Step 1

Peel the carrots then cut them into sticks or round slices. Set aside.

Step 2

Optionally remove the dill stem then tear the dill into pieces. Set aside.

Step 3

Peel the garlic cloves. Set aside.

Step 4

Slice the ginger. Set aside.

Step 5

Add 16 grams salt of any size grain size to 350ml of water and mix thoroughly. This is enough brine for 1 liter jar.OR Add 1 tablespoon fine grain salt to 1.5 cups water and mix thoroughly. This is enough brine for 1 quart jar.

Step 6

IF MAKING CARROT STICKS: Cut the stick length to be approximately 75% the height of the jar. This height will also leave room for the fermentation weight & brine. Tilt the jar to the side with one hand while loading the carrot sticks with the other. The tilting makes loading the carrot sticks easier. Intermittently, add the garlic cloves, ginger slices and dill. A chopstick is a handy tool to help squeeze the garlic, ginger and dill into the tight spaces between the carrot sticks.

Step 7

IF MAKING CARROT SLICES: Add the carrot slices, dill, ginger & garlic in layers. Fill the jar approximately 75%. Squeeze the carrot slices into the gaps, the less gaps the better. A chopstick can be handy if the gap is low in the jar.

Step 8

Once the jar is about 75% full and no more sticks or slices will fit, pour the brine over the carrots.

Step 9

Use a mallet, chopstick or clean hands to press the carrots beneath the brine.

Step 10

Place the fermentation weight into the jar on top of the carrots. Press it down to ensure it is fully submerged beneath the brine. Add any remaining brine to top off the jar. If you are a smidge short on brine to fully cover the weight, make a smidge more by adding 1-2 grams of salt to 20g salt (or ⅛ tsp of fine grain salt to 2 tbsp of water). Mix and add to the jar.

Step 11

Inspect the surface for any floating pieces of food and remove them. Floaters that are exposed to the surface oxygen are subject to possible mold development.

Step 12

Place a loose lid on the jar. So long as the lid is loose, the fermenting gasses will be able to escape and you will not need to burp the jar.Optionally a specialty fermenting lid can be use, but is not required.

Step 13

Set the jar on a towel or plate to catch any possible brine overflow that will occur during the first week of fermentation.

Step 14

Allow the carrots to ferment on the counter at room temperature (70-85°F / 21-29°C) for a minimum of 10 days up to 3 weeks.

Step 15

Colors will change from vibrant to muted tones.Carbon dioxide bubbles will form during the 1st week of fermentation, then die off during week 2 and 3.A healthy fermentation should have a light soury-sweet smell. If the fermentation smells offensive or rotten, throw it away.Kahm Yeast will most likely develop on the surface. Although unattractive, it is harmless. Watch my Kahm Yeast video on YouTube or read my Kahm Yeast Article at CleanFoodLiving.net where I do a deep dive into the topic along with visual examples.

Step 16

When you decide to end the fermentation period (a minimum of 10 days up to 21 days) is based on your taste preference. The longer the carrots ferment, the more their flavors will develop and their texture will slightly soften (yet still be crunchy).

Step 17

Open the jar and take a look. Most likely you’ll see a layer of kahm yeast on top. This is okay. With clean hands, reach in through the kahm yeast and remove the fermenting weight. Use a paper towel as a gripper if the weight is too slick.

Step 18

Remove any remaining kahm yeast. The good news is that the fermenting weight will take the bulk of the kahm yeast out with it. Next, use a paper towel to wipe off the remaining kahm yeast from the inside of the jar. You can also dab the surface with a paper towel (or use a spoon) to pick up remaining kahm yeast flakes. Remember that kahm yeast is harmless so if some pieces remain, it’s ok! *Demonstration of how to do this is provided in the video.

Step 19

To store long term, keep the weight out of the jar and put the lid back on tightly.Place the fermented carrots in the refrigerator where they will last for many months.