Water Kefir Instructions / Fermentation

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WATER KEFIR KORRELS

HealthyeatsKefirWater Kefir korrelsWater kefir is made from kefir grains, also known as sugar grains, tibicos, tibi, or Japanese water crystals100 gr

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What is Water Kefir?

Water kefir is made from kefir grains, also known as sugar grains, tibicos, tibi, or Japanese water crystals. The grains make up a cultures of various strains of healthy bacteria and yeast, held together in a polysaccharide matrix created by the bacteria.

 The symbiotic relationship of the microbes produces a stable growing culture. The microbes feed on sugar and produce lactic acid, alcohol (ethanol), and carbon dioxide, yielding a fermented carbonated beverage. 

The alcohol content is usually very minimal, less than 1 %.Health Benefits of Water KefirThe health benefits of consuming water kefir are endless. They are a natural supplier of probiotics to our digestive tract.

 Probiotics refers to the healthy bacteria that usually feeds on the “bad” unhealthy bacteria in our stomach and intestines. Bacterial overgrowth can lead to many illnesses some of which include fungi, yeast infections, indigestion, obesity, Irritable Bowel Syndrome, Crohn’s Disease, skin disorders, etc. 

By drinking water kefir you will bring balance to your internal microflora. Many people take a probiotic supplement daily for this particular reason but I prefer to drink the water kefir. It’s much tastier and more affordable in the long run.

Dr. Gabriel Cousens, a leading expert in the raw food community, writes in his book “Rainbow Green Live Food Cuisine“:“Kefir grains produce right-rotating L(+) lactic acid, which is an important constituent of the human body. It is particularly important in the prevention of cancer and has been used experimentally with success in the treatment of cancer. In addition, right-rotating lactic acid may help maintaining healthy functioning of the heart. According to some researchers, the cells of the heart muscle obtain their energy primarily from right-rotating lactic acid.”

Another health advantage of water kefir is that people who do not wish to consume dairy or have a vegan type diet may find that water kefir provides the living probiotics without the need for dairy or tea cultured products, like kombucha.Vegans also may like to know that through the fermentation process kefir becomes an excellent source of vitamin B12, and is high in vitamins B1 and B6.

Tools Required:

Plastic strainer

Plastic measuring spoons

Plastic spoon

Measuring (1/2 gallon) or 1.5 liter mason jar

Ingredients needed:

Filtered or spring water

Water kefir grains

Organic cane sugar OR Sucanat, raw sugar or coconut palm sugar

Unsweetened, unsulfured dried fruit (apricots, figs or raisins)- optional

Organic lemon  - optional

• Notes 1: it’s very important that you NEVER use any metal utensils or tools when handling living cultures such as kefir grains. They don’t like metal and may be adversely affected if exposed to it.
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• Notes 2: never use tap water because it contains chemicals such as chlorine and fluoride. They will kill the grains.  HOWEVER, this is not an issue in the Netherlands.

•  Make sure the dried fruit doesn’t have any sulfur dioxide added to it. Many conventional brands add this chemical to keep the dried fruit looking bright and fresh.

Basic water kefir formula:

1 Cup of water

1Tbsp. of sugar

 1Tbsp. of kefir grains

Few pieces of dried fruit - optional

Generally I use 4-5 spoonfuls of kefir grains to 1.5 

Liter of water and 4 spoonfuls of organic sugar.

After all the ingredients are in the jar, you need to cover the top of the jar with a cloth, paper towel or parchment paper held by elastic. This is so your kefir grains can breathe and to make sure nothing can contaminate them. Putting a tight lid could cause the jar to explode due to the natural carbonation process taking place.Place the water kefir jar on your counter away from direct sunlight. The kefir water should be ready in 24-48 hours. The kefir will be mild and sweet at 24 hours, and more zesty and acidic at 48 hours.

 This is really a matter of personal preference and either way is tasty and has health benefits. Temperature can speed this process up the warmer it is inside your house. If it tastes like there is too much alcohol for you try reducing the amount of sugar and fruit or reduce the amount of grains. 

You will soon find what you like after a couple taste tests.

How to Make Flavored Water Kefir

This is where the fun part of making water kefir comes because you can customize the flavor to your liking.

 Follow this steps:

After the initial batch of plain water kefir has fermented, drain the kefir water and set the grains aside for a new batch.

Take the fermented kefir water and pour into a large glass pitcher or a couple small pitchers, pending how many flavors you’d like to make.

To each pitcher/jar add 1/4 cup of fruit juice or fresh fruit of your choice.

