amuse bouche
How should I eat? (Not too much)
—Michael Pollan
If it is so difficult to learn to cook, how did all those early pioneer women manage to cross the country in rugged covered wagons and feed troops of people from one big pot hung over an open fire?
—Marion Cunningham, from Learning to Cook
Treat treats as treats.
—Michael Pollan
No matter how you slice it through, grain-fed meat production systems are a drain on the global food supply.
—Jonathan A. Foley, director of the Institute on the Environment, U of MN
Strong Hands + Patience: Recipes for Home Fermenting
**Update! You know what you could do with this? Make Szegediner Gulasch (German Sauerkraut Beef Gulash) – it’s a tad on the spicy side, but very very tasty! I served mine over roasted potatoes and topped with sour cream. YUM!
Don’t be intimidated by home fermenting, it is surprisingly and refreshingly simple. I’m no expert, but I have successfully produced kombucha (shoot me a note if you’re local and would like a scoby mother to start your own kombucha), apple cider vinegar (I also have a vinegar mother if you’re interested), and most recently, sauerkraut. Fermented foods are nutritious and delicious – what’s not to love?!
Health benefits of fermented foods:
The microbial world inside our bodies, referred to as our microbiome, is credited/blamed for our digestion/struggle to digest, moods, satiety/cravings, immune system, etc. You can see why it’s important to ensure your microbiome is well cared for. The probiotics found in fermented foods support the proliferation of the healthy bacteria in our microbiomes.
Interested in knowing more? Read: It Starts with Food by Dallas and Melissa Hartwig or Grain Brain by David Perlmutter. Listen: “Paleo Magazine Radio #247” Watch or listen: “Joe Rogan Experience #1054”
Things to know about home fermenting:
- Watch out for mold and visible fuzz – mold is bad. Use fermentation weights (a glass jar filled with water also works) to keep solids under the water. Fermenting is an anaerobic process, and air facilitates mold growth.
- Don’t fret if it gets a white film – it’s a natural yeast byproduct of the ferment. Simply spoon it off the top and you’re good to go.
- Strong smell is OK and expected – don’t worry, the unpleasant and pungent stink will inform you if a batch goes bad.
- Vegetables should maintain vibrancy – it is a sign of spoiled vegetables if they get slimy, brown, and discolored.
- Fermentation duration varies depending on temperature – the colder it is, the longer it will take.
Top view of fermentation weights holding the kraut under the liquid.
Make your own kraut:
What you’ll need:
- 1 Large/2 small heads of red or green cabbage
- 2 Tbsp sea salt
- Fermenting vessel; either a Large glass jar with a lid (ask your local bartender to save you a giant olive jar) or use a fermentation crock (I use this one)
- Fermentation weights (you can use a glass jar filled with water – be sure it fits through the top of your fermentation vessel)
- Optional extras: caraway, apple, carrot, onion, and/or garlic
Thinly slice the cabbage and optional add-ins. I like to do this with the slicing blade of my food processor. Put shredded cabbage into a large bowl with the sea salt. Depending on how much you make, you may need to do this in batches.
Pre and post mashed cabbage. Be patient, it takes time and strong hands to break the cabbage down.
Mash the cabbage for ~10 minutes with a potato masher, muddler, or your hands. I prefer starting with the potato masher to get the process started, then use my hands – it’s a serious finger exercise. The cabbage will break down and release water. If there is not enough cabbage water to fully cover your cabbage, top with filtered water until it is all covered.
Weigh down cabbage and cover vessel. If using a fermentation crock, be sure to keep the water lip filled to avoid exposing your ferment to oxygen. If using a jar, either seal tightly and burp daily to release pressure, or cover with a coffee filter or cloth napkin secured with a rubber band. Ferment at least two weeks, tasting each week until desired flavor and texture has been reached.
Have your own fermenting success stories, requests, or ideas? Please share in comments below!
