I love eating fermented pickles with sandwiches, veggie burgers, a cheese board, or just as a tasty snack. If you’re looking for more ways to use or preserve fresh cucumbers, check out our classic vinegar refrigerator pickles recipe or our easy garden tzatziki sauce recipe. Learn how to grow and trellis cucumbers here.

What are fermented pickles? 

You may be wondering: what’s the difference between fermented pickles and regular pickles? Well, fermented pickles are quite similar to classic pickles: they’re tangy, crunchy, preserved cucumbers with dill, garlic, and other pickling spices. You can also make fermented pickles from a wide variety of vegetables, and make them spicy if you wish! On the other hand, naturally fermented pickles are quite different than classic pickles in many ways.

First, fermented pickles are made through a lacto-fermentation process using a salt water brine rather than vinegar. Instead of relying on acidic vinegar to preserve the cucumbers, the salt water encourages the growth of beneficial bacteria naturally present on the cucumbers (lactobacillus) to create lactic acid and lower the pH and safely preserve the pickles instead. 

The flavor of fermented pickles is also distinct – they’re more mellow, spunky, and less sharp than vinegar pickles, but still full of good tang, garlic, and dill flavors. Finally, it’s best to store fermented pickles in the refrigerator rather than canning them.  

Are fermented pickles good for you? 

Heck yes! There are a number of health benefits from eating fermented pickles. First and foremost: the probiotics. Because this fermented pickles recipe uses a natural fermentation process and salt water brine, it is FULL of gut-healthy probiotics. In contrast, classic pickles made with vinegar stops all bacterial growth – including the good guys. A steady intake of probiotics improves gut health and digestion, and our gut microbiome is directly tied to health outcomes in every single organ and system in our body! It’s true.

Thanks to the cucumbers and herbs, this fermented pickles recipe is also naturally low-carb, low-calorie, vegan, high in fiber, and offers a healthy dose of vitamin C, K, potassium, manganese, and magnesium. As a type 1 diabetic, pickles and cheese is one of my favorite low carb snacks.

Learn more about the health benefits of lacto-fermented foods here.

How to make fermented pickles stay crunchy and crisp?

In general, fermented pickle recipes should stay more crunchy than their canned counterparts – since they’re not heated or cooked! But here are a number of tips and way to keep fermented cucumbers extra crisp:

• Use the freshest cucumbers possible. If using homegrown cucumbers, refrigerate the cukes immediately after harvest.
  
• Choose small cucumbers that have more skin and flesh, but less seeds inside. The seedy parts are the most prone to getting soft. Small blunt pickling cucumbers or Persian varieties will stay especially crisp, though you can successfully make crunchy fermented pickles with classic slicers or English cucumbers too.
  
• Always trim off the ends of the cucumber before fermenting. If left on, the blossom end especially will make the cucumbers degrade and get soft faster.
  
• After washing and trimming, soak the prepared cucumbers in a bowl of ice water for several hours (or even overnight) before making fermented pickles.
  
• Add 1 to 2 fresh grape leaves, oak leaves, bay leaves, blackberry leaves, horseradish leaves, or other high-tannin edible leaves to the bottom of each jar. OR, use 1 teabag (1 tsp) of plain black tea. The natural tannins help to keep fermented pickles extra crunchy!

Fermentation Safety Notes

Unlike canning, there’s no need to sterilize fermentation equipment or supplies before starting. Yet it is important to practice good hygiene and to avoid introducing unwanted bacteria or mold into your fermenting environment (which is pretty darn rare, honestly). 

To be on the safe side, I recommend to wash all your supplies with very hot soapy water. Make sure to rinse everything well to remove all soap residue after. You could also add a little vinegar to the washing mix. Also be sure to wash your hands well, and thoroughly rinse the veggies and herbs with water before starting. 

Fermented Pickles Recipe

Supplies Needed

• Glass jar or other fermentation vessel (plastic not recommended)
• An airlock fermentation lid that fits your jar or vessel like this one, or this other option
• Fermenting weight, such as these glass weights

Note: A separate weight isn’t needed if your fermentation lid comes with a weight or springs, like our Kraut Source lid or this Ball all-in-one ferment lid with spring.

Ingredients

Fermented pickle brine recipe: 2 cups of chlorine-free water and 1 Tbsp sea salt, kosher salt or pickling salt (not iodized table salt). This will make enough salt water brine for about 1 quart jar.

Seasonings per quart jar (scale up or down as needed):

• 4 to 6 sprigs of fresh dill, 1 to 2 dill heads, or 1 Tbsp of dried dill
• 2 cloves of garlic, peeled and lightly crushed
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp black peppercorns 
• Up to 1/2 tsp red chili pepper flakes and/or one fresh hot chili pepper (sliding scale depending how spicy you want them)
• Instead of mustard seed, peppercorns and chili flakes, you could use 1 Tbsp of pre-mixed “pickling spices”
• Optional: 1 or 2 grape leaves, oak leaves, bay leaves, horseradish leaves or 1 tsp (bag) of black tea

Instructions

1. First, create the salt water brine by dissolving 1 Tbsp of salt in 2 cups of water and set aside. Either use warm water or lightly heat the brine on the stovetop until the salt dissolves. Yet there is no need to boil it – it’s best if the brine has cooled to lukewarm or room temperature before adding to the cucumbers.
   
   
2. Prepare the cucumbers: wash, trim off the ends, and cut into your desired shape (e.g. halves, spears, or slices). You can leave small pickling cucumbers whole, but DO trim off the ends still. The cucumbers should be at least 1 to 2 inches shorter than the jar, allowing enough headroom for your chosen fermentation weight.
   

3. Optional: for maximum crunch, soak the cut cucumber slices in an ice bath for 30 minutes to a few hours before proceeding.
   
   
4. In the bottom of a clean jar, add the other seasonings: the dill, garlic, pickling spices, optional chili pepper and grape leaves or other high-tannin leaves.
   
   
5. Neatly pack the jar full of cucumbers, fitting as many as possible in.
   
   
6. Pour the saltwater brine into the jar until the cucumbers are completely submerged and covered with at least 1 inch of brine.
   
   
7. You may have leftover brine, which is fine. If you happen to not have enough, mix a mini batch of brine by dissolving 1 tsp of salt in ½ cup of water and then top off the jar of cucumbers.
   

Instructions continued…

8. Next, add a fermentation weight to keep the cucumbers submerged below the brine. This part is essential, as any “floaters” will be more prone to mold! If your fermentation lid includes a weight or spring, you don’t need an additional weight. Finally, add the airlock fermentation lid to the jar.
   
   
9. Set the jar of cucumbers in a cool place (60-70F is ideal) for 3 to 5 days, up to two weeks or longer. Fermenting pickles in cool temperatures yields the best flavor and texture! Plan to taste-test one after 3 or 4 days, and see notes below for more information on how to tell when fermented pickles are ready.
   
   
10.  During the fermentation time, you should start to notice bubbles in the jar within the first 48 hours. Also, the brine in your fermented pickles will turn cloudy after a few days – this is normal and good! Depending on your fermentation lid, it may overflow and leak from the jar, so we often set ours on top of a plate to catch any runoff. 
    
    
11. Once they’re fermented to your liking, remove the airlock lid and weight and replace with a standard jar lid. Store your finished lacto-fermented pickles in the refrigerator. 

When are fermented pickles done and ready?

Some brined pickles recipes say to ferment for as little as 3 or 4 days, while others say up to a month! The shorter the ferment time (considered “lightly brined”), the more crunch and color the fermented cucumber pickles will retain. Yet a longer fermentation time produces more gut-healthy bacteria and tangier flavors. So, it’s up to you. Taste test your fermented pickles after 3 or 4 days and decide if you’d like to let them continue to ferment longer or not. 

*Note: Fermenting cucumber pickles in warm conditions (over 73F) for an extended period of time may lead to the growth of kahm yeast, which appears as a white film that settles on top of the cucumbers in the jar. Kahm yeast isn’t bad or dangerous. However, it can be extra aromatic and flavorful – and not in a good way. So I generally opt for shorter fermentation times when it’s hot out.

How long do fermented pickles stay good in the fridge?

Naturally fermented pickles can stay good in the refrigerator for up to a year. However, the quality, texture, and flavor will be best if consumed within 3 to 6 months. While the cool fridge temperature slows it down, lacto-fermented pickles will continue to ferment (and degrade) in the refrigerator over time. Again, it’s normal for the brine to be cloudy and the flavor and aroma should be sour. Discard if mold or rotten odors develop.

Can fermented pickles be canned? 

Technically, yes – naturally fermented pickles can be canned. But unfortunately, the process of heating them in a hot bath or pressure canner kills all the probiotics and beneficial bacteria. That defeats the purpose if you ask me! Canning fermented pickles without vinegar also needs to be done very carefully, ensuring that the salt water brine has reached a low enough pH to safety preserve them. Therefore, I’m not providing instructions on canning fermented pickles in this post.

And that’s how to make fermented dill pickles.

All in all, naturally fermented pickles are an easy and rewarding garden goodie to make. I hope this tutorial makes you feel excited and prepared to make your own too! Please let us know if you have any questions in the comments below. Also be sure to stop back by to leave a review once you give them a try. Thank you so much for tuning in today. Happy fermenting!

You may also enjoy:

• Sweet & Spicy Pepper Fermented Hot Sauce Recipe
• Quick Pickled Dilly Green Beans (Refrigerator or Canning)
• Simple Fermented “Pickled” Beets Recipe with Garlic & Dill
• How to Make Kombucha 101: Brewing Basics for the Best Booch Ever
• 13 Ways to Preserve Tomatoes: Recipes to Freeze, Can, and More

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Fermented Pickles Recipe: Easy Crunchy Brined Cucumber Dill Pickles

Let's make a delicious gut-healthy snack with this fermented pickles recipe.This easy step-by-step tutorial will teach you how to make crunchy naturally fermented dill pickles – a great way to preserve cucumbers from the garden!

Course Fermented Foods, Preserved Food, Side Dish, Snack

Keyword Crunchy fermented pickles, Fermented, Fermented Pickles, Lactofermentation, Naturally brined pickles

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Fermentation Time (varies) 5 days days

Servings 1 quart

Equipment

• Fermenting vessel, such as a mason jar (pint, quart, or half-gallon)
• An all-in-one fermentation lid, or other fermentation weights and an air lock device 

Ingredients

• fresh cucumbers, small cucumbers or pickling cucumbers preferred

Fermented pickles salt water brine

• 2 cups filtered water, non-chlorinated water (per quart jar)
• 1 tbsp kosher or pickling sea salt (not iodized table salt) per 2 cups of water used

In-Jar Seasonings (per quart)

• 4-6 sprigs of fresh dill, 1-2 dill heads, or 1 Tbsp dried dill
• 2 cloves fresh garlic, peeled and lightly crushed
• 1 tsp mustard seeds
• 1/2 tsp black peppercorns
• 1/2 tsp red chili flakes OR a fresh hot chili pepper (optional, adjust per flavor preference)
• 1 Tbsp pre-mixed pickling spices – use instead of mustard seeds, peppercorns and chili flakes
• Optional: 1 or 2 grape leaves, oak leaves, bay leaves, horseradish leaves or 1 tsp (bag) of black tea for tannins and extra crunch

Instructions

• Create the salt water brine: dissolve 1 Tbsp of salt in 2 cups of water and set aside. Either use warm water or lightly heat the brine on the stovetop until the salt dissolves (no need to boil)
• Wash the cucumbers, trim off the ends, and cut as desired (halves, spears, slices, etc). The cucumbers should be at least 1 to 2 inches shorter than the jar, allowing enough headroom for your chosen fermentation weight.
• Optional: for maximum crunch, soak the cut cucumber slices in an ice bath for 30 minutes to a few hours before proceeding.
• In the bottom of a clean jar or ferment vessel, add all other in-jar seasonings.
• Next, pack the cucumbers into the container until completely full. Stuff as many as you can close together, minimizing empty air space as you go.
• Pour the cooled brine (room temp to lukewarm is ideal) into the ferment vessel or jar until the cucumbers are fully submerged and covered by at least 1 inch.
• Next, add a fermentation weight to keep the cucumbers submerged below the brine. If your fermentation lid includes a weight or spring, you don’t need an additional weight. Finally, add the airlock fermentation lid to the jar.
• Set the jar of cucumbers in a cool place (60-70F is ideal) for 3 to 5 days, up to two weeks or longer. Taste-test after 3 or 4 days to gauge if they're fermented to your liking, or continue to ferment longer. Keep the container on a plate to catch overflowing brine.
• When the time is up, remove air lock lid and weights, cover the container with a standard lid, and store the finished fermented pickles in the refrigerator.
• Enjoy the fermented dill pickles for several months, or possibly up to a year. As long as they aren't moldy or obviously putrid, they're still good!

Notes

Note: If you happen to run out of brine, mix a mini batch by dissolving 1 tsp of salt in ½ cup of water and then top off the jar.

The post Fermented Pickles Recipe: How to Make Crunchy Brined Cucumber Pickles appeared first on Homestead and Chill.

If you’re new to sourdough and don’t have a sourdough starter yet, learn how to make one from scratch here. Or, choose the fool-proof option and pick up a living organic sourdough starter from our shop! Then you can carry on to bake healthy sourdough bread, focaccia, pizza crust, crackers, cornbread, and more!