 If you are making Strawberry Lemon make sure to puree the strawberries first. It will give your kefir much richer taste.

Let the kefir ferment for another 24 hours. This time you can put a tight lid especially if you prefer more fizz to your beverage.

In 24 hours you will notice color change in your kefir as the flavor of the fruit/juice is metabolized by the kefir grains.

 Taste your kefir to see if it’s ready. If it’s not sweet enough, just add a tablespoon of sugar

.Take your final water kefir, pour over ice and enjoy! 

Flavored Water Kefir Recipes

 Coconut Water Kefir

If you love coconut water, then making it into kefir is even better! Just substitute the water portion with fresh coconut water from Young Thai coconuts. 

 You will need about 6-8 coconuts to get 6 cups of coconut water. You do not need to add sugar to the mix because coconut water is naturally sweet and it will feed the grains on its own. 

Also, you may skip the dried fruit and lemon.

 Ginger Spice

After 24 hours of fermentation with just ginger and sugar, strain the kefir, take the liquid and add ½ Tb. vanilla extract and 1 cinnamon stick per quart.

 Let sit for another 24 hours on the counter, or 24-48 in the fridge. Tighten the lid for more fizz! Serve cold with whip cream on top.

 Or add some scoops of caramel vanilla ice cream for a delicious float!

Lime Pineapple

After 24 hours of fermentation with a slice of lime (instead of lemon), strain the kefir, take the liquid and add a half cup pineapple chunks per quart, squeeze in the lime juice and discard the lime slice.Let sit for another 24 hours on the counter, or 24-48 in the fridge.

Raspberry Mango

After 24 hours of fermentation, strain the kefir, take the liquid and add ¼ cup mango (or similar tropical fruit juice) per quart. Add in ½ cup raspberries. Let sit for another 24 hours on the counter, or 24-48 in the fridge. Tighten the lid for more fizz!

Strawberry Lemon

 After 24 hours of fermentation, strain the kefir, take the liquid and add 1/2 cup purred strawberries and squeeze out the juice from the lemon into it. Add a couple whole strawberries if desired as well. Let sit for another 24 hours on the counter, or 24-48 in the fridge. If this is too tart, add in some sugar or honey at the end to taste.

Cola Cherry

After 24 hours of fermentation of just sugar and grains, strain the kefir, take the liquid and add ¼ cup cherry juice per quart. Add a couple whole cherries if desired as well. Let sit for another 24 hours on the counter, or 24-48 in the fridge. Mix in sugar to taste if desired.

Storing Extra Kefir Grains

After your first few batches you will notice that your kefir grains grow rapidly (considering you take good care of them). You can do four things with the extra grains:Eat them! They are very nutritious, packed with many beneficial probiotic bacteria. You can add them to your smoothies if you wish.Short-term storage – you can store water kefir grains in sugary water in the refrigerator for up to a week. The cold temperature will slow down their growth. Just make sure to rinse and change their water on weekly basis.Long-term storage – you can put the extra grains in a glass jar and freeze them. They can last for about 6 months or longer. Keep in mind that it may take a few batches to revive them after they’ve been frozen. They should be fine after that.Share them! As you accumulate more water kefir grains, just share the joy of making water kefir with family and friends. Give them your extra grains and teach them how to make their own natural “soda” at home. 

Composition of Water Kefir Grains: Bacteria and Yeasts

Water kefir grains consist of a complex polysaccharide matrix, upon which live a combination of live bacteria and yeasts existing in a symbiotic matrix.

These include 57 lactic acid bacteria strains, some acetic acid bacteria strains, and at least four yeast strains. Up to 453 different bacterial strains have been identified in water kefir! (Some of these are different subspecies of a single strain, however.) Not all strains are present in all water kefir samples. Differences in the behavior of the grains, the speed at which they multiply, and the type of sugar they perform best with may be due to variations in the bacterial makeup of the particular grains.

We do not test individual batches of water kefir grains for yeast and bacteria content, therefore we cannot make any guarantees to the exact probiotic makeup any particular set of water kefir grains sold on our website. The following is a list of the major species of active bacteria and yeasts that are generally found in water kefir:

Bacteria

Species Lactobacillus
L. brevis
L. casei
L. hilgardii
L. hordei
L. nagelii

Species Leuconostoc
L. citreum
L. mesenteroides

Species AcetobacterA. fabarumA. orientalis

Species StreptococcusS. lactis

Yeasts

Hanseniaospora valbyensisLachancea fermentatiSaccharomyces cerevisiaeZygotorulaspora florentina

Source: http://biologiageral.com.sapo.pt/Ficheiros/Gulitz.pdf (referenced May 2013)

 Notes

Water kefir contains very large amounts of good bacteria and yeast as well as being high acidic. For some people it can be a little bit of a shock. Everybody reacts to it differently, so we always recommend starting out slow to see how your body takes to it. The majority of people do not have any adverse reaction, but if you do, usually it’s just a matter of starting out slow and slowing increasing over time. Start with a tablespoon and go from there. Sometimes drinking in the morning is best as many people report that they do much better with kefir in the morning.

