Fermented Black Radishes
Posted On January 19, 2024
Fermented Black Radishes
What is lacto-fermentation?Lacto-fermentation is allowing the naturally occurring lactobacillus bacteria on your vegetable to grow and naturally ferment your vegetable. For lacto-fermenting or pickling you need to create an anaerobic environment (you keep the vegetables submerged under the brine so air cannot touch the vegetables.) . Fermentation is to your taste. The longer it sits out the more it ferments. When you like the flavor, put it in the fridge. The cold will slow (almost stop) the fermentation process.
Equipment
- 1 One Quart Jar – Wide-mouth works best
Ingredients
- 4 Black Radishes (various sizes)
- 1 cup Unchlorinated Water (distilled or natural spring water)
- ½ tsp Non-iodine Salt
Instructions
- Cut radishes into thin rounds and pack into a 1 quart jar (a wide-mouth jar is easiest)
- Mix water and salt to make a brine
- Pour brine over radishes in jar
- Top with a weight to keep vegetables beneath the brine (I have used plastic bags filled with water, rocks, and glass lids designed to fit into mason jars)
- Let sit on counter for 2-4 weeks
Notes
Notes on making a brine
What is a brine? A brine is salt water. Too little salt or too much salt fermentation will not happen. The perfect spot is around 2%-4% salt to water. There is math! Here is a link.
Notes on water
Why not just tap water? Tap water has chlorine which kills the bad bacteria and good bacteria. You need the good bacteria to naturally ferment You could use tap water, just boil for 20 minutes.
Notes on salt
Why not just any salt? Salt with iodine will darken the color of the food and can inhibit the bacteria from their process of fermentation.