Cooking Thread: Fermentation...

[BeardoMSU]

So, I've been making pickles for years, but only the vinegar/canned variety. They've been pretty good for the most part, but I was never happy with the texture, so I decided to give natural fermentation a go. Also, I decided to make kimchi for the first time as well.



The crock on the right has the cucumbers (Persian cucs, with a ton of dill and a basic salt brine: kosher salt, coriander seed, dill seed, some fresh chili, fresh garlic cloves, and several bay leaves). It'll sit for 8 to 10 days at room temp.

The kimchi was surprisingly easy to make, just involves several steps. You cut your Napa cabbage, add some shredded carrot and daikon radish, cover with salt, then work together with your hands until it's all tender. Cover with water, then allow to sit for a couple hours, then drain.

The sauce is a ton of chili paste, dried chili flakes, a head of fresh garlic, a finger of fresh ginger, green onions, and a little bit of fish sauce. You blend it all up and add the mixture to the drained cabbage. From the two cabbages I got a little over 2 quarts worth of kimchi, that'll ferment a few days before moving to the fridge.

We'll see how it all turns out.

Anyone else mess around with this type of stuff?

[BeastMan]

I have not but I really want to get in to pickling veggies.

[BeardoMSU]

I have not but I really want to get in to pickling veggies.

Canning with vinegar is super easy. I've done a ton of veg that way, with a bunch of different flavors.

Above I mentioned that I wasn't happy with the texture, but that was really only with cucumbers; everything else has been good. I've made some really really good cajun okra, cajun string beans, pickled green tomatoes, peppers, etc.

[SapperDawg]

One that was not really a success: several years ago I fermented some collard green strips in an attempt to make collard sauerkraut. It was OK, but not great. I need to make another go of it when I get home.