Rehabilitating Water Kefir Grains

Water Kefir: Rinse, Rest, Recover Water kefir is a delicious and refreshing drink, loaded with probiotics and easy to make. Under ideal conditions, you can put a couple of tablespoons of water kefir grains in a quart of sugar-water, coconut water, or fruit juice, let it sit for a day or two, then strain, add flavoring, and let ferment for a few more days. The result will be a light, slightly fizzy drink that kids and grownups love to drink. However, there are a few problems that can come up when the grains are stressed from overcrowding, lack of nutrients, or contamination. These problems include: Grains are slimy. Kefir is syrupy. Kefir smells bad. (Sulfur smell, smells like rotting fruit, smells “like feet”, etc.) White film forms on the top of the kefir. Grains start to diminish in volume. These problems are mostly a result of the kefir not properly re-building themselves, which is a result of undernourishment. Kefir grains need not just sugar as food; they also need minerals. It’s very easy to supplement with minerals, and often a good idea to let the grains rest a little as well. Here’s how to give your grains a “rest and recover” treatment that will get them back on the road to robust productivity. Make a Resting Solution Start with fresh, clean water. Make sure it does not have fluoride in it. If your tap water is fluoridated, it is not likely that an ordinary house filter will remove it. You will have to use bottled spring water, or get a filter specially designed to remove fluoride. Chlorine can be removed by filtering, evaporation, aeration, or boiling. Chloramines, used instead of chlorine in some municipalities, must be filtered out. Bring the water to a boil and let it cool for five or ten minutes. (This is one way to remove the chlorine.) You will need a quart for the resting solution, plus a quart or more for rinsing the grains. In a quart-size mason jar, put 4 tablespoons of granulated sugar. The best type to use is an unrefined organic sugar such as turbinado, Sucanat, evaporated cane juice (unbleached), rapadura, etc. You can also use white table sugar. Don’t use honey, agave, coconut sugar, or any other type of alternative sugar. (Some of these are okay for culturing, but you want to just keep it simple for now.) Now add some mineral supplementation. You can choose any one of the following: 1/8 teaspoon unrefined sea salt 1/4 teaspoon plain baking soda 1/2 teaspoon unsulfured blackstrap molasses A few drops of liquid mineral supplement (such as Concentrace) 1 teaspoon oyster shell (sterilized, the kind that is used in aquariums), or  sterilized, crushed eggshell (If you use oyster shell or eggshell, put it in a muslin bag so it doesn’t get mixed up with the grains.) Fill the mason jar with the boiled water to about an inch or two from the top, and let it cool to room temperature. Set the rest of the water aside. When it is cool, you can rinse the kefir grains. Rinse the Grains Ordinarily you should not need to rinse the kefir grains, but if they have gotten to the point where they are slimy or stinky, it’s a good idea to clean them off. Put some boiled, cooled water in a shallow bowl, and set up a plastic mesh strainer so you can put the grains in the strainer and have them bathed in the water. Stir the grains around in the strainer gently with your finger, brushing them lightly up against the strainer. This will clean off any loose yeast or contaminants off the surface of the grains without damaging them. Pour off the water, which will be cloudy. Repeat the rinsing a few times until the discarded water is pretty clear. Your grains are now “naked” and ready to rest. Rest the Grains Put the cleaned grains in the prepared solution, and cover the jar with a plastic lid. (If all you have is a metal lid, put coffee filter over the top of the jar, then put the lid on top of that.) Now put the jar of grains and water in the refrigerator and leave them there for at least three or four days. The cold will put the grains to sleep. They can stay in the refrigerator for as long as a month, resting and rebuilding. Get the Grains Back to Work After your grains have rested, you are ready to make a new batch of kefir. Set up the new kefir solution the same way you made the resting solution, with clean water, granulated sugar, and mineral supplementation. Strain the grains out of the resting solution. If you want, you can save the liquid. If it has only been in the refrigerator for a few days, it will be mostly sweet water with some probiotics in it. If you left it in the refrigerator for a long time, it may be very lightly fizzy and can be treated like kefir. In any case, it should smell better than it did before you started. If the grains still seem distressed (slime, bad smell, or white film), make a new batch of resting solution and rest the grains again. Add the rested grain to the new kefiring solution. You should have between 2 and 4 tablespoons of grains to a quart of water. If you have more grains than that, you can either divide them into smaller batches and make more jars, or use a larger jar. Make sure you maintain the right proportions of sugar and minerals in the water. Cover the jar with a paper towel or coffee filter secured by a rubber band, and let the grains sit for 24 to 48 hours. The resulting kefir should be clean and fresh, and ready for you to strain off, flavor, cover, and let sit for a couple of days to ferment again. Badly damaged grains may require two or three cycles of rinse, rest, recover. The good news is that once they are fully recovered, you can continue to use them for many months to come. Adding minerals to the water is usually a good idea, to make sure the grains have the nutrients they need. Question and Answers How can I tell if the water kefir grains are working? Following the rehydration process, there are generally two signs that the kefir grains are indeed making kefir:  Color: The liquid will change color over the 48 hour culturing process.  