Fermented Carrots

Course: Appetizer, Condiments, Snack

Cuisine: American, European

Keyword: fermented carrots, how to ferment carrots, how to make fermented carrots

Prep Time: 20

Fermentation time: 10

Total Time: 10 20

Servings: servings

Calories: 50kcal

Author: Victor

The recipe below is for one 1-quart jar of fermented carrots. Scale the recipe to make as many jars as you need.

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Ingredients

1 lb organic carrots
2 1/4 cups water 532 ml; room temperature
1 Tbsp pickling salt about 18 g
12 peppercorns black or assorted pink, green, white, and black
2 rosemary twigs
3 cilantro twigs
3-5 celery leaves optional; use if available
2 grape leaves optional, use if you have access to them;
2 whole allspice berries
2 whole cloves

Instructions

Wash the carrots well but don't brush them off. There are lactic acid bacteria on the surface that are needed to start fermentation. Cut into sticks, wedges, halves, or quarters.
Prepare 2 1/4 cups of 3.5% salt brine by whisking 1 Tbsp (18 grams) with water until the salt is dissolved.
Fill the jar with carrots while adding seasonings and herbs/leaves as you go.
Pour in the brine leaving about 1/2" of headspace while making sure the carrots are covered with the liquid.
Attach the fermentation lid with an airlock filled with the leftover brine. Make sure that the bottom tip of the airlock stays slightly above the liquid.
Ferment at 64F - 72F (18C - 22C). You should see bubbles going up after about 16-24 hours when fermenting at around 68F. Longer if fermenting at lower temperatures and a bit sooner if fermenting at higher temperatures.
Ferment for 5-6 days for half-sour carrots and 10-12 days for full-sour carrots.
Taste the fermented carrots. If you are happy with the results, place them in the fridge which will stop further fermentation. Fermented carrots will keep in the fridge for many months.

Notes

Instead of a fermentation lid with an airlock you can use a sealed plastic Ziploc bag filled with brine placed on top of carrots. Make sure to regularly check the bag for any white slime and wash it as needed. The slime forms as a result of yeast activity and exposure to oxygen. If you don't remove the slime regularly it will cause the pickles to lose their crunch.

You can use other herbs and spices to make fermented carrots to create different flavor profiles.

Nutrition