Lacto Fermented Beets Without Water

There is a lot of recipes on the internet about how to ferment beets but I haven’t found anything that talks about making lacto fermented beets without water. This technique was used a lot when I was growing up in Russia. Just like cabbage, beets can release enough juice to make their own brine. The process is a little more involving than pouring salt water on top of chopped beets but I think the result is worth it. Of course, there is absolutely nothing wrong with the water brine, just fun to do something different every now and then. Beets are packed with nutrients, and lacto fermentation brings out even more goodness, check out this post for details.

I use this mandoline slicer with a small julienne attachment. This slicer is one of my favorite kitchen tools, it’s great for very fine slicing or making julienne cuts, like for these carrots. It takes a little getting used to, but once you figure it out – it’s great. I like using fine julienne cut for beets for two reasons: they ferment faster than the chunks while staying crunchy and they are more versatile. They can be used to add to beet soup like this, used in salads without overpowering other ingredients and just generally look more appealing than the old boring chunks.

HOW TO MAKE LACTO FERMENTED BEETS WITHOUT WATER

INGREDIENTS
3 medium raw beets, peeled (it will fill half the jar, and when you put a weight in – the juice will rise 3/4 of the jar)
2 beet slices, circles cut across, about 1/4 inch – to use as a topper.
1 teaspoon fine sea salt or Himalayan salt
4-5 tablespoons of pickle or sauerkraut juice (how to make pickles, how to make sauerkraut; or get pre-made like Bubbie’s in the refrigerated section)

EQUIPMENT
Mandoline slicer
A mixing bowl
A quart mason jar with a tight lid (I love this reCAP lid with a fermenting waterless attachment)
A small weight that fits inside a mason jar, like this, or improvise! Boiled rock, small water filled jar, paper weight, etc.

INSTRUCTIONS
Slice beets with julienne attachment of mandoline slicer.
Toss with salt and pickle juice in a mixing bowl. Use your hands to scrunch the beets until they start releasing juice. Almost like kneading dough. You can use gloves to prevent staining around your nails.
Transfer to mason jar, pack down, and press hard to release more juice.
Put two slices of beet on top and finish with a weight (these weights are very convenient). Your beets will be now be well covered with juice.
Cover tightly, and leave at room temperature for 4-5 days, burping daily to release built up pressure.
Start tasting after day 4 to get the exact level of sourness you like.
Once you like the taste, remove the weight and transfer to refrigerator.
[slideshow_deploy id=’2714′]

Save

Save

Save