Small Batch Fermentation Made Simple

Fermenting is the age-old method for preserving fruits and vegetables and making pickles, sauerkraut, kimchi and more.

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I ’m a big fan ofsmall - batch preservingbecause it makes the most use of my fourth dimension and the yield and vegetables I reap from my garden during the season . Instead of marathon canning sessions , I preserve tomatoes , peppers and zucchini in mini sessions as fruits ripen .

That ’s why I wanted to try my hand at fermenting in small batches , too . I like sauerkraut , but it would take ages to eat an entire crock of kraut .

or else of fermenting large sum , theKraut Sourceis a dry pint - sized DIY fermenting outfit . The cap , moat , spring and press fit on a wide - mouth dry pint mason jar for fermenting fruit and vegetables in smaller - sized batches . The kit also fits on quart and congius jars .

I decide to give Kraut Source a effort with a mixing of homegrown sweet peppers and blistering chile white pepper . The recipe booklet give way guidance for using 1/2 cup filtered water , ocean salt , Madagascar pepper and a few clove of garlic .

Even though the formula is simple , the actual zymolysis process is complicated . It ’s a biochemical translation that results in a jar of cultured “ superfoods ” make by lacto - fermentation .

“ Lacto - fermentation means the veg or fruit have been fortify by lactic acid , a chemical compound produce during the fermentation time period , ” allot to expert at Kraut Source .

Fermented food are skilful for us because they increase the digestibility of vitamin and mineral and add fiber to our diets . They ’re also know as a source of beneficial bacterial that compete with harmful tum bacterium for better health .

The keys to full fermentation admit the quality of the piddle , the Strategic Arms Limitation Talks and , of course , the ingredients . Filtered water is good , but veritable water brought to a boiling point and allow to cool down works just as well .

Another paint is to make trusted the veg remain submerge in the seawater as they ferment . The Kraut Source uses a spring press to keep vegetables under the liquidity and uses a water fosse in the detonating gadget that keep line out but allows fermentation petrol to escape .

My small batch of work pepper should be quick in about 14 days . By then , more peppers will be quick to take into a dry pint jarful for keep .

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