosemary, thyme, or oregano.
Onions tend to overpower the mix, no matter how little are used, so avoid them.
Finally, you can add sea vegetables or seaweed to increase the mineral, vitamin, and fiber content. You can add pieces of whole dulse, or use flakes. Wakame and sea palm do not have any kind of fishy flavor, but need to be presoaked and diced into the desired size. Arame and hijiki have a fishy flavor.
Culture and Brine: For the brine, use a vitamin K2-rich starter culture dissolved in celery juice. One quart of celery juice is adequate for 10 to 14 quarts of fermented vegetables.
Packing the Jars: Once you have your shredded vegetables and brine mixture combined in your large bowl, tightly pack the mixture into each Mason jar, and compress using a masher to remove any air pockets. Top with a cabbage leaf, tucking it down the sides. Make sure the veggies are completely covered with brine and that the brine is all the way to the top of the jar, to eliminate trapped air. Put the lids on the jars loosely, as they will expand due to the gases produced in fermentation.
Fermentation: Allow the jars to sit in a relatively warm place for several days, ideally around 72 Fahrenheit. During the Summer, vegetables are typically done in 3 or 4 days. In the Winter, they may need 7 days. The only way to tell when they are done is to open up a jar and have a taste. Once you are happy with the flavor and consistency, move the jars into your refrigerator.
Storage: Refrigerating your vegetables drastically slows down the fermentation. They will keep for many months. Always use a clean spoon to take out what you are eating. Never eat out of the jar, as you will contaminate the entire batch with bacteria from your mouth. Make sure the remaining vegetables are covered with the brine solution before replacing the lid.
This is Real Food, make it at home and enjoy it daily.
