[0:00] So, as most of you know, I have been [0:02] rather obsessed with fermentation over [0:04] the last decade of my life. I put out [0:06] countless videos on the subject, which [0:08] have racked in over 50 million views. [0:11] But over the last 6 months specifically, [0:12] I have taken things to a whole new level [0:15] because I am deep in the process of [0:17] writing a fermentation book with the [0:19] main goal of making what can be a very [0:21] confusing and overwhelming subject as [0:24] accessible as possible. And with every [0:26] single bubbling jar and croc that I've [0:29] experimented with in this kitchen over [0:31] the last few months, I've gained a [0:33] little bit more knowledge and a whole [0:35] lot of inspiration that I just could not [0:37] wait to share until the book is [0:39] released. So, I welcome you to my master [0:41] class in fermentation. Now, the world of [0:44] fermentation is extremely vast. It has [0:46] helped humans survive for thousands of [0:48] years. So, of course, different cultures [0:50] have adopted their own specific [0:52] techniques, their own recipes, and the [0:54] book covers a much broader range of all [0:57] of these things, but today I wanted to [0:59] specifically focus on the simple skill [1:02] of fermenting vegetables. Because when [1:04] you're learning any new skill, I think [1:06] it's best to just start with the basics [1:08] and then expand your knowledge from that [1:11] point. which is why I think every single [1:13] home cook should at least be somewhat [1:15] comfortable with just simple veggie [1:18] fermentss. So, this video won't be [1:19] covering more of the complex recipes [1:21] like kimchi or kombucha or even koji. [1:24] Instead, we're going to be sticking to [1:25] just two ingredient fermentss, just [1:27] vegetable and salt and water if you [1:30] consider that an ingredient. And when I [1:31] say vegetable, that includes every part [1:34] of the vegetable. The stalks, the pods, [1:36] the stems, leaves, flowers, fruits, all [1:39] of which will be demonstrated in this [1:41] video. And what's really fun is every [1:42] single ferment that you see in this [1:44] video has been harvested from my garden [1:47] over the last few weeks, which really [1:49] ties into the core of why humans always [1:51] fermented foods. taking that abundance [1:53] that's available during the growing [1:55] season and preserving it to help survive [1:57] those colder months when fresh [1:58] ingredients were not available. Now, of [2:00] course, with modern technology like [2:02] refrigeration, humans have slowly over [2:05] time lost this very basic and natural [2:08] ability to ferment and preserve foods. [2:10] But even with all the available [2:12] resources and fresh foods that we can [2:14] now get year round in this modern world, [2:16] people are finally starting to wake up [2:18] about the health benefits of consuming [2:20] food that is active, that is alive, and [2:23] thriving with beneficial microbes that [2:25] help create a healthy balance for our [2:28] gut biome. Now, the great thing for all [2:30] of you is since we are just focusing on [2:32] the basics of fermentation today, we [2:34] don't need any expensive gadgets or [2:37] equipment. We just need some very basic [2:40] supplies and by far the most important [2:42] piece of equipment of course are your [2:44] jars. The most classic and I think [2:46] accessible fermenting vessel being the [2:48] glass jar. They are reusable and most [2:50] importantly you can see through them so [2:53] you can actively watch your fermentss [2:55] develop over time. These are your [2:57] classic ball jars. Some are considered [2:58] widemouth which have a wider opening and [3:01] some are considered smallmouth which [3:02] have a smaller opening. I do prefer a [3:04] wider mouth, which is much easier to [3:07] funnel things in and out of. Plus, this [3:09] glass weight can fit perfectly into the [3:11] mouth of the jar, which do come in [3:12] different sizes, and I would highly [3:14] suggest having a bunch of these around. [3:16] They are a great piece of equipment to [3:18] keep your veggies submerged safely under [3:20] the water line, which we're going to [3:22] need to create a proper anorobic [3:24] environment. Now, of course, these glass [3:25] jars come in different sizes. My [3:27] favorite and what I would say the most [3:29] allpurpose size is the classic 32 [3:32] ouncez, but I also ferment in these 16 [3:34] ounces and even 8 oz for like a small [3:36] little jar of peppers or hot sauce. I [3:39] also want to mention these lay parfait [3:40] jars which are top of the line when it [3:42] comes to a pop top style of jar, which [3:44] are a great option for fermentation [3:46] specifically because the jars can [3:48] actually be sealed tight while still [3:50] being able to release gas out of the top [3:52] so you don't have to worry as much about [3:54] an explosion in your kitchen. Although [3:56] these jars still should be burped from [3:58] time to time just to be safe. Which [4:00] brings me right into the next piece of [4:01] equipment, which are your jar lids. Now, [4:04] there are many different types of [4:06] fermentation lids. Different options [4:08] that are more classic that have always [4:09] been around, some new options that have [4:11] hit the market as fermentation has [4:13] started to get bigger. This is a fun [4:14] little spring-loaded lid that keeps the [4:16] veggies safely submerged under the water [4:18] line without needing a weight. Right [4:20] here is a one-way air lock lid, which [4:22] lets that CO2 that's developed in the [4:24] fermentation process out while keeping [4:27] the oxygen from coming in. These things [4:29] are great. I have a bunch of them in my [4:31] kitchen. I use them all the time. You [4:33] also have a more classic version that [4:34] looks like this, which you have to add [4:36] water to, but you get the same exact [4:38] effect. And then of course, you just [4:39] have your standard mason jar lids, which [4:42] definitely do the trick, but they create [4:44] a tight seal. So, if you do screw these [4:46] lids on, they need to be burped from [4:48] time to time to let out that CO2 so you [4:51] don't have any type of glass jar [4:52] explosion. And then outside of that, the [4:55] only other real piece of equipment that [4:57] you need for proper fermentation is a [4:59] good kitchen scale. And any somewhat [5:02] accurate scale will do the trick. All [5:04] right, my friends, that brings me into [5:07] the most important part of this video. [5:09] See how we have a percentage right here [5:12] on this jar? that comes from a specific [5:14] fermentation equation to get the proper [5:17] salt ratio you need to have a healthy [5:19] fermented product. And I did a video on [5:21] this many years back, but for this book, [5:24] I really wanted to fine-tune this [5:26] equation. So, it was crystal clear. It [5:28] was very practical and it was easy to [5:30] adjust at home. And the only way to do [5:32] that was to experiment myself, which is [5:35] what you see all over this kitchen. Now, [5:37] I first want to briefly cover the basics [5:39] of fermentation. As simple of a [5:41] breakdown as possible. Remember, we have [5:43] three things in this jar to unlock some [5:47] incredible flavors and health benefits [5:49] in this hakarai turnup. Vegetable, salt, [5:52] and water. And when fresh vegetables are [5:54] submerged in a saltwater solution, also [5:57] known as a brine, it creates an anorobic [5:59] environment, meaning no oxygen getting [6:01] in. And in that specific environment, [6:03] certain beneficial bacteria like [6:05] lactobacillus, start to thrive. And [6:07] these specific bacteria feed on the [6:09] natural sugars in the vegetables and [6:11] convert them into lactic acid which [6:14] gives these fermented vegetables that [6:15] nice sour flavor. [6:17] All right, before we get into salt [6:19] percentages, I just want to let you know [6:21] that if you really are interested in [6:23] taking your fermentation game to the [6:25] next level, the fermentation book and [6:27] course are coming this fall. So you can [6:30] sign up for more information. We'll send [6:32] you updates on the release. Just click [6:34] the link below in the description. All [6:35] right. So, I would say this is the most [6:37] important thing to understand when it [6:39] comes to vegetable fermentation, which [6:41] is choosing the proper salt percentage. [6:44] Now, this is something I struggled with [6:45] for many years. There is a lot of [6:48] conflicting information out there. And [6:51] the reason for that is there's really no [6:53] onesizefitsall [6:54] answer. There's a range of salt [6:56] percentage that's going to