First attempt at fermenting vegetables

[pshankstar]

As the title states, my first attempt at fermenting vegetables. Peppers, cauliflower, carrots & garlic on the left. Pepper, green beans, asparagus and garlic on the right.
Kosher salt in the jars with a bay leaf too. Everything is submerged so fingers crossed. I’m excited to see how they turn out.

 

[marx2k]

View attachment 836339As the title states, my first attempt at fermenting vegetables. Peppers, cauliflower, carrots & garlic on the left. Pepper, green beans, asparagus and garlic on the right.
Kosher salt in the jars with a bay leaf too. Everything is submerged so fingers crossed. I’m excited to see how they turn out.

What percent is your brine?

 

[pshankstar]

What percent is your brine?

This might be a rookie mistake. I put six teaspoons of kosher salt in the quart size mason jar. The book I was reading said to use 1-2 teaspoons per cup of water. I figured six teaspoons would be sufficient given the amount of vegetables in the jar.

Should I make a brine solution first then pour it in the packed jars? This way I can figure out the brine solution.

 

[marx2k]

This might be a rookie mistake. I put six teaspoons of kosher salt in the quart size mason jar. The book I was reading said to use 1-2 teaspoons per cup of water. I figured six teaspoons would be sufficient given the amount of vegetables in the jar.

Should I make a brine solution first then pour it in the packed jars? This way I can figure out the brine solution.

I use a kitchen scale. I usually have two jars. One has the food. I pack the food into it. I cover it to near top with water. I place the other jar on the scale, tare it, then dump the water from the first jar to the second. I get the weight in grams. I calculate what, say 5% of that number is, then tare the scale again. I then add that amount of salt in grams. I close the jar, shake it vigorously then pour the brine back into jar 1.

Done.

This way I can be sure of percentages. I usually use tables like this to figure out proper brine percentages for the type of food: Brine Calculator - Brine Salt to Water Ratio - My Fermented Foods

Some foods need less than 5% and going over makes the food mushy. Others its the reverse.

 

[pshankstar]

I use a kitchen scale. I usually have two jars. One has the food. I pack the food into it. I cover it to near top with water. I place the other jar on the scale, tare it, then dump the water from the first jar to the second. I get the weight in grams. I calculate what, say 5% of that number is, then tare the scale again. I then add that amount of salt in grams. I close the jar, shake it vigorously then pour the brine back into jar 1.

Done.

This way I can be sure of percentages. I usually use tables like this to figure out proper brine percentages for the type of food: Brine Calculator - Brine Salt to Water Ratio - My Fermented Foods

Some foods need less than 5% and going over makes the food mushy. Others its the reverse.

Awesome!!! Thank you for sharing your process! Just like anything else here you try, fail or succeed and keep trying while others assist along the way.

 

[marx2k]

Awesome!!! Thank you for sharing your process! Just like anything else here you try, fail or succeed and keep trying while others assist along the way.

Agreed and no problem. I'm still trying to figure out how to get cucumbers and sweet peppers from becoming a soggy mess 90% of the time

 

[pshankstar]

A week later the brine is cloudy and it smells like a good fermentation. I’m guessing it’s now at a point to start tasting it to see if it’s where I want it and to let it sit longer or it goes in the fridge. Is my assumption correct?

 

[marx2k]

View attachment 836821A week later the brine is cloudy and it smells like a good fermentation. I’m guessing it’s now at a point to start tasting it to see if it’s where I want it and to let it sit longer or it goes in the fridge. Is my assumption correct?

How many days has it been? Those do look good. I usually wait 10 days minimum before tasting but then as soon as its where you want it, I'm the fridge it goes and enjoy

 

[pshankstar]

How many days has it been? Those do look good. I usually wait 10 days minimum before tasting but then as soon as its where you want it, I'm the fridge it goes and enjoy

It’s been one week (7 days). I’ll give it a few more days. I haven’t opened the lids to peak inside but what I see I’m not worried.

Thank you!!

 

[PCABrewing]

View attachment 836339As the title states, my first attempt at fermenting vegetables. Peppers, cauliflower, carrots & garlic on the left. Pepper, green beans, asparagus and garlic on the right.
Kosher salt in the jars with a bay leaf too. Everything is submerged so fingers crossed. I’m excited to see how they turn out.

