You obviously enjoy your pickles and lacto ferments.... I'm just a little concerned with how you calculated your salt content. The goal is generally the have 2.5% of the total weight of the fruit and vegetables in salt and then enough water to ensure that the salt is fully dissolved. By making a 2.5% brine and adding it to what must have been 1 - 2kg (roughly 2 - 4 lbs) of fruit and vegetables your overall salt content is extremely low and likely not sufficient to kill off some of the unwanted bacteria that can both lead to spoilage / food poisoning and to unpleasant flavours developing in your ferment. Best of luck and safe fermenting!
Interesting. I agree what you say makes sense - but there do seem to be two competing methodologies out there, one of which is exactly what you described, the other is what I did (based on advice from quite a few different sources)
@@AtomicShrimp in my experience the ones that recommended just topping off with 2.5% brine are either from someone else who told them to do this, or from misinterpretting the 2.5% total salt content to be rather 2.5% brine. It is highly likely that at some point someone misinterpreted it and then told someone else who didn't know enough to know that it was incorrect and then it just got passed along. I can confirm that of the 2 schools of thought only the 2.5% total salt weight is based in good food science and safety as by the time that your method draws out alot of the water from the fruit and vegetables, the overall salt concentration either in the brine or the fruit and vegetables will not be adequate for preservation. Likely not a problem if you plan to keep the resulting pickle in the fridge and consume within a couple of weeks but I would never trust this to be shelf stable for any substantial length of time. You also run the risk of having bacteria present in the ferment that produce unpleasant flavours. Fermenting can be alot of fun it's just important to do it safely. Best of luck to you!
Interesting as 2.5% salt is very close to the level of salt recommended for curing meats/fish like bacon. When I make bacon or cured salmon I use the equilibrium method of "dry" curing (I find it the easiest) and I use 3% salt to the weight of the meat/fish.
I know you like pickles a lot, have you ever heard of a pickled relish called chowchow? Its pretty common where I live and its absolutely delish! It's usually made with cucumbers, onions, cauliflower and green peppers brined overnight, boiled in apple cider vinegar with whole mustard seed and celery seeds, then mashed into a paste with mustard, flour and turmeric. My grandma makes it all the time and will sometimes add other bits and bobs like cabbage, carrots, and green tomatoes.
I was gifted a damson chutney from a woman who I offered my excess damsons to through a local free page on facebook. It was bloody lovely and went in days
Only seen chow chow in supermarket doesn’t sound anything like what you have described. Normally yellow here in NEw Zealand supermarket have no idea what’s in it other than yellow as I have not read the label
I've been suffering with a lot of family issues lately, I won't get into much detail about that, but I just want to thank you very much. Not only are your videos very entertaining and interesting, I'm always learning about new ideas and concepts from you. Your videos are some of the most relaxing videos I've seen on RU-vid they help when I'm feeling down. It feels like I'm spending time with an uncle! Thank you very much Mr. Mike. Wishing you nothing but the very best and sending you lots of love!
Me too - these are a Godsend for people who live alone or anyone feeling down. Videos from Atomic Shrimp give a little boost to the endorphins, somehow! I often talk to him while I watch! It’s like having a mate who just sits and chats for a while. Best wishes to you.
@@rbrown6476 Yes 100%, especially after watching him for some time, I feel genuinely invested in his life and what he's up to. Mhm it is really like having a friend or family to spend time with. I felt kind of worried that I might sound weird from the first message but it is a bit comforting knowing I'm not the only person who feels this way. Best wishes to you too my friend. 💜
@@myst4608 Not weird at all. I think this sort of thing is good for our mental health. I’ll see if we can get Mr Shrimp videos prescribed on the NHS, shall I? Haha worth a try! Bless you - keep working at looking after yourself x
I'm going through some rough shit too, these vids are so relaxing and make me think "Once I'm on my own I'll have to try this!" Rather than "I'm not gonna live past this week." Shrimp's calm demeanor is downright contagious, for lack of a better term
I hope you’re doing better now. I’ve been horribly worried a very close friend for several days now so I know what you mean, these are very relaxing and good at getting your mind off things that may be bothering you.
