Anyone ferment fruit & vegetables?

[RubyToogood]

Guidliness say a 2% salt brine if that's how you are doing it, but I eyeball mostly.

You want the seal on and clipped shut. It should naturally self "burp".

I keep thinking about this post and that it doesn't make sense. It can't self burp if the jar is sealed and clipped shut. I kept opening it to burp it and I think it might have exploded if I hadn't.

 

[UnderOpenSky]

I keep thinking about this post and that it doesn't make sense. It can't self burp if the jar is sealed and clipped shut. I kept opening it to burp it and I think it might have exploded if I hadn't.

I belive as the pressure builds up then it lifts the seal just enough for the gas to leave, like a one way valve. In many, many ferments I've never had one explode. If you keep opening it you run a greater risk of getting mold and other nasties.

 

[FridgeMagnet]

I've had a lot of luck with tomatoes and (separately) red onions.

Tomatoes I cut into quarters and stick into the brine with garlic and stuff - I started with this recipe Fermented Tomatoes: A Traditional Russian Recipe Filled with Healthy Probiotics (It's Easy Too) — Home Healing Harvest Homestead - and after seven days they are really tangy and work well on top of almost anything else. Red onion, I basically did the same except put sliced onion and chilli in instead of tomato, and that was really useful as a topping too.

I seem to end up with a lot of tomatoes, supermarkets always have them. You don't need to use vine ones, just the cheap salad tomatoes work fine IME.

Cabbage has been a bit meh tbh.

 

[UnderOpenSky]

I've had a lot of luck with tomatoes and (separately) red onions.

Tomatoes I cut into quarters and stick into the brine with garlic and stuff - I started with this recipe Fermented Tomatoes: A Traditional Russian Recipe Filled with Healthy Probiotics (It's Easy Too) — Home Healing Harvest Homestead - and after seven days they are really tangy and work well on top of almost anything else. Red onion, I basically did the same except put sliced onion and chilli in instead of tomato, and that was really useful as a topping too.

I seem to end up with a lot of tomatoes, supermarkets always have them. You don't need to use vine ones, just the cheap salad tomatoes work fine IME.

Cabbage has been a bit meh tbh.

Have you tried red cabbage? I've found traditional white to be pretty uninspired, but red cabbage has a much better texture. Does need a good few weeks though and is best after a month.

 

[FridgeMagnet]

Have you tried red cabbage? I've found traditional white to be pretty uninspired, but red cabbage has a much better texture. Does need a good few weeks though and is best after a month.

It was the first one I tried, but to be fair that probably means I messed it up, so it's probably worth giving it another go. (I'm hardly Pickling Jeff now for that matter.)

 

[FridgeMagnet]

Wondering if you can pickle bananas now

 

[RubyToogood]

To my surprise I've actually finished the massive jar of pickled things I made earlier in this thread and am contemplating what to do next. Any suggestions? I'm not likely to make kimchi or anything very chilli-ish.

I tend to perk up my lunchtime salad with it. The fennel and carrots worked particularly well.

Wondering if you can pickle bananas now

I'm sure you can. You need to try it in the interests of the advancement of human knowledge.

 

[UnderOpenSky]

To my surprise I've actually finished the massive jar of pickled things I made earlier in this thread and am contemplating what to do next. Any suggestions? I'm not likely to make kimchi or anything very chilli-ish.

I tend to perk up my lunchtime salad with it. The fennel and carrots worked particularly well.


I'm sure you can. You need to try it in the interests of the advancement of human knowledge.

If you have a food processor or a load of patience then grated carrot is awesome.

 

[UnderOpenSky]

My garlic is now very well fermented. To the point that it becomes the dominant flavour in whatever I use it in. Which is fine, it will mean it will last a long time and I'm in no hurry to peel that many cloves of garlic again.

3rd batch of Kimchi is now aged a few weeks. Definitely the best one yet, helped by having the proper powder and not just using the paste.

 

[RubyToogood]

I've started off a batch of radishes, sliced in the food processor with some ginger. Dry brining.