Until next time,
Corrie Austin
Posted: 1-20-2019
- Watch out for mold and visible fuzz - mold is bad. Use fermentation weights (a glass jar filled with water also works) to keep solids under the water. Fermenting is an anaerobic process, and air facilitates mold growth.
- Don't fret if it gets a white film - it's a natural yeast byproduct of the ferment. Simply spoon it off the top and you're good to go.
- Strong smell is OK and expected - don't worry, the unpleasant and pungent stink will inform you if a batch goes bad.
- Vegetables should maintain vibrancy - it is a sign of spoiled vegetables if they get slimy, brown, and discolored.
- Fermentation duration varies depending on temperature - the colder it is, the longer it will take.
Top view of fermentation weights holding the kraut under the liquid.[/caption]
Make your own kraut:
What you'll need:Have your own fermenting success stories, requests, or ideas? Please share in comments below! Until next time, Corrie Austin" ["post_title"]=> string(52) "Strong Hands + Patience: Recipes for Home Fermenting" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(0) "" ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["comment_status"]=> string(4) "open" ["ping_status"]=> string(4) "open" ["post_password"]=> string(0) "" ["post_name"]=> string(49) "strong-hands-patience-recipes-for-home-fermenting" ["to_ping"]=> string(0) "" ["pinged"]=> string(221) "https://www.drperlmutter.com/about/grain-brain-by-david-perlmutter/ http://inthekitchenwithbronwyn.com/recipes/three-uses-for-a-bounty-of-apples/ https://magnoliadays.com/szegediner-gulasch-german-sauerkraut-beef-goulash/" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2019-02-07 08:20:10" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "2019-02-07 12:20:10" ["post_content_filtered"]=> string(0) "" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["guid"]=> string(42) "http://inthekitchenwithbronwyn.com/?p=5035" ["menu_order"]=> int(0) ["post_type"]=> string(4) "post" ["post_mime_type"]=> string(0) "" ["comment_count"]=> string(1) "4" ["filter"]=> string(3) "raw" } } ["post"]=> object(WP_Post)#373 (24) { ["ID"]=> int(5035) ["post_author"]=> string(1) "1" ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2019-01-20 12:30:29" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "2019-01-20 16:30:29" ["post_content"]=> string(6067) "**Update! You know what you could do with this? Make Szegediner Gulasch (German Sauerkraut Beef Gulash) - it's a tad on the spicy side, but very very tasty! I served mine over roasted potatoes and topped with sour cream. YUM! Don't be intimidated by home fermenting, it is surprisingly and refreshingly simple. I'm no expert, but I have successfully produced kombucha (shoot me a note if you're local and would like a scoby mother to start your own kombucha), apple cider vinegar (I also have a vinegar mother if you're interested), and most recently, sauerkraut. Fermented foods are nutritious and delicious - what's not to love?!Thinly slice the cabbage and optional add-ins. I like to do this with the slicing blade of my food processor. Put shredded cabbage into a large bowl with the sea salt. Depending on how much you make, you may need to do this in batches. [caption id="attachment_5040" align="aligncenter" width="520"]
- 1 Large/2 small heads of red or green cabbage
- 2 Tbsp sea salt
- Fermenting vessel; either a Large glass jar with a lid (ask your local bartender to save you a giant olive jar) or use a fermentation crock (I use this one)
- Fermentation weights (you can use a glass jar filled with water - be sure it fits through the top of your fermentation vessel)
- Optional extras: caraway, apple, carrot, onion, and/or garlic
Pre and post mashed cabbage. Be patient, it takes time and strong hands to break the cabbage down.[/caption] Mash the cabbage for ~10 minutes with a potato masher, muddler, or your hands. I prefer starting with the potato masher to get the process started, then use my hands - it's a serious finger exercise. The cabbage will break down and release water. If there is not enough cabbage water to fully cover your cabbage, top with filtered water until it is all covered. Weigh down cabbage and cover vessel. If using a fermentation crock, be sure to keep the water lip filled to avoid exposing your ferment to oxygen. If using a jar, either seal tightly and burp daily to release pressure, or cover with a coffee filter or cloth napkin secured with a rubber band. Ferment at least two weeks, tasting each week until desired flavor and texture has been reached.
