Lacto-fermentation basics
November 5, 2011 By jbcoobtg 5 Comments (Edit)
Fermentation and lacto-fermentation have been around for a very long time mainly as a means to preserve
food over long periods of time when refrigeration wasn’t available. Today more and more people are rediscovering those old methods of preserving food because the taste is amazing, but also because it’s a great
way to consume probiotics.
Lacto-fermented foods are fermented by lactobacillus bacteria, which is a category of beneficial bacteria
that feeds on sugar and that produces lactic acid as a byproduct. This is why lacto-fermented foods taste
acidic.
Just about any vegetable and even fruits can be lacto-fermented, but fruits will need much less fermentation time as they contain much more sugar. You can play around and try all sorts of funky combinations
to discover some amazing tastes. Spices and herbs are also often used extensively to give an even greater
flavor to the final product. For example, sour pickles are often flavored with dill, garlic and a combination of
pickling spices. Some examples of pickling spices are bay leaves, cinnamon sticks, whole cloves, whole peppercorns, coriander seeds and mustard seeds. A popular variation of Sauerkraut (lacto-fermented cabbage)
is made with apples and Juniper berries.
General guidelines for lacto-fermentation
Even though the whole process might seem long and complex, fermenting food at home takes nothing but
a few basic instruments and ingredients. At its basis, most lacto-fermented foods are nothing more than
whole, chopped, sliced or grated vegetables placed in a brine of salt and water for a period of time at room
temperature to let the beneficial bacteria develop. The important thing to keep in mind is that the vegetables should stay submerged all along to prevent mold from forming. Lactobacillus bacteria is a facultative
anaerobic category of bacteria, meaning that it doesn’t need oxygen for energy production.
If you decide to chop, slice or grate your vegetables, you should add salt as you place the cut vegetables in
your chosen fermentation vessel and pound everything heavily with your fist or with a potato masher to
breakup the vegetables, release their juices and to eliminate any pocket of air that may form. When using
whole vegetables, like with sour pickles, you’ll simply place them in your vessel and submerge them with
a brine.
You’ll probably come across a lot of recipes calling for fresh whey as a starter for the ferment, but simply
using salt gives out the same desired result. Whey is only a way to bring more lactobacillus bacteria right at
the beginning of the process, but that desired bacteria is already present on the surface of the vegetables
you’re fermenting and will multiply fast enough when given the opportunity.
You don’t have to use much salt either and in fact you could even ferment food without salt, but using at
least some salt prevents undesired bacteria to gain power over the lactobacillus. Using salt also helps the
vegetables stay crunchy and helps draw water out of the vegetables. This extracted water can then act
as the liquid for the brine. The quantity of salt to use is up to you, but 3 tablespoons per 5 pounds of vegetables is a good ratio to follow.
As an alternative to salt, you can also use a vegetable starter culture like one of those available online at Cultures for Health or at your local health food store. These will ensure that only the desired bacteria ferments
your food, but they are not necessary at all when using salt. As yet another alternative to salt, seaweeds are
also a great choice as they are high in sodium. Seaweeds are also packed full of micro-nutrients and are a
great source of much needed iodine.
The other very important element is the fermentation vessel. You’ll want to choose a large ceramic or glass
jar where you can fit a cap or plate on top to be able to press on the vegetables and keep them under the
brine at all times. In any case, you’ll probably want to press on the cap or plate by putting a rock or a jug of
water on top. The salt will keep on extracting water from the vegetables several hours after you put them
in the fermentation vessel, but you should verify that the liquid covers your vegetables the following day
and add water if it’s not the case. Some mold can also form on the surface after some time in the form of a
white film, but it’s usually not a problem and removing it as best as you can is good enough. It’s also a good
idea to place the chosen fermentation pot or jar on a plate or thick towel as the ferment usually expands
and spills can happen.
Some special ceramic pots and glass jars are designed especially for lacto-fermentation and to keep the
vegetables submerged under the brine. I personally use a gallon sized glass fermentation vessel I got from
Cultures for health that comes equipped with an airlock setup to ensure that the vegetables are under the
brine. I like it very much and lacto-fermentation is a breeze with it.
The fermentation time will vary on a lot of factors: temperature, starter used, quantity of salt, nature of the
vegetable or fruit, … The best way to go about it when trying original combinations is to taste it along the
process and to go with the taste as the best indicator. When it tastes acidic enough for your liking, it’s ready
to be enjoyed and placed in the refrigerator to stop the fermentation. Taste it after 3 days, then taste it 3
days later and so on. The finished product will keep for months when stored in the refrigerator.
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