I had a sudden brainwave and put a cellophane disc on top before closing the lid - I have these from sets of jam pot covers and labels. Last time I put a potentially disposable leaf of pak choi on top to keep everything under the surface.

 

[FridgeMagnet]

Pickling report 2020-06-27

• Don't try to pickle cucumber slices, they just go entirely mushy. Generally, skins need to be kept on as much as possible.
• Garlic is good and easy but you need a lot of garlic to make it worthwhile. Supermarkets massively overcharge for garlic so you need to go to a corner shop or grocery stall and get a whole bowl or sock of it.
• Grated carrot works well but it surprisingly sweet. Actually carrots are quite sweet I think, we just don't generally notice. I may try again with some more chillies and garlic.
• Keep fucking up tomatoes after early success but keep trying them. "Keep them as whole as possible" seems to be the best advice, though a little break in the skin (quick poke with a knife) is advised from what I've read so that the insides can actually get pickled.
• Red cabbage just plain works all the time for me now, plus the outer leaves are handy to keep other pickled things from floating to the top. Also red cabbages cost buttons.
• Not tried bananas yet.

 

[UnderOpenSky]

Banana sounds bold

 

[Artaxerxes]

Has anyone got a decent recipe for kimchi?

I have this one in the fridge at the moment, made it a few days ago and it certainly smells legit.

Yangbaechu Kimchi (Green Cabbage Kimchi)

Can’t find napa cabbage where you are? Try this easy kimchi recipe made with a head of your normal green cabbage. It’s light, crunchy, and refreshing!

www.koreanbapsang.com

I used standard soy sauce + 4-5 twists of sea salt instead of Soup Soy Sauce and instead of the Korean spices I used Smoked Paprika, Crushed Chillis, Hot Paprika and Cayenne Pepper

 

[RubyToogood]

The jar of radishes I did was an unmitigated disaster. I tried dry brining for the first time. They didn't ferment at all at first, so I figured I'd put too much salt in and added water.

Then they did start fermenting. They were absolutely disgusting and I ended up throwing them away.

 

[RubyToogood]

I've started up another big jar, mostly fennel with some celeriac, beetroot, a few runner beans and some lemon peel. I've just started a course of antibiotics and I'm going to have to repopulate my gut flora.

I held back a bit with the beetroot because it was super sweet which I believe can change the balance significantly.

 

[UnderOpenSky]

That must look intresting in the jar with the beetroot!

It's the time of year for red cabbages again, definitely the easiest one to prepare, especially compared to Kimchi. Going to do a fair few jars as it just gets better with age. I've also got a Chinese cleaver to help with the prep work this time.

 

[RubyToogood]

I expect it to get pinker. I want to try red cabbage. Any tips?

 

[UnderOpenSky]

View attachment 233810

I expect it to get pinker. I want to try red cabbage. Any tips?

It's the easiest one I do. It's quite firm so it's just a nightmare trying to rub salt into it to release its own water, like you might with a white cabbage, so I just chop it up and leave it in brine for a good few weeks to get that fermented taste. I've tried adding mustard seeds and chillis, but well fermented it's got enough flavour of its own.

 

[FridgeMagnet]

I have not fermented anything for months When I got a job I stopped. Also stopped making flatbread.

 

[RubyToogood]

This batch fizzed like a bomb from the word go, then turned a lovely red, is now in the fridge and is very good. I don't know whether the rapid fermentation was down to the sugar in the beetroot, or the fact I used all farmers market veg which probably has loads of bacterial life on it. Maybe both. I had to pour a bit of the brine off at one point because it was bubbling over.

 

[RubyToogood]

Having scoffed all of the above I've started off a big jar of wet brined red cabbage with juniper berries, thinly sliced ginger and a star anise which may be a mistake but we'll see.

