Fermenting

02What you'll need

• A fermenting crock or clean glass jar
• Non-iodised salt
• Filtered or dechlorinated water
• A weight to keep vegetables submerged under the brine

03Method

• 1. Prepare vegetables — sliced, shredded, or whole depending on the ferment.
• 2. Mix a brine of salt and water (concentration varies by recipe, typically 2–5%).
• 3. Pack vegetables into the jar or crock, covering fully with brine.
• 4. Weight the vegetables down to keep them fully submerged — exposure to air causes spoilage, not just fermentation.
• 5. Ferment at room temperature, tasting periodically, until the flavour reaches the desired point, then refrigerate to slow further fermentation.

04Troubleshooting

• Mould on the surface — usually from vegetables not staying fully submerged; ensure the weight is doing its job, and discard if mould is extensive.
• Too salty or not salty enough — measure brine concentration carefully; it affects both safety and flavour.
• Ferment too sour or not sour enough — taste periodically and refrigerate once it reaches the flavour you want; fermentation continues, just more slowly, in the fridge.
• Cloudy brine — usually normal (the bacteria doing their job), not a sign of spoilage on its own; judge primarily by smell and appearance of mould.

05Timing & maintenance