Fermentation is a natural process where certain bacteria (which are actually healthful for our bodies) digest compounds within our foods and produce something new. Sometimes, the yeast and bacteria digest the sugars in food and produce alcohol. With food storage and culinary fermentation, the bacteria instead produce lactic acid.

Most people (especially non-cooks) associate fermentation with alcoholic beverages. But those “in the know” associate fermentation with artisan foods, gourmet cooking, food storage, and some incredible health benefits. And if you care about this kind of thing (like I do), then yes, much fermentation is non-alcoholic.

Table of Contents:

Why to Ferment Foods
How to Ferment
What are the Best Veggies to Ferment?
Recipes

Why to Ferment Foods

There are a lot of reasons to try your hand at fermentation, but let’s start with the best reason:

Fermentation is Delicious.

Some of the most enjoyable foods around are fermented. There’s a reason cultures have practiced it for thousands of years! But these days, with an increased demand on quick and cheap food, most restaurants and grocery stores have an incentive to either not make fermented foods at all or cut corners and make cheap fermentation knockoffs (chances are if you’ve had sauerkraut and didn’t like it, it’s because it was just bad sauerkraut).

Fermenting at home gives you a major leg up over the rest of the culinary industry. You will unlock an entire world of flavor and texture that Olive Garden can never deliver. Little tricks like this are what make grandma’s house the best restaurant in the world.

I’ve never read about this, but I’m gonna go out on a limb and say fermentation tastes so good because of the “funk factor.” Fermented foods develop a special flavor profile that I can only describe as “funkiness.” Some of us like it more than others, but we are biologically wired to crave it in doses.

With all this being said, if you’re ambitious with your cooking like me, you might even try fermenting your own ginger and using it in your next batch of homemade America’s Obsession with Pumpkin Spice (and a Lesson on Using Spices like a Pro) to celebrate the fall season.

Fermenting Makes Great Food Storage

There’s nothing more frustrating than turning a new leaf into your health, going to the store and buying a bunch of fresh vegetables, then remembering those vegetables two weeks later when they’ve spoiled and are stinking up your fridge.

Alternatively, if you don’t have a recipe in mind for the veggies on hand, you can simply immerse them in a salty brine and store them for as long as you need. Fermented foods don’t go bad the same way other foods do, and once the fermentation process is done, you’ll be craving those veggies instead of forgetting about them.

Stockpiling is good insurance against emergencies. If you have a collection of healthy foods in storage, it will give you peace of mind. Fermentation also reduces waste by letting you take advantage of foods without them going bad. This saves money and gets you one step closer to that dream vacation in Budapest.

Fermenting is Very Healthy

A major reason for the health crisis facing many Americans is that our diet does harm to the delicate balance of healthy bacteria that should live deep in our guts (this is called your body’s microbiome). Commercial preservatives often kill the healthy bacteria in our guts. And if your doctor has ever prescribed you antibiotics, then your healthy microbiome has been completely annihilated.

This makes it hard for our bodies to digest the foods we eat to where, even if we eat something healthy, our bodies can no longer take full advantage of it.

Fermented foods are loaded with those healthy bacteria needed by our microbiome. Eating fermented foods restores your health, makes it easier to digest in the future, and unlocks the full potential of a good diet.

Besides the probiotics abundant in fermented foods, the fermentation process also breaks down tough enzymes within foods. This is called unlocking a food’s “bioavailability,” which renders it more healthy without having to change its ingredients. A good example of this is sourdough bread, a fermented food, which is much easier to digest for people with a gluten intolerance.

By now, I hope I’ve thoroughly piqued your interest in fermented foods.

But I don’t like fermented foods!

Yes, you do. You have them all the time. Many of the foods we enjoy have traditionally been fermented goods. These days, they either still are fermented, or are made to taste fermented:

• Soy sauce
• Worcestershire sauce
• Chocolate
• Vinegar
• Olives
• Dry-aged meats like salami and pepperoni
• Cheese
• Buttermilk
• Ketchup
• Kombucha
• Sour cream
• Yogurt
• Sourdough bread
• Pickles
• Root beer
• Ginger beer
• Tonic water

Best ways to eat fermented food

Fermented foods are best enjoyed in small doses as a garnish, side, sauce, or healthy snack

• Blend them with water, oil, or vinegar for a flavorful and healthy sauce
• Mince them as a tangy, spicy, or hearty garnish
• Enjoy them on their own as a healthy snack

