The OG Lacto-Fermented Pickled Carrots

Lacto-fermented foods, including these tasty carrots, are rich in healthy probiotics (good for your digestion, and rich in vitamins and minerals). This is the OG pickle ­­­­– the way people made pickles all over the world for the last few millennia.

The coolest part of this recipe? You can substitute other veggies and spices. I suggest trying beets, green beans, Persian cucumbers or chili peppers.

Special equipment: mason jars (Ball, Kerr, etc.), lids, chopstick
This recipe makes 1 pint jar or two 8-ounce jars

Ingredients

2 carrots
2 garlic cloves, outer husk removed
¼- inch piece of fresh ginger, sliced and cut into slivers
¼ jalapeno pepper sliced into circles (remove seeds to reduce heat)
2 sprigs fresh dill
peppercorns, cloves, or dried chili (optional)

Brine (3.5%)

1 tablespoon non-iodized salt
2 cups non-chlorinated water

Directions

 SANITIZE JARS & LIDS: Place jars in a pot, covered with water; bring to a boil and turn off; leave jars in the hot water, covered, until ready to fill. Place lids in a heat-safe bowl and our boiling water over them; let them sit in hot water while you prepare the pickles.

 PREP VEGGIES: Wash and trim carrots so that they fit in jar; I like to julienne or chop into sticks. Prep garlic by removing the outer skin, but leaving it whole, slice ginger and jalapeno. Place dill and any dry spices in the jar.

 MAKE BRINE: Mix 1 tablespoon of non-iodized salt with 2 cups of water. Stir with a fork until somewhat mostly dissolved.

 PACK JARS: Using stainless-steel tongs, remove jars from water, and set on a layer of clean towels. Evenly divide garlic, peppers, dill sprigs, and mustard seeds among sterilized jars. Pack jars tightly with carrots. Leave 3/4 inch of space beneath the rim of the jar. Pour brine liquid over carrots, covering carrots by 1/4 inch, leaving 1/2 inch of space beneath the rim. Slide a clean plastic chopstick or wooden skewer along the inside of each jar to release any air bubbles. Use cheesecloth to cover the jar while fermenting, or place hot lid on jar; screw on band firmly without forcing.

 FERMENT: Place jars in a shallow bowl or tray on your kitchen counter (in case the liquid bubbles over!), out of direct sunlight to ferment until active bubbling stops, usually 5 to 7 days depending upon the temperature. Feel free to taste them on day 3. The carrots are ready when bubbles have stopped rising to the surface, there is a slightly sour aroma and the carrots taste tangy but not too funky! If any white scum is on the surface, don’t panic! Just scoop it off.  “Burp” your pickles daily to remove any gases that gather by opening lid.

 Once they are fermented, put them in your fridge. These babies can be eaten immediately, but will increase in flavor with time and will keep anywhere from 3 to 6 months, though they lose color and get softer as the months go on.

 RULES TO REMEMBER

Recipe directions are for a one-pint (500 ml) batch.

Feel free to double the recipe and use a larger jar.

No airlock?

Airlocks allow excess gases to escape in a controlled fashion, but for these easy ferments I don’t use them. Just cover your jar with cheesecloth or “burp” the jar once daily during the first 3 days by opening the lid.

Use a 2 to 5% brine strength.

A tip for fermentation nerds: for carrots which are nice and crunchy, use a 3.5 to 5% salt by weight for the weight of water you’re dissolving your salt in for most fermented veggies!

Below the brine.

For worry-free fermentation, it is best to use some sort of weight to hold the carrot sticks below the brine. However, if packed tightly they seem to stay below the brine on their own. But keep them submerged at all times!

COOL FACTS ABOUT LACTO-FERMENTED CARROTS

Are an excellent source of probiotics.

Similar to those found in yogurt, probiotics produced during fermentation are known to have many health benefits: improved digestion, enhanced immune system, better brain function to name a few.

Have increases nutritional value.

Lactic-acid fermentation produces and enhances the levels of enzyme, vitamins, and minerals.

Are easier to digest than raw or cooked vegetables.

Fermentation breaks down hard-to-digest cellulose.

Are safer to eat than raw vegetables.

Raw vegetables can have E.coli on them, but lactic acid produced during fermentation kill off the E.coli bacteria. They can’t survive in the acidic environment of fermentation. This is why fermented pickles are the OG, used throughout history to keep raw veggies safe.