Oh man! My mama used to make Chow-Chow for years! My folks had a HUGE garden and grew everything, and hers was pepper rainbow like yours, vinegar, onions, green tomatoes, cabbage, carrots, celery, much pepper spice, and it was sweet pickley and really hot and delicious . We'd eat it with collards, turnips and mustard greens cooked together with turnip bottoms and raw onions, Mississippi delta country style. Hot buttered cornbread and a big fat sweet slice of raw onion, that was a meal, and you were good. Greens were usually cooked with salt pork or hambone. My parents were part of the Great Migration of Black folks moving north and all that recipe goodness came with them!
@@themudpit621 I have some history, from the stories I wrote down as a kid and still remember. Unfortunately by the time I was an adult and seriously began to document them, my mother had dementia and my dad was dying of cancer and was in and out.
There's an old pickling jar that's used in Chinese pickling that you might find useful and fuss free. Basically a vase-shaped jar with a lip/moat on the top and a smaller bowl shaped cover that allows for your lacto-ferment to be self-burping. They have glass options now too. If you search online and/or wait a bit, you may be able to find a good deal online that makes it worth the purchase. It at least will allow you to make pickles with an airlock that doesn't run the risk of puncturing and leaking additional liquid into your mix (I have had some poor experiences with plastic bags and liquids) and you won't need to use another plastic bag over the top to keep flies away. :)
The way you explain the process really helps me with the “ew germs” thought that I always have about things like this. The fact that you clarify these are beneficial bacteria, and they are EVERYWHERE, makes me feel better about the thought of eating it.
I think I've been complying with this law even though I don't live there. It's like if I have any reason to slice up sausages, those end slices are mine
Those Kilner jars are self burping just release the seal slowly. You can use a glass ramakin or glass paperweight to hold everything down below the waterline. Looking good, can't wait to see the review video.
Used to spend hours with mum and dad in the kitchen pickling everything from the garden for winter. That and great batches of jam and chutney. Home made pizza/pasta sauce too. Shove it in the jar hot and it seals itself! My dad had green fingers, he still does! We were lucky to have a nice piece of land for the garden. Love your vids mate! Thanks 👍
I was told the traditional way to make sauerkraut was to only use cabbage, cut very fine, and then bruised. Then force it down hard with weight, and let it ferment in it's own juice that comes out from the broken cell walls. didn't work when I tried it. Anyone else heard this?
@@themudpit621 you need to add 2.5% salt (weigh the cabbage), and make sure the cabbage is covered in liquid. If the cabbage itself does not produce enough liquid (only very fresh cabbage has enough juice), add 2.5% salt brine to cover it. The salt and liquid keep bad bacteria at bay.
Id recommend spending the 5-10 dollars to buy an airlock lid. The bag of water is far from a seal and any gaps gases create will likely remain in the shape of the bag as the displaced water probably shifted to a lower point.
For what it's worth, I've never had a flip top jar hold nearly enough pressure to be dangerous before the gas escapes through the rubber seal. I've also heard of people wrapping rubber bands around it to hold the lid closed instead of using the closing mechanism.
they use carnuba wax for apples, which is the same they use for sweets that would otherwise stick together like gummibears. wax on apples is natural by the way, they just lose their own when they get washed. so they reapply carnuba afterwards.
I recently made some giardiniera, which follows the exact same principle. I like and appreciate the resourceful spirit of this video, but if you want something a bit less fiddly, I’d recommend looking into getting an airlock for a jar instead. The ones I use come with activated charcoal filters which reduce any smells which may otherwise occur
I love giardinera,especially the spicy one.This probably is like sourdough starter,very acidic and has "friendly"organisms which keep the bad bugs away.
Your masher is a rolling pin, genius. You could have use a cabbage leaf. I bet thats going to be delicious. When done I would blend some and use to make kimchi. I've been fermenting for nearly all my life. Really is a healthy lifestyle. Thank you for sharing.