For example, if using white sugar, the plain sugar water will be yellow but finished water kefir will be a more opal color and less translucent.  If using a whole sugar containing molasses (e.g. Rapadura, Sucanat, etc.), the liquid will change to a different shade of brown (typically a lighter shade of brown). Taste: After the 48 hour culturing process, the finished kefir should be less sweet than the sugar water you started with.  Please note, finished kefir will still be fairly sweet as it does still contain fructose which is naturally very sweet.  But it should be at least a bit less sweet than the original sugar water. It may take a couple of batches before kefir grains function reliably.  It is also common for the taste of the kefir and the activity level of the kefir grains to change over the first 6-8 weeks after the kefir grains are rehydrated.  This is a normal part of the process of working with a live culture. What types of sugar can I use to make water kefir? Water kefir grains are fairly versatile.  While we do recommend using organic sugar if at all possible (reduces the amount of chemicals the kefir grains are exposed to), most sugars will work for making water kefir.  White sugar (aka Organic Evaporated Cane Crystals) makes a very mild kefir while sugars containing molasses (Rapadura, Sucanat, Turbinado, etc.) make a stronger tasting kefir.  If you are planning to flavor your kefir with fruit or juice, white sugar normally makes a more neutral backdrop for adding flavorings. What type of water should I use to make water kefir? Water kefir grains thrive on the presence of minerals in the water but have a hard time with chlorine.  Ideally, you will want to use a water source where the chlorine has been filtered out (or otherwise dispersed) but where the minerals in the water are left in tact.  Here are some specific examples: Tap Water: If using tap water, you will want to remove the chlorine.  Provided standard chlorine is used by your water provider, it can be removed by either boiling the water vigorously for a few minutes, running the water through a blender to aerate it or setting the water out overnight. Britta or Pur Brand (or similar) Water Filters: These water filters generally do a good job removing chlorine but they also remove most of the minerals in the water.  If using filtered water, add some mineral drops or a small pinch (no more!) quality sea salt such as Celtic Sea Salt or Himalayan Sea Salt.  Do not use table salt! Multi-Pure (or similar) Water Filters: No adjustments to the water are generally needed.  If in doubt, check your user manual to see if minerals are routinely removed; if so, use the instructions for the Britta or Pur Water Filters. Distilled and Reverse Osmosis Water: Use the instructions for addingmineral drops or salt listed for the Britta or Pur Brand Water Filters. Spring Water: Is generally a great option as it's normally chlorine free but does contain natural minerals. Well Water: Provided the water is safe to drink, this is often the best option for making water kefir as it doesn't generally contain chlorine but is high in minerals. All of my strainers are metal, can I use them with my water kefir grains? While not ideal, stainless steel strainers are okay to use as the kefir grains will have limited contact with the metal.  Be sure the strainer is actually made of stainless steel and not a reactive metal. The kefir grains have been rehydrating for 4 days and they look rehydrated but don't appear to be doing anything.  Should I wait longer? Go ahead and transfer the kefir grains to new sugar water to start the first batch of water kefir.  It's not uncommon for there to be little or no visible activity from the water kefir grains at this stage.  However, it is important that the kefir grains not sit in the sugar water too long or they will run out of sugar to eat which can damage the kefir grains. Can I keep my water kefir grains in a bag instead of letting them float free? You can keep the kefir grains in a cotton bag (like the kind natural foods stores sell as reusable tea bag).  Just be sure to secure the top of the bag so the kefir grains don't escape.  Also be sure the bag is submerged in the sugar water--if it floats it can attract mold. I've made a few batches of kefir and it tastes okay but it smells a little like yeast, is that normal? Yes, it is normal for the kefir to smell a bit yeasty particularly during the first few batches or when making water kefir during warm weather.  In the beginning, the yeasty smell is just a sign that the yeast and bacteria that compose the kefir grains is still balancing itself following the rehydration process.  Normally the smell will reduce significantly within a few batches.  If the yeasty smell appears later after your kefir grains are well established click here for more information on rinse-rest-recover method for repairing damaged water kefir grains. I've been working with my kefir grains for a few weeks and the taste of the kefir seems to be changing.  