Health benefits of fermented foods:
The microbial world inside our bodies, referred to as our microbiome, is credited/blamed for our digestion/struggle to digest, moods, satiety/cravings, immune system, etc. You can see why it's important to ensure your microbiome is well cared for. The probiotics found in fermented foods support the proliferation of the healthy bacteria in our microbiomes.
Interested in knowing more? Read: It Starts with Food by Dallas and Melissa Hartwig or Grain Brain by David Perlmutter. Listen: "Paleo Magazine Radio #247" Watch or listen: "Joe Rogan Experience #1054"
Things to know about home fermenting:
- Watch out for mold and visible fuzz - mold is bad. Use fermentation weights (a glass jar filled with water also works) to keep solids under the water. Fermenting is an anaerobic process, and air facilitates mold growth.
- Don't fret if it gets a white film - it's a natural yeast byproduct of the ferment. Simply spoon it off the top and you're good to go.
- Strong smell is OK and expected - don't worry, the unpleasant and pungent stink will inform you if a batch goes bad.
- Vegetables should maintain vibrancy - it is a sign of spoiled vegetables if they get slimy, brown, and discolored.
- Fermentation duration varies depending on temperature - the colder it is, the longer it will take.
Top view of fermentation weights holding the kraut under the liquid.[/caption]
Make your own kraut:
What you'll need:Have your own fermenting success stories, requests, or ideas? Please share in comments below! Until next time, Corrie Austin" ["post_title"]=> string(52) "Strong Hands + Patience: Recipes for Home Fermenting" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(0) "" ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["comment_status"]=> string(4) "open" ["ping_status"]=> string(4) "open" ["post_password"]=> string(0) "" ["post_name"]=> string(49) "strong-hands-patience-recipes-for-home-fermenting" ["to_ping"]=> string(0) "" ["pinged"]=> string(221) "https://www.drperlmutter.com/about/grain-brain-by-david-perlmutter/ http://inthekitchenwithbronwyn.com/recipes/three-uses-for-a-bounty-of-apples/ https://magnoliadays.com/szegediner-gulasch-german-sauerkraut-beef-goulash/" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2019-02-07 08:20:10" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "2019-02-07 12:20:10" ["post_content_filtered"]=> string(0) "" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["guid"]=> string(42) "http://inthekitchenwithbronwyn.com/?p=5035" ["menu_order"]=> int(0) ["post_type"]=> string(4) "post" ["post_mime_type"]=> string(0) "" ["comment_count"]=> string(1) "4" ["filter"]=> string(3) "raw" } ["queried_object"]=> object(WP_Post)#373 (24) { ["ID"]=> int(5035) ["post_author"]=> string(1) "1" ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2019-01-20 12:30:29" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "2019-01-20 16:30:29" ["post_content"]=> string(6067) "**Update! You know what you could do with this? Make Szegediner Gulasch (German Sauerkraut Beef Gulash) - it's a tad on the spicy side, but very very tasty! I served mine over roasted potatoes and topped with sour cream. YUM! Don't be intimidated by home fermenting, it is surprisingly and refreshingly simple. I'm no expert, but I have successfully produced kombucha (shoot me a note if you're local and would like a scoby mother to start your own kombucha), apple cider vinegar (I also have a vinegar mother if you're interested), and most recently, sauerkraut. Fermented foods are nutritious and delicious - what's not to love?!Thinly slice the cabbage and optional add-ins. I like to do this with the slicing blade of my food processor. Put shredded cabbage into a large bowl with the sea salt. Depending on how much you make, you may need to do this in batches. [caption id="attachment_5040" align="aligncenter" width="520"]
- 1 Large/2 small heads of red or green cabbage
- 2 Tbsp sea salt
- Fermenting vessel; either a Large glass jar with a lid (ask your local bartender to save you a giant olive jar) or use a fermentation crock (I use this one)
- Fermentation weights (you can use a glass jar filled with water - be sure it fits through the top of your fermentation vessel)
- Optional extras: caraway, apple, carrot, onion, and/or garlic
Health benefits of fermented foods:
The microbial world inside our bodies, referred to as our microbiome, is credited/blamed for our digestion/struggle to digest, moods, satiety/cravings, immune system, etc. You can see why it's important to ensure your microbiome is well cared for. The probiotics found in fermented foods support the proliferation of the healthy bacteria in our microbiomes.
