Naturally Fermented Beets

Step 1

PREP FLAVORING ITEM.Prep what you'll be using to flavor your beets.

Step 2

PREP BEETS.Peel beets. Then, cut into shape desired: sliced, julienned, grated, cubed. Note: Do not cook beets as it kills off the bacteria necesary for fermentation.

Step 3

WEIGH JAR.Use a digital scale to obtain the weight—tare—of your jar (471 grams, for example). Write this number down.

Step 4

PACK JAR.Place what you'll be using to flavor your beets in the bottom of your jar then pack beets into the jar leaving one to two inches of head space.

Step 5

TOP WITH WATER.Pour water over beets letting it percolate down.

Step 6

CALCULATE & ADD 2.5% SALT.Weigh your packed jar. The number on the scale is the weight of the jar, plus the weight of the vegetables and the water (1322 grams, for example).Subtract the jar weight from the total weight (1322 – 471 = 851, for example).Multiply the weight of the contents in your jar by 0.025 (851 x. 0.025 = 21, for example).Tare a small dish and weigh the correct grams of salt (21 grams, for example).Add this salt to your jar of beets.

Step 7

DISSOLVE SALT.Screw on a standard canning jar lid and rim and tightly secure. Shake the jar for a couple of minutes to dissolve the salt.Remove lid.

Step 8

SUBMERGE & SEAL.Add a fermentation weight to keep the vegetables submerged under the brine. Close the jar either with an airlock or with a lid left loose enough to allow CO2 to escape.

Step 9

FERMENT.Label with recipe name, date, and salt concentration. Place in a shallow bowl on your kitchen counter, out of direct sunlight to ferment until active bubbling stops, usually, 7-14 days depending upon the temperature of your room.Feel free to taste them along the way. The beets are ready when bubbles have stopped rising to the surface, there is a slightly sour aroma and the beets taste tangy.

Step 10

STORE.Add the fermentation length to your label and put in the refrigerator. Your fermented beets may be eaten immediately, but will increase in flavor with time and will keep for up to a year, though they lose color as the months go on.

Step 11

ENJOY!Now for the best part. Use your fermented beets to top a salad, add to your cheese and cracker platter, alongside a meal, or straight from the jar. Don't forget to drink the brine. I sip a bit each time I use my fermented beets.