work well for [6:59] fermenting vegetables. And the key is [7:00] understanding how choosing within this [7:02] ratio is actually going to affect your [7:05] final product. And we have found from a [7:07] lot of rigorous testing that anywhere [7:09] from 2 to 5% salt of the total weight [7:12] and vegetables is going to give you a [7:14] great ferment. So that's the good news. [7:16] Anywhere on this scale is going to give [7:17] you something delicious on the other [7:19] side. But how do you choose? All of [7:21] these fermentss have a slightly [7:23] different salt percentage. And there's a [7:25] reason why. Actually, there's four main [7:27] things to understand and keep in mind. [7:28] Number one is timing. Salt, of course, [7:30] is a preservative. So the higher the [7:32] salt levels, the more of an inhospitable [7:34] environment you're going to create for [7:36] that bad bacteria, which is going to aid [7:38] in longer fermentation time. So if you [7:41] plan to ferment something for many [7:43] months, it's better to go higher on that [7:45] salt ratio. Whereas on the other end, if [7:47] you plan to ferment something for a [7:49] short period of time, a lower salt ratio [7:51] is actually going to speed up the [7:53] fermentation time. Number two is [7:55] texture. Salt over time is going to [7:57] break down the cell walls of your [7:58] vegetable. So if you're say fermenting [8:00] something that's a little softer like a [8:03] radish, a lower salt percentage might be [8:05] ideal to preserve the crispiness and [8:07] snap of the radish. Whereas a beet or a [8:10] carrot, those are denser, harder [8:11] vegetables. They can handle a higher [8:13] salt ratio while still staying crispy. [8:15] Number three is flavor. A lot of those [8:17] beneficial bacteria, those [8:19] lactobacillus, actually prefer a [8:21] slightly lower saline level. So lower on [8:23] the salt scale can aid in building more [8:25] of those delicious fermented flavors. [8:27] Whereas on the other end of the scale, [8:29] of course, a higher salt level is going [8:31] to make your vegetables taste saltier, [8:32] which some people prefer. But as your [8:34] vegetables ferment and build more of [8:36] those sour flavors, that sourness will [8:39] end up balancing out those higher salt [8:41] levels. And finally, number four is [8:43] safety. Again, salt being a [8:45] preservative, the higher the salt ratio, [8:47] the more reduced risk you have for [8:49] spoilage, which is going to ensure a [8:50] more reliable ferment, which is good for [8:53] beginners if you're just getting into [8:55] the game, I would go a little bit higher [8:57] on the scale and then as you get more [8:59] comfortable, you can start lowering that [9:00] percentage and going for more of those [9:02] unique flavors. All right, so hopefully [9:04] you're feeling more confident and you [9:06] have a much better understanding of how [9:08] fermentation works. Now, it's time to [9:10] see it in action. And I have been [9:12] harvesting a bunch of things over the [9:14] last few weeks. And we're going to start [9:16] off with carrots and beets. Two things [9:19] that I love fermenting. I'm going to [9:20] combine these into one jar because they [9:22] have a very similar texture and the [9:24] flavors together are going to be quite [9:26] nice. Now, for this first ferment, I'm [9:28] going to go into more detail of the [9:30] process. And the other ones, I'm just [9:32] going to kind of go over what I [9:33] fermented and the salt percentage that I [9:36] chose. and then Carly and I will do a [9:37] nice little taste test to see where we [9:39] ended up with these fermentss at the end [9:41] of the video. Now, when you're [9:42] fermenting veggies from the store, I [9:43] would highly suggest peeling your [9:45] vegetables because you don't know what [9:46] they've been treated with and also if [9:48] they've been in the ground longer, they [9:50] might have a tougher skin. Since both of [9:51] these are fairly small and young plants, [9:54] the skin is very delicate. It's also [9:56] loaded with nutrition, so it can be [9:57] fermented. I'm just going to peel off [9:59] and cut off any blemishes to get things [10:01] cleaned up. And then I'm just going to [10:02] chop up my vegetables in what I think [10:04] will be just a nice little fermented [10:06] bite. [10:07] [Music] [10:09] Now, once I'm done