*Disclaimer: Wheat-based sourdough is not guaranteed to be safe for those diagnosed with Celiac Disease or serious wheat allergies. However, it is reported to be well-tolerated for those with mild to moderate gluten sensitivities. This article is not intended to treat any illnesses or provide medical advice. If you suffer from gluten intolerance, please consult with your doctor or proceed at your own risk. Also, just because sourdough is healthier than other bread, that doesn’t mean you should eat it all day, every day! Everything in moderation. 

Let’s start with a quick primer on how sourdough is made, because the process is central to understanding why sourdough is healthier than standard, non-fermented bread. 

How is sourdough made?

Sourdough bread is naturally-leavened. Rather than relying on commercial or instant yeast like most bread, sourdough baking utilizes a living culture or ‘sourdough starter’ as a rising agent. A sourdough starter is full of several strains of beneficial bacteria or probiotics and wild yeast, including lactobacillus. When active sourdough starter is mixed with flour and water to create dough, the healthy bacteria and yeast feed on the flour, converting it to lactic acid and carbon dioxide.

Lacto-fermentation is what gives sourdough bread air pockets, a fluffy texture, and a slightly tangy flavor. However, most homemade sourdough bread isn’t all that sour-tasting at all! It is simply called ‘sourdough’ because it is fermented. And the simple fact that it is fermented is why sourdough bread is better for you. Rise and flavor aside, lactic acid bacteria causes numerous beneficial changes to the nutrients, gluten, and other compounds found in sourdough – as explained in detail to follow.  

Not all sourdough is created equal.  

Keep in mind that the process of making sourdough is not an exact science. Except in a laboratory or factory-like setting, no two loaves are the same! Many variables exist: the kind of flour used, the strain of beneficial bacteria and yeasts living in the sourdough starter culture, and also each baker’s routine. Some dough ferments for an extended period of time, and others for only a couple of hours. Factors such as temperature and humidity also influence the fermentation process. 

Therefore, while the health benefits of sourdough we’re exploring today are regarded as generally true, they may not be entirely consistent or to the same degree for every loaf of bread or person. Furthermore, keep in mind that not all bread marketed as ‘sourdough’ has gone through a traditional long fermentation process. Most grocery store sourdough utilizes instant yeast instead of a natural sourdough starter culture, has been artificially flavored to taste sour, and also contains preservatives and additional ingredients. Artisan (small bakery) or homemade sourdough promises the most nutritional value. 

Sourdough and Gluten 

Does sourdough contain gluten?

While sourdough isn’t considered entirely ‘gluten-free’, it does contain far less gluten than unfermented bread and average wheat products! Even if you begin your sourdough with 100% wheat flour, the fermentation process significantly degrades the gluten over time. Don’t get me wrong; gluten isn’t necessarily bad. It’s simply a protein, and what gives bread wonderful structure and texture. Yet this comes as wonderful news for gluten-sensitive individuals – myself included! In fact, homemade sourdough is the only kind of wheat or bread product I can comfortably eat.

It is also possible to make 100% gluten free sourdough, such as using brown rice flour, oat flour, or similar GF flours. We have experimented with it, and even shared tutorials on how to make gluten-free sourdough starter, crackers, and bread. But to be completely honest, it’s not nearly as good as wheat-based sourdough.

Gluten degradation & digestive issues

In an unfermented state, the gluten and other carbohydrates in wheat or rye grains are indigestible to some people. In response, the person experiences bloating, gas, pain, or other uncomfortable symptoms. (Been there, done that!) The associated gut inflammation also prevents the absorption of other essentnial nutrients, taking away from general well-being. 

Repeated studies show that lactic acid bacteria fermentation of wheat and rye sourdough modifies the molecular structure and/or reduces certain carbohydrates and proteins – including gluten. The resulting sourdough is easier to digest and triggers fewer unpleasant reactions. In general, the longer sourdough is allowed to ferment, the more gluten is degraded and reduced. 

That is why we prefer to ferment our homemade sourdough for many hours. Our favorite simple sourdough bread recipe starts with a four to five-hour bulk ferment at room temperature, followed by an additional 8 to 12-hour (overnight) cold-proof in the refrigerator before baking. However, as fermentation and gluten degradation continues beyond 24 hours, it may also negatively impact the structure or rise of the bread. You’ll have to experiment and see what works best for you!

The Enhanced Nutritional Value of Sourdough 

As the fermentation process degrades gluten in sourdough, many other natural compounds are enhanced or created. Here is an impressive, science-backed list of why sourdough is healthier than other bread:

Stronger muscles

One study showed that naturally fermented wheat or rye sourdough contained 10 to 17 times the amount of leucine and isoleucine than non-fermented bread. Leucine and isoleucine are both branch chain amino acids (BCAAs). These are two of the nine essential amino acids that are critical to our health, but aren’t synthesized by our bodies. Meaning, they must be obtained through diet alone. BCAAs are often found in protein-rich foods like dairy, meat, and eggs. Or, in dietary supplements like whey or soy protein powders. BCAAs promote strong healthy muscle growth, reduces muscle wasting, and eases muscle soreness. 

Lower glycemic index

The elevated concentration of branched chain amino acids (described above) in sourdough also reduces post-meal blood glucose levels by stimulating insulin response. Combined with the fact that sourdough bread is digested more slowly than other bread, people experience a significantly lower glycemic response (or less of a blood sugar spike) after eating sourdough. People also report feeling full or more satiated for a longer period after eating sourdough than basic bread. The result is a reduced risk for insulin resistance, weight gain, and diabetes. Holla!

All of this is increasingly true if you make your homemade sourdough with at least a portion of complex (non-refined) whole grain flour. For example, whole wheat, rye, spelt, or Einkorn flours. I have Type 1 Diabetes, and need far less insulin to “cover” a slice of homemade healthy sourdough bread compared to standard bread. Our go-to sourdough recipe combines 65% white bread flour, 30% whole wheat, and 5% rye. 

More Antioxidants 

A 2018 scientific report published by Nature Research showed a notable increase in the concentration of 28 different peptides in fermented sourdough. Nearly all of these peptides (short chain amino acids) have known antioxidant or antihypertensive properties. They help reduce free radicals in the body and reduce blood pressure (respectively), providing protection against cancer, stroke, and heart disease.

Less Phytic Acid, Increased Mineral Bioavailability 

Grains and legumes contain a natural substance called phytic acid. While phytic acid does have a few health benefits, it also gets a bad rap as an ‘anti-nutrient’. Phytic acid inhibits the absorption of iron, calcium, and zinc, which can lead to mineral deficiencies. Some naturopaths also suspect that phytic acid can exacerbate Irritable Bowel Syndrome symptoms such as bloating and gas. Once again, fermentation to the rescue!

Research shows that sourdough that has undergone a long, slow fermentation process ‘pre-digests’ and partially neutralizes phytic acid. Therefore, we can more easily digest the bread – and better absorb the minerals that it contains! 

Improved Gut Health & Nutrient Absorption

Thus far, we’ve explored how fermenting sourdough can increase or decrease certain compounds, but how about how our bodies react to them? 

To start, if you’re someone who experiences unpleasant side effects from non-fermented bread but have continued to consume it anyway, you’re not doing your body any favors. The bread itself is less nutritious than sourdough, and the constant irritation and inflammation in your bowels can inhibit you from fully absorbing all the nutrients you consume –  not just those in the bread!

Like all fermented foods, sourdough promotes general gut health and creates a favorable environment for maximum nutrient metabolism. A healthy gut directly contributes to maintaining a healthy immune system, digestive system, and overall total-body health! During sourdough fermentation, beneficial bacteria and yeast give our gut a jump start and ‘pre-digest’ a lot of compounds, making them more bioavailable to our bodies. Fiber is just one excellent example. 

Other Benefits of Sourdough

Let’s review a few more notable reasons why sourdough is healthier than other bread, and then I’ll let you be on your way.

One, it is more sustainable! Making your own sourdough bread at home reduces plastic waste you’d otherwise generate buying bagged bread. It also cuts your food carbon footprint – not having your bread trucked across the country to get to your kitchen. 

Two, you have the utmost control over the ingredients. By making your own homemade sourdough, you have the opportunity to use organic*, high-quality, more nutrient-dense flour than what’s used in commercial products. Plus, you’re avoiding all those preservatives and extra ingredients. Homemade sourdough is literally just flour, water, and salt. You can also add other healthy goodies like fresh herbs, garlic, olives, nuts, seeds… whatever you desire!

Finally, making sourdough is rewarding and fun. If you haven’t tried it yet, hear me now: it is NOT as hard as you may imagine. You can totally do this! I’ll admit that some homemade sourdough tutorials can be a bit intimidating, especially if it includes a lot of unfamiliar baker’s jargon. I tried my best to make our sourdough tutorials as straightforward and easy to follow as possible!

*Note: The use of certified organic flour may also further reduce side effects of “gluten-intolerance”, as many individuals may actually be experiencing reactions to the toxic pesticides that are common in GMO non-organic wheat flour – such as Round Up.

Key Takeaways

Traditionally fermented sourdough is healthier than standard non-fermented bread, for the following reasons:

• Consuming sourdough triggers less of a post-meal blood sugar spike than other bread, which can protect against insulin resistance, weight gain, and diabetes.
• Sourdough contains less gluten than non-fermented bread, and therefore triggers less inflammation, bloating, pain, or other common side effects to gluten-sensitive individuals.
• Increased amino acid concentrations in sourdough contribute to healthy muscles, and help reduce the risk of stroke, cancer, and heart disease.
• Fermented foods promote a healthy gut biome and improved nutrient bioavailability. The reduction of phytic acid (an ‘anti-nutrient’) leads to better mineral and nutrient absorption.
• Homemade sourdough is healthier than store-brought bread because it is more fresh, less processed, contains no artificial additives, and creates less waste. It is also totally delicious, and fun to make!

And that concludes this lesson on why sourdough is healthier than other bread.

All in all, sourdough is pretty darn awesome. I am in love with the process of making it, and my gut isn’t mad about it either. For years I struggled with discomfort after eating bread, even when I tried gluten-free options. Now, we bake and enjoy fresh bread or other sourdough recipes every week or two. It has become something that we really enjoy to do together, and the opportunities to get creative are endless!

What do you say? Did you learn something new? Have you been on the fence about sourdough, but are now feeling excited to try? I hope you enjoyed learning all about why sourdough is healthier than other bread, because I definitely enjoyed writing about it! I also highly recommend the Air episode of Michael Pollen’s ‘Cooked’ series on Netflix. It is a fascinating look at all things fermentation.

Please feel free to ask any questions, and spread the sourdough love by sharing this article! Also, don’t miss these related posts:

• Buy Organic Sourdough Starter (Dry but Alive!)
• How to Make Sourdough Starter From Scratch
• How to Feed, Maintain & Store Your Sourdough Starter
• Simple No-Knead Sourdough Bread Recipe
• Herb Sourdough Discard Crackers
• Simple Sourdough Focaccia Recipe
• Sourdough Cornbread Recipe
• Cast Iron Sourdough Pizza Crust

The post Why Sourdough is Healthier Than Other Bread (& Has Less Gluten) appeared first on Homestead and Chill.

Follow these step-by-step instructions and learn how to make a super green sauerkraut of your own. With the addition of turmeric, garlic, and ginger, the finished flavor is incredibly fresh, zesty and delicious. If you’re new to fermentation, don’t worry! The process is simple (and damn near foolproof), especially if you have the right tools on hand.

Not only is homemade sauerkraut easy to make ~ it is ridiculously healthy for you and your gut. Like all fermented foods, green sauerkraut is rich in probiotics, beneficial enzymes, antioxidants, vitamins, and minerals. To learn more about the health benefits of fermented foods, check out this post all about it.

Now, are you ready to get choppin’ and massagin’?

Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links to products for your convenience, such as to items on Amazon. Homestead and Chill gains a small commission from purchases made through those links, at no additional cost to you.

GREEN KRAUT INGREDIENTS

Please note that using organic produce for fermentation and sauerkraut recipes is essential! Inorganic foods may have been treated with chemicals that kill bacteria, thus inhibit it from going through a safe and tasty fermentation process. In ferments, good bacteria are our friends.

The amount of ingredients needed will vary on the size of the fermenting vessel you want to use. You’ll need to know the total weight of prepared veggies to accurately salt them.

Below is the recipe that will fill a half-gallon mason jar, which takes about 4 pounds of chopped or shredded vegetables to pack full (including both greens and optional daikon radish and/or carrot). Yet keep in mind that is a pretty hefty amount of greens, so feel free to scale down as needed. For example, use around 2 pounds of greens/veggies and half of the seasonings for a quart jar portion.

• Organic Super Greens – When selecting greens for this recipe, avoid using particularly tender greens like spinach or lettuces. They would create a gross, mushy green sauerkraut. Instead, choose greens that have a bit more texture, such as: Napa cabbage, kale, bok choy, mustard greens, tat soi, collard greens, daikon radish greens, and/or green cabbage. I highly suggest combining two or three different types of greens (including at least one with thicker crunchy parts) for a nice variety of texture. Bok choy stems and napa cabbage are a favorite here!
• Optional: Grated daikon radish or carrot. Just one or two per batch is usually good.
• Kosher, Pickling or Sea Salt – 2 tablespoons
• Fresh ginger – 2 tbsp – grated
• Fresh turmeric – 2 tbsp grated (sub with 1/2 tbsp turmeric powder)
• Garlic – approximately 2-3 cloves or 1 tablespoon – minced
• Black pepper – A few dashes, as you would normally season your vegetables or slightly heavier. Even if you aren’t usually a huge black pepper fan, I suggest using at least some. Black pepper increases the potency of the super-healing active ingredient in turmeric (curcumin) by making it more bio-available in our bodies.
• Optional: a hot chili pepper (such as a jalapeno, or hotter if you prefer!), red chili flakes, or fresh dill. We’ve made our green kraut with some of all of the above before, but chose to keep it more simple this round.

