Swedish fermented Vegetables info needed

You all seem to be such proficient chefs. Well here is a place to share some of that cooking knowledge. Or do you have a cooking problem? Ask away. Jams and chutneys go here too.
User avatar
diggernotdreamer
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 1861
Joined: Sat Jun 30, 2012 10:23 pm
Location: North West Ireland

Swedish fermented Vegetables info needed

Post: # 285490Post diggernotdreamer »

Did you see the Hairy Bikers last night, from Northern Sweden. They were shown how to make fermented vegetables in a way I have never seen before. Chopped chard, whole tomatoes, onions etc were put into jars with water into which a scant amount of salt had been put so as not to kill any beneficial bacteria. They also chopped rhubarb and put redcurrant leaves into the bottom added the rhubarb and topped with the water. Without watching the programme again, can anyone tell me exactly how much salt was added to the water and whether or not they had to be refrigerated afterwards. I am very keen to try this out myself

User avatar
Flo
A selfsufficientish Regular
A selfsufficientish Regular
Posts: 2188
Joined: Sun Mar 30, 2008 10:12 am
Location: Northumberland

Re: Swedish fermented Vegetables info needed

Post: # 285491Post Flo »

Good grief, I remember my mother salting runner beans in spare kilner jars many years ago but I can't remember how she did that either. Not a lot of use am I?

User avatar
doofaloofa
A selfsufficientish Regular
A selfsufficientish Regular
Posts: 1351
Joined: Sun Feb 05, 2012 9:50 am
Location: Wesht Cark, RoI

Re: Swedish fermented Vegetables info needed

Post: # 285494Post doofaloofa »

I followed JS's instruction on salting runner beans

The results were inedible
ina wrote: die dümmsten Bauern haben die dicksten Kartoffeln

User avatar
diggernotdreamer
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 1861
Joined: Sat Jun 30, 2012 10:23 pm
Location: North West Ireland

Re: Swedish fermented Vegetables info needed

Post: # 285501Post diggernotdreamer »

My polish neighbour salted his runner beans every year. Before he wanted to use any, he soaked them overnight in a bucket of water after he had rinsed them a few times

User avatar
Green Aura
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 9313
Joined: Thu Feb 07, 2008 8:16 pm
latitude: 58.569279
longitude: -4.762620
Location: North West Highlands

Re: Swedish fermented Vegetables info needed

Post: # 285502Post Green Aura »

For fermenting veg you can use brine with any strength from 1.5% to 5%. Several bacteria work together to ferment vegetables and they all prefer a slightly a different salinity. However, a brine of 2% to 3% will tend suit most and give the best flavour - not too salty. Don't use brine any higher than 5% - it will prohibit bacterial activity. And I'm guessing it would be far too salty anyway.

I've done whole, green tomatoes this way. We found them recently, they'd been shoved out of the way at some point -they were probably 2-3 years old. When I tipped them into a colander to drain them for chucking on the compost they smelled fantastic but I didn't dare try them! We've also done chard stalks and sauerkraut etc regularly. They are wonderful.

I don't know much about preserving rhubarb, other than in jam, but fermenters often put grape leaves, or similar, in the jar to help keep the crunch in their veg. I don't know how it works though - I've never tried it. I'm not sure why you want that for rhubarb though - unless it's wanted for eating raw? Can't think what other reason it would be for, except maybe flavouring?
Maggie

Never doubt that you can change history. You already have. Marge Piercy

Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage. Anais Nin

User avatar
diggernotdreamer
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 1861
Joined: Sat Jun 30, 2012 10:23 pm
Location: North West Ireland

Re: Swedish fermented Vegetables info needed

Post: # 285504Post diggernotdreamer »

Thanks for that. I can work out how much salt that is, I know it was a very small amount, will have to go on the iPlayer and have another look. The rhubarb had redcurrant leaves as they apparently have good levels of friendly bacteria, they use the rhubarb in pies later on in the year as the sweetness from adding sugar cancels out the salt flavour

User avatar
Odsox
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 5466
Joined: Tue May 27, 2008 2:21 pm
Location: West Cork, Ireland

Re: Swedish fermented Vegetables info needed

Post: # 285505Post Odsox »

Found this http://www.nordicwellbeing.com/Julies_K ... egetables/
That uses 3 teaspoons of salt to the litre, which doesn't sound too salty to me.
Tony

Disclaimer: I almost certainly haven't a clue what I'm talking about.

