tomatoes
Senior Member
Posts: 1,065 
Likes: 1,089
|
Post by tomatoes on Jun 1, 2018 11:21:26 GMT 10
What do I need to start fermenting food eg cabbage? Looking at ozfarmer they have crocks and jars with air locks. Are crocks better? I’d prefer a jar with airlock if it’s all the same, for easier storage. But if so, what type/size?
|
|
tan
Junior Member
Posts: 33
Likes: 46
|
Post by tan on Jun 1, 2018 19:53:51 GMT 10
I just use ball mason quart jars. Sterilise the jar with boiling water. Chop the cabbage finely, toss it in a little sea salt to bring the liquid out and pack it in the jar (I tamp it down with the pestle part of my mortar and pestle set). If the liquid hasn’t started yet, top up the jar with brine. Use a cabbage leaf to cover the packed chopped cabbage to hold it down under the brine/liquid, I weigh down the leaf with a smaller jar. Leave it for at least two weeks, top up the brine every few days because it will bubble out and if you don’t replace it you’ll get moulds and other nasties. The longer you leave it the tangier it gets, I like mine at around 6 - 8 weeks. When it’s ‘done’ to your liking, lid it and store in the fridge.
|
|
|
|
Post by Peter on Jun 1, 2018 23:35:56 GMT 10
This from ausprep.com/thread/4083/preppers-diary-2017?page=12It's embarrassingly easy... I use "Fido" brand jars (normally the 5L size) as their gaskets allow pressure to escape without letting mould/bacteria/yeast in. They're also cheap in comparison to kraut crocks. Finely slice some cabbage (red, green, or whatever type you want) and place in a large mixing bowl. Give each 1 pound of cabbage about 10g of natural sea salt (don't use the fine stuff - anti-caking agents stuff it up). Massage it very harshly - you want to start breaking up the cells and fibres. Get rough - it's therapeutic. Put it in the Fido jar and push it down hard (use a potato masher, a rolling pin, a baseball bat, your fist, or whatever). Repeat until the jar is NO MORE THAN 3/4 full (as it will expand over the next few days. You have been warned). Tip any brine from your mixing bowl into the jar. Close the lid, leave it at room temperature and out of direct sunlight for a month. Then open, enjoy, and keep it refrigerated from that point on. One special note - it is possible for pressure to force some liquid out of the jar, so I sit the jar in a bowl. It's easier to clean the bowl than half the kitchen bench and floor... Use the same approach for grated carrot, turnip (which gives a delightful horseradish aroma and flavour), or whatever you like. The other option (which I use for chillies, carrot, etc) is to put finely sliced veg into a room-temperature brine of 3.5% salt. Again, one month, room temp, out of direct sunlight. Adding some garlic and/or ginger does wonders. I really should make a video the next time I do this. I will add that the jar must be clean. I don't see the point in sterilising it unless mould has previously been present in the jar. |
|
tomatoes
Senior Member
Posts: 1,065
Likes: 1,089
|
Post by tomatoes on Jun 2, 2018 9:57:30 GMT 10
This from ausprep.com/thread/4083/preppers-diary-2017?page=12It's embarrassingly easy... I use "Fido" brand jars (normally the 5L size) as their gaskets allow pressure to escape without letting mould/bacteria/yeast in. They're also cheap in ..... I really should make a video the next time I do this. Thanks. Your discussions of fermentation in the forum are part of what’s convinced me to try it - you always make it sound easy. Would love to see a video demo. |
|
tomatoes
Senior Member
Posts: 1,065
Likes: 1,089
|
Post by tomatoes on Jun 2, 2018 10:00:00 GMT 10
If anyone else is thinking of trying it, Everton.com.au is having a sale at the moment that includes some fermenting stuff - a jar with air lock and crocks.
|
|
tomatoes
Senior Member
Posts: 1,065
Likes: 1,089
|
Post by tomatoes on Jun 3, 2018 8:09:07 GMT 10
Any books to recommend on fermenting and other food preservation methods?
|
|
VegHead
VIP Member
Posts: 546 
Likes: 913
|
Post by VegHead on Jun 3, 2018 8:28:17 GMT 10
Sandor Katz.
|
|
|
|
Post by spinifex on Jun 3, 2018 9:36:34 GMT 10
Any books to recommend on fermenting and other food preservation methods? The complete book of Home preserving, Mary Norwak, 1978. 200 pages. Picked it up for $3 at the local charity bookshop (being in a regional town they get a LOT of really good books regarding ye-olde receipes and general 'farm living' that date back as far as the 60's. It's covers everything including pickling and curing meat and making wines and cordials. The Sour Kraut method in it is similar to what Tan uses. |
|
|
|
Post by spinifex on Jun 3, 2018 9:46:52 GMT 10
The other really good book I have found is The Weekly Times Farmers Handbook 1978. 240 pages. $2 at the same shop. Takes its name from the Victorian Agricultural Paper of the same name. My 1978 ed includes a section of contents from much older editions of the same handbook dating back to 1934. Excellent bacon curing method as well as well as topics like using clamp method to store root vegetables written at a time when many farms lacked electricity. Lots of gardening and livestock content also.
|
|
tomatoes
Senior Member
Posts: 1,065
Likes: 1,089
|
Post by tomatoes on Jun 3, 2018 11:27:34 GMT 10
Love some of the really old cook books - although I also like to have updated ones for procedures that have changed (like only pressure canning for meat and veg now).
