I first started fermenting about two years ago. It was a trial wrought with errors.

First, I didn’t know there was a “wrong” way to measure salt. I used table salt, unaware that it had a higher surface area than coarse salts, and that ultimately one tablespoon of table salt was saltier than one tablespoon of coarse salt. (There is, as well, a long held belief that the iodine in table salt can inhibit fermentation. Studies, however, do not support this belief.) So, my first batch came out too salty. And, because I’m such an overachiever, soon after I made my first batch of fermented vegetables I decided to make more—not just one more jar, but four more jars—despite my first jar not being ready to eat. And thus, a few weeks later I had a total of five practically inedible jars of fermenting vegetables. It was so awful that after I opened the first one I just avoided the other jars and kept them towards the back of my pantry in my personal corner of shame and embarrassment. They stayed there for months largely ignored by me. I distinctly remember coming upon one of the jars months later and noticing how distorted the metal of the lid had become. The metal looked like it was being pushed up and begging to come off. I searched for the other jars and saw that most of them had similar lids. After a quick Google search I realized that carbon dioxide had built up inside the jars and if it worsened the four remaining glass jars could potentially explode and I’d be left with a pantry filled with shattered glass.

Fortunately, it never came to that point. But it did put me off fermenting for a while. I wasn’t cognizant of the mistakes I had made and so I couldn’t rectify them until much later. Now, fermenting is one of my favorite rituals. I love spending a morning cutting and preparing vegetables and their spices, knowing that this work won't lead to gratification until weeks later.

Aside from those few (easily resolvable) complications, fermenting vegetables is one of the simplest recipes to follow. There is no one recipe for this, as you can use your choice of vegetables and portions of them. The only true consistent factor is the ratio of salt to water, which is essential for preserving and promoting fermentation.

Fermenting Vegetables

Ingredients

Vegetables

beets
cauliflower
celery, including the greens
savoy cabbage
celery, including the leaves
carrots, I used rainbow carrots

Seasonings

4-5 garlic cloves
2 bay leaves
2 dried chilis
2 tbsp mustard seeds
2 tbsp dill seeds
2 tbsp black peppercorns

Brine

1 tbsp coarse salt per cup of water, I used about:
- 6 cups of water
- 6 tbsp of salt (Himalayan, Kosher, or Sea salt all work)

Directions

Roughly chop vegetables—cauliflower into florets, cabbage into large chunks, carrots and celery into approximately 3-4 inch pieces. Peel the skin off beets and slice. Slice garlic cloves in half.
Layer the vegetables into your fermentation crock or glass jar. With each layer of vegetables add a portion of your seasonings. Continue until your fermentation crock is almost completely filled.
Place fermentation weights into your crock or jar. This keeps the vegetables below the brine and helps prevent molding.
For the brine: mix one tablespoon of coarse salt for each cup of water used. Using warm water helps the salt dissolve more easily.
Pour brine over the vegetables. The brine should reach just above your fermentation weights.
Cover with lid and keep at room temperature in a cool dark place for at least two weeks before serving.

Note: if using the typical lids that come with mason jars or other similar glass jars you may have to “burp” them every so often, that is, slightly open the jar every few days to allow any gas buildup to release. Otherwise, the lid may become difficult to remove or in the worst case—but rare—scenario if enough gas builds up the jar may explode.