A Note About Salt

The type of salt you use does matter. Iodized table salt is not recommended for fermenting, as the chemicals in it can actually inhibit the fermentation process, and produce an overly salty and off flavor. We like to use this celtic sea salt.

Salt is what is helping preserve your greens! It is like what vinegar is to the pickling process. By salting vegetables, it inhibits the ability for harmful bacteria to grow and encourages the good guys – lactobacillus bacteria – to flourish. They change the pH of the food, creating lactic acid and an overall acidic environment that gives your green kraut that nice tangy flavor – but also safely preserves it. Too little salt can result in mold development.

SUPPLIES NEEDED

• A fermenting vessel – such as a glass mason jar. For smaller batches, you could use a pint or quart jar. We usually use these half-gallon mason jars – sometimes even two for one massive batch!
• Fermenting lid or air lock device – The use of a lid made for the fermentation process is ideal, which makes the job much easier and pretty foolproof, though a regular jar lid can be used with a few tweaks. Examples of fermenting lids include an all-in-one device like a Kraut Source lid (which is what we love and use), or the use of a combination of items like a glass or ceramic weight along with another type of air lock lid. A further discussion of their reasoning and use will follow in the directions section below.
• A large bowl for mixing
• Kitchen scale – For this type of massaged ferment method, you’ll need to weigh your greens (and daikon/carrot) once they’re prepped. We use this trusty little digital scale for ferments and sourdough.
• Filtered water
• Optional: Sauerkraut pounder

INSTRUCTIONS

1) Clean your supplies

You want to make sure all of your supplies are clean. No, they don’t need to be insanely clean or “sterile” – you actually never want to use bleach, or even soap on your fermenting tools! The residual soap could stick around and really make things “off”. We spray our supplies with plain white vinegar, and then rinse well with hot water. That’s it.

2) Weigh and/or tare a large mixing bowl

As you chop up your greens, you’ll want to toss them into a big bowl as you go. But we don’t want to include the weight of the bowl in our final veggie weight! So before adding the greens to it, either weigh the mixing bowl so you can subtract its weight at the end, or tare the empty bowl on the scale so it is already zeroed.

Tip: Even if you tare the scale, I suggest jotting down the weight of the empty bowl somewhere, just in case your scale turns off mid-process.

The wood bowl we use for making kraut is pretty damn large, wide and shallow. It works rather well since you need some wiggle room for mixing and massaging your green kraut. If you’re making a large batch (half-gallon or more) you may find the need to divvy up your greens between two bowls instead.

3) Prep the veggies

Wash your greens, shake away excess water, and chop them into into small pieces. The exact size is up to you. You may want to remove any tough (stringy or woody) stems first, such as mature kale leaf stems. If you’re adding daikon radish or carrots, either cut them into julienne strips or use a cheese grater to easily shred them.

Add the chopped/shredded veggies to your mixing bowl. Check the weight as you go. Keep adding greens (and/or radish and carrot) until you reach the desired total weight for your given container (e.g. approximately 2 pounds for quart or 4 pounds for a half-gallon).

4) Salt the Veggies

Once your greens are chopped, weighed, and in bowls, sprinkle on 1 tablespoon of sea salt for every 2 pounds of veggies in the bowl. Therefore, we used 2 tbsp salt over the four pounds of greens and grated daikon radish shown here. This is the standard salt-to-veg ratio for all massaged-style kraut recipes. Scale up or down as needed, depending on how much weight you have. If you’re somewhere between measurements, err on the lighter side for salt.

Tip: To evenly coat the greens with salt, we find it helpful to add only half the salt at first, use tongs to toss it all around a bit, and then add the remainder. Toss again.

5) Massage

In addition to preserving the veggies, salt also helps to draw moisture out of them. Especially when we massage it! Unlike our fermented radish recipe – where we mix water and salt to pour over the chopped vegetables – this style of ferment preparation does not call for any additional liquid added. Instead, by salting the greens and giving them a good rub down, they will release their natural juices and moisture, creating their own brine to live in.

It should go without saying, but…wash your hands very well before diving in! I even wash mine in white vinegar, and remove my rings since bacteria can often hide there. You could also use food grade gloves if you prefer. Some folks use a wooden kraut pounder at this stage too.

Once the veggies are evenly coated with salt, massage and mash them for a minute or two. It will all be pretty firm at this stage, and not feel very wet. Let the greens rest for 10 minutes after the first massage so the salt can do its thing. Then, give everything another good massage. You should notice a good amount of brine liquid developing now. The veggies should also noticeably decrease in volume, condensing and becoming softer. Let rest for 5 more minutes, and move on to the next step.

6) Add other green kraut seasonings

Now is a great time to add the minced garlic, grated ginger, black pepper, and turmeric (or powder) and any other optional seasoning you wish to add. Why not add these earlier with the salt, you ask? Well… Unless you like stained-orange hands that reek like garlic, I suggest incorporating everything else after the massage part is over. Stir well.

7 ) Pack the jar

It is time to fill your fermenting vessel with greens! We have found it easiest (and least messy) to fill jars with the aid of a wide-mouth canning funnel and tongs.

Fill the jar, then press it down to compact the greens. Add more, press and compact. Repeat. You’ll be surprised at just how much smushed veggies can fit in a jar!  Repeat this process until the jar is completely full and cannot hold any more, leaving no more than inch or so of empty space on top. The goal is to remove as many air pockets as possible.

This step is where a kraut pounder really comes in handy! Before we had one, I used the back of a spoon or even my fist, but I was never able to get it quite as packed in as I can now with a pounder. In addition to packing it in, the pounder is also further “massaging” the greens and creating more brine.

As you press it down, you should notice a decent amount of liquid formed around the greens. The goal is to have your veggies completely submerged in their own juices, so pour any leftover brine from the bowl into the jar if they’re still dry on top once packed in the jar.

8) Add a weight

Once your jar is full, it is time to weigh it all down. The greens need to stay submerged below the brine level. If veggie bits are allowed to float and be in contact with air, mold can develop!

The all-in-one stainless steel Kraut Source ferment lids we use have a flat plate and spring inside that help to easily accomplish this, acting as a weight to keep everything down. Another option is to use a ceramic or glass weight made for fermenting. Some people get resourceful and use other clean items that fit inside their vessel, like a boiled rock or smaller glass jar.

Helpful tip: Even if you use a weight or Kraut Source device, sometimes pieces can still slip around them. This is particularly true with half-gallon jars, due to their larger size and “shoulders” in the jar. To keep the floaters at bay, we often use a large leaf of cabbage, collard green, or other hearty green to make a “cap”. This is placed on top of the veggies, below the weight, and keeps them trapped below. It should also be submerged as much as possible below the brine. The Kraut Source does a great job keeping floaters down in pint and quart size jars without the need for a cabbage cap.

9) Cover the ferment container

Next, the jar or container you’re fermenting in needs to be covered with a tight fitting lid. The use of an air-lock lid made for fermenting is preferable. These specialized lids allow for the release of any excess air and carbon dioxide that is produced during fermentation, without allowing new air or anything else to come in. This is one more reason why we really love the Kraut Source lids! They not only have the spring and plate that keeps everything submerged, but also have a little moat on top that you fill with water, thus creating an air lock (shown above).

There are a lot of other mason jar fermentation lids out there too. Here are some silicone nipple type. These would need to be used in conjunction with a separate weight of some sort, like these glass ones.

If you’re not using an air lock, you can tightly screw on a regular lid, but then make sure to quickly “burp” your jars every few days to release the built up carbon dioxide. I have heard and personally experienced mixed results with using regular lids for fermenting, which is why we suggest the use of an air-lock.

10) Ferment!

Once it’s all put together, let your green sauerkraut sit out at room temperature for 7-14 days to ferment. The time depends on your personal flavor preference, and the temperature of your house. We let most of our ferments go for about 10-14 days. Warmer conditions will ferment things more quickly, and cooler does just the opposite. The ideal fermentation temperature is around 70-75 degrees Fahrenheit. If it is summer time and your house is warmer than this, try to find a slightly cooler location for your vessel to hang out.   

Notes during fermentation:

While it is fermenting, you will notice the green kraut start to undergo change. The lactobacillus is working away to convert the starches in the food into lactic acid, preserving it. In the process, carbon dioxide is formed, so you’ll probably see some bubbling activity in there. The veggies will also start to change color. Colorful vegetables will become more muted. The brine itself gets cloudy, and this is totally normal!

If you are using a Kraut Source lid, keep an eye on its little water-filled moat, making sure it always has some clean water in there. It doesn’t dry out easily though. On the other hand, our vessels usually overflow from the lid for the first several days of fermentation. Be forewarned that yours may do the same! So we alway set our fermentation jars on a plate or in a bowl to catch the overflow. Once that initial burst of activity subsides (about 5 days later), the moat can dry up and you’ll want to add more water into it.

11) Refrigerate

After 7-14 days at room temperature, remove the “cabbage cap” and air-lock lid, replace it with a regular lid, and move your finished green sauerkraut to the fridge. Most fermented foods are good for several months in the fridge, if not longer. We have enjoyed green kraut nearly a year after it was made – though we usually eat it up far quicker than that.

No, you do not want to hot-bath can your kraut! That would kill all of the beneficial bacteria we worked so hard to foster.

12) Enjoy!

Now it is time to fill your belly with probiotic-rich, home-fermented green kraut! We enjoy a little side of green sauerkraut to accompany most dinners, with everything from brown rice and sautéed vegetables to lentils, eggs, salads, homemade veggie burgers or sandwiches. Green kraut is also pretty dang good just on its own.

How do you take your green kraut?

See! That was simple, right?

If this is your first time fermenting, that may not have sounded all that simple. But trust me, fermenting foods at home is not as scary or complicated as it sounds! Not at all. You’ll get the hang of it in no time.

If you like this green sauerkraut recipe, you may also enjoy:

• Fermented Radishes with Garlic and Dill
• Simple Fermented Carrot “Pickles”
• Sweet & Spicy Pepper Fermented Hot Sauce
• Probiotic-Packed Fermented Dilly Green Beans
• How to Make Kombucha 101: Brewing Basics for the Best Booch Ever

Happy fermenting, and cheers to healthy bellies!

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Super Green Kraut w/ Garlic, Turmeric & Ginger

Course Appetizer, Preserved Food, Seasoning, Side Dish, Snack

Keyword Bok Choy Kraut, Daikon Radish Kraut, Green Kraut, Green Sauerkraut, Sauerkraut

Prep Time 45 minutes minutes

Fermentation time (average) 10 days days

Servings 2 quarts

Equipment

• Fermenting vessel, such as a mason jar (the amounts below fill one half-gallon jar, or two quart jars)
• Large mixing bowl (or two)
• Kitchen scale
• Fermentation weight and lid (or all-in-one device such as Kraut Source)
• Optional: Kraut pounder

Ingredients

• 4 pounds Organic leafy greens, chopped. Any combination of bok choy, green cabbage, kale, napa cabbage, mustard and/or collard greens. I highly suggest combining two or three different types of greens (including at least one with thicker crunchy parts like bok choy or cabbage) for a nice variety of texture. Avoid tender greens such as spinach or lettuce.
• Optional: Shredded/grated organic daikon radish and/or carrots (to be added to the weight including greens, to make 4 pounds total)
• 2 tbsp Sea salt, kosher salt, or pickling salt
• 2 tbsp Fresh ginger, grated
• 2 tbsp Fresh turmeric, grated (sub with 1/2 tbsp turmeric powder)
• 1 tbsp Minced fresh garlic (approximately 2-3 cloves)
• Black pepper, a few shakes
• Optional: a diced fresh hot chili pepper (such as a jalapeno or hotter), red chili flakes, or fresh finely-chopped dill.

Instructions

• Wash all of your supplies with hot water and possibly some plain white vinegar, but avoid using soap.
• Weigh and/or tare your mixing bowl (or two)
• Wash and chop the leafy greens into small pieces. Grate daikon radish and/or carrot into find shreds.
• Add prepped veggie material to the mixing bowl, until you reach the desired weight (4 pounds for a half-gallon batch, 2 pounds for quart)
• Sprinkle over 1 tbsp sea salt per 2 pounds veggies. Toss and mix well.
• Using clean hands, massage the greens for a few minutes. Stop and wait for ten minutes, then massage again. They should be significantly compressed and also release liquid – the natural brine for the ferment.
• Mix in other seasonings such as ginger, garlic, turmeric, black pepper, and optional hot chilis or dill.
• Pack all veggies into the fermenting vessel (jar). Use a kraut pounder or other utensil to firmly press down to compact and remove excess air. Repeat and add more veggies as needed until the jar is full to 1-2 inches from the top.
• Don't get rid of the excess liquid in the bowl! The greens and other veggies should be fully submerged with brine. Add leftover liquid as needed to cover top.
• Add optional "cabbage cap" leaf, fermentation weight, and air lock lid.
• Allow to sit at room temperature (70-75F is ideal) for 7-10 days, depending on personal preference and temperature. Cooler temps = slower ferment activity.
• Your ferment should bubble slightly during this time, colors will bleed or dampen, and the brine will become cloudy.
• After 7-14 days at room temperature, remove the “cabbage cap” and air-lock lid, replace it with a regular lid, and move your finished green sauerkraut to the fridge.
• Shelf life: Most fermented foods are good for several months in the fridge, if not longer. We have enjoyed green kraut nearly a year after it was made – though we usually eat it up far quicker than that! No, you don't want to hot-bath can this. It will kill all the good probiotics.

