Fermenting: Instructions and Hints

What exactly is fermentation?

• Fermenting comes from the Latin word “fermentum”. Translated, this means “fermentation” or “sourdough”.
• Fermenting is also known as “lactic acid pickling” because the fermentation process causes lactic acid bacteria to multiply in the pickled vegetables. These produce lactic acid, which gives the food its typical sour taste.
• When there were no refrigerators, fermentation was a popular way to preserve vegetables for the winter.
• Fermented vegetables are particularly healthy because they do not need to be heated to preserve them. This preserves all vitamins and nutrients.
• Likewise, the lactic acid bacteria in fermented vegetables are very healthy for intestinal flora.
• Even if the preservation method was unfamiliar to you, you probably know a vegetable that is very popular when fermented: sauerkraut. The popular side dish is nothing more than white cabbage preserved by lactic acid fermentation.

How to ferment food

While you can preserve any vegetable using this method, “hard” varieties such as cabbage, beetroot, squash, carrots, or peppers work better than “soft” ones, such as tomatoes. Soft vegetables get very mushy when fermented.

• First, wash the vegetables thoroughly. In order for it to be fermented later, you need to crush it. It doesn’t matter how you cut the vegetables: You can cut, grate, grate or slice them into small pieces or strips.
• Put the prepared vegetables in a bowl and press them together firmly. This is to drain the juice from the vegetables. You can do this by hand or you can use a pestle.
• Now you need a suitable vessel. Glass or ceramic is best. You will have to weigh down the vegetables in the container later so that they can ferment. You can find special fermentation pots with weighting stones and lids on the market.
• Put the pressed vegetables and their juice in the container. The juice will certainly not be enough to completely cover the vegetables. Therefore, add just enough water to cover the ferment. Do not fill the jar to the brim, but leave a few centimeters of space.
• You can now add some salt for taste. Then use about a teaspoon of salt per kilogram of vegetables.
• To ensure that the ferment is always covered with liquid and also to exert a certain pressure on the vegetables, it must be weighed down. If you don’t use a fermenting pot, a small plate weighted with a stone serves the same purpose.
• Now all you have to do is cover the jar and leave it at room temperature.
  Fermentation begins immediately and there is no specific point in time when the process is “complete”.
• The duration is only determined by your personal taste and how sour you like it. So feel free to try from time to time whether the desired acidity has already been reached.
• Once the ferment is to your liking, consume it. If you want to keep it longer, put the jar in the fridge. This will slow down further fermentation.

Fermenting Tips

• Adding salt isn’t the only way to add flavor to the veggies. You can also add onions, garlic, or fresh herbs to the ferment.
• Spices such as cumin, mustard, or peppercorns also give the fermented vegetables a special touch.