One of the books I’m looking forward to getting out of storage when it’s finally all unpacked is a very old one just on home made wines, liqueurs, etc.
|
|
|
|
Post by Peter on Jun 4, 2018 1:22:02 GMT 10
Yes. Sandor Katz is The Man when it comes to fermentation. His book "The Art of Fermentation" is like a text on the principles (with very few recipes) but it covers many topics in depth from sauerkraut to brewing to everything imaginable in the field (including composting). I also have his "Wild Fermentation" book, which has many great recipes. Also look at "Ferment" by Holly Davis; quite a few "trendy" type recipes covering the stuff we talk about here, plus other stuff (sprouting, steeping, leavening, etc). Sometimes it gets a bit pretentious, but it's nice to change things up a little after your twentieth batch of traditional kraut... "The Joy of Pickling" by Linda Ziedrich has some fermentation recipes, plus some vinegar-pickled recipes. Not a bad book overall. One of my favourites is "Nourishing Traditions" by Sally Fallon. Although only part of it is about fermenting, there are a lot of other traditional & simple recipes from the past. I will say I'm not a fan of the "eat this and it will cure everything" approach. If I was to buy one book only? The Art of Fermentation wins hands down as it gives the principles of what to do, what to avoid, and troubleshooting. Understand these things and you're good to go. |
|
tomatoes
Senior Member
Posts: 1,065
Likes: 1,089
|
Post by tomatoes on Jun 13, 2018 15:56:02 GMT 10
I have some sauerkraut started! Yesterday I started a quart jar with an airlock, and today I started about 5 kg in a crock. Both have the same basic recipe (obviously with different quantities) so it will be interesting to compare. I used the recipe from www.makesauerkraut.com - she has a recipe for learning for both a jar and a crock, so I just followed that. It has cabbage, carrot and garlic (as well as salt of course) and it smells delicious! I also have some “pickle pipes” so can do a few more jars, and I have lots of leftover cabbage, so I might do a jar of very plain sauerkraut - just cabbage and salt, and one with curry powder that I saw a recipe for. I’d like to do some cucumbers too if I can find a good buy on some that are appropriate. I’d be interested in any other suggestions of combinations/recipes - especially ones that use cabbage, as I still have 3 huge cabbages! |
|
tomatoes
Senior Member
Posts: 1,065
Likes: 1,089
|
Post by tomatoes on Jun 13, 2018 15:59:54 GMT 10
Yes. Sandor Katz is The Man when it comes to fermentation. His book "The Art of Fermentation" is like a text on the principles (with very few recipes) but it covers many topics in depth from sauerkraut to brewing to everything imaginable in the field (including composting). I also have his "Wild Fermentation" book, which has many great recipes. Also look at "Ferment" by Holly Davis; quite a few "trendy" type recipes covering the stuff we talk about here, plus other stuff (sprouting, steeping, leavening, etc). Sometimes it gets a bit pretentious, but it's nice to change things up a little after your twentieth batch of traditional kraut... "The Joy of Pickling" by Linda Ziedrich has some fermentation recipes, plus some vinegar-pickled recipes. ..... One of my favourites is "Nourishing Traditions" by Sally Fallon. ..... I actually bought the Katz book ages ago, so will pull that out to read, and I also own Nourishing Traditions (although there are aspects of that book that annoy me) so I’ll dig that out to read too. I’m interested in pickling with vinegar to keep on the shelf not frig too, so I might look for the Zeidrich book. Thanks. |
|
|
|
Post by Peter on Jun 13, 2018 21:03:17 GMT 10
Some of my favourite flavours for sauerkraut are:
- turmeric & ginger
- chilli
- green cabbage kraut with caraway seed (excellent with German food)
- red cabbage kraut with bashed juniper berry (amazing with game meats)
- garlic. Go as strong as you like.
|
|
tomatoes
Senior Member
Posts: 1,065
Likes: 1,089
|
Post by tomatoes on Jun 13, 2018 22:30:58 GMT 10
Some of my favourite flavours for sauerkraut are: - turmeric & ginger - chilli - green cabbage kraut with caraway seed (excellent with German food) - red cabbage kraut with bashed juniper berry (amazing with game meats) - garlic. Go as strong as you like. Thanks for those suggestions. I’m going to do a jar of turmeric and ginger I think, and one with some beetroot, garlic and caraway seeds, and something spicy. Have you fermented carrots? |
|
|
|
Post by Peter on Jun 14, 2018 19:37:11 GMT 10
Yes, in two ways.
Firstly you can grate carrots and ferment them by adding salt, in exactly the same way as the cabbage (I also make it with grated turnip which gives a good horseradish flavour). Alternately you can cut the carrots into sticks (crudité style). Ferment these in a brine solution (3.5% salt); I recommend using an airlock for any liquid ferment like this. I confess that my first ever batch of liquid-fermented carrots were an absolute failure (they smelled of sulfur, and with any food preservation remember to follow your nose).
Again, plenty of flavour combinations are great with carrot. You can also mix grated carrot with finely sliced cabbage to make fermented slaw. Amazing - especially with bbq and smoked foods.
For beetroot I've only ever made kvass... but the beets are delicious once removed from the drinkable tonic.
|
|
tomatoes
Senior Member
Posts: 1,065
Likes: 1,089
|
Post by tomatoes on Jun 14, 2018 22:15:13 GMT 10
Thanks.
I am thinking of doing a couple of pint jars of carrot sticks next week - perhaps with garlic or something. In the recipe I read I think the carrots don’t take very long.
|
|