The post Super Green Sauerkraut Recipe w/ Garlic, Turmeric & Ginger appeared first on Homestead and Chill.

Are pickled beets the same as fermented beets?

Not exactly. Traditional pickled beets are made with vinegar, while fermented beets do not contain vinegar. Pickled beet recipes may also call for added sugar. Instead, fermented beets are soaked for an extended period of time in a simple salt water brine at room temperature, where beneficial bacteria naturally lowers the pH of the beets to safely preserve them long-term. This process is called lacto-fermentation.

Since they’re exposed to high heat (reducing nutritional value), canned pickled beets often get soft. On the other hand, fermented beets are crisp and crunchy, and the perfect combination of tangy and sweet!

Are fermented beets good for you?

Full of probiotics, fermented beets are arguably more nutritious than pickled beets. Probiotics help support a healthy gut biome and digestion – which is inextricably linked to all sorts of positive health outcomes. In fact, research shows that gut health can impact the function of every other organ in our body!

Even more, fermented beets are not heated (like pickled beets often are) which helps retain all the awesome nutrients in the beets themselves. Beets are known to contain high levels of fiber, vitamin C, antioxidants, folate (vitamin B9), iron, manganese, and potassium – supporting heart, brain, and muscle health as well as lowering blood pressure. All in all, fermented beets are even more healthy than raw beets are!

INGREDIENTS & SUPPLIES 

• A fermenting vessel – Some folks use ceramic crocks, but many modern homesteaders and foodies these days simply use mason jars of varying sizes. For smaller batches, use a pint or quart jar. For larger batches, we use these half-gallon mason jars.
  
  
• Fermenting lid or air lock device – The use of a lid made for the fermentation process is ideal, which makes the job much easier and pretty foolproof, though a regular lid can be used with a few tweaks. Examples of fermenting lids include an all-in-one device like a Kraut Source lid, OR use the use of a combination of items like a glass or ceramic weight along with another type of air lock lid (like this one, or this other option). A further discussion of their reasoning and use will follow in the directions section below.
  
  
• Organic Beets – As many needed to fill your vessel of choice. We found that a half-gallon jar takes just under 3 pounds of beets (about a dozen small-medium beets), and a quart size fits half of that. Personally, I prefer fermenting red beets or chioggia beets. We honestly have never tried using golden beets. If you do, be sure to report back! Yes, it is important to use ORGANIC produce whenever your are fermenting!
  
  
• Salt – Sea salt or kosher pickling salt. Do not use iodized table salt! It messes with the flavor and process. We love this Celtic sea salt.
  
  
• Filtered water
  
  
• Fresh Dill – 1 bunch
  
  
• Garlic – I recommend 1 to 2 fresh cloves per quart jar
  
  
• Optional: Peppercorns, chili peppers, or red chili flakes

DIRECTIONS

1) Clean Supplies

You want to make sure all of your supplies are clean. No, they don’t need to be insanely clean or “sterile”. You actually never want to use bleach (or even soap) on your fermenting tools! The residual could stick around and really make things taste “off”. We spray ours with plain white vinegar, and then rinse well with hot water. That’s it. I do the same with my hands.

2) Prep the Beets

Wash your beets, cut off the hard stem portion, and peel away the skin. Then, cut them into your desired size. We like to cut our beets into bite-size slices or chunks – about the size of a quarter, but twice as thick. Alternatively, you could cut them into long “sticks” – like carrot sticks. Or, leave them in larger round slices. It all depends on how you intend to use them!

Since we most often use our fermented beets as a salad topping, creating bite-sized pieces from the start is most convenient. Also, please note that large chunks of raw beet will remain more firm and tough post-fermentation, while thinner cuts will soften nicely – but still retain a nice crisp texture!

3) Add Seasonings of Choice

In the bottom of your chosen fermenting vessel, add some washed fresh sprigs of dill. I suggest this simple “seasoning” at minimum. As long as you don’t dislike dill, it provides a very mild and delicious addition! The amount of fresh dill doesn’t need to be precise. I put a small handful in the bottom of the container, and another few sprigs in when I am halfway through filling the jar with beets.  

We also usually add a couple cloves of fresh garlic and about a dozen peppercorns at the bottom of the container. If you don’t like dill or garlic, you can totally skip either and keep it super simple! Or if you loooove garlic, you can add more. Personally, we have found that fermented garlic can overpower the flavor of everything else if you go too heavy. We find about 1-2 cloves of garlic in a quart jar, and 3-4 cloves per half-gallon jar is our sweet spot. (These were massive cloves, so we added only 2 in this half-gallon.)

You can also get creative here and go beyond what this basic recipe is calling for. For example, add a sprinkle of celery seed or mustard seeds, a chunk of fresh ginger or turmeric, a dash of red chili flakes, or even a whole hot chili pepper or two – if you want some heat!

That’s the beauty of fermenting. The options for experimentation and creativity are endless. Keep in mind that flavors usually mellow out when fermented too. For example, hot chilis will become much less spicy than when eaten raw or even cooked once they’re fermented. 

4) Pack the Jar

Once you have your chosen seasonings at the bottom, start adding chopped beets to the jar. Try to fit as many veggies in the container as possible. If you’re going through this process, you might as well maximize the amount of cultured food you get out of it in the end! This will also reduce the amount of brine needed, and the amount of air that can get trapped inside. Therefore, don’t just lightly toss them in there. Pack them in tightly! 

I usually fill half the jar with the sliced veggies, then add another little layer of dill and a clove of garlic about halfway through, then continue layering with more beets until the jar is totally full. 

5) Make a Brine

The standard brine ratio for fermented vegetables is 1 tablespoon of sea salt or kosher salt per 2 cups of filtered water. With a fully-packed jar of veggies, we have found that 2 cups of brine is adequate per quart jar. Scale up or down as needed, e.g. 4 cups of water and 2 tbsp salt for this half-gallon batch.

On the stovetop, heat a pot with filtered water to just warm enough to dissolve the salt. You do not want to add hot brine, but lukewarm is okay. Too much heat will kill the beneficial bacteria (lactobacillus) needed to safely ferment your beets!

Once cooled to room temperature or lukewarm, slowly pour the brine into the jar until the beets are completely covered. Pockets of air are likely trapped in there, so carefully give the container a little tap and wiggle to help release them, and top off with more brine as it settles into the voids.

6) Add a Weight

This is an important step in fermenting foods! The beet pieces need to stay submerged below the brine level. If they’re allowed to float or be in contact with air, mold can develop! 

The stainless steel all-in-one Kraut Source fermentation device we use have a flat plate and spring inside that help to easily accomplish this, acting as a weight to keep everything down. Another option is to use a ceramic or glass weight. Some people get resourceful and use other clean items that fit inside their vessel, like a boiled rock or smaller glass jar. 

Helpful tip: Even if you use a weight or Kraut Source device, sometimes pieces of chopped radish can still slip around them. To keep the floaters at bay, we often use a large leaf of cabbage, collard green, or other hearty green to make a “cap”. This is placed on top of the veggies, below the weight, and keeps them trapped below. It should also be submerged as much as possible. The Kraut Source does a great job keeping floaters down in pint and quart size jars, but we usually add a “cabbage cap” to the larger half-gallon batches. 

7) Cover

Next, the jar or container of fermenting beets needs to be covered with a tight fitting cover. The use of an air-lock lid made for fermenting is preferable. Air lock lids allow for the release of any excess air and carbon dioxide that is produced during fermentation, without allowing new air or anything else to come in.

This is one reason why we really love the Kraut Source! They not only have a weight that keeps everything submerged, but also have a little moat on top that you fill with water, thus creating an air lock. However, there are a lot of other mason jar fermentation lids out there too! Here is another lid option that would need to be used in conjunction with a weight of some sort, like these glass ones.

If you do not have an air lock cover, you can try using a regular mason jar lid. Screw it on tightly, and then make sure to quickly “burp” your container every few days to release the built up carbon dioxide. Sometimes this works, though I have heard mixed reviews. I suppose they do make air-lock lids for a reason…

8) Ferment

Once it’s all put together, let the beets sit out at room temperature for 7-14 days to do their thang. The total time depends on your personal flavor preference, and the temperature of your house. We usually let ours sit about 10-14 days.

Warmer conditions will ferment things more quickly, and cooler does just the opposite. The ideal fermentation temperature is around 70 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. If it is summer time and your house is warmer than this, try to find a slightly cooler location for your vessel to hang out. Too hot of conditions can encourage the development of white Kahm yeast. It is not dangerous, but rather stinky and off-putting.   

Notes during fermentation:

While they are fermenting, you will notice the beets start to undergo change. The lactobacillus is working away to convert the starches in the food into lactic acid, which preserves it. In the process, carbon dioxide is formed, so you’ll probably see some bubbling activity in there! If red beets were used, the brine will turn very red and also get a tad cloudy, which is totally normal! Fermented foods can often give off a bit of a funky odor, but taste better than they smell!

If you are using a Kraut Source, keep an eye on its little water-filled moat, making sure it always has some clean water in there. Refill with water if needed. Also, carefully remove the top cap of the lid and press the spring down to remove more air halfway through fermentation.

Our vessels usually overflow from the lid for the first several days of fermentation. Be forewarned that yours may do the same! So we always set eve on a plate or in a bowl to catch the overflow. Once that initial burst of activity subsides (about 5 days later), the moat can dry up and you’ll want to add more water into it.

9) Refrigerate

When the time is up, remove the air-lock, replace it with a regular lid, and move your finished fermented beets to the fridge. Because of their acidic nature, standard mason jar lids have the tendency to rust. To avoid this, we store our finished ferments with either these stainless steel lids or these BPA-free plastic ones.

These fermented beets are good for several months in the fridge, if not longer. We have enjoyed some almost a year after they were made – though we always eat them up quicker than that!

10) Enjoy!

Now it is time to feed your belly with probiotic-rich home-fermented food! We love to use these fermented beets as a salad topping, or on top of sautéed veggies, brown rice, or madras curry lentils. They could also be used on sandwiches, like a pickle on an hor d’oeuvre plate with cheese and crackers, or just snacked on plain! 

Don’t throw out that brine either! The liquid is also chock full of probiotics and beneficial enzymes, just waiting to make your belly happy. Did you know they actually sell leftover brine, marketed as “gut shots”, at natural food stores? And they aren’t cheap! We like to drizzle some on top of salads with olive oil as a dressing, or even take little shots of it straight! 

Ready to try?

Go make some insanely healthy, tasty fermented beets of your own. If you are new to the process, do not be nervous! If you follow these steps, it is really quite difficult to “mess up”. In all our years fermenting, we have NEVER had mold or anything dangerous form in our vessels.

Curious to learn more about why fermented foods are so great for your health? Check out this article that talks all about the health benefits of fermented foods! And if you enjoy this recipe, you’ll probably also love these too:

• Sweet & Spicy Pepper Fermented Hot Sauce Recipe
• Fermented Dilly Radish Recipe
• Probiotic-Packed “Pickled” Fermented Green Beans
• Super Simple Sauerkraut Recipe
• How to Make Homemade Apple Cider Vinegar

Please feel free to ask questions, leave a review, or just say hi in the comments below! Thanks for tuning in.

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Simple Fermented “Pickled” Beets with Garlic & Dill

Follow this simple tutorial to learn how to make fermented “pickled” beets. Fermentation is an excellent way to preserve vegetables when needed, or to simply create a super-healthy, probiotic-rich snack. The finished fermented beets are delicious, crisp, tangy, and add a beautiful pop of color to any meal!

Course Fermented Foods, Preserved Food, Side Dish, Snack

Keyword Beets, Fermented, Fermented Beets, Lactofermentation, Pickled Beets

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Fermentation Time 10 days days

Servings 1 quart

Equipment

• Fermenting vessel, such as a mason jar (pint, quart, or half-gallon)
• An all-in-one fermentation lid, or fermenting weights and an air lock device 

Ingredients

• 1.5 pounds organic beets (for a quart jar batch) OR just under 3 pounds for a half-gallon jar
• 1 tbsp kosher or pickling sea salt (not iodized table salt) per 2 cups of water used
• 2 cups filtered water (per quart jar)
• 1 bunch fresh dill
• 1-2 cloves fresh garlic, peeled and lightly crushed (per quart jar)
• Optional: black peppercorns, red chili flakes, fresh hot chili peppers – if you like it spicy!

