Recipe: Fermented Gingered Carrots - Chris Kresser (2024)

FAQs

What percentage brine for fermented carrots? ›

Firm vegetables, such as broccoli, cauliflower, garlic, asparagus, beets and carrots and tomatoes require 1.5% to 3% brine, or 15 to 30 grams of salt for each litre of water. Cucumbers, onions and radishes require 5% brine (50 grams per litre), and olives require 10% brine (100 grams per litre), for example.

I invite you to try them all and explore how unique the resulting ferments can be. General note: I tend to scrub my carrots and use them with the peel on. However, when carrot skin is dark and rough, it can also be bitter. If this is the case, peel your carrots first.

These carrots get a healthy boost of gut-friendly probiotics with just a little salt, water and time. Fermented foods are all the rage right now. And for good reason!

Use the right amount of salt. Too little salt is not enough to kill unwanted bacteria while too much salt can stop fermentation. Vegetables need 2.5 percent by volume which works out to 12.5 grams (½ ounce) of salt per 500 grams (1 pound) of vegetables. Weigh vegetables and salt for accuracy.

Our rule of thumb for salt in vegetable ferments is 1-3 tablespoons per quart of water.

Slime may be produced by yeast or fast culture growth, which is why we recommend a simple salt brine without whey or starter cultures. Cucumbers with the blossom end can cause soft or slimy pickles. Slimy vegetables should be discarded, but slimy brine is not always a cause for concern.

One of the most common visible contaminations is a white, cloudy substance called Kahm Yeast. While Kahm yeast isn't harmful it can indicate that there is a problem with your ferment. Kahm yeast is actually safe to eat as long as there are no molds present and the ferment tests at a pH of 4 or lower.

The white milky substance that commonly appears on the surface of fermented vegetables is kahm yeast. It's a type of wild yeast and it's not harmful. It's not very attractive and it can cause a bad odor if left alone.

Within 1 week it should start to taste sour. If you like it, it is done. If not let it continue to ferment. Pack the vegetables back down until the liquid rises above them.

Check the carrots every few days. Scrape off any scum that has formed on the surface and taste the pickles. I usually let vegetables ferment for 5-10 days or so. They will develop a pleasant, sour-pickle flavor, but should also maintain some crispness.

What is the healthiest fermented food? ›

For the best results, start by eating one or two servings per day, and then slowly work your way up. Getting probiotics from whole foods is a simple way to take advantage of fermented foods' health benefits while reducing your risk of side effects associated with probiotic use, such as digestive issues ( 45 ).

The most common reaction to fermented foods is a temporary increase in gas and bloating. This is the result of excess gas being produced after probiotics kill harmful gut bacteria and fungi. Probiotics secrete antimicrobial peptides that kill harmful pathogenic organisms like Salmonella and E.

Basic Brine

Place that volume of water in a container large enough to hold the brine and the meat. Add 1 tablespoon of salt for every cup of water you used and mix until the salt is completely dissolved. For example, if you are using 1 gallon (16 cups) of water, add 16 tablespoons (1 cup) of salt.

Generally a 5% salt solution is a good all-purpose recipe for most flavor enhancement but for fully curing hams, or corned beef a stronger solution is needed. Brines are also measured in degrees by the amount of salinity in the water with the use of a salinometer.

The most common brine proportions are 23.3% salt concentration to 76.7% water. However, you can also add to conventional sodium chloride and use either magnesium chloride or calcium chloride. Keep in mind that the concentrations of those chemicals are drastically different.