The weekend held more canning for me. Not in the way you might imagine, however. There was no vinegar or boiling and sealing jars involved. I used an even older method of preserving food through lacto-fermentation or fermentation through lactic acid. It is a far superior way of canning to today’s methods in terms of nutrition.
“The proliferation of lactobacilli in fermented vegetables enhances their digestibility and increases vitamin levels. These beneficial organisms produce numerous helpful enzymes as well as antibiotic and anticarcinogenic substances. Their main by-product, lactic acid, not only keeps vegetables and fruits in a state of perfect preservation but also promotes the growth of healthy flora throughout the intestine.”
-Sally Fallon, Nourishing Traditions pg.89
So far, all I have tried is cucumbers and of course made dill pickles. We have eaten two jars already and I have ten more in the works. I plan on trying to do lacto-fermentation with kraut next. Yum! It’s really good in a bowl of soup (pinto) beans with cornbread.
It has taken me a couple of tries to get my recipe right for my pickles. The website that coincides with Sandor Katz’s book Wild Fermentation has been a big help. I used the recommendations there and the recipe in Nourishing Traditions to develop my own.
Line the bottom of some wide mouth canning jars with leaves that are high in tannins. I use blackberry leaves as that’s what I have in my backyard. Grape leaves are suitable as well. These will keep the cucumbers crispy. In the bottom (for a pint jar), place one clove of garlic and 3/4 teaspoon of dried dill. Slice cucumbers into 1/4 inch slices and stuff the jar leaving about an inch of space from the top. Fill with water to cover the cucumbers, but keeping it an inch from the top of the jar. Add 3/4 tablespoon of real sea salt (unrefined), and put a smaller lid on top of the cucumbers to hold them under the water (it is important they remain submersed). Put on the lid. Then, leave the filled jars sit in a warm spot for 2-4 days. My last batch had to go for four. The first batch went three. Taste them after a few days to see if they are to your liking. It is normal for them to be bubbly. Any scum that might form on the top, just skim off. It will be obvious if something has went wrong and they are no longer edible from smell.
The pickles are delicious and the closer you get to the bottom of the jar, the more you can taste the flavor of the garlic. It makes me happy knowing that I am eating a pickle that is more beneficial to me than a boat load of sodium, artificial colors, and other preservatives. This experience has made me brave enough to try other fermented veggies, and I might even buy some kefir grains as I get serious about kicking my coffee habit.
If you’d like to know more about fermenting vegetables, check out this video with Sandor Katz.
8 comments
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July 27, 2009 at 12:21 am
Ren
Beeyooteeful! I really must do this
July 27, 2009 at 4:04 am
Leesie
I saw Ren’s tweet about this post on Twitter and clicked on the link not realizing it was that Kelli…(you), lol.
This is perfect timing for me! I am finally getting to enjoy some of the bounty from my garden and have started to pick some Kirby cucumbers which I think will be perfect for this recipe. Thing is, I have to figure out where to get some grape leaves. How wonderful you have those blackberry leaves so handy to use.
I purchased organic cabbage the other day and will also be trying the sauerkraut. Oooh! the idea of adding it to a bowl of bean soup sounds yummy. I hope you will post all about it.
I kicked the soda habit! Coffee is one of the few things I indulge in so I won’t be giving that up any time soon 😉 The other day I ordered organic coffee to try and read a Tweet today about a company that sells free-trade, organic coffee — it’s so much more expensive though 😦
Thank you Kelli!
July 27, 2009 at 1:36 pm
Deb
Interesting. I never heard of this before. I learn so much from you! We have an abundance of cucumbers. I freeze my other vegetables, but never know what to do with all the cucumbers. Please tell the clueless like me what kefir is. I do love my coffee though…
July 27, 2009 at 2:42 pm
eastkentuckygal
Thanks everyone for the comments, and the Tweet Ren!
Leesie – any leaves high in tannins will work. If you have oak trees around your home, those leaves will work as well. I will have to post about soup beans. They are a very different thing from bean soup, and it shocked me when I left the mountains for a time that no one seemed to know what I was talking about when I spoke about them… part of my culture shock. It’s funny, I assumed that it was a southern thing instead of strictly an Appalachian thing. Coffee is my indulgence too, but as I am trying to regain my health, I’m realizing it’s not doing me any good other than waking me in the mornings and acting as a sweet treat. Oh, I wish we could afford organic fair-trade coffee.
Deb – You should try this. It’s the same bacteria you’ll find in yogurts and such, and so good for you. Kefir is a dairy (milk) beverage that is kind of like yogurt smoothie in flavor, but is effervescent. Google it, and I’m sure you’d find a better explanation. It is delicious though. Oh, and you can also have water and juice kefirs.
July 27, 2009 at 11:31 pm
tipper
Never heard of this type of pickling before-very interesting!
July 28, 2009 at 1:11 am
breedermama
Mmm, pickles! I am inspired to try this too. You never cease to amaze me.
July 28, 2009 at 9:29 pm
emily
i love the basket you have the pickle ingredients in, its very pretty. also love mr. katz. he was just here, in my town doing a class at a local coop but sadly i missed it.
July 29, 2009 at 2:01 am
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