Trellis + Co Mason Jar Fermenting
Thousands of people are (re)discovering the joys and health benefits of fermented
vegetables and they have been turning to the humble, ubiquitous Mason jar as a lowcost vessel for their homemade ferments. Turns out, when you tell people you’re writing an ebook on fermenting, they tend to volunteer stories from their personal experience. Unfortunately, the refrain goes
something like this: “I really want to make my own sauerkraut/kimchi/whatever, and I made a couple decent batches a while ago, but then I had some that turned out weird and I wasn’t sure why and I just sort of stopped trying.” This is a minor tragedy. Our goal is to empower you so you feel excited and confident about fermenting: now, today!
Disclaimer:
Neither the publisher nor the author takes any responsibility for any possible consequences of any person reading or
following the information in this book. Unless those consequences are euphoria and a profound sense of well-being, in which case that was probably our fault. This book is not intended as a substitute for the medical advice of physicians. The reader should regularly consult a physician in matters relating to his/her health and particularly with respect to any symptoms that may require diagnosis or medical attention, because otherwise how will physicians earn a living? Although the author and publisher have made every effort to ensure that the information in this book was correct at press time, the author and publisher do not assume and hereby disclaim any liability to any party for any loss, damage, or disruption caused by errors or omissions, whether such errors or omissions result from negligence, accident, or any other cause. Happy fermenting!
Fundamentals of Fermentation:
Basics:
Microorganisms cause food spoilage. Food preservation is basically the process of manipulating available moisture, pH, temperature and other conditions to prevent unwanted microorganism activity while sometimes encouraging beneficial microorganism activity. Lacto-fermentation preserves food because the salt-loving and anaerobic Lactobacillus strains of bacteria—given the advantage of a salty, anaerobic environment—are able to out-compete “bad” microorganisms that require oxygen and are less tolerant of salt. In the process, Lactobacilli convert carbohydrates in the food into acids, gases and in some cases alcohol. This lowers the pH and creates conditions that ensure those “bad” microorganisms cannot get re-established. Lactobacillus species occur naturally on the surface of vegetables (and they live in our bodies). Our job as fermenters is simply to create conditions that give Lactobacilli a leg-up on the competition—i.e. no oxygen and adequate salt. Lactobacilli will take it from there.
NOTE:
Lactobacilli swing both ways. They can be aerobic, happily, but can also flourish in anaerobic conditions. Nifty, huh?
NOTE:
The health and diversity of species of beneficial organisms can be negatively impacted by the use of industrial fertilizers and pesticides. For best practice, use organicallyproduced produce for your home ferments—you will get better results overall.
- Pickling vs. Lacto-fermenting: Pickling is the general term for preserving foods in an acidic medium. Often added vinegar provides that acidity. Lacto-fermentation is a type of pickling where the acidity comes not from vinegar but from the lactic acid naturally produced by the metabolic action of Lactobacilli. Lacto-fermented foods are fundamentally different from foods pickled with vinegar. The former are not only more flavorful, nutritious and easier to digest, they’re living foods full of probiotics. **So, without further ado, here are the…
Principles of Lacto-Fermenting Vegetables:**
1. Use non-iodized salt without caking agents. Sea salt is best!
2. Limit the exposure to air (oxygen).
3. Keep those vegetables submerged!
4. Use clean equipment. Wash equipment in hot, soapy water and rinse well.
5. Use non-chlorinated water. If you don’t have access to filtered, well or spring water, you can remove chlorine from tap water by boiling it and letting it cool.
6. Large vegetables such as whole cucumbers or slices of carrot use a 5% brine
7. Shredded vegetables as in sauerkraut or kimchi use a 3% brine
8. Ferment at “room temperature”. (Think of it this way: if the conditions are a bit too cold or too hot for your own comfort, it probably is for Lactobacilli, too.)
9. Allow carbon dioxide to escape.Quick Brine Calculations Per 1 quart of water:
3% = 1 oz salt or approximately 2 Tbsp
5% = 1.6 oz salt or approximately 3 Tbsp (Weighing the salt is best.)
A good rule of thumb when adding salt directly to a vegetable mixture (as you do when making sauerkraut, for example) is 3/8 oz salt per pound of vegetables.
If you adhere to these guidelines you can get creative with your vegetable ferments! The recipes we’ve included here are some of our favorites, yet they can be endlessly customized based on your preferences or what is in season.
Recipes:
Sauerkraut
Sauerkraut originated in eastern Europe. This recipe fills approximately 1 quart Mason jar, but it can be scaled up easily. We once made a single batch from 45 lbs of cabbage!
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp of unrefined sea or kosher salt per 1 head of cabbage, preferably organic
(approximately 2 lbs)
Directions:
Start with clean equipment. Discard any discolored outer leaves, core and thinly slice or shred the cabbage. The thinner you can get the cabbage, the better. Toss the salt and cabbage together in a large bowl and let it rest for a while. The salt will begin to make the cabbage wilt and draw out moisture. Mix, squeeze and crush the cabbage with your hands to bruise it and draw out more water. Pack this mixture as tightly as you can into your Mason jars. Ideally you will have no air pockets. We use the blunt end of a wooden spoon to pound, crush and pack the mixture into the jars. The cabbage should be submerged in its own juices by the time you reach the top (minus headroom) of the jar.
If not, prepare a brine of 1.5 Tbsp salt per quart of water and use that to top up the brine. Install PickleHelix and screw on your Trellis + Co. lid. For best results place your jars on a plate or tray in a dark place for up to a month. It will begin to be noticeably tangy after as little as a week, but it takes four weeks to develop full health benefits and flavor.
You can transfer it to the fridge at this point and it should keep for at least six months—if you don’t eat it all before then!
Notes:
If you really get into sauerkraut you might consider buying a mandoline. It makes the production of large batches of sauerkraut a breeze and you can get that cabbage shredded nice and fine.