Instructions

• Wash and peel the beets. Cut away the tough portion near the stem.
• Cut beets into desired size and shape (bite size chunks, sticks, slices, etc.) Thinner pieces make for more tender (but still crisp!) finished fermented beets. Large chunks may remain more tough.
• In a clean jar or ferment vessel, place a few sprigs of washed fresh dill and a clove of garlic in the bottom of the container. Add optional pinch of peppercorns or chili flakes.
• Next, pack the chopped beets into the container until halfway full – minimizing empty air space as you go.
• Add another small handful of dill and clove of garlic.
• Continue adding the chopped beets until the container is full.
• On the stovetop on low heat, combine the called-for salt and filtered water to create a salt water brine. Heat only until salt dissolves. Do not add hot brine to the beets! Allow to cool to room temperature/lukewarm as needed.
• Pour the brine into the ferment vessel or jar until the beets are fully submerged. Carefully tap and wiggle the jar side to side to release any trapped air pockets.
• Next put a Kraut Source lid, or other fermentation weight and air lock lid on top of the jar.
• Allow the beets to sit at room temperature to ferment for Fahrenheit for 7 to 14 days. The ideal fermentation temperature is between 70 and 75 degrees.
• If you are using a Kraut Source lid, watch the air-lock water "moat" in the lid to ensure it doesn't dry up. Refill with water if needed. Also, carefully remove the top cap of the lid and press the spring down to remove more air halfway through fermentation. Keep the container on a plate to catch overflowing brine.
• When the time is up, remove air lock lid and weights, cover the container with a standard lid, and store the finished fermented vegetables in the refrigerator.
• Use within several months, or possibly up to a year! As long as they aren't moldy or obviously putrid, they're still good!

The post Simple Fermented “Pickled” Beets Recipe with Garlic & Dill appeared first on Homestead and Chill.

Truth be told, I never liked hot sauce before (or any spicy foods, really) until we started making fermented hot sauce as a way to preserve peppers from our garden. Now, it’s one of my go-to condiments! I love it with tacos, tostadas, eggs, veggie burgers and more.

So, read along to learn how to make fermented hot sauce. I call this our “sweet and spicy” fermented hot sauce recipe because it is made with a combination of both hot chilis and sweet peppers. Therefore, you can easily tailor it to your taste buds with the types of peppers you choose to ferment.

What is the difference between fermented hot sauce and regular (unfermented) hot sauce?

Fermented hot sauce is made with peppers, onions, spices, and a mild salt water brine – not vinegar. As the peppers soak in salt water for a week or longer, beneficial lactic acid bacteria that are naturally present on the peppers get to work at lowering the pH of the brine. Thus, the lacto-fermentation process effectively preserves the hot sauce AND introduces gut-healthy probiotics, making fermented hot sauce more nutritious than regular hot sauce.

In contrast, traditional unfermented hot sauce that is preserved with vinegar is devoid of probiotics, and also tends to have an overwhelmingly hot and single-note vinegary flavor. By fermenting it instead, the flavor of fermented hot sauce is usually more complex, interesting, and in my humble opinion, better.

Should I add vinegar to fermented hot sauce?

Some folks wonder if they should add vinegar to fermented hot sauce once it’s done fermenting, as some recipes suggest to do this to potentially extend the shelf life. However, I don’t find it necessary. Naturally lacto-fermented hot sauce without vinegar already has an incredibly long shelf life: well over a year when stored in the refrigerator.

Plus, adding too much vinegar will halt the fermentation process and kill the beneficial probiotics you worked so hard to create! That defeats much of the purpose, if you ask me. Instead, we add a small splash of fresh lime juice at the end of our fermented hot sauce recipe – which gives it a nice tart little zing, but isn’t strong enough to kill the beneficial bacterial.

INGREDIENTS 

The following ingredient list fills a one-quart mason jar for fermenting, and makes about 16 ounces of finished hot sauce at the end. Scale up or down as needed, keeping the proportions similar. We routinely double the recipe and make a half-gallon!

• Peppers of choice – approximately 1 pound. We use about half (or just over) hot chilies such as serranos, jalapeños, gochugaru, Hungarian wax peppers, habaneros, or cayenne peppers, along with half sweet or mild peppers such as banana peppers or bell peppers. 
• Fresh cilantro – 1/3 to 1/2 cup, loosely packed 
• One small onion, or 1/2 medium to large onion. We prefer to use sweet yellow onions for our fermented hot sauce, though white or red can also be used. 
• 2-3 cloves of garlic
• 1 tbsp fresh-squeezed lime juice – which you won’t need until the end of the fermentation process, a week later.
• Sea salt, pickling salt, or kosher salt – not iodized table salt!
• Filtered water – chlorinated water may interfere with the fermentation process

Adding other vegetables to fermented hot sauce

We’ve made many fun variations of this fermented hot sauce recipe, using other vegetables in addition to peppers. Adding different vegetables to fermented hot sauce creates even more complex and interesting flavors, so feel free to experiment! For example, we have added carrots or tomatillos from the garden. Simply stick with the same ratio (1 pound of veggies/peppers) per the other listed ingredients. For example, half a pound of hot peppers plus half a pound of chopped carrots. I suggest cutting tomatillos in half or quarters. Everything will get blended together later.

SUPPLIES NEEDED 

• A container for fermenting, such as a pint, quart, or even half-gallon mason jar
• Fermentation air-lock lid and weight. We use an all-in-one Kraut Source fermentation device, or this all-in-one ferment lid from Ball. Another option is to use a ceramic or glass ferment weight plus a separate airlock lid. 
• Fine strainer (or cheese cloth) & bowl, used after fermentation
• Blender, used after fermentation
• Glass bottles or jars for storage of the finished fermented hot sauce

INSTRUCTIONS

Step 1: Prepare Peppers and Onions

Wash your peppers of choice. When preparing them, keep in mind that the goal is to fit as much vegetable matter into the jar as possible, so I suggest to cut the peppers into pieces or rings (depending on the size/shape of your peppers) instead of leaving them whole. I also highly suggest wearing gloves while working with hot chili peppers!  We remove most of the seeds and membrane, but aren’t meticulous about it. Next, peel and dice the onion into small pieces as well. 

Step 2: Pack Jar

In the bottom of a clean fermentation vessel of choice, add a small handful of cilantro – about ¼ cup loose. Wash it first, but it does not need to be cut up or de-stemmed. Save a similar small handful of cilantro to layer into the jar later. 

Next, add 2 to 3 lightly crushed peeled cloves of garlic to the jar, followed by the diced onion. Lightly press the contents down to pack.  The jar should only be about a quarter full or less at this time. The remaining space is for peppers!

Now start adding cut pepper pieces to the jar, lightly packing them down as you go – reducing empty air space. I generally mix hot and sweet peppers together in layers. Once the jar is one-half to two-thirds full, add that last little bit of cilantro. Continue layering and packing peppers until the jar is completely full. Again, it is best to have the jar as full of veggies as possible, so do your best to fill it all the way to the top, about an inch below the rim.

Step 3: Make and Add Salt Water Brine

On the stove top, combine 2 cups of filtered water with 1 tablespoon of sea salt in a pot. This is going to be your simple fermentation brine! The salt is what encourages a safe fermentation process and beneficial bacteria, while inhibiting the growth of harmful pathogens.

Gently heat the water until the salt dissolves, but avoid overheating it. The brine needs to be room temperature to barely lukewarm by the time it is added to the fermentation vessel. You could also do this step prior to the veggie prep, allowing extra time for it to cool. 

Once the brine has cooled to the desired temperature, pour it into the fermenting vessel until the peppers are completely covered. Gently tap and wiggle the jar or push down on the peppers to release air pockets. Top off with more brine if needed. 

Step 4:  Cover with an Airlock Lid

When fermenting foods, it is important to keep the veggies (peppers, in this case) submerged below the brine. This helps prevent the development of mold. Safely tucked below their liquid salt blanket, the vegetables and beneficial bacteria have the opportunity to ferment away. They will release gasses as they do, which need to be able to escape from the jar. Ideally, those gases are allowed to escape without disrupting the fermentation process or introducing new air.

This is where your weight and airlock come in! Cover the fermentation vessel with your weight and airlock lid system of choice. The stainless steel Kraut Source ferment device that we use has a spring and plate that serve as a weight and keep the peppers submerged, along with a moat system on the top of the lid that creates an airlock. Other fermentation weight options include these glass weights made for wide-mouth jars, ceramic versions, or even boiled stones! Then, an alternative airlock lid is added on top.

Step 5: Ferment

How long should hot sauce ferment? How do I tell when it’s done?

Now it is time to let the peppers and lactobacillus do their thing in there! Set the fermentation vessel in a temperate location to ferment for 7 to 14 days. The shorter the ferment, the less “developed” and complex the flavor profile will be. However, the longer the ferment – the more chance there is to develop kahm yeast (explained below) and get a little funky, especially in warmer conditions.

As the peppers ferment, the brine will change from clear to cloudy, the peppers colors will become more muted, things will compact under your weight, and will likely produce bubbles. Some fermentation vessels bubble so much that they overflow from the container! Therefore, we always set ours on a plate to catch any runoff. Also note that ferments usually smell a bit funky, but don’t worry – they taste better than they smell! I promise.

What temperature should I ferment my hot sauce?

The ideal fermentation temperature for peppers and fermented hot sauce is about 68 to 73°F. Other ferments do okay with temperatures slightly warmer, up to the 80 to 85 degree range, but peppers are more finicky. Therefore, do your best to find a location in the preferred range. Dark or light – doesn’t matter! Ours usually lives on the kitchen counter.

A note about kahm yeast and fermented hot sauce

In too warm of conditions, the peppers in fermented hot sauce are prone to developing something called kahm yeast. Though not harmful, kahm yeast can create an off-putting odor and flavor. It will appear as a thick white layer of sediment on the bottom of the jar, on the peppers themselves, or floating on the surface. A small amount of white sediment or film in totally normal in any ferment! In contrast, too cold of temperatures can lead to improper fermentation and mold development. 

Step 6: Blend Fermented Hot Sauce

After 7-14 days have passed, it is time to turn those fermented veggie chunks into fermented hot sauce! To do so, place a fine-mesh strainer over a bowl. Yes, over a bowl – not the sink! Next, open and remove the lid and weight from your ferment vessel and dump the contents of the container into the strainer. Keep the collected brine that is in the bowl below!

Transfer the fermented peppers, onions, garlic and cilantro into a blender. Next, add one tablespoon of fresh-squeezed lime juice, along with ¼ cup of the reserved ferment brine. Blend, and check the consistency. Continue to add small amounts of the brine, little by little and blending as you go, until the fermented hot sauce has reached your desired thickness. Some like it thin, some like it thick! That is totally up to you. Give it a little taste-test too, and add another squeeze of lime if you’d like.

Step 7: Bottle & Enjoy

Once blended, transfer the finished fermented hot sauce into a storage container. Ideally, something that is glass and has an airtight lid. We like to store ours in fun swing top bottles, or simply in mason jars. Now you get to enjoy your very own tangy, sweet and spicy fermented hot sauce! We enjoy drizzling this sauce over, eggs, frittata, veggies with rice and beans, fiesta-style stuffed squash, lentils… the list goes on. Aaron likes to eat it with chips like salsa, or even add a dash to his soup!

How long does fermented hot sauce last?

Fermented hot sauce stays good for up to a year in the refrigerator (or longer) which is where it should be stored. Shake to mix before use, because some separation is normal. We’ve eaten fermented hot sauce that was over two years old before! Discard if mold or off-flavors develop.

In all, I hope you love this recipe as much as we do! If you need any tips on growing your own peppers and chilis, learn more here. Please feel free to ask questions in the comments, share this post, and if you do make it – report back with a review!

If you’re looking for more ways to use and preserve peppers, or simple and delicious fermented foods, check these out:

• Preserving Peppers: Quick & Easy Refrigerator Pickled Peppers Recipe
• Fermented Pickles Recipe: Crunchy Brined Dill Cucumber Pickles
• How to Make Homemade Chili Powder, in 4 Simple Steps
• Fermented Dilly Radish Recipe
• Simple Fermented Carrot Pickle Recipe
• Probiotic-Packed “Pickled” Fermented Dilly Green Beans Recipe

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Sweet & Spicy Pepper Fermented Hot Sauce Recipe

Even if you aren't usually a fan of hot sauce, I think you may change your mind after trying this fermented hot sauce recipe! The lacto-fermentation process transforms the sharp, hot, often overpowering flavor profile of chili peppers – into something far more mild, complex, flavorful, tangy and tasty than any other preparation of peppers! This is called a “sweet and spicy” fermented hot sauce because it is made with a combination of both hot chilis and sweet peppers. Therefore, you can easily tailor it to your taste buds with the types of peppers you choose to ferment.

