How to Ferment Vegetables at Home

Now that you have a great knowledge of why fermented vegetables are good for you and you want to learn how to ferment vegetables, let’s help you do that.

 

CHOOSING THE RIGHT SUPPLIES

Once you get the hang of it, fermenting vegetables is a simple process.

While it does not require particularly specialized equipment, there are certainly tools that can certainly make preparing and fermenting so much easier and efficient!

 

YOUR BASIC TOOLS TO PREPARE VEGETABLES FOR FERMENTATION

A quality knife or a food processor for grating, chopping, or slicing, a good quality knife

 or food processor is a must have tool.

When fermenting sauerkraut or vegetables that ferment in their own juices, you will need some sort of pounding tool to help break apart the vegetables and compress them together in the fermenting jar. 

Stick in thermometers are a hassle-free way to keep an eye on the temperature of your fermented vegetables.

 

 

FERMENTATION JARS & CONTAINERS

What you use ultimately depends on what vegetable you’re fermenting and your personal preferences

Glass Containers: Easy to Find

Glass is one of the best options to ferment vegetables because it doesn’t scratch easily, nor does it contain chemicals such as BPA. 

Glass is one of the best options for fermenting vegetables because it. Glass containers such as canning jars are relatively easy and inexpensive to obtain. Glass containers use a specially designed lid with a water barrier to help protect vegetable ferments against unwanted bacteria.

Basic Sizes: Half-Gallon Fermented Vegetable Jar / Gallon Fermented Vegetable Jar

Ceramic Containers: Good for Large Batches

German Ceramic fermentation crocks are common and are a good choice for making large batches of fermented vegetables. 

Porcelain Containers: Generally Safe

Food-Grade porcelain is generally safe for fermenting vegetables. 

Avoid Plastic Containers

 

 

LIDS AND AIRLOCKS TO FERMENT VEGETABLES 

How you cover your fermenting vegetables can be the difference between a perfect batch of crunchy pickles and moldy cucumbers. An ideal cover will keep oxygen away from your vegetables but still allow the gases produced from fermentation to escape.

Whether you decide to use a cloth cover, tight lid, or lid with an airlock is up to you, though some options work better than others.

Fermenting vegetables with an airlock lid greatly reduces the chance of mold or kahm yeast formation, no burping required!

Lid with Airlock: The Popular Choice

Using a jar with an airlock in the lid is a popular option for fermenting vegetables, and many designs are available.

For use with wide mouth canning jars, Pickles Pipes and the Perfect Pickler are great choices! Wide mouth canning jars come in a range of sizes, from half-pint to half-gallon. The Pickle Pipe attaches snugly under the ring of the jar. 

For larger batches, try our half-gallon or gallon-size Fermented Vegetable Master. These glass jars come complete with airlock lid, storage lid, and ceramic fermentation weights.

Fermenting vegetables with an airlock lid greatly reduces the chance of mold or kahm yeast formation, no burping required!

Tight Lids: Less Chance of Mold, More Burping Needed

A disadvantage is that the jar requires more attention. When using a tight lid, you will need to burp the fermenting jar daily. As vegetables ferment, carbon dioxide can build up. You’ll need to burp the jar to release excess pressure and avoid overflow or explosions.

Cloth Covers: Sufficient but may lead to mold. Butter Muslin is a very tight weave cheesecloth; perfect for draining soft cheese and straining yogurt or milk kefir. Also works as a breathable jar cover.

For smaller jars, a paper coffee filter secured with a tight rubber band or canning lid ring works well to keep pests out and allow fermentation gases to escape.

• One advantage of using a cloth cover is that it is easy to peek in or sneak a taste of the fermenting vegetables at any point.
• The disadvantage is that mold or kahm yeast forms more often on the surface of the vegetables. This surface formation is usually harmless and can be removed and discarded.

 

FERMENTATION WEIGHTS

Even when using a lid with an airlock, keeping the vegetables submerged under the brine during fermentation is important to help reduce exposure to oxygen.

Between pounders, containers, and airlocks, you have a lot of options when it comes to fermentation equipment. If you’re just starting out fermenting, choosing a kit can help simplify the process.

If you have any questions or need a consultation, our Wellness Integrative Naturopathic Center office at 14795 Jeffrey Road, Suite 101 Irvine, CA 92618 is ready to talk to you. Schedule your appointment either in person or with a Virtual Visit (Telemedicine) by calling (949) 551-8751 or emailing us at wellnessintegrative@gmail.com

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We recognize there is no cookie-cutter approach and that as individuals, we are unique in how our body responds to different treatments.

We are most interested in finding the source of what causes your health problems and utilizing therapies that fix the problem and not just put a band-aid on it. We look forward to helping you reach your health goals and live the life you were meant to live.

 

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