Lacto Fermentation Basics: How to Easily Get Started And What Tools You Need
Ingredients:
*Carrots
3 cloves garlic
Rosemary sprig
* Beets
Pinch anise seeds
*Strawberries and serrano peppers
Pinch cumin seeds
3 cloves garlic
****The following is done by weight, procedure is below
Fine sea salt
Filtered water or bottled spring water
Tools needed:
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Quart sized mason jars
Mixing bowl
Cutting board
Sharp knife
Fermentation weight
Glass dish for catching over spill
How to make it:
Our main fermentation method we’re talking about here is lactic acid fermentation. I will be using a 3% brine for everything being fermented in this blog post
I’m showing how to ferment carrots, beets, and strawberries with serrano peppers here. No matter what the fruit/vegetable is, I will go over a 3% brine solution done by weight that works across the board.
Wash carrots, leaving peel on (optional). Cut the carrots in half. The carrots need to be short enough that they below the neck of the jar when placed in the jar (standing upright). Each half is to get cut into quarters. Set aside.
Peel and quarter beets, slicing 1/4” thick. Set aside.
Cut ends off peppers and strawberries and peppers. Quarter strawberries and slice serrano peppers into 1/2” thick slices. Set aside
Clean mason jars with hot soapy water, let air dry.
The following equation will be used for each vegetable/fruit:
Vegetables + Water = x grams
Multiply x grams by 3% or .03 to get amount of fine sea salt needed for the brine.
Example:
Place empty mason jar on the scale, zero (tare) the scale. Set scale to read grams.
For fermenting the carrots:
Place the carrots, garlic and rosemary into the jar. Fill jar with filtered water or bottled spring water to the bottom of the neck of the jar.
Let’s say the weight of that jar is 870 g. Multiply it by 3%.
We get 26.1 g, this is the salt amount we need to make the brine. If your scale doesn’t read decimal points, round to the nearest whole number.
Place empty mixing bowl on the scale, zero out. Add the calculated amount of salt into the bowl, 26 g. Pour the water from the jar into the mixing bowl, using a lid to hold back the ingredients. Mix with a whisk to dissolve the salt entirely.
Pour the newly made brine back into the jar with the carrots.
Place fermentation weight into the jar to keep the ingredients submerged. I use an empty glass baby food jar as a weight.
Keep ingredients underneath that brine level, this is an anaerobic environment. This is the environment that lactobacillus thrives in. The bacteria is salt tolerant and is what creates the lactic acid. The lactobacillus feeds off the sugars in the fruits/vegetables and the by-product created is lactic acid. If the ingredients are allowed to touch air, mold will most likely grow and you will need to scrap the project and start over.
Let ferment on your counter top or panty. Room temperature 68-75 degrees is best. I have a dedicated spot in my pantry that I keep my ferments at. Leave to ferment for 2-4 weeks, depending on how funky and acidic you want your fruits/vegetables to be. Use your pallet. I like carrots when they ferment for 2 weeks, and make hot sauces where the peppers ferment for 4-6 weeks. I find that beets are delicious after 1 week of fermentation.
Kahm yeast or pellicle is a natural product of fermentation. This is an aerobic yeast that forms during the fermentation process. It is a whitish film that develops on the surface of the brine, most likely when it is exposed to open air. It is harmless if consumed, however I don’t like the taste. If it gets disturbed, pieces may fall into the brine giving the brine an off flavor, consequently affecting what you’re fermenting. Therefor, I skim it off the top as it develops. Technically, it acts as a protective barrier that keeps small contaminants out of the ferment (small bugs, dust). Some people don’t mind the taste of the kahm and say it adds a nice funkiness to the ferment. Do what you want with it.
I test the pH of the brine after 1 week to make sure the fermentation process is working. If it is 4.6 or lower, it is safe to keep fermenting. After week 2-4, it should be at 4 or lower. The peppers I ferment for my hot sauces usually have a pH of 3.3-3.5. If the brine is above 4.6, I do not consider the food safe to consume as bad bacteria may have been allowed to form.
The whitish film on the top of the brine is most likely kahm yeast or pellicle. This is normal and nothing to worry about. I normally scrape it off before consuming whatever it is that I’m fermenting. It isn’t harmful to eat, however I find the taste to be undesirable.
Once you’re happy with the flavors of the fermentation, take the weight out of the jar, clean the inside of the jar where the brine wasn't touching with a clean paper towel and place a lid on the jar. Place your newly fermentd veggies/fruit in the refrigerator. Fermented vegetables stay good in the refrigerator for months, some fruits and corn may develop an alcohol aroma if not consumed within a month. For example, when I ferment corn, I try to use it up within a few weeks for best flavor once fermented. If it sits in the refrigerator for 2 months or longer, it will keep fermenting and will most likely develop an alcoholic taste/aroma.
I use fermented fruits and vegetables in various ways. As a part of a salad, as a side, used in hot sauces, eaten as is etc.
Enjoy!
Logan