Wonderful - can’t wait for you to try them. I love it when you describe what something tastes like because I can always imagine it from your descriptions. I’ve never tried using apple but I will do for the next batch. Each batch tastes slightly different which is a nice surprise - I suppose because of the different veg etc. but the kitchen always smells so lovely when you arrive in the morning to that glorious funky aroma :) I’ve been doing some like this for a while now and a really good one to try is just with cauliflower florets, sliced carrots, a little of whole Indian spices and a couple of peeled garlic cloves to impart a bit of a hum. Also, it’s lovely to do a small jar of jalapeños in the same brine mix - they’re great served on tacos or chilli con carne etc. Thank you for these videos you make and then come back to, for the reveal. Always a treat to look forward to.
@@unnamedchannel1237 😂☺ It was amusing they played with their twangers and had a good pluck. Have you seen the rainbow p*ss bucket challenge which appears to have Ben Dover in it
In Texas I started chili seedlings in like February on the windowsill,a sunny window and a plastic mini greenhouse makes a good start. Maybe later where you are.Never had pickled squash/courgette,they usually get eaten fast.Maybe with the infamously prolific zucchini.lol.Any winter squash I would have saved for holidays(if whole and cured).Butternut makes my favorite baked squash.Halve,scoop out seeds,baste generously with melted butter,salt and pepper,bake til tender.While it cools fry some bacon,done but not crispy.Scoop out squash,mash with a little hot milk,season if needed,put in buttered baking dish,crumble bacon over top,bake until it firms a bit and bacon is crisp.Even family squash haters ate it at Thanksgiving.
So that's how you Brits call the real pickles 😄 Here in Romania we call these traditional or folks pickles and they're much more popular than vinegar based recipes, both because they last longer (up to 6 months if you've got a cool pantry or cellar) and because you can use a much wider variety of ingredients. While there is no right or wrong recipe for mixed pickles, your particular mix will end up insanely spicy, as besides a huge amount of peppers you also used radishes, which have the little known nasty property of enhancing the spiciness of hot peppers. Also from my point of view you missed some important flavoring components like celeriac leaves and dill. And if you plan on keeping such pickles for more than a month you should add a couple of sour cherry tree leaves (or small twigs) on top, they inhibit molding.
I think we almost completely lost the art of fermented pickling in the UK - it would have been common in the pre-industrial era, but I suppose commercially made vinegar pickles took over because commercially-made they are easy, quick and cheap to produce and malt vinegar is a very common ingredient and condiment in the UK. I'm sure the method was never completely lost, but I feel like we're having to learn much of it again from cultures who have been doing it without interruption.
@@karenramnath9993 The alternate traditional method is by oxygen removal (used more for sauerkraut, but works for pickles as well). For this you need a larger container with an air-tight lid. Beware that fermentation will pressurize the container, so you need either a strong enough barrel that can withstand the pressure or a pressure release valve integrated into the lid (traditionally this was done with a breather tube and auxiliary water tank, similar to wine making). You leave a space between the lid and the broth level inside (about 10-15cm or so), with a heavy object pressing down on the vegetable pieces to keep them submerged (some veggies float and they'll rot if not fully submerged). Depending on the size of your container this can be just a wide enough flat rock or you may need a purpose made perforated wood disk with a heavy rock placed on top of it (don't use metal weights, as the saline broth will quickly oxidize them, releasing potentially toxic compounds into the mix). The ideal type of rock for this is flint (because it's corrosion resistant), but if you can't find any you can use a heavy glass object or a small stack of ceramic floor tiles. After you're done filling the barrel and mounting the top weight, you light a small candle and put it on top of the rock, than close the lid airtight while it's burning inside. The flame will consume all oxygen in that space and than spontaneously die down.
Here in Canada, I use this method to extend the harvest of green beans and cucumbers, which I produce in greater numbers than we can consume. I also make my own hot sauce from hot peppers. I have a system that works based on the brine concentration but I don’t weigh it (British cooking is based a lot on weighing things, but that’s rare in Canada and the US, and very few kitchens have scales). I gave a friend that grows grapes, and I get grape leaves to add crunch (tannin) to my pickle. There’s a kind of fast-food sauce container that exactly fits in the mouth of my Mason jars-that’s what I use to submerge my vegetables. This year I fermented cherry tomatoes-the jury is still out on those.