with the chopping, [10:10] I'll get my scale out. I'll pop on my [10:13] clean jar. I'll tear everything to zero. [10:15] Then, I'm going to load in all of the [10:17] vegetables. I'm going to cover them with [10:19] water, which will give me the weight [10:20] that I need to calculate my salt [10:22] percentage. And since this is a fairly [10:24] short ferment that I'm going to eat [10:25] pretty quickly, I'm going to go with a [10:26] lower percentage at 3.5%. But remember, [10:29] since these are denser vegetables, if [10:31] you're fermenting them for a long time, [10:32] they could take a higher salt [10:34] percentage. So, I'll multiply my water [10:36] and vegetable weight times. 035 to give [10:39] me the amount of salt I need, which I'll [10:41] weigh out separately. I'll dump that [10:43] into the jar. And I'm just going to [10:44] cover it with the lid and give it a [10:46] shake up. Generally, that's enough to [10:47] get the dissolving process to start. And [10:50] over time, all of that salt will just [10:51] naturally dissolve. Then I'm going to [10:53] pop on that glass weight to help keep [10:55] those vegetables submerged under the [10:57] water line, which is very important, [10:59] especially in those early days before [11:00] you've built up that good bacteria to [11:02] protect things. And this will happen, [11:04] like you can see here, a floater will [11:06] pop up. It will break the surface of the [11:08] water. Now, it's exposed to oxygen, and [11:10] all of that bad bacteria can come in [11:12] potentially leading to the growth of [11:13] mold at the top of your jar. If that [11:15] does happen, which things happen in the [11:17] world of fermentation, you want to throw [11:18] that away, learn from your mistakes, and [11:20] start over. Now, the final step is [11:21] popping on your lid. And what I love [11:24] about these one-way lids is as CO2 [11:26] builds up in your jar, the CO2 will push [11:28] out the remaining oxygen that was left [11:31] over in the jar, meaning this empty [11:32] space over time will have no oxygen, [11:35] which is a much safer environment in [11:37] your jar. And when actually fermenting [11:39] your vegetables, there's just a few [11:41] things to keep in mind. You want to [11:42] store them away from sunlight. So, [11:44] somewhere on a shelf that's not right in [11:46] front of a window or in a basement with [11:48] no windows. And when dealing with this [11:50] specific type of lactic acid [11:51] fermentation, just like the salt ratio, [11:53] there's also a range of temperature that [11:56] will work to properly ferment your [11:58] vegetables. I find a range from 60° F to [12:01] 75° F will work, which is great because [12:04] room temperature falls right in that [12:05] range. So for me, we've just been [12:07] fermenting things right here at room [12:09] temperature, and it's great. But if you [12:10] ferment, say, in your basement at a [12:11] lower temperature, you'll get some [12:13] different flavors. Your vegetables will [12:14] also ferment slower, which is a little [12:16] easier to control. Versus at the higher [12:18] temperature, things are going to ferment [12:19] faster. It's a little harder to control. [12:21] Things can kind of get away from you [12:23] quickly at higher temperatures. Now, for [12:25] the second thing I fermented, I had some [12:28] garlic scapes, which emerge from the top [12:29] of the garlic plant as they flower. But [12:31] I'm not actually after the flour. I'm [12:33] after these tender, garlicky, sweet, and [12:36] delicate stocks, which I just cut into [12:38] little pieces and fermented those at a [12:40] 4% salt ratio. For ferment number three, [12:43] I have my absolute favorite spring [12:45] vegetable, which are hakarai turnups. [12:47] These are super juicy. They're sweet. [12:49] There's almost zero bite like you would [12:50] get in a radish, which is why I like [12:52] them better than radishes. And I [12:54] actually fermented these whole at a 4% [12:56] salt ratio. For ferment number four, [12:58] I've been getting a ton of these radish [13:00] pods, which actually emerged when it got [13:02] a little hotter and the radishes bolted. [13:04] They put out flowers at the top and then [13:06] these pods started to develop and they [13:08] came in the masses. This is just a few [13:11] radishes that developed all of these [13:13] pods. And it's