What is the end goal, just pickled/fermented veggies or do you use it for something else?
I've been thinking about fermenting some of my hot peppers next season with the goal of hot sauce as the end product.
Unfortunately to-date I've only gotten as far as fermenting them on the vine

 

[marx2k]

It’s been one week (7 days). I’ll give it a few more days. I haven’t opened the lids to peak inside but what I see I’m not worried.

Thank you!!

As long as you're not seeing any mold floating and your veggies aren't covered in yeast on top, you're good to let it keep sitting. Just make sure they don't get too soft. If you hit it with the right brine percentage, that shouldn't be an issue

 

[pshankstar]

What is the end goal, just pickled/fermented veggies or do you use it for something else?
I've been thinking about fermenting some of my hot peppers next season with the goal of hot sauce as the end product.
Unfortunately to-date I've only gotten as far as fermenting them on the vine

Right now it’s to have some additional veggies to have on salads and what not. Although I would like to do some fermented hot sauce and/or salsa.

 

[pshankstar]

I tried some of the carrots, cauliflower and peppers today on a salad. They tasted good and were not mushy, they still had some crispy-ness to them. I would say it was a successful first attempt.

 

[marx2k]

I tried some of the carrots, cauliflower and peppers today on a salad. They tasted good and were not mushy, they still had some crispy-ness to them. I would say it was a successful first attempt.

I've been going to town slicing up pickled eggs onto toasted bread w/ cheddar. Kind of has become an every day thing. Always good to have a ready-made egg sammich.

The pickled eggs also go great in salad. Last year we were making our own vinegars so that goes in there great also.,

I do love me some pickled cauliflower. Seems to stay good forever and tastes so delicious when pickled! Same w/ carrots. I still haven't had much luck with peppers.

 

[DBhomebrew]

Lacto- fermented veggies make a stellar Bloody Mary.

 

[MrClint]

I just moved a 1/2 gallon of sauerkraut to the fridge this morning. Beats the heck out of anything I can buy at the market. Super easy too.

I have some lacto-fermented green beans that should be ready to try tomorrow. Unlike @pshankstar I prefer to ferment the pods whole (cut to uniform size).

EDIT: If anyone is looking to get started with lacto-fermentation, you can buy some starter kits on Amazon from a company called Nourished Essentials. They are pricey but have an easy to use system and easy to follow directions/recipes.

 

[marx2k]

I just moved a 1/2 gallon of sauerkraut to the fridge this morning. Beats the heck out of anything I can buy at the market. Super easy too.

I wish the wife enjoyed pickled foods. I'm always chucking away a half gallon of kraut because u can't get through it fast enough. At least cabbage is cheap af. Next time I'm going to feed it to the chickens.

 

[MrClint]

I wish the wife enjoyed pickled foods.

Lacto-fermented veg is not the same as pickled, you can taste as you go with the former. Ferment to taste. If the taste is to your liking before a suggested time, you can place the jar in the fridge and you are good to go. I go about two weeks with sauerkraut and get a good crunch and plenty of tang (but not too much).

 

[marx2k]

Lacto-fermented veg is not the same as pickled, you can taste as you go with the former. Ferment to taste. If the taste is to your liking before a suggested time, you can place the jar in the fridge and you are good to go. I go about two weeks with sauerkraut and get a good crunch and plenty of tang (but not too much).

I make my kraut the same way. Crispy, tangy, delicious. But then it sits in the fridge for months while I also go through all of the other veggies I've fermented. I really need a crew to come in and eat this stuff.

For me, calling lactofermented foods 'pickled is just simpler in casual conversation.

 

[MrClint]

I just tasted my fermented green beans and they are great after only three days, garlicky-spicy-and fresh basily, in the fridge they went. The thing about these fermented veg is that a little bit goes a long way. A little bit with almost every meal works well.

 

[marx2k]

I just tasted my fermented green beans and they are great after only three days, garlicky-spicy-and fresh basily, in the fridge they went. The thing about these fermented veg is that a little bit goes a long way. A little bit with almost every meal works well.

Agreed. They work great on the side. You're not going to eat a meal of kraut but goddamn its great to complement potatoes.

I won't take down a plate of fermented cauliflower but on the side of some sunny side up eggs on top of buckwheat...mmmm

 

[pshankstar]

I just started batch 2 tonight. Thanks @marx2k for the link. I used the 2% brine calculator for these.
I like the first attempt! My wife is always skeptical of new things and doesn’t cook, so she’s also unfamiliar with anything like this. It’s like a foreign language to her. Anyhow, I’m excited and looking forward to trying these in the next 10 days or so.