It's more fermented than before, a bit less sweet.  Is that normal? It is normal for the taste of the kefir to change a bit, particularly in the first few weeks after the kefir grains have been rehydrated.  This is due to the yeast and bacteria which compose the kefir grains rebalancing themselves following rehydration.  Over the first few weeks you work with the kefir grains, there will likely be several changes including the kefir becoming less sweet and the kefir grains becoming more active.  Often within 6-8 weeks, you'll also notice the kefir grains start to multiply.  In the meantime though, the kefir grains are still making kefir, but as a live culture, there will be some natural changes as they adjust to their new home. I've been working with my kefir grains for a few weeks and they still aren't bubbling.  What can I do? Give them some time.  It's normal to not see any bubbles for 6-8 weeks following rehydration.  If it's been at least 8 weeks since your kefir grains were rehydrated, try adding a bit of molasses (a teaspoon per half cup of white sugar) or using a whole sugar containing molasses (e.g. Rapadura, Sucanat, etc.).  The minerals in the molasses will feed the grains and often encourage them to be more active. I've been working with my kefir grains for a few weeks and they still aren't multiplying.  What can I do? Give them some time.  It's normal for it to take a minimum of 6-8 weeks before kefir grains start to multiply.  Ultimately though, we can't guarantee they will multiply as there are simply too many factors which influence that process.  Rest assured though that odds are very good they will multiply and even if they do not, you can continue to use the same set of kefir grains to make batch after batch of water kefir.  Click here for more ideas on encouraging kefir grains to multiply. Should I add things like ginger juice, eggshell and baking soda to my kefir grains to keep them healthy? A number of kefir makers like to add things like ginger juice, eggshell and baking soda to their kefir grains.  Strictly speaking, if you are using a quality water and sugar source, additives should not be necessary (for example, we grow large quantities of kefir grains using nothing but sugar and water).  Ultimately we do not recommend additives as there is a danger in using too much (which is very easy to do) which can result in problems including slimy kefir grains. Can I add fruit, herbs, juice, etc. to the kefir while the kefir grains are still culturing? Yes, technically you can add fruit, herbs, juice, etc. to your kefir while the kefir grains are still culturing but use caution. Adding anything other than sugar and water while the kefir grains are present has a number of risks including contaminating the kefir grains and potentially damaging the kefir grains.  For example, acidic fruits can damage the kefir grains by breaking down the yeast and bacteria that compose the kefir grains.  Ideally, we recommend waiting to add flavorings until the culturing process is complete and the kefir grains have been removed.  While this will mean a batch may take a day or two longer to make, it is normally worth preserving the integrity and long term health of the kefir grains. My kefir grains have been working well but suddenly they've become slimy.  How can I get them working again? Click here for more information on rinse-rest-recover method for repairing damaged water kefir grains. My kefir grains have been working well but this last batch smelled funny.  How can I get them working again? Click here for more information on rinse-rest-recover method for repairing damaged water kefir grains. My kefir was culturing well but then the last batch or two smell like yeast, but they tasted okay.  Is this normal? A yeasty smell can appear particularly during warm weather as the kefir will culture faster at warmer temperatures--the smell can generally be reduced by shortening the culturing period during warmer months.  If a yeast odor appears during a time when the kefir would not have been culturing at a warmer than usual temperature, Click here for moreinformation on rinse-rest-recover method for repairing damaged water kefir grains.. I forgot about my kefir on the counter and it's been culturing for more than 72 hours.  What should I do? The primary issue with leaving kefir grains longer than 48 hours is that at some point they will run out of sugar to eat and begin to starve.  This can damage and even kill the kefir grains.  If it's been longer than 72 hours, but less than 6 days, immediately feed the kefir grains by putting them in fresh sugar water.  Change the sugar water out every 24 hours for the next 2+ cycles until the kefir grains start behaving normally again.  If it's been longer than 6 days, the odds of saving the kefir grains go down significantly.  Click here for more information on rinse-rest-recover method for repairing damaged water kefir grains. Some mold has developed on top of the liquid.  Can the kefir grains be saved? Mold is generally caused by some form of contamination--often as simple as soap or food residue the dishwasher missed.  While mold will generally infect the kefir grains to the point they can't be saved, if you wish to try, scoop the mold out, drain and rinse the kefir grains thoroughly and place them in fresh sugar water.  