Anyone ferment fruit & vegetables?

[nogojones]

A fridge man? Where's you're spirit of adventure. Good few weeks in jars before gets anywhere near there.

All the original recipes I looked at said to put in the fridge after 24 hrs, but I felt it needed more, though I was scared to leave it too much longer in case it grew legs and ran off.

Now I see that you've clearly survived I'll push the boat right out

 

[iona]

I keep meaning to try making kimchi but the shop round the corner sells it in jars that're the perfect shape & size to reuse for other fermented veg (just balance the lids loosely on top to avoid explosions and leave them out on the kitchen counter - I'm not dead yet...)

 

[UnderOpenSky]

I think it's pretty hard to poison yourself doing ferments. I mean the whole point was to preserve veg (and meat) in days before refrigeration.

Sandor Katz who is a bit of guru/evangelist says mould on the top is fine, just scrape it off. I tried it once and it was a bit unsettling, but tbh the rest of it tasted a "funky" but I didn't die. Not had the problem again since sterilising stuff. My sour krout doesn't go in the fridge until I've opened it, so I'll have some jars a good few months just in a cupboard.

iona kilner type jars are good as they self burp. As the gas builds up they open just enough to let it out, but seal the rest of the time. I use cheap IKEA ones.

 

[iona]

@iona kilner type jars are good as they self burp. As the gas builds up they open just enough to let it out, but seal the rest of the time. I use cheap IKEA ones.

I know but I cba buying any when the jars I already have work fine...

I usually scrape mould off but if there's only a bit and it's not a new jar I just mix it in with what I'm eating tbh

 

[UnderOpenSky]

OK. Your more hardcore then me.

 

[UnderOpenSky]

Dp

 

[polly]

Making kimchi with a fancy set I got for my birthday that has rubber valve things for the lids, so they fart all the gases out. My main observation so far is that unfermented kimchi is also unbelievably delicious.

 

[pianistenvy]

I've got a few batches of kimchi on the go - one with Napa cabbage, one with cauliflower leaves and one with a mix of Napa and boy choy. Plus several batches of hot sauce on the go. Have ditched buying chilli sauce as it's full of sugar and E numbers and it's super easy to make your own.

 

[RubyToogood]

 

[kalidarkone]

I make water kefir and then remove the culture, add fruit and or ginger/turmeric and leave for a further 48 hours before removing the fruit and then refrigerating. It's fizzy deliciousness!

 

[existentialist]

Hmm. Jars are more expensive then I thought. Can anyone recommend some cheap ones?

IKEA. They have the Kilner jar style with rubber seal and metal clamp.

checks date Oh.

 

[bellaozzydog]

Marrow rum

 

[UnderOpenSky]

IKEA. They have the Kilner jar style with rubber seal and metal clamp.

Yes. Discovered those. Much better value.

 

[polly]

Wilko is good for cheap jars and bottles.

 

[RubyToogood]

I'm quite keen to give this a go now. Fermenting (other than cheese) doesn't seem to be much of a tradition in the UK as far as I can tell. Even yoghurt I remember being a daring foreign innovation in the 70s. Yet in other countries it's standard (or has been).

 

[iona]

Put a bit of finely chopped orange peel into one jar of carrot last time I made a batch. It's lush! Adds a proper spicy zing, more than the fresh ginger I also always use.

Still not sure what I thought of the experimental jar of blood orange (peel and flesh) I did at the same time, even after eating the whole lot.

I'm quite keen to give this a go now. Fermenting (other than cheese) doesn't seem to be much of a tradition in the UK as far as I can tell. Even yoghurt I remember being a daring foreign innovation in the 70s. Yet in other countries it's standard (or has been).

I think maybe we used to use vinegar more than brine to preserve stuff here? Anyway, do it!

 

[UnderOpenSky]

Wilko is good for cheap jars and bottles.

That's good to know, as I've been putting it off. I need a few more, but even though ikea is fairly close it just seems like a mission and I hate the whole shopping experience thing when I just want to be in and out.

 

[UnderOpenSky]

Put a bit of finely chopped orange peel into one jar of carrot last time I made a batch. It's lush! Adds a proper spicy zing, more than the fresh ginger I also always use.

Still not sure what I thought of the experimental jar of blood orange (peel and flesh) I did at the same time, even after eating the whole lot.


I think maybe we used to use vinegar more than brine to preserve stuff here? Anyway, do it!

