Fermentation mistakes I see all the time 🌿

If you've ever had sauerkraut turn to mush or pickles mold, this one's for you.  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌

Hi There,   You know, I've taught fermentation for close to 10 years, and I still see people make same mistakes over and over again. All the time.    So, if you've ever had a jar of sour pickles go moldy, or a crock of sauerkraut turn to mush, pay attention. This one's for you.    Here's what I recommend: Keep vegetables completely submerged in brine. When vegetables float about the brine or are exposed to air, it's only a matter of time before they mold. You can sometimes wedge your veg successfully inside the jar, but I like to use glass weights. They're a little more reliable. Your jar should be nearly full, allowing only about 1 inch of headspace between the level of the brine and the lid. If there's a lot of air in your jar (perhaps you only filled it half-way), you're setting yourself up for mold.  Add adequate salt. Salt gives fermented foods flavor, keeps them from turning to mush, and supports the growth of GOOD bacteria.  Shoot for about 2-3% salt by weight (these are what my recipes are calibrated for).  If you need to adhere to a low-salt diet, opt for yogurt, kefir, and kombucha instead of fermented vegetables, as they're naturally low in salt. Temperature matters. Ideally, you'll ferment your vegetables at a cool room temperature (65-70 F). Hot temperatures can speed up fermentation and impair texture and flavor development, and very low temperatures can stall fermentation. Room temp is a good middle ground. Add herbs and spices! This is where your creativity can really come through. You can transform your ferments with garlic and hot peppers, juniper berries, sliced ginger and scallions - whatever flavors you happen to like. It's really fun. As long as you follow these basic rules 1) submerge your fermenting vegetables, 2) mind your salt, and 3) mind your temperature, you'll make some pretty amazing ferments. 💚   Thanks so much for letting me pop into your inbox!   Jenny McGruther, NTP Nourished Kitchen   P.S. If you're still not quite sure you're ready to DIY it, Cultures for Health has some great kits for beginners that give you everything you need to get started. 🌿

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