How to Ferment

As a general picture, fermenting foods involves chopping them up to fit in a jar or other container, immersing them in a saltwater brine, and giving them plenty of time for the healthy bacteria to work their magic. The typical range for salt in vegetable fermentation brine is about 2% to 3% by weight. Here’s a simple guideline:

1. Weigh the vegetables you plan to ferment. Use a kitchen scale for accuracy.
2. Multiply the weight of the vegetables by .02 or .03 (depending on how salty you like your food) to determine the amount of salt needed. For example, if you have 1,000 grams (1 kilogram) of vegetables and want to use 2% salt, you would need 20 grams of salt (1,000 grams x 0.02).
3. Dissolve the salt in enough water to submerge the vegetables fully. This creates your brine solution.
4. Place the vegetables in a clean glass or clay jar (these are best, but plastic can sometimes work) and pour the brine solution over them until they are fully submerged. Use a weight or fermentation weights to keep the vegetables below the brine.
5. Seal the container loosely to allow gas to escape while preventing oxygen and contaminants from entering.
6. Allow the vegetables to ferment at room temperature. The higher a food’s sugar content, the more quickly it will ferment. For example, cherry tomatoes and chili peppers will be ready in just a few days, while cabbage (i.e., sauerkraut) won’t be ready for at least two weeks.

Keep in mind that the specific salt requirements can vary slightly depending on the type of vegetable, the ambient temperature, and personal taste preferences. It’s a good idea to taste your ferment along the way and adjust the saltiness as needed. If it’s too salty, you can dilute the brine slightly with water. If it’s not salty enough, you can add a little more salt solution.

While these general guidelines are a good starting point, remember that fermentation is both a science and an art, and individual batches can vary. For optimal results, especially when experimenting with new ingredients, consider using established recipes until you gain more experience.

What are the Best Veggies to Ferment?

Any vegetable can be fermented, and what is best for me may not be best for you. However, these are the more popular fermented veggies in America and around the world:

• Cabbage: Cabbage is the star of sauerkraut and kimchi, two of the most well-known fermented vegetable dishes. It’s readily available in most places and ferments well because of its natural sugars. Cabbage ferments in 1-2 weeks, though it can go for a maximum time of over a year. I let my cabbage go for at least 12 weeks.
• Cucumbers: Fermented pickles are a beloved fermented snack. You can make dill pickles, bread-and-butter pickles, or various international variations. It takes one to two weeks minimum, but you can go for as long as three months. I prefer a short fermentation because I like my pickles with a lot of snap.
• Carrots: Carrots can be fermented on their own or in combination with other vegetables. They add sweetness and color to ferments. Like other vegetables, then can go from one week to two months.
• Beets: Fermented beets, often known as beet kvass, offer a tangy, earthy flavor and vibrant color. They’re also used in Eastern European cuisine. My grandma and grandpa lived in Poland for three years on a religious mission, where they fell in love with soups made from beet kvass.
• Radishes: Radishes can be fermented to create a spicy, crunchy treat. They are often used in kimchi and other pickled dishes. I adore them in tacos.
• Peppers: Hot and sweet peppers can be fermented to make hot sauces, pepper pastes, or pepper flakes. Fermented hot sauces, in particular, are popular. In fact, I’ll share my own fermented hot sauce recipe at the end of this article.
• Garlic: Fermented garlic cloves become milder and sweeter, making them a tasty addition to various dishes. They also store well for a period of months.
• Onions: Pickled onions are a versatile condiment. Red onions, in particular, make beautiful and flavorful ferments, and store for a long time like garlic.
• Green Beans: Green beans can be pickled to create dilly beans, a crunchy and tangy snack.
• Asparagus: Fermented asparagus spears are a unique treat with a mild, tangy flavor.
• Okra: Pickled okra is a Southern favorite, often added to Bloody Mary cocktails or enjoyed as a snack.
• Ginger: Fermented ginger can make ginger beer or add zing to dishes. It is incredibly widespread in Asian cuisine.
• Tomatoes: Cherry tomatoes or small tomato varieties can be fermented to create tangy, burst-in-your-mouth snacks.
• Pumpkin: Some cultures ferment pumpkin to create a sweet-sour side dish or condiment. I’ve personally never tried fermented pumpkin, but I’m sure I’ll make it now that we’re in the fall season.

Recipes

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