lacto fermentation

Some of the best flavors of summer combined into one delicious, easy-to-make lacto-fermented recipe. Wonderful strained and eaten as a chilled savory side salad, on top of fish, or blended into a rub for corn on the cob and other dishes.

Lacto-fermented peaches with honey and purple basil

chopped peaches (about 13 ounces) (chopped 3 peaches)

basil

pink Himalayan sea salt (exact qty: 4.2 grams)

honey

Chop peaches into bite-sized chunks. Remove basil leaves from stems. Weigh peaches, basil, and honey then calculate 2% of total weight to determine exact amount of salt needed. Stir in salt.

Add mixture to fermentation vessel (see options in article). Start sampling daily around Day 4 to determine when ideal flavor achieved, ours took 6 days at a temperature between 70-72 degrees F.

Refrigerate to slow fermentation, or freeze to stop fermentation. Ingredients can be strained from brine and served as topping or chilled side salad. Or all ingredients (including brine) can be blended together to make rubs or sauces.

Sour Rye Flour Starter - or ‘Zakwas Żytni’ as we call it - is a tangy, lacto-fermented liquid. It’s used as a base for traditional Polish soups (such as Żur, Żurek and Zalewajka), but also to thicken stews and sauces. It’s easy to make: some flour, quite a bit of water and...tons of patience.

This recipe makes around 500ml (just over 2 cups) of Zakwas, that’s enough for around 2.5 litres (2.6 liquid quarts) of Żurek (that’s roughly 8 portions)

Zakwas Żytni: Sour Rye Flour Starter for Żurek (Polish Sour Rye Soup)

tbsp (100 grams) Wholemeal Rye Flour

(500 milliliters) Water

garlic

bay leaves

all-spice berries

back peppercorns

dry marjoram

At a later stage, you’ll need a cooled...

At a later stage, you’ll need a cooled boiled water. I’m mentioning it now, so that the water has time to cool. If you have an activated carbon filter at home, you can use that filtered water instead.

Prepare a 16 oz (500 ml) jar. We...

Prepare a 16 oz (500 ml) jar. We don’t want any bacteria in there, so it needs to get clean. There are two easy ways to sterilize a jar:In a microwave: pour some water into the jar, set it on the highest setting for 2 minutes. Normally, we would sterilize the lid in a pot of boiling water, but this time the lid won’t be necessary. Dry up the jar completely. On the stove: Using a detergent, wash the jar in the sink. Rinse thoroughly. Place the jar in a cooking pot, and pour boiling water over it. Wait a minute or two and remove carefully with a jar lifter. Alternatively, you can pour cold water over and around the jar and bring the water to a boil, cook for a few minutes. Then remove carefully from the pot.Check out a post on Wikihow for more tips on sterilizing jars.

You don’t have to measure the amounts exactly....

You don’t have to measure the amounts exactly. A general rule of thumb is: “one part of flour to three parts of water”. For the size of our jar, drop in ⅔ US cup (100 g) of rye flour.

Pour a little bit (3-4 tablespoons) of boiling...

Pour a little bit (3-4 tablespoons) of boiling water in and mix well with a spoon. This will “wake up” the gluten present inside the flour.

If you got some gooey mud at this...

If you got some gooey mud at this stage - you’re in the right spot.

Now, add the garlic. It’s also a good...

Now, add the garlic. It’s also a good moment to add the spices in (all-spice berries, peppercorns, bay leaf, marjoram), but personally I skip this step - see my explanation under the “Notes” section.

Fill the rest of the jar with cooled...

Fill the rest of the jar with cooled boiled water (or with water filtered using activated carbon filter). Mix everything together with a spoon. 

We don’t want any bugs in our 'Zakwas'. ...

We don’t want any bugs in our 'Zakwas'.  Cover the jar with a piece of muslin, cheesecloth, or any other natural cloth and secure it with an elastic band or a piece of string. For that purpose, I use a muslin square that I chop into smaller pieces.

The flour needs to ferment for 4-5 days,...

The flour needs to ferment for 4-5 days, ideally in a shaded, but warm spot - 77°F/25°C would be ideal.

Check on the jar every day. There is...

Check on the jar every day. There is no need to open it and stir it - just let it be. 

In the first 3 days, you’ll notice tons...

In the first 3 days, you’ll notice tons of activity. If the garlic (or spices if you used any)  floats to the surface, I just rock the jar a little bit to submerge it.

After 4-5 days at room temperature, 'Zakwas' is...

After 4-5 days at room temperature, 'Zakwas' is ready. The fragrance should be pleasant: distinctively sour, but not overbearing, not razor-sharp.