Interested in knowing more? Read: It Starts with Food by Dallas and Melissa Hartwig or Grain Brain by David Perlmutter. Listen: "Paleo Magazine Radio #247" Watch or listen: "Joe Rogan Experience #1054"
Things to know about home fermenting:
- Watch out for mold and visible fuzz - mold is bad. Use fermentation weights (a glass jar filled with water also works) to keep solids under the water. Fermenting is an anaerobic process, and air facilitates mold growth.
- Don't fret if it gets a white film - it's a natural yeast byproduct of the ferment. Simply spoon it off the top and you're good to go.
- Strong smell is OK and expected - don't worry, the unpleasant and pungent stink will inform you if a batch goes bad.
- Vegetables should maintain vibrancy - it is a sign of spoiled vegetables if they get slimy, brown, and discolored.
- Fermentation duration varies depending on temperature - the colder it is, the longer it will take.
Top view of fermentation weights holding the kraut under the liquid.[/caption]
Make your own kraut:
What you'll need:Have your own fermenting success stories, requests, or ideas? Please share in comments below! Until next time, Corrie Austin" ["post_title"]=> string(52) "Strong Hands + Patience: Recipes for Home Fermenting" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(0) "" ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["comment_status"]=> string(4) "open" ["ping_status"]=> string(4) "open" ["post_password"]=> string(0) "" ["post_name"]=> string(49) "strong-hands-patience-recipes-for-home-fermenting" ["to_ping"]=> string(0) "" ["pinged"]=> string(221) "https://www.drperlmutter.com/about/grain-brain-by-david-perlmutter/ http://inthekitchenwithbronwyn.com/recipes/three-uses-for-a-bounty-of-apples/ https://magnoliadays.com/szegediner-gulasch-german-sauerkraut-beef-goulash/" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2019-02-07 08:20:10" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "2019-02-07 12:20:10" ["post_content_filtered"]=> string(0) "" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["guid"]=> string(42) "http://inthekitchenwithbronwyn.com/?p=5035" ["menu_order"]=> int(0) ["post_type"]=> string(4) "post" ["post_mime_type"]=> string(0) "" ["comment_count"]=> string(1) "4" ["filter"]=> string(3) "raw" } ["queried_object_id"]=> int(5035) } SUBSCRIBE TO THIS BLOG’S FEEDThinly slice the cabbage and optional add-ins. I like to do this with the slicing blade of my food processor. Put shredded cabbage into a large bowl with the sea salt. Depending on how much you make, you may need to do this in batches. [caption id="attachment_5040" align="aligncenter" width="520"]
- 1 Large/2 small heads of red or green cabbage
- 2 Tbsp sea salt
- Fermenting vessel; either a Large glass jar with a lid (ask your local bartender to save you a giant olive jar) or use a fermentation crock (I use this one)
- Fermentation weights (you can use a glass jar filled with water - be sure it fits through the top of your fermentation vessel)
- Optional extras: caraway, apple, carrot, onion, and/or garlic
4 responses to “Strong Hands + Patience: Recipes for Home Fermenting”
Leave a Reply
Print 
PDF
small bites
Edible Green Mountains Cooks Issue Feature
Bronwyn Jones Dunne Selected by IACP as Featured Blogger
featured events
Food events that have caught my eye.