Course Preserved Food, Sauce, Side Dish

Keyword Fermented, Fermented Hot Sauce, Preserving Peppers

Prep Time 45 minutes minutes

Fermentation Time 10 days days

Servings 1 quart

Equipment

• Fermentation vessel, such as a glass jar.
• Ferment weight and airlock lid
• Strainer
• Blender
• Bottles or jars, for storage

Ingredients

• 1 lb peppers of choice, both hot chili peppers and some sweeter peppers recommended
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, loosely packed
• 1 whole small onion, or 1/2 medium to large onion
• 2-3 cloves garlic
• 1 tbsp sea salt, pickling salt, or kosher salt (no table salt)
• 2 cups filtered water, to combine with salt for brine

Instructions

• Wash and chop peppers and onions. Wear gloves is suggested. Remove most of pepper seeds.
• In the bottom of a clean quart jar, add a small handful (1/4 cup loose) of fresh cilantro and 2-3 crushed cloves of garlic.
• Next add the diced onion, and some peppers on top. Lightly press to compact and reduce air space as you go.
• When the jar is halfway to 2/3 full, add the remaining 1/4 cup of cilantro and then continue filling the jar with peppers, until completely packed full (within top inch of the jar).
• On the stovetop, combine 2 cups filtered water with 1 tbsp sea salt. Lightly heat until salt dissolves, but avoid over heating.
• Allow brine to cool to room temperature or lukewarm, and then pour over the peppers in the jar until the jar is full and they are fully submerged. Tap and wiggle jar to remove air pockets.
• Cover with fermentation weight and airlock lid, to keep veggies submerged below the brine during fermentation.
• Set jar in a temperate location (70-75°F) to ferment for 7-14 days.  
• After 7-14 days, open jar and pour contents through a strainer that is positioned over a bowl to catch the liquid. KEEP the strained brine liquid.
• Add all solid contents (peppers, onions, garlic, and cilantro) to a blender. Add 1 tablespoon of fresh squeezed lime juice, and 1/4 cup of the reserved brine liquid. Blend.
• Assess the consistency of the fermented hot sauce. Continue to add reserved brine little by little, blending as you go, until the desired consistency of sauce is reached.
• Store finished fermented hot sauce in an air-tight bottle or jar in the refrigerator. Shake before use. It should stay good for up to one year in the refrigerator.

The post Sweet & Spicy Pepper Fermented Hot Sauce Recipe appeared first on Homestead and Chill.

Another popular way to preserve green beans is to pickle them in vinegar. The fermentation process preserves them as well, but also introduces millions of gut-healing probiotics, enzymes, and antioxidants. It keeps the food alive, rather than sterilizing it! That is why we often choose to ferment foods over using a vinegar brine to pickle them. However, if you’re interested in a more classic pickle, try these quick pickled dilly green beans – perfect for the refrigerator or canning.

Even if you don’t have homegrown green beans to use for this recipe, I highly suggest giving it a go anyways! Pick up some beans from your farmer’s market or local grocery store. But remember, it is always best to choose organic produce for ferment recipes. Inorganic produce can interfere with a safe fermentation process, and also produce off-flavors.

Are fermented green beans good for you?

Absolutely! Full of probiotics, fermented green beans are arguably more nutritious than pickled green beans. Probiotics help support a healthy gut biome and digestion – which is inextricably linked to all sorts of positive health outcomes. In fact, research shows that gut health can impact the function of every other organ in our body!

Even more, fermented green beans are not heated (like pickled beans often are) which helps retain the maximum nutrient content that beans offer. Green beans are known to contain high levels of fiber, flavonoids and antioxidants, vitamins A, C, and K, as well as beta-carotene, folate (vitamin B9), and potassium. All of these things help to support a healthy cardiovascular system, digestive system, and immune system. Green beans are also known to be hypoglycemic, reducing blood sugar spikes.

SUPPLIES

• A fermenting vessel – Some folks use ceramic crocks, but many homesteaders and herbalists these days simply use mason jars of varying sizes. For smaller batches, use a pint or quart jar. For larger batches, we use these half-gallon mason jars.
  
  
• Fermenting lid or air lock device – The use of a lid made for the fermentation process is ideal, which makes the job much easier and pretty foolproof, though a regular jar lid can be used with a few tweaks. Examples of fermenting lids include an all-in-one device like a Kraut Source, or the use of a combination of items like a glass or ceramic weight along with another type of air lock lid (like this one, or this other option). A further discussion of their reasoning and use will follow in the directions section below.
  
  
• Organic Green Beans – As many needed to fill your ferment vessel of choice.
• Salt – Sea salt or kosher pickling salt. Do not use iodized table salt! It messes with the flavor and process. We love this Celtic sea salt for our ferments.
• Filtered water
• Fresh Dill – 1 bunch
• Optional: Garlic, peppercorns, chili peppers, or red chili flakes

DIRECTIONS

1) Clean Supplies

You want to make sure all of your supplies are clean. No, they don’t need to be insanely clean or “sterile”. You actually never want to use bleach (or even soap) on your fermenting tools! The residual could stick around and really make things taste “off”. We spray ours with plain white vinegar, and then rinse well with hot water. That’s it. I do the same with my hands.

2) Prep Green Beans

Rinse off the beans. Like the other supplies, they don’t need to be sterile-clean. Avoid using soap or produce washes! For this recipe, it is best to use your most tender green beans, and avoid using the tough ones. The beans will soften just slightly as they ferment, but not nearly the same as cooking tough beans to tenderize them.

To prep the beans, trim off the hard stem end. That is it! You could cut them into bite-size pieces if you desire, though we generally leave them whole or in halves.

3) Add Seasonings of Choice

In the bottom of your chosen fermenting vessel, add some washed fresh sprigs of dill. I suggest this simple “seasoning” at minimum. As long as you don’t dislike dill, it provides a very mild and delicious addition! The amount of dill doesn’t need to be precise. If you get the smaller plastic clamshell packages, use about half for a quart jar, and the whole thing for a half-gallon jar. If you’re able to get a larger, looser bunch of dill, we generally use about a quarter of those per quart jar, and half a large bunch per half-gallon jar.

We also usually add a couple cloves of fresh garlic at the bottom of the jar. If you love garlic, you can add more. Personally, we have found that fermented garlic can overpower the flavor of everything else if you go too heavy. We find about 1-2 cloves of garlic in a quart jar, and 3-4 cloves per half-gallon jar is our sweet spot. (These were small cloves, so we added 3 in this quart.)

You can also get creative here and go beyond what the basic recipe calls for. For example, add a pinch of peppercorns, a sprinkle of celery seed or mustard seeds, a chunk of fresh ginger or turmeric, a dash of red chili flakes, or even a whole hot chili pepper or two – if you want some heat! That’s the beauty of fermenting. The options for experimentation and creativity are endless. Keep in mind that flavors usually mellow out when fermented too. For example, hot chilis will become much less spicy than when eaten raw or even cooked once they’re fermented. 

4) Pack the Jar

Once you have your chosen seasonings at the bottom, start adding greens beans to the jar. When fermenting, it’s best to try and fit as many veggies in the jar as possible. If you’re going through this process, you might as well maximize the amount of cultured food you get out of it in the end! This will also reduce the amount of brine needed, and the amount of air that can get trapped inside. Therefore, when you’re putting the green beans into the jar, try not to just throw handfuls in there all willy-nilly. I like to lay the jar on its side as I add the beans, which makes it easier to pack them in tight.

5) Make a Brine

The standard brine ratio for fermented vegetables is 1 tablespoon of sea salt or kosher salt per 2 cups filtered water. With a fully-packed jar of veggies, we have found that 2 cups of brine is adequate per quart jar. Scale up or down as needed.

On the stovetop, heat a pot with filtered water to just warm enough to dissolve the salt. Do not add hot brine to your ferment, but lukewarm is okay. Too much heat will kill the beneficial bacteria (lactobacillus) needed to safely ferment your beans!

Once cooled, slowly pour the brine into the jar until the beans are completely covered. Pockets of air are likely trapped in there, so give the jar a little tap and wiggle to help release them.

6) Add a Weight

This is an important step in fermenting foods! The beans need to stay submerged below the brine level. If they’re allowed to float or be in contact with air, mold can develop! 

The stainless steel all-in-one Kraut Source fermentation lids we use have a flat plate and spring inside that help to easily accomplish this, acting as a weight to keep everything down. Another option is to use a ceramic or glass weight made for fermenting. Some people get resourceful and use other clean items that fit inside their vessel, like a boiled rock or smaller glass jar. 

7) Cover

Next, the jar or container of fermenting green beans needs to be covered with a tight fitting lid. The use of an air-lock lid made for fermenting is preferable. Aid locks allow for the release of any excess air and carbon dioxide that is produced during fermentation, without allowing new air or anything else to come in.

This is one reason why we really love the Kraut Source! They not only have a weight that keeps everything submerged, but also have a little moat on top that you fill with water, thus creating an air lock. However, there are a lot of other mason jar fermentation lids out there too! Here is another option that would need to be used in conjunction with a weight of some sort, like these glass ones.

If you do not have an air lock lid, you can try using a regular mason jar lid. Screw it on tightly, and then make sure to quickly “burp” your jars every few days to release the built up carbon dioxide. Sometimes this works, though I have heard mixed reviews. I suppose they make air lock lids for a reason…

8) Ferment

Once it’s all put together, let your dilly bean concoction sit out at room temperature for 7-14 days to do its thang. The total time depends on your personal flavor preference, and the temperature of your house. We let most of our ferments go for about 10-14 days.

Warmer conditions will ferment things more quickly, and cooler does just the opposite. The ideal fermentation temperature is around 70 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit. If it is summer time and your house is warmer than this, try to find a slightly cooler location for your vessel to hang out. Too hot of conditions can encourage the development of white Kahm yeast. It is not dangerous, but rather stinky and off-putting.   

Notes during fermentation:

During the week or two at room temperature, you will notice the fermented green beans start to undergo change. The lactobacillus is working away to convert the starches in the food into lactic acid, which preserves it. In the process, carbon dioxide is formed, so you’ll probably see some bubbling activity in there! The green beans will also start to change color, fading to a less bright green. The brine also gets cloudy, and this is totally normal!

If you are using a Kraut Source, keep an eye on its little water-filled moat, making sure it always has some clean water in there. It doesn’t dry out easily though. On the other hand, our vessels usually overflow from the moat for the first several days of fermentation. Be forewarned that yours may do the same! So we alway set the jars on a plate or in a bowl to catch the overflow. Once that initial burst of activity subsides (about 5 days later), the moat can dry up and you’ll want to add more water into it. 

Another thing you may notice during fermentation may be a slightly odd odor. This is totally normal! To be honest, some ferments can smell pretty farty. I promise they taste better than they smell! 

9) Refrigerate

When the time is up, remove the air-lock lid, replace it with a regular lid, and move your finished fermented green beans to the fridge. Because of the acidity of fermented foods, standard mason jar lids have the tendency to rust. To avoid this, we store our finished ferments with either these stainless steel lids or these BPA-free plastic ones.

These fermented green beans are good for several months in the fridge, if not longer. We have enjoyed some ferments almost a year after they were made – though we always eat them up quicker than that!

10) Enjoy!

Now it is time to feed your belly with probiotic-rich home-fermented food! We love to use these fermented green beans as a salad topping, or on top of sautéed veggies, brown rice, or curry lentils. They could also be used chopped up in egg salad, on sandwiches, like a pickle on an hor d’oeuvre plate with cheese and crackers, or just snacked on plain! 

Don’t throw out that brine either! The liquid is also chock full of probiotics and beneficial enzymes, just waiting to make your belly happy. Did you know they actually sell leftover ferment brine, marketed as “gut shots”, at natural food stores? And they aren’t cheap! We like to drizzle some on top of salads with olive oil as a dressing, or even take little shots of it straight! 

Ready to ferment?

Go make some insanely healthy, tasty fermented green beans of your own. If you are new to fermenting, do not be nervous! If you follow these steps, it is really quite difficult to “mess up”. In all our years fermenting, we have NEVER had mold or anything dangerous form in a fermenting vessel.

If you like this recipe, you’ll also love our fermented dill cucumber pickles recipe, lacto-fermented beets, or these fermented dilly radish recipe. Curious to learn more about why fermented foods are so great for your health? Check out this post that talks all about the health benefits of fermented foods! Last but not least, learn how to preserve and freeze fresh green beans here.

Please feel free to ask questions, leave a review, or just say hi in the comments below! Thanks for tuning in.

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Lacto-Fermented “Pickled” Dilly Green Beans Recipe

Come learn one way to preserve beans – and use this easy recipe to make tangy, crunchy lacto-fermented dilly green bean "pickles"! They are easy to make, downright delicious, and loaded with millions of healthy probiotics, antioxidants, and enzymes to support a healthy digestive system.

Course Fermented Foods, Preserved Food, Side Dish, Snack

Keyword Dilly Green beans, Fermented, Fermented green beans, Lacto fermented green beans, Lactofermentation, Pickled Green beans

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Fermentation Time 10 days days

Servings 1 quart

Equipment

• Fermenting vessel, such as a mason jar (pint, quart, or half-gallon)
• An all-in-one fermentation lid (such as a Kraut Source), or other fermentation weights and an air lock device 

Ingredients

• organic fresh green beans (as much as you need to completely fill your jar of choice)
• 1 tbsp kosher or pickling sea salt (not iodized table salt) per 2 cups of water used
• 2 cups filtered water (per quart jar)
• 1 bunch fresh dill
• 1 clove fresh garlic, peeled and lightly crushed (per quart jar)
• Optional: black peppercorns, red chili flakes, fresh hot chili peppers – if you like them with a kick!

