Fermenting Vegetables

Just recently got into this and so very glad I did. Boy is it simple to do and the results are so tasty and nutritious !

I bought 6 kilner jars with special Sterilock lids (see below)



Over the past 6 weeks or so I've made 4-5 jars of really yummy Saurkraut.

You wouldn't believe how simple this is. Just shredded up a whole white cabbage using a mandolin. Sprinkled sea salt over it, added some shredded fennel and a bit of ginger and just packed it into these jars. The salt brings out the juices in the cabbage and it just sits there fermenting by itself on the kitchen counter for a few weeks (as long as you like really).

The Sterilock lids allow CO2 to escape but do not allow oxygen to get in so there is no danger of any food exposed at the top rotting. It's truly a "fire and forget" set up, so ridiculously easy.

The end result is a wonderfully pungent and flavourful Saurkraut, a little like a pickle with a similar punchy taste but in a different way, not at all vinegary.

This is Lacto-Fermentation so the Saurkraut has masses of good beneficial lacto-bacteria, like bio yoghurts have only 10 times more and of course, no sugar involved.

You can ferment just about anything and it is a superb way to store/preserve vegetables without the need for freezing. The longer the vegetables are left fermenting on the counter the more punchy tasting they become. When they are as punchy as you want them you just transfer the jar to the fridge which slows down further fermentation almost to a standstill.

The veg can stay like this in the jar almost indefinitely, for months and months, probably years. Totally natural, totally nutritious, totally delicious.

I now have a Saurkraut on the go with cabbage, spring onions, apple and caraway seeds. I also have some baby plum tomatoes fermenting in a jar with garlic, dill, basil and peppercorns.

The possibilities are endless. I wish I'd known about this earlier in life but of course they don't tend to teach you valuable life lessons at school !

Re: Fermenting Vegetables

I got quite excited about the prospect of a delicious new hobby until I discovered that those 6 Kilner jars cost a minimum of £50 .....

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Kilner-Ferm.../dp/B00ZY6ZZ0A

Re: Fermenting Vegetables

You can buy Kilner jars absolutely anywhere Omah, they are a staple in most people's kitchens and have been for years and years. There are tons of websites that sell them and there will be bargains to be had all year round.

The important thing you need is the sterilock tops, that's all, and they will set you back £16 for 3 like this:



or £12 if you want standard tops like these:



Hardly going to break the bank at Monte Carlo !

Kilner jars will last you a life time and are useful for all manner of things. Keeping sugars, salts, flours, dried fruits etc etc.

Note however that you can ferment vegetables without these Sterilock lids but you then give yourself all the hassle and dangers associated with trying to keep the vegetables under the liquid constantly, which is difficult because as they ferment, the CO2 bubbles tend to make bits of veg float to the surface where they then become exposed to oxygen, start to rot and create mould which potentially ruins the whole batch. People have all sorts of weird and wonderful mechanisms for trying to keep stuff under the liquid from putting stones in the jar, cramming cabbage leaves in there and so on but they are all fickle and a hassle to manage.

For a few quid it is a no brainer to me to buy the Sterilock lids so that I have none of that hassle and so I don't need to be tending my jars on a daily basis. I can just fill the jars and leave them for weeks without a care knowing they won't be contaminated with any moulds.

There are other valves/locks available such as those used by beer making enthusiasts but they tend to be tall things 3-4 inches high that could easily break so not as neat but still perfectly usable, like these:



Don't be put off by any costs though. Bottom line is all you need is a jar of any kind that is clean and a lid and you can be fermenting in no time at all. You will just have to carefully monitor and manage the contents if you don't use an air lock of some kind.

Re: Fermenting Vegetables

I believe 1L Kilner jars are about £3 in places like Wilkinsons and The Range. I suspect you can get them slightly cheaper in Tescos.

Re: Fermenting Vegetables

My ,then to be.wife was quite suprised by my collection of water pickles

Re: Fermenting Vegetables

They are indeed cheaper elsewhere:

Kilner Glass Preserve Jars Set of 3 1L £9.99



https://www.nucasa.co.uk/kilner-glas...FeQp0wodC9cC5A

But the picture in the OP is, apparently, nicked from:

http://www.sterilock.co.uk/product/p...lock-airlocks/

Pack of 3 one Litre Kilner Jars with 3 Plastic SteriLIDS and 3 SteriLOCK Airlocks £25.99 inc. vat

Re: Fermenting Vegetables

Errrrr isn't £9.99 for 3 more expensive than £3 each ?!!!!


Dunhelm Mill £2.99 each
http://www.dunelm.com/product/kilner...jar-1000035735

Wilkinsons £3 each
http://www.wilko.com/jams+preserves/...l/invt/0289849

John Lewis £3 each
http://www.johnlewis.com/kilner-preserve-jar-1l/p176237

Homebase £2.99 each
http://www.homebase.co.uk/en/homebas...ar---1l-113213

Lakeland Set of 3 £8.99
http://www.lakeland.co.uk/16226/3-Ki...g-Jars-1-Litre


Yep so if you wanted you could buy 3 jars from Lakeland for £8.99 and 3 plastic Sterilock lids for £15.99 for a total of £24.98 or you could buy the metal sterilock lids for £11.99 for a total of £20.98.

But you would presumably pay 2 lots of postage buying separately from different suppliers so for the sake of £1 why bother?

Re: Fermenting Vegetables

Nice write-up Realist glad it all went well for you.

For those wanting jars, try the Kitchen craft ones - they are much better and usually cheaper:



https://www.amazon.co.uk/Kitchen-Hom...+kitchen+craft

Also because they are 'spring loaded' they can let gases escape more easily than the ones where you can screw them tightly.

Re: Fermenting Vegetables

Always had my reservations with those type of jars Azz because they are clearly not airlocks. The rubber seal is either airtight or it is not. If it is not airtight then oxygen must be able to get in to some extent.

Hence I favour either Sterilocks or brewers airlocks to make certain there can never be any air in the jars.

Re: Fermenting Vegetables

Looks really delicious