Three uses for a bounty of apples
ArtsRiot | TRUCK STOP May 18-Sep 28
a La Carte Videos
Bronwyn Dunne and Judith Jones Prepare Two Potato Salads at Bryn Teg. See the recipes
Gateau de Crepes- In Molly’s Kitchen.
See recipe from the Smitten Kitchen
Blog Archives
- Mind Your Macros – there’s an app for that - Apr 2019
- A Love Affair with Fermented Fare - Mar 2019
- Onion Soup for the Soul - Mar 2019
- Dinners with Bronwyn - Feb 2019
- Top Three Weekend Activities - Jan 2019
- Muffins posing as cupcakes - Dec 2018
- ‘Tis the Season - Dec 2018
- Four Things I learned in Cooking Class - Oct 2018
- Gastronomy from Coast to Coast - Oct 2018
- Meghan Markle moves the conversation on diversity with a celebration of food - Sep 2018
- I Love Early Fall…From My Head…To-ma-toes - Sep 2018
- Some things you only need to do once - Sep 2018
- Meet My Flock - Aug 2018
- Summer Crowd Pleaser - Jul 2018
- Seven joys of urban farming - Jun 2018
- Wild and Untamed - Jun 2018
- 5 Mistakes of a First Time Gardener - May 2018
- How I Failed in Boston - Apr 2018
- Love your FOOD | Love your FARMer - Apr 2018
- Poor Poh-tay-toe… - Apr 2018
- Love Lives Here…in Burlington! - Mar 2018
- Flashy New South End City Market - Feb 2018
- The Hungry Bookworms - Feb 2018
- A Road Well-traveled - Jan 2018
- Baby…it’s cold outside - Jan 2018
- How to Make Chocolate Peanut Butter Granola: A Story of Holiday Blunders - Dec 2017
- Triple Dipple Pickles - Dec 2017
- COLD days, HOT coffee - Nov 2017
- A Deviation of Appreciation - Oct 2017
- Remembering Judith Jones, A Culinary Luminary – a film - Oct 2017
- The Rice Whisperer – a sequel - Oct 2017
- Love your food & Love your neighbor - Oct 2017
- TELL YOUR FRIENDS! Each new subscriber in October = $2 donation to Vermont Foodbank - Oct 2017
- Judith Jones New York Memorial – October 4th - Sep 2017
- Sum sum summertime = Champlain Valley Fair - Sep 2017
- Soooo Many Momos - Sep 2017
- Judith Jones Memorial – August 26th, 2017 - Aug 2017
- In Loving Memory of Judith Jones: March 10, 1924 – August 2, 2017 - Aug 2017
- The Left Coast - Jul 2017
- The Duck Whisperer - Jul 2017
- Right in My Backyard: Trillium Hill Farm Part II - Jun 2017
- Right in My Backyard: Trillium Hill Farm - Jun 2017
- Where Food Comes From - Jun 2017
- A Day of Dining in New Orleans - May 2017
- Sautéed Fiddleheads in Butter with Lemon and Garlic - May 2017
- This is Not a Gardening Blog II - May 2017
- When Life Gives You Bruised Apples…Make Applesauce!!! - May 2017
- This is Not a Gardening Blog - Apr 2017
- New Guest Writer: Welcome Corrie to the Green Mountain State! - Apr 2017
- A Farewell To The Green Mountain State - Jul 2016
- Zabby & Elf’s Stone Soup, Part II - May 2016
- Zabby & Elf’s Stone Soup - Mar 2016
- Gratitude - Dec 2015
- Food Entrepreneurs Part V: Brio Coffeeworks - Nov 2015
- Food Entrepreneurs Part IV: Tomgirl Juice Co. - Oct 2015
- Food Entrepreneurs Series Part III: The Bakery At The Farmhouse Kitchen - Aug 2015
- Food Entrepreneurship in Vermont Part II: Bijou Fine Chocolates - Jul 2015
- Summer Events In Vermont - Jul 2015
- Is Localizing America’s Food System Possible? - Jun 2015
- Food Entrepreneurship in Vermont Part I: SharkBite Hummus - Jun 2015