a great example of how [13:14] much more there is to ferment than just [13:17] the actual vegetable that you're used [13:19] to. I cleaned off all the pods, got [13:20] everything weighed out, and again, I [13:22] used that nice middle ground of a 4% [13:24] salt ratio. Now, for ferment number [13:25] five, luckily, I had some cabbage in my [13:27] garden to show you how those ratios are [13:29] slightly different. This cabbage was in [13:31] the greenhouse, so it was a little hot, [13:32] so they weren't really nice big heads, [13:35] but hey, a few of these will turn into a [13:37] great sauerkraut. So, I chopped up [13:39] everything fine. I weighed out my [13:41] sauerkraut. And since I'm relying on the [13:42] water content in the cabbage, I lower [13:44] that salt percentage to 2 to 3%. In this [13:47] case, I'm going to go right in between [13:49] at 2.5%. I weighed out the salt, dumped [13:51] it over my cabbage, and you get to [13:52] decide the texture of your sauerkraut. [13:54] If you like it more broken down, just [13:56] really massage in that salt and break [13:58] down those cell walls. Now, I'll place [13:59] the cabbage in the jar, and I usually [14:01] just wait an hour to see how much [14:02] moisture is drawn out. Now, you can see [14:04] here, I actually didn't have enough [14:06] water to cover all of the cabbage. So, [14:08] I'm going to dump in some clean water, [14:10] but to account for the ratio, I'm just [14:12] going to sprinkle in a little bit of [14:14] salt. And that will even everything out. [14:15] Now, the last variable to consider is [14:17] the time of fermentation. And what I [14:20] would say is the first few days, things [14:21] aren't going to taste great. If you're [14:23] trying it, it might even taste a little [14:25] bit off. And that's because that lactic [14:28] acid hasn't developed yet. So, the good [14:30] bacteria, all those health benefits, the [14:32] sour flavor is not developed. And after [14:35] about 5 days at room temperature, that's [14:37] when things will start tasting better [14:39] and they'll just continue to get better [14:41] over time. But we're going to talk about [14:42] the specific timings we like during the [14:44] taste test. [14:46] >> All right, so we have almost I don't [14:48] know like 12 fermentss here. All [14:50] different vegetables, all different salt [14:52] percentages, different timings. [14:54] >> Some things I didn't make in this video [14:56] that have been going for multiple [14:58] months. We're going to do a taste test. [14:59] I want to rank them 1 to 10, 10 being [15:02] the highest. and we'll see how it goes. [15:05] Let's move these aside. Two hawkai [15:07] turnups. This is the older one at 4%. [15:11] >> This is also 4%. [15:12] >> Okay. [15:13] >> But this one's probably a week or two [15:14] weeks older. [15:15] >> Yeah. Let's try the one first. [15:18] >> Wow. [15:18] >> Good. Slightly salty at the 4%, but so [15:21] good. This has been going for just a [15:24] month. [15:24] >> Yeah. It's salty at the beginning, but [15:26] then it kind of passes and then you get [15:27] that the sour flavor. [15:29] >> Yeah. The juiciness of this still holds [15:32] up. [15:32] >> These look less fermented almost. Maybe [15:34] cuz they're whole. Wow. [15:36] >> Salt has gone down a lot. [15:37] >> Mhm. That's from 421. [15:39] >> Oh wow. So that is 3 months old. [15:41] >> That is so interesting. [15:42] >> Melloed out a little bit. [15:43] >> A lot. [15:44] >> The salt mellows. But it's not like a [15:47] lot more sour. [15:48] >> This is definitely better than that one. [15:49] The extra time. [15:50] >> 9 and 1/2. 8 and 1/2 for me. [15:52] >> I would say this is like a nine and this [15:54] is like a seven. [15:55] >> Um [15:56] >> let's go. Cuz we have two beats now. [15:58] This is a 3%. What's that? [16:00] >> 3.5%. [16:00] >> All right. So, that's This is much [16:02] younger than this one. [16:03] >> Start with the young one. This one's [16:04] beets and carrots, I think, though. [16:06] >> This one's just beets. [16:06] >> All right. Let's just try be the [16:08] difference. [16:09] >> Yeah. Because it's a lower percentage. [16:10] Not too salty. [16:11] >> Not too salty. [16:12] >> Not that sweet. [16:13] >> It still very much has like raw beet [16:15] flavor. [16:16] >> Yeah. I'm interested in in what's [16:17] happening here. [16:18] >> This is from May 23rd. [16:19] >> Oh, wow. That tastes like a roasted [16:21] beef. [16:21] >> Completely different. It's amazing like [16:23] how much the texture changes and it's [16:25] not like, oh, this is mushy now. It's [16:26] like, oh, this tastes cooked now. That [16:28] tastes like a roasted beef and that's a [16:30] 10 out of 10. [16:30] >> And it's so sweet. [16:31] >> Those a 10 out of 10. [16:32] >> So good. Beets for the win. [16:34] >> We got garlic scapes at 3% and these [16:36] have been going for just a month. [16:42] >> Those will get better. That's an obvious [16:43] >> to me. That is a perfect salt level. [16:45] >> 3%. 