I'm expecting that the heat will permeate the other vegetables, so it will be mitigated a bit by dilution if nothing else. Most of these (not the bird chillies) are mild enough to eat as they are - for example chopped on top of cheese on toast. The bird chillies are exceptionally hot for some reason - I gave one to my son (who has a greater tolerance than me) and he asked for milk.
@@thany3 they do! Being albanian we pickle many peppers and other vegetables too and the best part is when we do a surprise batch where you never know if you’re gonna get a mild or terribly spicy one 🌶 🥵 😝
@@AtomicShrimp Though...sambal oelek is far from mild, I do know it's more or less just chilies, but the paste is strong. So I'm not so sure that your pickle will be mellow.
Have you tried Kefir mr Shrimp? People call it the champagne of milk. I have tried the polish one and one by Biotiful DAiry, much prefer the Polish one for the fermented fizz and punch.
I love videos like this. For the last two years ive made the wil garlic lacto fermented pickles that you showed us, and they're so easy, fun and interesting to make, not to mention tasty!
A RU-vidr by the name of chillichump might have content you would find interesting. He does a lot of ferments with chillies. I do occasionally make my own hotsauces' but iv never had the time or inclination to make a fermented version. It's supposed to have an extra level of flavour you just don't get from a standard sauce though
Really good explanation of the process of lacto fermentation. I have started my first jar of sauerkraut about 5 days ago in a similar way. It seems to be going well. Smells acidic, slightly vinegary that is because I too added green apple. Really looking forward to the end result. Never had sauerkraut before so new experience. Thanks for your really interesting content. Hope to see more on these old and not so old as natural preservation processes.
I do sauerkraut sometimes and I use an outer leaf to weigh it down and a piece of cheese cloth held on by a loosely screwed on lid (in a mason jar). Might be a little simpler than your bag method but I do think the bag would be better for bugs
“I know I keep getting exited by huge vegetables”…please say this in a Frankie Howerd voice, say “now, now vicar”, “oooh matron”, or insert the Carry on quote of your choice!
Lactofermenting kimchi is so rewarding as is fermenting German sauerkraut. It’s also delicious! I did try fermenting blueberries after getting a fermenting book but that was not my cup of tea.
I've pickled carrots, jalapenos, pickles, and other vegetables this way. All turned out great. I'm looking forward to your results...and I'll be heading to the market tomorrow to pick up veg for my own batch. Thanks for the inspiration.
A very well timed video, and interesting to see your approach. I've been harvesting my garden and pickling or composting anything that needs to go through October. First batch was chilli and tomato with garlic and herbs that came out like a really savoury nandos sauce, right now I'm waiting for the last green tomatoes and peppers to ferment but that'll be a week or so more yet. Have you tried lactofermented fungi? I've never had enough to make up a jar, but I imagine a ketchup made from fermented mushroom would be delicious.
We just nearly frosted the night before last here in northeast Ohio. Halloween is tomorrow and I feel like last week was July still. Better start planning next year's garden ☺️
Love peppers so much, pickled peppers are even spicier, which I learned first hand when I wanted to put jalapeños on a hotdog, got fresh ones, and felt next to no spice.
The 1st time I Pickled, I Pickled cucumbers. I added waaaay to much garlic and had to toss 2 cucumbers. Now I'm watching this video and learning how to pickle
I tried my hand at making pickled cucumbers this past summer. Similar process as what you have, but the recipe I found called for 10g of salt per cup (~240ml). My first batch came out great. I believe I fermented them for 8 or 9 days. I tried one after 4 and it was very bland. Would not recommend. When I tried them again a few days later, they were perfect. They were also spicy as I added jalapenos and habaneros. The recipe included fresh dill flowers, mixed pickling spices (a commercial mix I found at my local grocer), fresh garlic, peppercorns, and bay leaves. I was busy so subsequent batches fermented longer but only a few days. They are very sour and not the simple dill flavor I was seeking. They are still tasty, but I'll be more mindful in future attempts. After fermentation was done, I decanted the cucumbers (now what we call pickles in the USA) and poured the brine through a fine mesh sieve to remove the spent aromatics. For most of my pickles, I used jars similar to what you used here. I did not use an airlock with them. I slowly opened the lid each day to burp them. I've done the same with kimchi in the past. I also found some airlock lids with springs to keep the pickles under the brine. These lids fit a wide-mouth Mason jar.