Once it’s done fermenting, screw the lid on...

Once it’s done fermenting, screw the lid on and keep 'Zakwas' in the fridge. It will be good for 2 weeks.

Now you can use your Rye Starter to...

Now you can use your Rye Starter to make Żurek Soup. If you skipped the spices in 'Zakwas' (as I usually do), remember to add them when brewing the soup.

Pickled onions are one of our favorite condiments and we always have a jar of homemade ones on hand. For this fermented onion recipe, we used red onions because their sweetness, paired with the natural sourness of lacto-fermentation, makes this a deliciously tangy fermented snack that’s packed full of umami.Here at FarmSteady, we love our fermented vegetable recipes. Why? Because they are some of the easiest and tastiest ferments you will ever make, and they are perfect if you are a beginner just starting to get your fermentation groove on. Give this fermented red onion recipe a go, and soon you will start using pickled onions on everything from burgers to tacos, and even to spice up your avocado toast.Fermented red onions are closer in texture to cooked onions than raw. The process of fermentation breaks down the onion’s crisp texture, transforming them to a smooth and silky condiment. If you usually avoid raw onions because of their bite and pungent flavor, pickled onions are a great alternative. In addition to the change in taste and texture, the fermentation process makes onions easier to digest and even more nutritionally beneficial than if you were to cook them. Lacto-fermentation creates a ferment packed with natural probiotic cultures that our gut loves, so this is not just a delicious condiment, but a healthy one too. This is why we prefer homemade to store bought, as pickled onions from the store are not always fermented.

Fermented Red Onions

red onions, thinly sliced

salt

water

In a large mixing bowl, combine your sliced onions and salt. Massage onions for a few minutes until well combined and onions begin to sweat and soften.

Pack the onions into your fermentation jar. Add any liquid released from the onions.

Add fermentation weight and pour in water.  The liquid will not cover your onions on day one. Questions about fermentation weights? Check out our Fermentation Weight Guide.

Top with lid and airlock (Need help? Check out our How to Assemble Airlock Video).  Let ferment at room temperature out of direct sun light.

Check your onions the next day once the onions have had time to release some liquid. Top off fermenter with water so onions are fully submerged when weighted. Return lid and airlock and continue to let ferment at room temperature out of direct sunlight for 5-7 days.

Transfer finished pickled red onions to jars and move to the refrigerator. Fermented onions will keep refrigerated for at least 2 months.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udtyyN50Ti0

Tasty pickled asparagus so delicious that kids and adults alike can&#39;t get enough. This is a staples both in our kids&#39; school lunches and on our Thanksgiving buffet.

Crisp Lacto-Fermented Pickled Asparagus

asparagus

dill

horseradish leaf OR grape leaf OR 1 tablespoon strongly brewed black tea (optional)

black peppercorns

unrefined sea salt

sauerkraut brine, whey, OR an additional 1 tablespoon salt

filtered water (to cover)

First, prepare your asparagus spears. Once they are rinsed and dried, snap the hard, woody ends off. The asparagus will naturally snap right where the fibrous end gives way to tender stalk. Trim them further, if necessary, so the spears are at least one inch shorter than the jar.

Pack the dill, garlic cloves, grape leaf (if using), and as many asparagus spears as will fit into a wide-mouth quart-sized mason jar, preferably head down, leaving about 1 inch of headspace at the top of the jar. Sprinkle the black peppercorns over.

Pour the whey or sauerkraut brine over the spears (if using), then stir the salt into the water until it’s dissolved.

Pour the salt solution into the jar, adding more fresh water if necessary to completely cover the asparagus by at least half an inch.

Cover loosely with a towel and secure with a rubber band, or fasten on a fermentation airlock, then set aside in a cool, dark place - say, a pantry cupboard - for 3-14 days.

Check the top of the jar each day through the glass and remove the towel only if you need to attend to the ferment. Top up with water if there is less than half an inch above the pickles at any time. You may start tasting the asparagus after 3 days, but commonly, the spears will sit for at least 10 days before they're sufficiently softened and pleasantly soured.

Move to the refrigerator for long-term storage.

We turned to lemon drop peppers not only because of their beautiful, vibrant yellow, but also for their super unique flavors. They pop with bright, lemony citrus aromas and a zippy heat. And while they do pack a good hot punch, they don’t come close to the face-melting heat of a habanero.

Recipe: Lemon Drop Fermented Hot Sauce

Fermented Hot Sauce Kit

yellow carrot, chopped

lemon, peels only

white vinegar, reserved

Tip: lemon drop peppers are hot, we strongly recommend wearing gloves while preparing this recipe. 

Pack peppers, chopped carrot and lemon peels into fermentation jar.