Just parking here for reference this page which is my go to guide: The Complete Guide to Safely Using Salt in Vegetable Fermentation - Cultured Guru

 

[UnderOpenSky]

I've decided my favorite new toy for helping with preparing red cabbage. A dirty great Chinese cleaver with a very thin sharp blade. Prepped two of them last week for 4 jars as it's a staple round here. Definitely made it loads quicker and I felt I had a more prescion as I used it, so it should look neater. Not sure how much that matters.

I used to add other flavours to red cabbage, but we've decided that well fermented, it's got loads of its own.

 

[RubyToogood]

I've started eating the above now as it's stopped bubbling. It's not bad although I think my fennel based creations are better. Apples would be nice in it. The star anise was a slight mistake as it's a bit medicinal, but it hasn't permeated the whole thing. The juniper berries don't seem to do anything and the ginger when you hit a slice is a flavour explosion.

It has that sulphurous cabbage thing, slightly, also has a bit more fizz than I've experienced before. Not sure if that's ok but it hasn't poisoned me yet.

I'm wondering whether to try some brussels sprouts for Xmas.

 

[Wolveryeti]

I can highly recommend preserved lemons. Make 3 longitudinal incisions in a lemon so it is nearly in 6 segments but still attached. Then place in jar and use a rolling pin to crush. The add 3tbps salt to the jar. Keep going til you have a full jar. Then just leave. It will bubble a bit - sign of the beasties getting to work. In 2 months you will have a serviceable product, though it improves up to 3 months.

Keeps ages and flavour is far superior to the shop-bought muck.

 

[UnderOpenSky]

I'd really like to try lemons actually. Good shout!

 

[TruXta]

.

 

[Idaho]

Pickling and fermenting jars. That's what I'll ask for for Xmas

 

[Chilli.s]

Inspired by you lot, I have just put on my first jar ever.

 

[Des Kinvig]

just read through this thread. i find the best way of keeping the veg under the liquid is to fill the jar about 3/4 full, put a freezer bag in over the top, push it down to get the veg under the liquid then pour enough water in to weigh it down. it seems wasteful but you can reuse them.

my favourite recipe at the minute is this;

3 or 4 fennel bulbs, very finely sliced (i use a food processor with a slicing attachment); one onion either grated or very finely sliced; 2 cloves of garlic; a handful of good quality raisins.

massage the fennel and onion with a big heaped teaspoon of sea salt until it produces a decent amount of liquid (less than 5 mins, doesn’t take long). then add the garlic and raisins and give it a good mix. in the jar as described above, freezer bag in and leave it out for 7 days. then pack it in smaller jars and in the fridge.

you can also do red onions in a similar way, slice them up thin, add your salt, massage until you get liquid (takes a bit longer than the fennel, and you might need to add a tablespoon of sauerkraut liquid or water at a push), add some crushed coriander seeds then jar it with the bag on top for one or two weeks. this is more like a thick, sticky chutney once it’s done.

 

[UnderOpenSky]

just read through this thread. i find the best way of keeping the veg under the liquid is to fill the jar about 3/4 full, put a freezer bag in over the top, push it down to get the veg under the liquid then pour enough water in to weigh it down. it seems wasteful but you can reuse them.

my favourite recipe at the minute is this;

3 or 4 fennel bulbs, very finely sliced (i use a food processor with a slicing attachment); one onion either grated or very finely sliced; 2 cloves of garlic; a handful of good quality raisins.

massage the fennel and onion with a big heaped teaspoon of sea salt until it produces a decent amount of liquid (less than 5 mins, doesn’t take long). then add the garlic and raisins and give it a good mix. in the jar as described above, freezer bag in and leave it out for 7 days. then pack it in smaller jars and in the fridge.

you can also do red onions in a similar way, slice them up thin, add your salt, massage until you get liquid (takes a bit longer than the fennel, and you might need to add a tablespoon of sauerkraut liquid or water at a push), add some crushed coriander seeds then jar it with the bag on top for one or two weeks. this is more like a thick, sticky chutney once it’s done.

Red onions are quite cheap at the moment and I love them, but don't use them enough. It's a waste just to cook with them like brown. Definitely going to try a small jar or this.