- Nourish Vermont: Traditional Foods and Health Gathering - May 2015
- Late Sugaring In The Northeast Kingdom - May 2015
- Baking With Bayley Hazen Blue - Apr 2015
- Vermont Artisan Village - Mar 2015
- A Rare Book Indeed - Nov 2014
- It’s Time for an Organic Revolution! - Sep 2014
- Food for the Soul as well as the Body: Shojin Ryori - Aug 2014
- The Venerable Shojin Ryori Cuisine of Japan by Hiroko Shimbo - Aug 2014
- Better than Summer Camp: Summer Programs in Cheese Making, Fermentation, Charcuterie, Draft Horse Farming & Food Writing at Sterling College - May 2014
- We Did It! GMO Labeling Passed in Both the Vermont House & Senate - Apr 2014
- A Very Important Birthday: Judith Jones Celebrates Her 90th Birthday! - Mar 2014
- A Book Is On Its Way! As my interest in local farming has grown, I find myself writing a book… - Jan 2014
- After the Barn Fire Fundraiser Dinner to Benefit Maple Wind Farm – Tues, Jan 28 at Hinesburgh Public House - Jan 2014
- Sign Up for Blog Updates from In the Kitchen with Bronwyn & We’ll Donate $2 to the VT Foodbank for each subscription through Dec 31! - Nov 2013
- A Recipe for the Holidays from Shelburne Farms - Nov 2013
- When the Farm is a School: Shelburne Farms - Nov 2013
- Bronwyn Jones Dunne Selected by IACP as Featured Blogger - Nov 2013
- Fairfield Farm at The Hotchkiss School: Where Academics & Agriculture Meet - Oct 2013
- Farm to School – Not Just a Slogan - Oct 2013
- The Making of the “Zetterburger”: A True Tale of Creativity in the Kitchen - Aug 2013
- The “Zetterburger” Recipe - Aug 2013
- From the Sea Cloud to the Cloud Nine of Dining - Aug 2013
- Making Fresh Mozzarella - Jul 2013
- The Spirit of Vermont at the 2013 UVM Food Sustainability Summit - Jul 2013
- My Shangri-La: A Weekend at Twin Farms Resort - Jun 2013
- Twin Farms’ Gluten-Free Soufflé Pancake Recipe - Jun 2013
- Remarkable Recipes, Remarkable Women - Apr 2013
- Food & Art at Twin Farms - Apr 2013
- Video of Bronwyn Dunne & Judith Jones Preparing Potato Salads at BrynTeg - Mar 2013
- Potatoes from Peru: An Ancestral Flavor Reclaimed - Mar 2013
- Cookbook Author Joan Nathan’s 70th Birthday Party - Feb 2013
- Subscribe to my Blog by March 31 to Benefit the VT Foodbank! - Feb 2013
- The Mindful Carnivore - Jan 2013
- An Adventure in Cooking, Food & Healthy Living… - Jan 2013
- Caledonia Spirits & Winery: The Honey Man’s Dream - Dec 2012
- A Spoonful of Fresh Maple Yogurt—Farmers to You Delivers! - Dec 2012
- Bronwyn Featured in Best of Burlington - Dec 2012
- Private Cooking Classes with Bronwyn! - Dec 2012
- A Last Feast Before A Perfect Storm - Nov 2012
Will try this at our new house!
Can’t wait to hear how it turns out.
Also, thanks for catching my EMBARRASSING typo…I have since corrected my spelling error!
I’m surprised there’s no vinegar or sugar!
I can’t wait to try it 😊
I’m pretty sure most conventional pickles and ferments are “flash pickled” with vinegar and not actually aged. The salt helps to preserve the veggies. Some folks get real technical with the vegetable to salt ratio (weighing by the gram, etc), but I found mine worked well with flexible measurements. However, mine fermented for ~6 weeks, so perhaps it would have been faster if I was more calculated.