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Click here to get this national bestseller at Lehmans.com. It's THE book to have if you're into fermenting.[/caption]
There seems to be a rapidly growing movement toward returning to traditional methods of preserving foods, such as canning, dehydrating, root cellaring, and even... fermenting.
Fermentation particularly seems to be an unfamiliar concept in our fast-paced culture today. Often times when Americans think of something being fermented, they equate it to being rotten or spoiled. We forget that sauerkraut, in fact, is a fermented food. And it’s highly nutritious for you, as are many fermented foods! Almost every culture around the world incorporates fermentation in their daily food preservation techniques. Americans are slowly beginning to re-learn this forgotten art.
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Nervous about fermenting? Try the Perfect Pickler™: small or gallon kit, it's nearly foolproof. At Lehmans.com, and Lehman's in Kidron, OH.[/caption]
I myself have never eaten anything fermented up until recently, not even sauerkraut. So it was quite the experiment when I decided I was going to make fermented pickles the other day. What would they taste like? Would they even be good? I had no idea. But if fermenting my pickles meant that I could add something to my diet that would help restore good gut bacteria and add a little boost to my overall health, I was willing to give it a shot.
The process is quite easy. And unlike canning pickles, it was done in just a matter of minutes.
Here’s what you’ll need:
- Half gallon mason jar w/ lid
- 5 Tbsp Canning Salt, or Fine Grained Sea Salt
- 2 quarts water
- 6 large grape leaves or oak leaves, washed
- Pickling cucumbers- enough to fill the jar, depending
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Half gallon jars are in stock at Lehman's in Kidron, Ohio, and Lehmans.com. Click for more information.[/caption]
on size - Lots of fresh dill, heads and leaves
- several large garlic cloves, peeled
- Red pepper flakes
My pickles, fermenting on my kitchen counter.[/caption]
After fermenting for almost a week, my pickles were ready to taste. I’ll admit, I was hesitant to try them. But my curiosity was too strong to let me back out.
The taste was surprisingly pleasant. Not quite like the dill pickles we’re used to eating from the store, but not at all bad. I was surprised to feel a slight fizzing on my tongue from the carbon dioxide in the batch of pickles. I continued to munch away at my first experiment in fermentation, partially because it was tasty and partially because I knew it was good for me.
But the pickles were still warm. Surely they’d be even better chilled! I put the jar in the fridge for a couple of days, and tried the pickles again.
This time they were absolutely delicious. The taste was closer to what I’m used to with store-bought pickles. Even my 9 yr. old and 6 yr. old gobbled them down.
When my husband came into the kitchen and found us all enjoying a plate of sliced pickles, he got in on the action. We all agreed that I probably could have used a little less red pepper (my guys don’t like hot stuff so much), but the flavor was amazing… for something fermented! You never would have known it.
The benefits of eating fermented pickles are definitely worth giving it a try. I’ll be making more fermented dill pickles, and can’t wait to experiment with other foods as well.
Have you fermented anything lately? What’s your favorite fermented food? Share in the comments section below!
Guest blogger Kendra also writes regularly at her website: newlifeonahomestead.com.
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