Instructions

• Wash the green beans. Trim off the stem portion.
• Either leave the beans whole, or cut them into halves or bite-size pieces. Your choice!
• In a clean jar or ferment vessel, place a small handful (few sprigs) of washed fresh dill in the bottom of the container. Add optional clove of garlic, pinch of peppercorns or chili flakes.
• Next, pack the green beans into the container until completely full. Stuff as many as you can close together, minimizing empty air space as you go.
• On the stovetop on low heat, combine the called-for salt and filtered water to create a salt water brine. Heat only until salt dissolves. Do not add hot brine to the green beans! Allow to cool to room temperature/lukewarm as needed.
• Pour the brine into the ferment vessel or jar until the green beans are fully submerged. Carefully tap and wiggle the jar side to side to release any trapped air pockets.
• Next put a Kraut Source lid, or other fermentation weight and air lock lid on top of the jar. Everything needs to stay submerged below the brine!
• Allow the green beans to sit at room temperature to ferment for Fahrenheit for 7 to 14 days. The ideal fermentation temperature is between 70 and 75 degrees.
• If you are using a Kraut Source lid, watch the air-lock water "moat" in the lid to ensure it doesn't dry up. Refill with water if needed. Also, carefully remove the top cap of the lid and press the spring down to remove more air halfway through fermentation. Keep the container on a plate to catch overflowing brine.
• When the time is up, remove air lock lid and weights, cover the container with a standard lid, and store the finished fermented green beans in the refrigerator.
• Enjoy the fermented dilly green beans for several months, or possibly up to a year. As long as they aren't moldy or obviously putrid, they're still good!

The post Probiotic-Packed “Pickled” Fermented Dilly Green Beans appeared first on Homestead and Chill.

The best news of all is that apple cider vinegar is quite simple to make at home. We usually use whole apples since we often have abundance, but you can also make ACV using apple scraps too. One very common method is to save up used apple skins and cores over time, storing them in the freezer, before starting a batch of ACV.

Read along to learn how to turn apples or scraps into fermented, probiotic-rich, delicious homemade apple cider vinegar. This post will provide easy step-by-step instructions, tips to make the best-tasting apple cider vinegar, and ideas for ways to use ACV too.

Benefits of Making Your Own Apple Cider Vinegar

It’s Cost Effective

When we buy apple cider vinegar, we choose the high quality stuff: raw, organic, unfiltered, “with the mother”… such as Braggs, our go-to brand. While I wouldn’t call ACV expensive, it isn’t necessarily as cheap as more basic vinegars, like white or red wine vinegar. Plus, if you use it as regularly as we do, it can add up! Making your own apple cider vinegar at home has huge cost-savings benefits, especially if you’re using scraps, homegrown, or otherwise low-cost apples. Even if you buy them just for this project, a few apples can create a lot of vinegar!

It Reduces Waste

We always suggest discarding excess produce in a compost system, as opposed to throwing them in the trash. On this little homestead, we have several types of compost bins that help take care of the majority of our kitchen and garden waste. Personally, our favorite composting method is vermicomposting, also known as worm composting. So, while you could compost your excess apple scraps, why not turn them into apple cider vinegar instead? Up-cycling for the win! 

It is Healthy & Versatile

Apple cider vinegar has many wonderful uses and surprising health benefits! As with all fermented foods, it’s loaded with probiotics. This means ACV aids in digestion and helps to balance gut health. Did you know there is a direct correlation between a healthy gut and every other organ in the body? To read more about the health benefits of fermented foods, check out this article that I wrote on that subject.

Homemade ACV can be used for a lot more than drinking or eating! See other uses for apple cider vinegar at the end of this post.

How does apple cider vinegar help diabetes and blood sugar?

One of the key active components of apple cider vinegar is acetic acid. Acetic acid is excellent at slowing gastric emptying and reducing blood sugar spikes, thus stabilizing blood glucose levels. Being Type 1 Diabetic, I find that if I take a shot of ACV before a meal, I have improved blood sugar levels following that meal! Studies have shown to have similar effects for those with Type 2 Diabetes, when either taken with a meal or before bedtime.  

SUPPLIES NEEDED

• Organic apples, or apple scraps – For this recipe, you can use whole apples or apple scraps. A great time to make apple cider vinegar is after creating another apple dish, like baking apple pie, when you have a lot of cores and skins at once! If you cannot collect fresh scraps at one time, store them in the freezer as you continue to add to your supply. Organic produce is always the best choice, especially when it comes to fermenting! See notes on apple varieties below.
  
  The amount of apples needed is totally flexible. As you’ll see in the recipe section below, you can scale the portions up or down as needed.
  
  
• Filtered Water or other un-chlorinated water is best for making living, fermented things like homemade apple cider vinegar. Do your best with what you have! We simply run ours through a basic carbon filter (in the fridge).
  
  
• Organic cane sugar
  
  
• A large glass vessel, your choice of size. We make large batches in this two-gallon glass crock, but many people use far smaller containers – like quart or half-gallon mason jars!
  
  
• Bottles to store your finished apple cider vinegar in. You won’t need these for a few months, so you have time to collect some. We simply repurpose old Braggs ACV bottles!

Wait… Did you just say you won’t need bottles for a few months?  Yes. Fair warning: this process takes several months from start to finish. The minimum time from starting to using the finished product is about 2 months, though some people let their ACV ferment for 4 months or longer. 

What are the best apple varieties to make apple cider vinegar?

The best-tasting apple cider vinegar will result from using a variety of different apple types, if possible. Using a combination of sweet and tart apples creates a well-balanced finished flavor. A good goal is to use about two-thirds sweet apple varieties like Gala or Fuji (our Anna apple falls into that category) and one-third tart, such as Granny Smith. Pink Lady would fall somewhere in between. Truth be told, we don’t always mix in tart varieties with our Anna’s since some are picked slightly underripe and tart. It still turns out pretty damn good, just not quite as tangy.

HOMEMADE APPLE CIDER VINEGAR RECIPE 

When you’re making apple cider vinegar, the goal is to fill your chosen container about halfway full of chopped apples or apple scraps. Then, the rest of the container is filled with a combination of water and dissolved sugar. 

Sugar to water ratio: 1 tablespoon of sugar per one cup of water, or scaled up to 1 cup of sugar per one gallon of water.

Yes, the use of sugar is essential in this process. There are several types of beneficial bacteria naturally present on fruit, including our friends lactobacillus and acetobacter. The addition of sugar provides food for those bacteria to rapidly grow and thrive. They will change the environment in the crock through a series of chemical reactions, first changing the sugar to alcohol, and then further transforming that alcohol into acetic acid over time. Therefore, the final apple cider vinegar is very, very low in sugar, and the alcohol content is virtually non-existent! 

INSTRUCTIONS

Step 1) Gather & Prepare Apples 

If you are using collected apple scraps, this part is extra easy! There is no prep needed. If your apple scraps were frozen, let them thaw out before starting. A cold ferment is not a happy ferment! I do suggest adding at least some fresh scraps with your frozen ones, if possible. This will ensure your brew is inoculated with live bacteria. When making apple cider vinegar with whole apples, the prep is pretty dang easy too. Simply wash the fruit well with water (no soap!) and chop them up into smallish chunks. You can leave the skins, cores, seeds, and even stems in there! 

Add the apples to your glass container of choice, filling it about halfway full with apples. We use this 2-gallon container, but many people make much smaller batches! Ensure the container is nice and clean, but doesn’t have any soap residue present – which can cause off-flavors. We clean all of our fermentation supplies with plain white vinegar and hot water.

2) Add Water & Sugar

Next, it is time to get wet and feed the bacteria! Pour room-temperature to lukewarm filtered water over the apples until the container is completely full. Keep track of how much water you add as you go! To do this, I suggest adding water with a measuring cup, or a jar that you can note the volume of. We need to know the water volume to determine how much sugar to add.

Unfortunately, it isn’t as simple as half of your container. For example, when we fill a 2-gallon crock “half full” of apples, that doesn’t mean it is taking up a true half of the volume – because of the air space between the cut fruit. We can generally still fit 1.5 gallons of water inside.

Now, scaling up or down as needed, add 1 tablespoon of sugar per one cup of water used, or 1 cup of sugar per one gallon of water. Stir thoroughly until all of the sugar appears to have dissolved into the water. Here is where the “lukewarm” water helps out!

To inoculate and kick start our batch, we usually add a few glugs of finished apple cider vinegar. This step isn’t necessary, but may help prevent the formation of mold – especially if you are attempting to do this during a cold time of year. 

3) Let Sit to Ferment – and Stir!

Once the apples, water, and sugar are all combined, cover your container with a breathable material, such as a lint-free tea towel, old pillow case, or coffee filter. I do not suggest using cheesecloth or any looser-knit material – it may allow fruit flies in!

Set this container in a location that is around 70 to 75°F, if possible. This is the ideal temperature range for fermentation. The container should also be kept in a dark location. Because we need to see and access it daily for the first two weeks (described below), we keep ours out on the kitchen counter, but wrap the crock in a dark towel or pillowcase to block the light. 

For the first two weeks, your fermenting apples should be stirred every day. The purpose is to ensure the sugar doesn’t settle on the bottom, and also rotate which pieces are floating on top. If the same apples are left to float, exposed to the air, there is a chance of mold developing on them. Stirring prevents mold. If you miss a day here or there, it isn’t the end of the world! However, I suggest making a concerted effort stirring daily during the first week especially. 

During this time, you’ll notice the apples will turn more brown, and the liquid becomes cloudy. Small bubbles should also appear, and it will start to smell a bit like hard apple cider. A layer of yellowish-white sediment may also collect on the bottom. This is all normal and good! Any obvious, fuzzy, green or white raised mold on the surface is not. In all the years making ACV, we have never had ours mold!

Step 4) Strain Apples

After two weeks of daily stirring, it is time to strain the apples to separate them from the liquid. To accomplish this, we set a fine-mesh strainer on top of a large bowl and slowly pour the contents of the crock through it. You can also use cheesecloth, or whatever else works! The collected fruit can now be composted. Return the captured liquid to a clean glass container of the appropriate size, and cover in the same manner it was before. 

Step 5) Continue to Ferment

This is where the waiting game begins… Store your covered crock in a temperate, dark location for at least one month, or longer! The bacteria will keep working to convert more and more of the sugar or alcohol to acetic acid, creating vinegar. The rate at which your partially fermented apple cider turns into full-blown vinegar will vary, depending on the storage conditions and apples used. Our apple cider vinegar usually sits for about 2 to 3 more months before we bottle it.

After a month has passed, you can give your vinegar a taste-test. If it tastes plenty vinegary for your liking, move on to the next step. If not, allow it to ferment longer. When it doubt, you can check the pH of your apple cider with these simple pH test strips! Finished apple cider vinegar should have a pH in the range of 2-3. 

Note: During this time, sometimes the vinegar develops a layer of SCOBY on the top – sort of like kombucha does! It is a thin, smooth, off-white membrane made up of accumulated beneficial bacteria and yeast. It is normal and harmless. We discard it once we are ready to bottle the vinegar. Our chickens love to eat SCOBY, but make sure to chop it up well for them!

Step 6) Bottle & Enjoy

Once it reaches that perfect fermentation level, transfer the apple cider vinegar into bottles with tight-fitting lids for storage. We re-use old ACV bottles, or store it in our swing-top kombucha bottles. As an acidic concoction, homemade apple cider vinegar does not have to be refrigerated for safety-sake! It is best to store it in a relatively cool, dark place.

If we have the space, we typically refrigerate at least some of our bottles at this point. Why? Well, once they’re refrigerated, the bacteria activity will slow way down and prevent the vinegar from fermenting beyond the point we enjoy it. Plus, most people like to enjoy their ACV cold anyways! I know we do.

Even stored at room temperature, homemade apple cider vinegar will stay good for up to five years! However, the quality and flavor will likely be best within the first two years.

Ways to Use Apple Cider Vinegar

Apple cider vinegar can be used in wide variety of meals, recipes, taken straight on it’s own, or used in other natural health, home, and body care applications.

• As a salad dressing – drizzled over salad with olive oil, or used in other salad dressing recipes.
• Use apple cider vinegar in other recipes that call for vinegar, such as our favorite easy refrigerator dill pickles. We also like to add a small drizzle to egg salad, potato salad, and similar dishes.
• Take a small shot (1 to 2 Tbsp) before a meal to reduce blood sugar spikes (aka postprandial blood glucose levels).
• Learn how to make homemade fire cider with apple cider vinegar here. Made with garlic, onion, turmeric, ginger, honey, and spices, fire cider a fantastic tangy tonic that can support your immune system and naturally reduce the intensity and duration of cold and flu symptoms.
• ACV can be diluted and used as a hair rinse, which removes built up minerals in your hair (such as from hard water) while also conditioning, balancing, pH, and healing hairs outer cuticle.
• Many herbalists and naturalists use ACV as a natural facial toner, or as an ingredient in other natural beauty and healing remedies!
• Acidic vinegar makes a great natural surface cleaner and disinfectant, such as in the sink, garbage disposal, stinky cutting boards, or even used to soften laundry. Learn more about using vinegar as a cleaner here.

And that’s how to make apple cider vinegar!

I hope you found this tutorial helpful, and interesting! Next time we have an abundance of apples, I think we are going to take a stab at making our own hard cider. I will report back! Do you brew your own apple cider vinegar, or hard cider? What are your other favorite ways to preserve apples?

If you are interested in other healthy fermented goodies, you may enjoy these articles:

• How (& Why) to Make Fire Cider for Immune Health – We use our ACV as the base for this recipe!
• How to Make Kombucha 101: Brewing Basics for Best Booch Ever
• Fermented Dilly Radishes Recipe
• Homemade Elderberry Syrup Recipe – Not fermented… but oh so good for you!