User avatar
Green Aura
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 9313
Joined: Thu Feb 07, 2008 8:16 pm
latitude: 58.569279
longitude: -4.762620
Location: North West Highlands

Re: Swedish fermented Vegetables info needed

Post: # 285508Post Green Aura »

That's in addition to the whey though, Tony, which is used as a starter. Without it you need a little extra salt and more time. The whey adds a flavour that is quite distinctive - I don't mind it but not everyone likes it.
Maggie

Never doubt that you can change history. You already have. Marge Piercy

Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage. Anais Nin

User avatar
benner
Barbara Good
Barbara Good
Posts: 136
Joined: Thu Aug 30, 2007 7:41 pm
Location: Southampton, Hampshire

Re: Swedish fermented Vegetables info needed

Post: # 285881Post benner »

Please tell me more...

Can you educate me regarding salinity % ?

Quite often my local farmshop gives me the stuff that no one else will buy...I easily run out of freezer space so another method of preserving would be great. Pickling in vinegar isn't an option as I don't do malt vinegar due to any gluten content.
Sitting on the fence isn't without it's risks

User avatar
diggernotdreamer
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 1861
Joined: Sat Jun 30, 2012 10:23 pm
Location: North West Ireland

Re: Swedish fermented Vegetables info needed

Post: # 285883Post diggernotdreamer »

Why don't you have a go at making Kimchi, you can use a lot of different vegetables for that

User avatar
Green Aura
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 9313
Joined: Thu Feb 07, 2008 8:16 pm
latitude: 58.569279
longitude: -4.762620
Location: North West Highlands

Re: Swedish fermented Vegetables info needed

Post: # 285885Post Green Aura »

I think the standard is a 2% solution. You need much less than you think. I started a pot of a mix of 2 large cabbages, shredded and 2 large swedes, grated and used a total of 2 tablespoons of salt. I also added the contents of a couple of probiotic capsules (the gal is vegan so I can't use whey) to kickstart it. It's quite cold up here so takes ages without any sort of starter.
"Wild Fermentation" is an excellent book for learning about fermentation of all kinds.
Maggie

Never doubt that you can change history. You already have. Marge Piercy

Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage. Anais Nin

User avatar
benner
Barbara Good
Barbara Good
Posts: 136
Joined: Thu Aug 30, 2007 7:41 pm
Location: Southampton, Hampshire

Re: Swedish fermented Vegetables info needed

Post: # 285901Post benner »

Found a webpage which recommends 1tbsp salt per 800g veg. Have tried with a mixture of cabbage and swede, so will see what happens.
Sitting on the fence isn't without it's risks

User avatar
Green Aura
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 9313
Joined: Thu Feb 07, 2008 8:16 pm
latitude: 58.569279
longitude: -4.762620
Location: North West Highlands

Re: Swedish fermented Vegetables info needed

Post: # 285909Post Green Aura »

Did you add any water, benner? I find I never seem get enough liquid out of the veg to ensure anaerobic conditions. So I always top up until covered by about an inch of water.

I know a lot of people don't but I've had so many mouldy ferments it works better for me. I often wonder if, again, it's down to the length of time needed up here. You can pretty much triple any fermenting times so I suppose it's more opportunity for the wrong bugs to infiltrate any cultures.
Maggie

Never doubt that you can change history. You already have. Marge Piercy

Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage. Anais Nin

User avatar
benner
Barbara Good
Barbara Good
Posts: 136
Joined: Thu Aug 30, 2007 7:41 pm
Location: Southampton, Hampshire

Re: Swedish fermented Vegetables info needed

Post: # 285913Post benner »

Haven't added water but I've a smaller jar with a weight on it that fits inside the rim of the larger jar to push everything down. There is now liquid covering everything. The site didn't specify when to put a lid on it though... I'm guessing that when the veg no longer needs a weight to keep it submerged...Any thoughts?
Sitting on the fence isn't without it's risks

User avatar
Green Aura
Site Admin
Site Admin
Posts: 9313
Joined: Thu Feb 07, 2008 8:16 pm
latitude: 58.569279
longitude: -4.762620
Location: North West Highlands

Re: Swedish fermented Vegetables info needed

Post: # 285914Post Green Aura »

I do it from the start and weight the veg under the water level. If you have enough liquid you may not need any water.
Maggie

Never doubt that you can change history. You already have. Marge Piercy

Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage. Anais Nin

Post Reply