Very interesting! I wonder, if this kind of fermentation would work also in a tropical environment / climate? A serious food poisoning is the last thing we want during the current situation… 🤔
Kimchi is made in some places that span the tropics, so yeah, I think so. I believe they store the jars in underground cellars in some places to keep the fermentation from just running away
You can improve your chances of "right" bacteria by adding some for starting up the process. You can either buy some, or add some brine from a finished product. Some people even used sour milk or other dairy product as a starter. Make sure you prepare and store it in a clean place, add enough salt, controll the temperature, and keep the vegg securely covered in brine.
Just came across your channel. It was the video with the Johns email(s) scam. That one was funny & brilliant. This one is quite informative. Gonna try this myself. Thx!🙂
I like to put a balloon and rubberband on top to prevent things from getting in.... it also acts as a soft one-way gas seal and lasts the whole fermentation. Granted... I make wine...
Maybe the whole poisoning ourselves is a trope and lie told by food companies to stop us being self sufficient. I've not preserved food myself, but my sister has for years and years and has never poisoned herself. Pretty sure if you open the jar you will be able to tell if it's made it through or not. The only danger being wasted food.
“Best before” means it should be fine as long as your senses don’t tell you otherwise, whereas you should be far more critical of anything labelled “use by”, because that label is used if the food might be harmful without any warning signs such as the colour or smell being off, so if it’s been opened for a while already it might be a bad idea to eat it after the expiration date.
Also, the “best before” date actually just means that it’s how long they’ll guarantee that it’ll taste as expected. A cheese labelled as “mild” only stays mild for so long, so that’s why they put a “best before” date on it, and if you actually prefer stronger cheeses you should try picking up cheese that’s been reduced because it’s about to go out of date and maybe even store it in your fridge for a while to age some more. Also good if you’ve got lactose intolerant people in your life, because (in the experience of my sister-in-law and her similarity lactose-sensitive colleague) cheese needs to be aged for at least six months to be lactose free.
I think we to crowd fund you : A) some decent knives B) a larger chopping board & C) An American sized kitchen. Just kidding Mike I’m in love with your content. ;)
This reminds me of Kimchi. You should make that sometime. It's very tasty :) Chilies freeze very well so next time you have leftovers consider freezing them and you can use them during the winter.
This pickle sounds lovely. It seems more to my personal tastes than your odds and ends pickle, but that's largely because I don't like sweet pickles all that much
I have been meaning to try my hand at kimchi for over 6 months. Your video has clearly explained the process and given me the knowledge and confidence to actually get on and have a go, thank you. One question is Chinese leaf the same as Napa cabbage?
Yes, Chinese leaf and napa cabbage are one and the same. I make kimchi fairly regularly (I use Maangchi's recipe). It's not as daunting as it seems, although your kitchen will smell pretty funky (in a good way) while it's doing its thing!
@@JuniperBoy Thanks for the advice, the first attempt worked out well. You were right about the funky smell, not quite limited to the kitchen, but almost.
3 days ago I made another batch of Sauerkraut as well as a small glass of Kimchi, today I‘m also eating fermented potatoes for the first time and I‘m currently trying other vegetables as well. Potatoes really stink after 72 hours, holy shit, or rather just like shit, can not recommend smelling them. Will bake them in the oven in a few hours (after fermenting for 96 hours) marinated in herbs and a bit of oil. Supposedly they are to be really crispy and soft like mashed potatoes inside. I would like to see your take on them. Your colorful mix of things thrown together looks really good!