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Homemade Apple Cider Vinegar

Make your own Apple Cider Vinegar at home! It is a great way to use or preserve excess apples, or a zero-waste solution to use unwanted apple scraps like skins or cores! Apple cider vinegar is easy to make, and is healthy, delicious, fermented, and packed with probiotics.

Course Natural Medicine Beverage, Preserved Food, Salad Dressing, Sauce

Keyword ACV, Apple Cider Vinegar, Fermented

Prep Time 20 minutes minutes

Fermenting Time 60 days days

Ingredients

• Diced apple chunks, or apple scraps (skins, cores). Enough to fill half of your chosen fermenting vessel (e.g. quart jar, half-gallon jar, 1 gallon crock)
• 1 tbsp sugar, per 1 cup filtered water OR
• 1 cup sugar, per 1 gallon of filtered water

Instructions

• Wash and chop the apples into chunks, or gather collected apple scraps (which can be saved in the freezer over time) and add them to your jar or other large fermenting vessel until it filled about halfway full.
• Pour lukewarm filtered water over the apples into the container until it is almost full, but measure/note the total amount of water added.
• Stir in sugar in ratios of 1 tablespoon of sugar per cup of water added, or for larger batches, 1 cup of sugar per gallon of water added.
• Optional: Add a splash of finished organic apple cider vinegar (e.g. store-bought) to inoculate the culture and encourage fermenting.
• Stir combined ingredients until thoroughly mixed, and cover with breathable material.
• Store in a dark location around 70 to 75 degrees F for two weeks to ferment, and stir everyday to prevent mold from forming on top. If needed, add another layer of material like a dark towel on top of the container to block light.
• After two weeks, strain and reserve the liquid into a similar sized container and cover again. Compost the spent fruit.
• Move the covered container of liquid to a location that is out of the way to continue long term fermentation. Maintain dark. A cooler "room temperature" at this stage is okay, but do not refrigerate yet.
• After one month, sample the vinegar to see if it is finished fermenting and tart to your liking. If needed, allow it to continue to ferment for a total of two to three months.
• Once it is fermented to your desired flavor, transfer the apple cider vinegar into bottles with lids (or swing top bottles). Store at room temperature or in the refrigerator, and enjoy!
• Properly fermented apple cider vinegar should "stay good" for over a year – as long as it does not have visible mold, or a strong and unusual flavor or appearance.

The post Preserving Apples: How to Make Homemade Apple Cider Vinegar appeared first on Homestead and Chill.

Follow along to learn how to make quick-and-easy fermented carrot “pickles”. They’re tasty, tangy, and crunchy – perfect for snacking, on top of salads, and more! Rather than preserving them with vinegar, the process of lacto-fermenting carrots provides a similar end product… but healthier!

Need some tips on growing carrots at home? Check out this post all about how to successfully grow carrots. Even if you don’t have homegrown carrots to use for this fermented carrot recipe, I highly suggest giving it a go anyways! Pick up a bunch of carrots from your farmer’s market or local grocery store. But remember, it is always best to choose organic produce for ferment recipes. Inorganic produce can interfere with a safe fermentation process, and also produce off-flavors.

FERMENTED CARROTS SUPPLIES

• A fermenting vessel – Some folks use ceramic crocks, but many homesteaders and herbalists these days simply use mason jars of varying sizes. For smaller batches of fermented carrots, you could use a pint or quart jar. We most often use these half-gallon mason jars, as shown in this post. If we are making a big batch of something, we may even fill two at a time and end up with a gallon of fermented goodness total!
• Fermenting lid or air lock device – The use of a lid made for the fermentation process is ideal, which makes the job much easier and pretty foolproof, though a regular jar lid can be used with a few tweaks. Examples of fermenting lids include an all-in-one device like a Kraut Source lid, or the use of a combination of items like a glass or ceramic weight along with another type of air lock lid. A further discussion of their reasoning and use will follow in the directions section below.
• Organic Carrots – We used just under 3 pounds of carrots for the half-gallon jar shown in this recipe. Scale up or down as needed until your ferment vessel of choice is full.
• Salt – Sea salt or kosher pickling salt. Do not use iodized table salt! We love this Celtic sea salt for our ferments.
• Filtered water
• Fresh Dill – 1 bunch
• Optional: Garlic, peppercorns, chili peppers, or red chili flakes

DIRECTIONS

1) Clean your supplies

You want to make sure all of your supplies are clean. No, they don’t need to be insanely clean or “sterile”. You actually never want to use bleach (or even soap) on your fermenting tools! The residual could stick around and really make things taste “off”. We spray ours with plain white vinegar, and then rinse well with hot water. That’s it. I do the same with my hands.

2) Prep the carrots

If they’re still attached, remove the carrot greens. You can eat those greens you know! Towards the end of our “how to grow carrots” post, check out five ideas for how to use carrot greens! Or, at least try to compost them.

Wash the carrots well. Like the other supplies, the carrots don’t need to be crazy sterile-clean. Avoid using soap or produce washes.

Cut the carrots into the shape and size of your liking. We often choose to cut ours into small bite-size round slices, about 1/8 – 1/4 inch thick. This is because we usually eat our fermented carrots on top of salads or other meals. If you hope to snack on your fermented carrots more like pickles, you could cut them into carrot stick spears instead. They’ll ferment well all the same!

3) Add seasonings of choice

In the bottom of your chosen fermenting vessel, add some freshly washed sprigs of dill. I suggest this simple “seasoning” at minimum. As long as you don’t dislike dill, it provides a very mild and delicious addition! The amount of dill doesn’t need to be precise. If you get the smaller plastic clamshell packages, I’d say use half for a quart jar, and the whole thing for a half-gallon jar. If you’re able to get a larger, looser bunch of dill, we generally use about a quarter of those per quart jar, and half a large bunch per half-gallon jar.

We also often times add a couple cloves of fresh garlic at the bottom of the jar. (We happened to be out when we made this batch). If you don’t like dill or garlic, you can totally skip either and keep it super simple! Or if you loooove garlic, you can add more. Personally, we have found that fermented garlic can overpower the flavor of everything else if you go too heavy. We find about 1-2 cloves of garlic in a quart jar, and 3-4 cloves per half-gallon jar is our sweet spot.

You can also get creative here and go beyond what this basic recipe is calling for. For example, add a pinch of peppercorns, a sprinkle of celery seed or mustard seeds, a chunk of fresh ginger or turmeric, a dash of red chili flakes, or even a whole hot chili pepper or two – if you want some heat! That’s the beauty of fermenting. The options for experimentation and creativity are endless. Keep in mind that flavors usually mellow out when fermented too. For example, hot chilis will become much less spicy than when eaten raw or even cooked once they’re fermented.

4) Pack the jar

Start adding the cut carrots to the jar. When fermenting, it’s best to try and fit as many veggies in the jar as possible. If you’re going through this process, you might as well maximize the amount of cultured food you get out of it in the end! This will also reduce the amount of brine needed, and the amount of air that can get trapped inside. So, when you’re putting the carrots into the jar, try not to just throw handfuls in there all haphazardly.

We try to layer them in little by little, packing them down as we go to reduce air pockets. I usually fill half the jar with the sliced veggies, then add another little layer of dill and a clove of garlic about halfway through, then continue layering with more veggies until the jar is totally full. If you cut your carrots into sticks, try to stack and tuck them tightly against one another too.

5) Make a brine

The standard brine ratio for fermented vegetables is 1 tablespoon of sea salt or kosher salt per 2 cups filtered water. Do not use regular table salt or salt that has been otherwise iodized. It will say it on the package if it has been. This messes with the fermentation process, and doesn’t taste as good.

The goal is to dissolve the salt in the filtered water, so it will need to be room temperature or slightly warmer. We make our brine in a pot on the stovetop, but on a very low heat – just until the salt is able to dissolve – and then let it cool a bit. You do not want to add hot brine to your ferment, but warm is okay. Too much heat will kill the beneficial bacteria (lactobacillus) needed to safely ferment your carrots!

We will usually get the brine going on the stove while we are prepping the carrots. This way, if it accidentally gets a little too warm, it has time to cool down before adding it. With a fully-packed jar of veggies, we have found that 2 cups of brine is adequate per quart jar –  double everything when using half-gallon jars.

6) Pour it in

Slowly pour the brine into the jar, until the carrots are completely covered. Pockets of air are likely trapped in there, so give the jar a little tap and wiggle to try to get them to come up. You can also use a wooden kraut pounder or tamper to press the carrots down and expel air.

7) Add a weight

Some of the carrots will try to float to the surface, but they do need to stay submerged below the brine level. If they’re allowed to float and be in contact with air, mold can develop! The stainless steel all-in-one Kraut Source fermentation lids we use have a flat plate and spring inside that help to easily accomplish this, acting as a weight to keep everything down. Another option is to use a ceramic or glass weight made for fermenting. Some people get resourceful and use other clean items that fit inside their vessel, like a boiled rock or smaller glass jar.

Helpful tip:

Even if you use a weight or Kraut Source device, sometimes pieces of chopped carrot can still slip around them. To keep the floaters at bay, we often use a large leaf of cabbage, collard green, or other hearty green to make a “cap”. This is placed on top of the veggies, below the weight, and keeps them trapped below. It should also be submerged in the brine as much as possible. The Kraut Source device does a great job keeping floaters down in pint and quart size jars, but we usually add a “cabbage cap” to the larger half-gallon batches.

8) Cover

Next, the jar or container you’re fermenting in needs to be covered with a tight fitting lid. The use of an air-lock lid made for fermenting is preferable. These allow for the release of any excess air and carbon dioxide that is produced during fermentation, without allowing new air or anything else to come in. This is one reason why we really love the Kraut Source lids! They not only have a weight that keeps everything submerged, but also have a little moat on top that you fill with water, thus creating an air lock.

There are a lot of other mason jar fermentation lids out there too! Here are some silicone nipple type. These would need to be used in conjunction with a weight of some sort, like these glass ones. If you’re not using an air lock, you can tightly screw on a regular lid, but then make sure to quickly “burp” your jars every few days to release the built up carbon dioxide.

9) Ferment!

Once it’s all put together, let your concoction sit out at room temperature for 7-14 days to do its thang. The time depends on your personal flavor preference, and the temperature of your house. We let most of our ferments go for about 10-14 days.

Warmer conditions will cause the carrots to ferment more quickly, and cooler does just the opposite. The ideal fermentation temperature is around 70-75 degrees Fahrenheit. If it is summer time and your house is warmer than this, try to find a slightly cooler location for your vessel to hang out. Too hot of conditions can encourage the development of white Kahm yeast. It is not dangerous, but rather stinky and off-putting.   

Notes during fermentation:

During fermentation, you will notice the fermented carrots start to undergo change. The lactobacillus is working away to convert the starches in the food into lactic acid, which preserves it. In the process, carbon dioxide is formed, so you’ll probably see some bubbling activity in there!

The fermented carrots will also start to change color. Depending on the color of the carrots you used, they made bleed and turn the brine colors. Our black nebula carrots bled purple and turned the entire batch bright pink. The brine also gets cloudy, and this is totally normal!

If you are using a Kraut Source lid, keep an eye on its little water-filled moat, making sure it always has some clean water in there. It doesn’t dry out easily though. On the other hand, our vessels usually overflow from the lid for the first several days of fermentation. Be forewarned that yours may do the same! So we alway set the jars on a plate or in a bowl to catch the overflow. Once that initial burst of activity subsides (about 5 days later), the moat can dry up and you’ll want to add more water into it.

Another thing you may notice during fermentation may be a slightly odd odor. This is totally normal! To be honest, some ferments can smell pretty farty. I promise they taste better than they smell!

10) Refrigerate

When the time is up, remove the “cabbage cap” and air-lock lid, replace it with a regular lid, and move your finished fermented carrots to the fridge. Because of the acidity of fermented foods, standard mason jar lids have the tendency to rust. To avoid this, we store our ferments with either these stainless steel lids or these BPA-free plastic ones.

Most fermented foods are good for several months in the fridge, if not longer. We have enjoyed kraut nearly a year after it was made – though we always eat it up quicker than that!

11) Enjoy!

Now it is time to feed your belly with probiotic-rich home-fermented food! We love to use these fermented carrots as a salad topping, or on top of sautéed veggies with curry lentils. They could also be used chopped up in egg salad, on sandwiches, like a pickle on an hor d’oeuvre plate with cheese and crackers, or just snacked on plain!

Don’t throw out that brine either! The liquid is also chock full of probiotics and beneficial enzymes, just waiting to make your belly happy. Did you know they actually sell leftover ferment brine, marketed as “gut shots”, at natural food stores? And they aren’t cheap! We like to drizzle some on top of salads with olive oil as a dressing, or even take little shots of it straight!

Now you’re off!

Go make some insanely healthy fermented carrots of your own. Do not be nervous! If you follow these steps, it is really quite difficult to “mess up”. In all our years fermenting, we have NEVER had mold form in a fermenting vessel. Sure, we’ve made some strange concoctions that we didn’t love as much as others, but we have certainly never made ourselves sick. Feel free to ask me any questions!

If you like this recipe, you’ll also love our fermented dilly radish recipe. It’s basically the same process, but with radishes instead of carrots! Curious to learn more about why fermented foods are so great for your health? Check out this post that talks all about the health benefits of fermented foods!

The post Simple Fermented Carrots “Pickle” Recipe appeared first on Homestead and Chill.