Watch the next batch closely for any signs of mold.  Do not consume any kefir if mold develops or if the kefir smells, looks or tastes unpleasant. I need to take a break from making kefir.  How can I keep the kefir grains alive? Click here for information on how to take a break from making water kefir(without damaging your kefir grains). My kefir grains are multiplying quickly.  What can I do with the extras? As your kefir grains multiply, you can split them to make multiple batches of kefir (3 tablespoons of kefir grains is the minimum amount and will culture 1-3 quarts).  This is a great time to share the many wonderful benefits of making water kefir with friends by giving them some kefir grains to work with.  If you'd like to preserve some kefir grains as a back up in case anything happens to your current set, just lay the kefir grains out on a piece of unbleached parchment paper and allow to air dry in a warm place (75-80 degrees is ideal) safe from insects (watch out for fruit flies!) for 24-72 hours.  Once they are completely dry with no moisture remaining, place the kefir grains in a zip lock baggie and store in a cool dry place or the refrigerator--they will generally keep for a year or longer. source: http://www.culturesforhealth.com/   Ninety percent of the genetic material in your body is not yours but belongs to the bacteria that outnumber your cells 10 to 1.  These bacteria have enormous influence on your digestion, detoxification and immune system. Sandor Katz is a self-described “fermentation revivalist,” and has published two books on this topic, along with a third on the underground food movement. He’s a native of New York and a graduate of Brown University. Sandor currently lives in Tennessee, where he pursues his interest by presenting workshops around the world on fermentation. Fermented food is something I too have become quite passionate about, and I firmly believe it’s an absolutely essential factor if you want to optimize your health and prevent disease. The culturing process produces beneficial microbes that are extremely important for human health as they help balance your intestinal flora, thereby boosting overall immunity. Moreover, your gut literally serves as your second brain, and even produces more of the neurotransmitter serotonin—known to have a beneficial influence on your mood—than your brain does, so maintaining a healthy gut will benefit your mind as well as your body. Fermented foods are also some of the best chelators and detox agents available, meaning they can help rid your body of a wide variety of toxins, including heavy metals. “It wasn’t until I was in my 20s... that I first began to learn about and observe some of the digestive benefits of eating live culture fermented foods,” Sandor says. “It was another decade after that when I left New York City, moved to rural Tennessee, and got involved in keeping a garden that I first had a reason to investigate the practice of fermentation. All of the cabbages were ready at the same time, and I thought I should learn how to make sauerkraut. I did a little bit of research in cookbooks and started making sauerkraut. Thus began my investigations into fermentation about 18 years ago.” Starter Cultures versus Wild Ferment When fermenting vegetables, you can either use a starter culture, or simply allow the natural enzymes in the vegetables do all the work. This is called “wild fermentation.” Personally, I prefer a starter culture as it provides a larger number of different species and the culture can be optimized with species that produce high levels of vitamin K2, which research is finding is likely every bit as important as vitamin D. For this past year, we’ve been making two to three gallons of fermented vegetables every week in our Chicago office for the staff, which they can enjoy with the lunch we provide as an employee benefit. We use a starter culture of the same probiotic strains that we sell as a supplement, which has been researched by our team to produce about 10 times the amount of vitamin K2 as any other starter culture... When we had the vegetables tested, we found that in a four- to six-ounce serving there were literally 10 trillion beneficial bacteria, or about 100 times the amount of bacteria in a bottle of high potency probiotics. There are about 100 trillion bacteria in your gut, so a single serving can literally “reseed” 10 percent of the bacterial population of the average person’s gut! To me that’s extraordinary, and a profoundly powerful reason to consider adding fermented vegetables as a staple to your diet. You don’t have to use a starter culture however. Wild fermentation is fermentation based on microorganisms that are naturally present in the food you’re fermenting. It’s just as simple as using a starter culture, but it will take a little longer for it to ferment. “It’s very predictable when you salt and submerge vegetables [in their natural juices or brine]. The bacteria that will initiate at fermentation are always Leuconostoc mesenteroides. Then it’s a successive process whereby, as the pH changes and as the environment changes, different strains of bacteria come into dominance...” Sandor explains. “Typically, in a mature sauerkraut, the late-stage bacterium that’s dominant is Lactobacillus plantarum. It’s a very predictable succession, what happens with raw vegetables, [but] the specific strains will always be somewhat different depending on the vegetables you’re using and the environment