I like a good handful of black mustard seeds in mine. Also gives it a bit of a zing!

 

[polly]

That's good to know, as I've been putting it off. I need a few more, but even though ikea is fairly close it just seems like a mission and I hate the whole shopping experience thing when I just want to be in and out.

They deliver too but iirc p&p is not that cheap. Yes Ikea is an operation, even if you enjoy it.

 

[iona]

I like a good handful of black mustard seeds in mine. Also gives it a bit of a zing!

I do fresh ginger (and a bit of turmeric if I have any); mustard, cumin and black onion seeds; little bit of chilli powder; and now orange peel too.

 

[UnderOpenSky]

I do fresh ginger (and a bit of turmeric if I have any); mustard, cumin and black onion seeds; little bit of chilli powder; and now orange peel too.

That sounds good. I'm definitely due another batch.

 

[FridgeMagnet]

I keep meaning to try making kimchi but the shop round the corner sells it in jars that're the perfect shape & size to reuse for other fermented veg (just balance the lids loosely on top to avoid explosions and leave them out on the kitchen counter - I'm not dead yet...)

This was exactly the answer I was searching for - I have a red cabbage the size of my head and wanted to pickle it in brine but have no proper mason jars (yet many big pickle jars).

 

[FridgeMagnet]

This looks about right - Simple Red Cabbage Sauerkraut Recipe

Might throw some garlic and carrot in there as well.

 

[iona]

This looks about right - Simple Red Cabbage Sauerkraut Recipe

Might throw some garlic and carrot in there as well.

Water's not necessary tbh, should be plenty in the cabbage. Just give it a really good squeeze when you mix the salt in (about 2g salt per 100g veg). Definitely stick the jars on a plate or something in case of overflow.

Not sure why that recipe says to put it in the fridge after three days but I wouldn't even start tasting it for a couple weeks. Red cabbage I did back in December is just in a cupboard and still getting better.

 

[iona]

Has anyone tried fermenting stuff in oil btw?

Was gonna try this recipe till I googled and found loads of people saying not to use oil in ferments because of the risk of botulism Might wait till this pandemic's over before rolling those dice... They all seemed to be talking about using oil as an airtight layer on top of brine though rather than just veg+salt+oil, if that makes any difference.

Spoiler: recipe

 

[FridgeMagnet]

Water's not necessary tbh, should be plenty in the cabbage. Just give it a really good squeeze when you mix the salt in (about 2g salt per 100g veg). Definitely stick the jars on a plate or something in case of overflow.

Not sure why that recipe says to put it in the fridge after three days but I wouldn't even start tasting it for a couple weeks. Red cabbage I did back in December is just in a cupboard and still getting better.

It does seem a bit watery tbh. I mixed the brine as per the recipe (4 cups water, one tablespoon salt) and poured it over the sliced cabbage in jars; it's sort of floating now, though is starting to smell "pickly".

 

[iona]

It does seem a bit watery tbh. I mixed the brine as per the recipe (4 cups water, one tablespoon salt) and poured it over the sliced cabbage in jars; it's sort of floating now, though is starting to smell "pickly".

It'll still be fine. You could just pour off some of the liquid once it's ready if you're bothered.

Fwiw this is just liquid from veg with no water added (did these a couple days ago, they'll end up a bit drier)

 

[ManchesterBeth]

allow me to introduce you to the best non-alcoholic drink in the world. the more it burns the throat, the better. Şalgam - Wikipedia

 

[FridgeMagnet]

allow me to introduce you to the best non-alcoholic drink in the world. the more it burns the throat, the better. Şalgam - Wikipedia

I think I've had that! IIRC I bought it from a Turkish corner shop when I lived in Seven Sisters, out of curiosity. Once. (Would actually quite like to try it again now that I'm more grown up.)

 

[nadia]

I fermented a mix of chillis. Those really long ones that don't have much kick made up the majority, but did a fair few red birds eye ones as well in the same jar. Added the garlic cloves whole. Left them all to ferment for a few weeks, drained and kept the brine. Blended the chillis and garlic together and then added a small amount of the brine to thin it out. That was it!

Can see adding some sugar may be some peoples taste and some fish sauce perhaps for a sriracha type flavor. If I was trying to make a milder one or couldn't get the long mild chillis, I might use some red peppers to bulk out the sauce slightly without adding heat. Can see a sauce made of just birds eye or other strong chillis would be a bit much.

tabasco sauce is basically fermented chillies