3%. [16:47] >> Yeah, the 3% works. And we've been like [16:48] blending these into salsas and relish. [16:52] That's another note. It's not like we're [16:53] just eating these plants. We're adding [16:55] them to dishes, cooking them into [16:56] things. We're blending them into things. [16:58] It's just so good to have this around [17:00] because you get the additional flavor [17:02] that's built in. Like you don't need to [17:04] add acid anymore. It's just like such a [17:07] punch. [17:07] >> This is incredibly soft. [17:08] >> 8.5. Going to get better. [17:10] >> That's like a 10 out of 10 for me. [17:12] >> Okay, let's try these little radish pods [17:15] that are about a month old at 4%. Oh, [17:18] they're a little stinky. They smell like [17:20] farts. [17:20] >> I love that smell [17:21] >> cuz that's the radish. [17:22] >> That's the radish fart smell. [17:25] >> Oh, like some have different texture. [17:26] They have a bit of a pop. [17:28] >> Yeah, they're like filled with juice. [17:29] >> You know, these have gotten better cuz I [17:30] tasted those about two weeks in. They're [17:32] getting better. They're kind of fun. I [17:34] would say an eight. [17:35] >> Yeah, I'll give them an eight. [17:36] >> Okay, so now we have four sauerkrauts. [17:38] Classic. I don't This one doesn't have a [17:40] date. We'll we'll guess. [17:41] >> Yeah, we'll guess. That's That's [17:42] interesting. [17:44] >> Yeah, the brassica has that funkier [17:46] farty type. That's why when you open [17:48] like a sauerkraut, sometimes it smells [17:50] like farts. [17:50] >> That's how I know this is still young. [17:52] This is a young femin that goes away at [17:55] a certain point. probably a few weeks [17:57] old. So, this is red cabbage with [18:01] carowway. Our only spice in all of this [18:03] at 4% from 2 months ago. Now, this when [18:06] I was first tasting it, I was like, you [18:08] got to watch out when you're adding [18:09] spice. Any type of spice because the [18:11] fermentation can really intensify the [18:14] spice. [18:14] >> Smell that. Smells like rye. [18:16] >> Wow. [18:17] >> I think if you didn't like carowway, it [18:18] would be gross. But on the right [18:20] sandwich or the right dish, like this [18:22] would be so good on pastrami. [18:25] >> Oh my god. or something like that. [18:26] >> That is such a good point. Nine out of [18:29] 10 for me. [18:29] >> That's a nine out of 10 for me, too. [18:31] Next time I would do less carowway. [18:33] >> Last one of my favorite condiments of [18:35] all time. [18:35] >> Clearly favorite of mine. [18:37] >> I couldn't I couldn't resist. This is I [18:38] forgot the term. [18:39] >> It's called cotito. [18:40] >> Cito. This is cabbage, carrot, jalapeno. [18:44] >> Greatest condiment of all time because [18:45] it works as a salsa. It works as a [18:48] sauerkraut. It works as a um sloth like [18:51] >> but it's like a slightly fermented [18:53] sloth. [18:53] >> Spicy. [18:55] M. [18:56] >> Oh, I made this years ago on the [18:58] channel. [18:58] >> So good. The salt level is perfect. [19:00] >> And then you get the sweetness from the [19:02] carrot. 10 out of 10. I mean, the only [19:04] thing is just like it could a continue [19:05] to age. I would love more. [19:07] >> Yeah. Well, this will be my next when we [19:09] get jalapenos in. We have everything [19:10] else. [19:11] >> Oh, you're right. [19:12] >> We're about to get them. They're coming. [19:13] >> We're about to get a ton of cabbage. [19:15] >> Oh, we got to do a video on that. [19:16] >> That'll be a good short. [19:17] >> We'll end on that. [19:18] >> Oh, 10 out of 10. [19:19] >> So fun. Hopefully, you learned a thing [19:21] or two about [19:22] >> pickles are good. And you should try [19:23] making them.