that you’re doing it in.” To Salt or Not to Salt? Whether or not to use salt also largely comes down to personal preference. While it’s not a necessity, Sandor does provide some compelling reasons for adding a small amount of natural, unprocessed salt—such as Himalayan salt—to your vegetables. For example, salt: Strengthens the ferment’s ability to eliminate any potential pathogenic bacteria present Adds to the flavor Acts as a natural preservative, which may be necessary if you’re making large batches that need to last for a larger portion of the year Slows the enzymatic digestion of the vegetables, leaving them crunchier Inhibits surface molds Again, natural unrefined salts are ideal as they contain a broad spectrum of minerals, and the fermentation process makes the minerals more bioavailable—a win-win situation! “Just now, I’m getting near the bottom of a 55-gallon barrel of sauerkraut that I made last November mostly out of radishes. That would not be possible without the addition of salt,” Sandor says.  “You can make sauerkraut, and then you can ferment for several weeks in a cool environment. Maybe you could get to several months. But what would happen eventually to a salt-free kraut is that enzymes in the vegetable would basically digest the fiber of the vegetables. It would just turn into a mush, which is not at all appealing to me.”  What Type of Container Should You Use? There’s no need to over-think or spend large amounts of money on containers. The material they’re made of is important however. You do NOT want to use plastic or metal. Plastics are loaded with chemicals you don’t want leaching into your food, such as bisphenol-A (BPA) and phthlalates. Metal is also inadvisable as salts can corrode the metal. Even if you don’t add salt, most vegetables have some natural salts in them. Good options include: Glass jars (wide-mouthed Mason jars are ideal, so that you can get your whole hand in there to press down the vegetables) Ceramic crocks Wooden barrels I completely agree with Sandor’s sound general advice here: “My main message that I would encourage your viewers and listeners to remember is you don’t need to buy anything special. You need a head of cabbage or a couple of pounds of vegetables, and beyond that everything you need is already in your kitchen. Whatever tools or devices you typically use to chop or shred vegetables, you can use that. Add some salt, mix it around, squeeze it with your hands for a couple of minutes, and stuff it into a jar. Beyond that, you could use any kind of shredding device you like: a mandoline, a food processor, a continuous feed food processor, or a specialized cabbage-chopping device. You could buy beautiful elegantly designed crocks. But you have everything that you need to get started in your kitchen. Don’t let the beautiful crock that you don’t have yet be the reason why you don’t start doing this. I think it’s really important to recognize that you don’t need anything special to start a fermentation practice. You might decide you want to play with starter cultures, but you don’t need starter cultures to get started. You might decide that you want to invest in a crock, but you don’t need a crock to get started. If you take two pounds of vegetables, you can stuff a quart-sized jar with those. Just chop them up. Shred them. They can be extremely fine, or they can be coarse and chunky. It doesn’t matter. Lightly salt them to taste or else weigh them and measure out 1.5 percent salt. I prefer to salt them lightly to taste.” Two Helpful Tips... As Sandor explains, an important step in the process is to squeeze the vegetables before packing them into the jar. You don’t need any fancy tools for this; just use your hands. “Bruising” the vegetables in this way allows the cell walls to break down and release their juices. Capture the juice in the jar you’re going to ferment your vegetables in. Then stuff as many veggies into the jar that will fit. You want to stuff them in as tightly as possible, forcing out any air pockets that might ruin the batch. The brine should cover the vegetables. Sandor then simply covers the jar with the lid and leaves it on the kitchen counter. A helpful tip I learned from Caroline Barringer is to top off the jar with a cabbage leaf, tucking it down the sides. Again, make sure the veggies are completely covered with the natural brine you squeezed out of the vegetables (or add a small amount of celery juice), and that the juice is all the way to the top of the jar to eliminate trapped air. To speed up the fermentation, store the jars in a warm, slightly moist place for 24 to 96 hours, depending on the food being cultured. Ideal temperature range is 68-75 degrees Fahrenheit; 85 degrees max. You don’t want it too hot, as heat will kill the beneficial microbes. Don’t tuck them away in a dark closet and forget about them, though! As Sandor explains: “The reason why you don’t want to just put it in the closet and forget about it is that it’s going to produce pressures, especially in the first couple of days. You want to relieve that pressure by opening the jar for a second. In that way, you don’t get a huge accumulation of pressure and risk the possibility of the jar exploding – or what’s more likely to happen, if you’re using a canning jar, where the glass is thick and the lid is thin, it will just contort the top. But it’s best to consciously release the pressure.” The second tip is to smell and taste your ferment