Combine salt and water, stir until salt is fully dissolved to make the brine.

Add fermentation weight and pour in brine to cover, vegetables should be fully submerged. Questions about fermentation weights? Check out our Fermentation Weight Guide.

Top with lid and airlock (Need help? Check out our How to Assemble Airlock Video). Let ferment for 2-3 weeks at room temperature out of direct sunlight.

Discard lemon peels. Add peppers and chopped carrot to blender with 1/2 cup of the fermentation liquid. Blend until smooth and then add white vinegar. If hot sauce is too spicy, add more vinegar to taste. Hot sauce will keep refrigerated for at least 2 months.

Fermented Dilly Green Beans preserves the crisp snap of the green bean while heaps of fresh dill add a delicately, bright flavor that instantly shoots you to the height of summer garden party season (no matter what time of year).

Recipe: Fermented Dilly Green Beans

Fermented Vegetable Kit

lbs green beans, ends trimmed

garlic cloves, thinly sliced

chili pepper, thinly sliced (optional)

Pack trimmed green beans, sliced garlic, chili peppers, and dill into fermentation jar.

Dissolve kosher salt in 1 quart of water to make a brine.

Place a fermentation weight atop your green beans, and pour in brine. Beans should be fully submerged when weighted. Questions about fermentation weights? Check out our Fermentation Weight Guide.

Top with lid and airlock (Need help? Check out our How to Assemble Airlock Video). Let ferment at room temperature for 1-2 weeks

Transfer finished Dilly Green Beans to jars and move to the refrigerator. Fermented green beans keep in the fridge for up to 2 months. 

This fermented hot sauce is inspired by one of our go-to takeout picks: Thai Papaya Salad (Som Tum). Papaya salad is bright and refreshing with a bracing acidity and alternating hits of chili heat and sweetness that we just love.

Recipe: Fermented Papaya Thai Chili Hot Sauce

Hot Sauce Bottles

Thai chilis,

papaya,

scallions, cut into 2” segments

cilantro

limes, peels only

fish sauce (optional)

Tip: Thai peppers are hot, we strongly recommend wearing gloves while preparing this recipe. 

Pack papaya, peppers, scallions, garlic, cilantro andlime peels into fermentation jar.

Combine salt and water, stir until salt is fullydissolved to make the brine.

Add fermentation weight and pour in brine (and fish sauceif using) to cover, ingredients should be fully submerged whenweighted. Questions about fermentation weights? Check out our Fermentation Weight Guide. 

Top with lid and airlock (Need help? Check out our How to Assemble Airlock Video). Let ferment for2-3 weeks at room temperature out of direct sunlight.

Add fermented papaya, peppers, scallions, garlic and limepeel to blender with 1 cup of the fermentation liquid. Blend until smooth andthen add vinegar to taste. Hot sauce will keep refrigerated for at least 2months.

Fermented Peach Hot Sauce is spicy with a delicate peachy sweetness that combines Fresno peppers with red onion and a handful of ripe (but not too ripe) peaches.

Recipe: Fermented Peach Hot Sauce

peaches, pitted and chopped into 1” pieces

1.5 lbs fresno peppers, stems removed and chopped into 1” pieces

red onion, chopped

Tip: chili peppers are hot, we strongly recommend wearing gloves while preparing this recipe. 

Pack peaches, peppers and onion into fermentationjar.

Add fermentation weight and pour in brine to cover,peach, peppers and onion should be fully submerged. Questions aboutfermentation weights? Check out our Fermentation Weight Guide. 

Add peaches, peppers and onion to blender with 1 cup ofthe fermentation liquid. Blend until smooth and then add white vinegar totaste. Hot sauce will keep refrigerated for at least 2 months.

Le kimchi est une préparation traditionnelle coréenne de légume lacto-fermenté avec des aromates. Je vous présente ici une recette délicieuse de kimchi de chou.Ceci est la recette pour un petit chou chinois de 750g et un bocal de 1,5L. Pour une chou chinois de 250g ou 500g, divisez la taille du bocal par 3 ou 1,5.

Recette du Kimchi de chou coréen

chou chinois de 750 grams

1,5 L d'eau déchlorée

220 g de sel (non iodé)

g de cébette (ou poireau)

g de radis blanc (ou noir, ou navet)

g d'ail

g de gingembre

c. à café de sucre

c. à café de sauce poisson (ou soja)

Coupez la base du chou chinois en croix sur 10cm, puis séparer les 4 quarts de chou en tirant délicatement avec les mains pour ne pas déchirer les feuilles.

Dans un grand bol, mélangez l’eau et le sel avec une cuillère jusqu’à ce que le sel soit bien dissout.

