How long do you Ferment Food?

How long do you ferment food?

That is a good question! It seems to be asked quite a bit and probably because there are so many different answers out there. And I know people are most likely paranoid because here in the U.S. we put everything in the fridge. So the idea of keeping things out on purpose is pretty odd to most of us. Okay, but back to the answer. To give you a short and quick answer most veggies will take 3-5 days and things like Kombucha will take 10-14.

For those of you who are looking for a more in-depth answer, this is for you…

The timing really depends on your circumstances. For example…

Temperature:

My Kombucha does great in the summer and gets done in about a week. ( I live in Michigan and have no air conditioner. So it is very warm in my house.) In the winter It takes forever and really does not do that well. I am still trying to find a warm place in my house for it 🙂 So, If you can have your fermented foods in a warm dry place.

And honestly, it is up to your personal taste…

The longer it sets the sourer it will get. My mom loves things super sour so she kept her carrots fermenting for a week and would test it each day to see if she still liked it. But if you do not like a super sour taste then stop the fermentation process earlier. To do this you just place whatever you are fermenting in the fridge. It seems complicated at first but once you do it a few times you will know how you like it. That leads to the next question…

How long do fermented foods last?

Another great question. I mean your food is technically “going bad”, right? so how long until it is to bad to eat? Well, this might surprise you but you can keep fermented foods for a very long time! I have heard of people who have kept things for up to 8 years. Again, this will be personal preference. For me, there is no way I would have something in my fridge for that long without consuming it. But hey to each there own. Basically, The super vague answer it that your fermented foods will last a very long time. But just so that you sure make sure to test your food before you eat it…

Here are a few ways

• Check for mold

Obviously, if mold has formed you do not want to consume it. Mold is very toxic to the body and you just don’t want to mess with that. If it has any mold just chuck the whole thing.

• Smell the contents

If it smells rancid throw it out! You will be able to tell a difference between the more fermented smell and the smell of bad rancid food.

• Taste it

If you have done the 2 ideas above then give it a taste. If it tastes a little funky (more then the funky fermented taste) Then I would also throw it out.

Knowing that fermented food will last this long is a relief to me because there is no way that food will even last a year at my house so I am totally safe! That being said storing your fermented foods in an organized fashion is always a good idea…

How to store Fermented foods?

I love to organize! For me it is fun and I love to know where everything is in a moments notice. Just like I talked about with organizing your pantry. You want to make sure you know where everything is and that everything is properly labeled. If you just throw everything in your fridge you will have a hard time finding it when the time comes.

When it comes to fermented foods you have to keep them in the fridge or a very cold place if you want them to stop fermenting. I would suggest having an extra fridge to store them in. Label your food and store it away! Do you best to put the newest foods in the back so that you use up your oldest ones first. But really this should not be a problem because you have a few years to eat up your fermented food.

What does Lacto Fermentation mean?

The process of lacto–fermentation is when the starches and sugars in the veggies or fruits are converted to lactic acid by the friendly bacteria lactobacilli.

This means that the process of lacto fermenting creates extremely beneficial enzymes, b-vitamins, Omega-3 fatty acids, and various strains of probiotics.

What are the benefits of Fermenting? 

Hmmmm…..One of my favorite questions! There are many benefits to fermenting, But today I am going to share with you why I eat fermented foods!

“Gut health is the key to overall health” – Kris Carr

I could not agree more! I have always had an awful digestive system. I thought maybe I was allergic to different foods and trying going dairy free and gluten free Etc. but nothing seemed to work. I then realized that it did not matter what I ate my body was just not breaking it down. As I did my research I found that your gut health is SO important. It really has a lot to do with your overall health. I started taking a pro-biotic. Which was basically just fermented foods crushed down into a powder. IT WORKED! I could eat and had no problems digesting my food.

But then I got thinking why don’t I just ferment my own food? Now don’t get me wrong I still love that pro-biotic. Because Life gets crazy and I sometimes might not have any fermented foods on hand. I love having it as a backup! Anyway, I realized that fermenting foods did the same thing for my body as that pro-biotic. I LOVE when I find things that I can do myself for very inexpensively to heal my body!

When should you eat Fermented foods?

UM…ALL THE TIME!!!! Ha, can you tell that I am passionate about fermented food? Okay, but in all seriousness. I would suggest having a fermented food with every meal. This sounds like a lot but when you consider everything that you can ferment it really is not a huge deal. I mean I LOVE my Kombucha and drink it all the time. But again take it at your own pace. If your body is not used to fermented foods take it slow. Just start with once a day and go from there.

Fun and unique Fermented food ideas

I love to try new and exciting things. Forget the boring stuff that everyone ferments!

Here are my favorites

• Kombucha

Yes, I know this one is not super unique. But it is my absolute favorite and I can not help but talk about it. And you can make it as unique as you want! Every one adds the normal fruits like strawberries and blueberries but why not try some herbs? Or maybe ginger? If you have an upset stomach ginger Kombucha is a great alternative to ginger ale! All You need for Kombucha is A Pickle Jar, Tea, and a scoby. If you don’t have access to these things you can just grab it on Amazon here.

• Cinnamon Apples

A childhood treat of mine is cinnamon sugar apples! It was like eating pie! Why not ferment it? You still get that yummy “apple pie” taste but instead of feeding your fat you are healing your gut!

• Carrots

Yes, I know sounds “normal”. But instead of just doing carrots and salt why not add in some garlic? It will add and yummy tang to the sometimes boring carrots. Or you can add in dill or any other herb that you like!

How do I get my kids to eat it?

First of all start them young! If they get used to fermented foods at a young age they will not even know the difference. And that is why I try to pick the more “unique” fermented foods. My kids will turn their noes up to sauerkraut but give them kombucha or cinnamon apples and they are all set. Another thing is yummy dips. My daughter loves to dip things. So give them the fermented carrots and some ranch! Every kid loves ranch!

Application 

I know I went over a lot! But don’t be overwhelmed. Once you get started you will be surprised at how easy it is. The first time I made kombucha I read the recipe like 10 times while making it. I now laugh at myself. I mean If you have ever made kombucha you know how easy it is! You are basically just making tea! Oh, and Don’t feel like you have to make everything all at once. I started making kombucha and just did that for awhile. I did not start fermenting other foods until about a year later. It is all a learning process and takes time. It will not happen overnight.

Thanks so much for reading and I hope that this was able to clear up some of your confusion when it comes to fermenting!

happy Homesteading!

~Courtney