regularly. There’s really no objective moment when the fermentation is ready, so go ahead and taste it at frequent intervals, starting after about 48 hours. Then keep on tasting it every few days or a couple of times a week as it matures. It typically takes about a week for the optimal amount of fermentation to occur. Resist the temptation to eat out of the jar, however, as this can introduce undesirable organisms from your mouth into the jar. Instead, always use a clean spoon to take out what you're going to eat, then, making sure the remaining veggies are covered with the brine solution, recap the jar. When the flavor is to your personal liking, transfer the jars into the refrigerator to dramatically slow the progression of the fermentation. Keep in mind, the vegetables will tend to get increasingly sour as time goes on, but according to Sandor, you could let the vegetables ferment for weeks and even months without worrying about them spoiling—after all, that’s what the fermentation process does: It preserves food without refrigeration. On Allowing Your Creative Juices to Flow There is no food that cannot be fermented. As Katz states in a recent NPR article1, bread, coffee, pickles, beer, cheese, yogurt and soy sauce are all examples of foods that have been fermented at some point during their production process. That said, not every vegetable will produce equally delicious results, and not every food is as easily fermented as vegetables, but your imagination is really the only limit when it comes to what you can concoct. “If you ferment summer squash, which are very watery, they will tend to get soft and mushy much faster than any other kind of vegetable would,” Sandor says. .. You can certainly ferment kale and other dark green vegetables, but the high levels of chlorophyll in these vegetables produce a really strong flavor in fermentation. I prefer to use dark green vegetables as a minor ingredient rather than as the primary ingredient. Then I feel like that strong flavor can become a nice accent. But if it’s pure dark green vegetables, that flavor’s a little bit too strong for me, although I have heard from other people who really, really love it. In a way you can only learn what you like by experimenting. My biggest batch every year has been from radishes. I have a farmer friend who uses daikon radishes as a cover crop over acres and acres of his land. He invites me to pick a truckload full of daikon radishes. And I augment that with some cabbages, some chili peppers and garlic, and make a 55-gallon barrel full every year... Then you can also ferment whole vegetables. The difference with whole vegetables is that you can’t pull the water out of them, so you need to mix up a brine – salty water – and ferment them in the salty water. ... I met a woman whose grandmother was from a town in Poland, where they used mashed potatoes in their sauerkraut. And I love making mashed potatoes sauerkrauts. What I do is I steam potatoes, I mash them up, cool them to body temperature, and then I layer the mash potatoes in with my salted cabbage. That makes a beautiful sauerkraut. You can really be experimental and go wild. You can add things other than vegetables. ... In German tradition, juniper berries are often used. I’ve been tasting wildly experimental krauts with curry seasonings and things like that. Really, the only limitation is our imagination, once we understand the underlying principles of getting the vegetables submerged.” A Word of Caution Regarding Meat Fermentation As just mentioned, while virtually any food can be fermented, and the fermentation process automatically renders the food exceptionally safe since the probiotics produced kill any pathogens present, a disclaimer regarding fermenting meats is worth taking note of. “Fermenting vegetables is an intrinsically safe practice. In the United States, according to the USDA, there’s never been a single case of food poisoning reported from fermented vegetables. There is no danger. The food itself is a strategy for protection. Fermented vegetables are safer than raw vegetables,” Sandor says. “With meat, I can’t say this. The word “botulism,” which is the most feared food poisoning form of all, comes from the Latin word “botulist” or sausage. Until the advent of canning, which was in the 19th century, it was from fermented sausages that people knew about the rare food poisoning disease of botulism. There’s a little bit more of a learning curve. Another limitation with fermentation of meat for preservation process is the acids, which are what enable certain fermented foods to preserve so well. Acids are produced from carbohydrates, and meat fundamentally lacks carbohydrates. There’s a tiny bit of glycogen, but not enough to support a significant fermentation and formation of lactic acid. Typically, when salami is produced, the meat and the fat are minced or ground. And then they’re mixed with a tiny bit of sugar. The sugar is really what is fermented by the lactic acid bacteria and creates the acidic environment that is able to preserve the meat. It’s not through acidification alone that the meat is preserved. It’s a combination of acidification, drying (the meat is partially dried), and salting (the meat is always salted). Any one of these mediums could preserve the meat, either making it very, very dry as in something like jerky, making it very, very salty as in a food like prosciutto, or very highly acidic. http://articles.mercola.com