Mettez les 4 quarts dans le bol avec la saumure et placez une assiette à l’envers par dessus avec un poids par dessus pour les maintenir immergés. Laissez-les comme ça pendant 4 à 6h, suivant la taille du chou.

Trempage du chou

Rincez bien les 4 quarts à l’eau claire, puis mettez les à égoutter dans une passoire.

En attendant, préparez la sauce pimentée.

Coupez la cébette en fines lamelles et le radis blanc en allumettes. Hâchez l’ail et le gingembre, et mélangez le tout avec le gochugaru, la sauce poisson (ou soja) et le sucre dans un bol, puis laissez reposer 30 minutes.

Retirez 2 feuilles de chou et gardez-les de côté, elles vous serviront pour protéger la surface du kimchi.

Rinçage du chou et préparation de la sauce

Tartinez de la sauce sur chacune des feuilles des 4 quarts de chou avec vos mains, en insistant sur la base des feuilles.

Enroulez les quarts puis entassez-les dans le bocal. Tassez les avec une main pour évacuer l’air qu’il y a entre eux, puis couvrez la surface avec les deux feuilles de chou.

Fermez le bocal avec son couvercle à joint, placez le bocal sur une coupelle, puis laissez fermenter 2 jours à température ambiante, puis au moins 2 au frais.

Préparation du kimchi

Pour le conserver, transvasez le progressivement dans des pots adaptés à la quantité restante, pour que le pot soit bien rempli et contienne le moins d’oxygène possible, et couvrez toujours la surface avec les feuilles de chou dédiées.

Conservation du kimchi

These fermented apples are packed with probiotics and are SO easy to make!

Fermented Apples

apples (approximately 3 large apples)

cinnamon (or 1 tablespoon ground)

- 1 teaspoon unrefined salt

lemon

starter culture* (optional)

Water

Quart Jar

Fermentation weight** (optional)

Fermentation lid (optional)

Add your starter culture (if using), unrefined salt,...

Add your starter culture (if using), unrefined salt, juice of 1 lemon, and 1/2 cup of water to a small bowl. Whisk well to combine. If using ground cinnamon instead of a stick of cinnamon, add to the liquid mixture and whisk again.

Pack your peeled and chopped apples into a...

Pack your peeled and chopped apples into a clean quart jar, and add the cinnamon stick (if using).

Pour the liquid mixture over the apples.

Add in enough filtered water to completely cover...

Add in enough filtered water to completely cover the apples. The apples will float, but once the weight is in place they will stay below the surface of the brine.

Add a fermentation weight** (or a 4oz canning...

Add a fermentation weight** (or a 4oz canning jar weighted with water or brine) and press down to keep the apples submerged.

Fit the jar with a pickle pipe, airlock...

Fit the jar with a pickle pipe, airlock fermentation lid, OR a screw on lid.

Ferment for 2-5 days, or until bubbly and...

Ferment for 2-5 days, or until bubbly and active. Fruit ferments very quickly, so it's important to keep a close eye! Your apples are ready when they smell slightly alcoholic, but not overly pungent.

Once your apples are fermented to your liking,...

Once your apples are fermented to your liking, remove the weight and add an airtight lid. Store in the fridge for 2 weeks or up to 2 months as long as there are no signs of spoilage. Enjoy!

Top 10 lacto fermentation recipes from across the web

The most viewed lacto fermentation recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine

Top Tags

Lacto-fermented peaches with honey ...

Zakwas Żytni: Sour Rye Flour Starte...

Fermented Red Onions

Crisp Lacto-Fermented Pickled Aspar...

Recipe: Lemon Drop Fermented Hot Sa...

Recipe: Fermented Dilly Green Beans

Recipe: Fermented Papaya Thai Chili...

Recipe: Fermented Peach Hot Sauce

Recette du Kimchi de chou coréen

Fermented Apples

Top 10 lacto fermentation recipes from across the web

The most viewed lacto fermentation recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engineic_arrow_forward_48px

Top Tags

Lacto-fermented peaches with honey ...

Zakwas Żytni: Sour Rye Flour Starte...

Fermented Red Onions

Crisp Lacto-Fermented Pickled Aspar...

Recipe: Lemon Drop Fermented Hot Sa...

Recipe: Fermented Dilly Green Beans

Recipe: Fermented Papaya Thai Chili...

Recipe: Fermented Peach Hot Sauce

Recette du Kimchi de chou coréen

Fermented Apples

The most viewed lacto fermentation recipes by Recipe Cart users, saved from over 20,000 sites. Or, go to our Recipe Search Engine