Fermentation 101

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FUN FACTS

  • Humans have experimented with almost every food and liquid to fermentation.
  • Coffeee beans are fermented as is chocolate. Black and ooolong tea is fermented green tea.
  • 10x as much bacteria as human cells - bacteria second self (500-1000 different species)
  • Human micro-biome project - trying to discover all the types of bacteria within us
  • We need a healthy colony of gut bacteria (Gut flora) to keep us healthy - so many people do not regularly have fermented
  • foods therefore reducing gut bacteria and leading to imbalace, opening the door to diseases
  • Lacto bacilli - in air, water and soil -Symbiotic with the human body
  • Sandor Katz - great guide for modern fermentation -  Wild Fermentation Book and site
  • Canning kills the good bacteria, but preserves for longer


WHY FERMENT

1. Preserving nutrients (stopping rotting)
2. Flavour
3. Creating nutrients


  • Probiotics - antibiotics - use food instead of supplements
  • Its easy
  • Takes less time than to cook a meal
  • Up to $100 in value (instead of buying)
  • Natural medicine
  • Improves digestion
  • Increases energy
  • Reduces joint paint
  • Colon wellness                           
  • Supports immune systems
  • High in vitamins
  • Antioxidants (reduce free radicals which can contribute to cancer)
  • Vitamin C
Equipment


-Kitchen scale
-Weights or small weight bowl (jars, boiled rocks)
-Sea Salt (not iodized-will kill bactera) helps release liquid, deters harmful bacteria
-Non-chlorinated water
-Cutting board, knives
-Organic vegetables
-Optional: Herbs and spices
-Mason jars or airlock jars


Fermenting 101


FERMENTATION IS
“A chemical reaction in which a ferment causes an organic molecule to split into simpler substances
Fermentation essentially uses bacteria to break down something edible and transform it into something else edible (like the process that transforms a cucumber into a pickle or milk into cheese).  It was a special bacteria called lactobacillus which was first discovered in cheese and yogurt which led to the name lactofermentation.


The term ‘lacto’ related to the bacteria, not the dairy it was contained in (the same bacteria also exists in fruit and vegetables) thus you can indeed have a lactofermented pickle that doesn’t have any dairy whatsoever.  This means that wild fermentation, fermentation and lactofermentation can all be the same thing – it’s simply fermentation that occurs with the
lactobacillus bacteria.
1.Wild Fermenting (such as many cheeses, yogurts, sourdough breads and other ferments).
2. Fermenting with a starter
Lactofermenting


POPULAR FERMENTS
Kefir. Kefir is a fermented milk product (cow, goat or sheep milk) that tastes like a drinkable yogurt. water kefir, coconut milk kefir
Kombucha: Fermented sweet tea, plain or flavoured, requires a "mother" scoby - zoogeal mat
Sauerkraut: Salted cabbage, ready in 2 weeks, taste throughout
Pickles: Not just cukes, can be any vegetable
Tempeh. Fermented soy, more digestable than tofu, textured and tasty flavour
Kimchi. Fermented nappa cabbage with chili spices, and many ingredients
Beer, Wine, Cider
Sour dough bread
Fermented seed cheese (sunflower)

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SAUERKRAUT


Sauerkraut is one of the greatest probiotic foods. It stimulates the growth of good bacteria and this sauerkraut recipe requires just three ingredients. Salt, cabbage and water


TIPS FOR MAKING GOOD SAUERKRAUT
Use fresh cabbage. The better your ingredients, the better the finished product will be.
Use at least some salt. Salt is a traditional ingredient in sauerkraut because it increases shelf life, texture, and flavor. The amount of salt used can vary according to personal taste preference. We recommend 1 to 3 Tbsp. per quart of water.
Create an anaerobic environment. This is an absolute essential in the sauerkraut-making process. The cabbage must be completely submerged underneath a brine in order for the lactic acid bacteria to proliferate. This is important for protecting your ferment from unwanted bacteria (or mold). Fermentation weights can help keep your cabbage submerged.
Give it time. You can ferment sauerkraut for only a few days before moving to cold storage, but giving sauerkraut a lower temperature and longer fermentation time can develop the flavor and texture a little better. We suggest letting it ferment for 2 weeks, though experimenting with time and taste is the best way to determine what time frame works best for you.

SUPPLIES FOR MAKING SAUERKRAUT

a good knife, container for fermenting, a fermentation weight, and some sort of lid with an airlock is all you need to get started.


Do everything you can to store sauerkraut at a cool room temperature. At high temperatures, the sauerkraut can sometimes become unappetizingly mushy or go bad. Low temperatures (above freezing) are fine, but fermentation will proceed more slowly.


This sauerkraut is a fermented product so it will keep for at least two months and often longer if kept refrigerated. As long as it still tastes and smells good to eat, it will be. If you like, you can transfer the sauerkraut to a smaller container for longer storage.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------METHODS FOR MAKING SAUERKRAUT

1. SLICING, POUNDING, AND KNEADING CABBAGE

Thinly slice cabbage, salt it, then pound it with hands or masher for about 10 minutes, or until enough juice is released to form a brine and completely cover the cabbage.
Move the cabbage and juice to fermentation containers, weight the cabbage down to keep it below the brine. Cover with tight-fitting lids, airlock lids, or a cloth, secured with a band.

2. WEIGHTING AND PRESSING KRAUT IN A CROCK

Place shredded cabbage and salt in a large fermentation crock or bowl. Instead of pounding, weigh the cabbage down with heavy bowls or stones. Press on the weights regularly to draw the natural juices out of the cabbage and submerge the cabbage slowly in the brine.
After a couple of days, with continued pressing, the cabbage will have accumulated a fair amount of liquid at the top, enough to cover the cabbage completely.

3. WHOLE CABBAGE HEADS WITH BRINE

In this method the cabbage is not shredded or sliced prior to fermenting. Since whole cabbage heads cannot form their own brine fast enough to protect them from mold and unwanted yeasts a brine is generally created then used for fermenting.
While this method is the least labor-intensive, it takes the longest. Four weeks or more are necessary before moving to cold storage because of the size of the cabbage heads.
HOMEMADE SAUERKRAUT RECIPE

INGREDIENTS:

  • 1 Medium Head of Cabbage
  • 1-3 Tbsp. sea salt

INSTRUCTIONS:

  1. Chop or shred cabbage. Slice each quarter down its length, making 8 wedges. Slice each wedge crosswise into very thin ribbons.Sprinkle with salt.
  2. Knead the cabbage with clean hands, or pound with a potato masher or Cabbage Crusher about 10 minutes, until there is enough liquid to cover.
  3. Stuff the cabbage into a quart jar, pressing the cabbage underneath the liquid. If necessary, add a bit of water to completely cover cabbage.
  4. Cover the jar with a tight lid, airlock lid, or coffee filter secured with a rubber band.
  5. Culture at room temperature (60-70°F is preferred) for at least 2 weeks until desired flavor and texture are achieved. If using a tight lid, burp daily to release excess pressure.
  6. Once the sauerkraut is finished, put a tight lid on the jar and move to cold storage. The sauerkraut's flavor will continue to develop as it ages.

VARIATIONS:

For a more complex flavor add caraway seeds (to taste).
Prior to culturing, you can also mix 1 part other vegetables or ingredients (shredded carrots, apples, etc.) with 5 parts cabbage to vary the recipe.
Sauerkraut with other cabbages: Red cabbage, napa cabbage, and other cabbages all make great sauerkraut. Make individual batches or mix them up for a multi-colored sauerkraut!

Smaller batches will ferment more quickly and larger batches will take longer.

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