2. Prepare the Vegetables for Fermenting

There are several ways to prepare the vegetables for fermenting: grating, shredding, chopping, slicing, or leaving whole. How you choose to prepare your vegetables is a personal choice, though some vegetables are better suited for leaving whole, while others ferment better when shredded or grated. Read more about these nuances and how to prepare vegetables for fermenting here.

3. Decide If You Will Use Salt, Whey, or a Starter Culture

A fermented food recipe may call specifically for salt, salt and whey, or a starter culture. The method chosen can vary, depending on personal taste, special dietary requirements, and even the vegetables used. The information presented in this article can help you decide between salt, whey, and starter cultures for fermenting vegetables.

If salt fermentation is the preferred method, choose from the different kinds of salt appropriate for culturing.

4. Use Water to Prepare the Brine

Water used for preparing brine or starter culture should be as free from contaminants as possible, for the best-tasting fermented vegetables. Consider the points in this article before choosing your water source for culturing.

5. Weigh the Vegetables Down Under the Brine

Once the vegetables have been prepared and placed in the chosen fermentation vessel, weigh the vegetables down under the brine, keeping them in an anaerobic environment during the fermentation period.

6. Move the Fermented Vegetables to Cold Storage

Once the vegetables are finished culturing, it’s time to move them to cold storage. When new to fermenting, it may be difficult to know exactly when to consider the vegetables finished. Follow these tips for deciding when vegetables are ready for cold storage, to enjoy the finished vegetables for as long as possible.

7. Troubleshooting

As with any culturing process, each batch of fermented vegetables can turn out differently. If the vegetables grow mold or yeast on top, use this guide to decide what to do about mold and how to prevent it in future batches.

SEE ALSO: Fermented Vegetables Terminology from A to Z

FERMENTED VEGETABLE RECIPES

Ready to get started culturing? Try out one of the following easy lacto-fermented vegetable recipes!

We also encourage you to browse our complete list of lacto-fermented vegetable recipes!