We have a love of live fermented foods around here. Kimchi. Sauerkraut. Kombucha. Kefir. Yogurt. Sourdough. The list varies by season, but these make regular appearances on the "live food" shelf in our fridge (yes, an entire devoted shelf).
This summer our bean tower was threatening to topple from the weight of the green and purple pods dangling from it, so Lupine and I harvested great baskets full and spent some time making live-fermented dilly beans.
Live-ferments vs. Grandma's Pickles: what is the difference?
The pickles my grandma made were pickled in vinegar and then canned. They were cooked and sterile by the end of the process. The pickles and beans that my grandma's grandma made (and theat we make) were a live fermented food. They are never cooked, simply brined in a solution of 3T salt to 4C water. They retain loads of the nutrients from the living vegetable, plus the benefit of the probiotics from lactofermentation (natural fermentation of the veggies in the brin).
The flavor is different and they are not shelf-stable, but they are delicious beyond words and great for intestinal health. This year we have experimented with lactofermenting all sorts of vegetable bounty. Radishes were one of our favorites.
Dilly Bean Tutorial
Harvest (or buy) fresh beans. Wash and trim off stem end.
Dissolves 3T salt in 4 C water (warm some of the water to make this step easier).
Arrange beans in clean mason jars. Add garlic and dill, and pour brine over beans.
Set a clean drinking glass (or scrubbed rock!) in the top of the jar to hold the beans beneath the brine solution (that's the bright green object in the center jar below).
Cover tops of jars with cheesecloth or other thin fabric and let the magic happen! Set on your counter in an out-of-the-way place, and over the next several days your fresh beans will become delicious dilly beans. (Note: the brine should be salty-tasting, but not disturbingly so. If it is too salty, drain off a bit of brine and mix in some fresh water.)
Check daily and when they taste just the way you like 'em (normally within 2-5 days), remove the glass or rock, cap, and fridge. They'll continue to fermet a bit move as they live (literally) in your fridge, but they are unlikely to spoil.
Two amazing books to learn more about this deliciousness are Nourishing Traditions and Wild Fermentation. (I had the delight of seeing the Wild Fermentation author, Sandor Katz speak at our local Country Fair last month and got to ask him some questions that have been nagging me. It was fabulous!) Another great resource is the Weston A. Price Foundation.
If you have questions for me, bring 'em on. I love this stuff and am happy to help.
Happy fermenting!
this is something i’ve been wanting to try for awhile. i’m going to make a point of live fermenting something this summer yet. thanks for the inspiration!
am i correct in assuming that since they are not cooked, the purple beans retain their color?
Alas, they turn green. Unless fresh, crunchy, rawness they are green. beans. But still yummy!
oh thank you! i poured my brine over my beans a few moments ago and can’t wait to try them in a few days.
Michele and Bren – how did your beans turn out?
xo
Rachel
The beans turned out delicious! Although tonight I went into the refrigerator to grab some and there is white fluffy mold on the top. Do I pitch the whole thing?
Michelle,
I have heard about a white “bloom” forming on the top of live fermented
foods, as the top layer is exposed to the air and susceptible to mold. In
Wild Fermentation, Sandor Katz recommends skimming it all off of the top and
wiping the rim of the jar clean. For a bonus I would switch the beans to a
clean jar after that. Glad they are yummy (despite the fuzz).
Blessings,
Rachel
On Mon, Sep 14, 2009 at 9:56 PM, wrote:
mmm! can’t wait! just finished making my first batch. I wonder if I could do the same thing with my cucumbers (which are overly abundant)?? I’m going to dig out nourishing traditions…
love yr blog! xo
Hi Mindy,
This recipe works brilliantly with cucumbers. I slice mine first (thickly) and taste everyday. They dont take long to reach perfection. My kids eat them by the jar-full!
Rachel
and what to do with cloudy brine and scum on top after 2 days?
Skim baby. Skim. (Love you by the way. Dont worry bout the scum. For real.)
I just made zucchini slices with a similar recipe and they are so delicious!
Oh dear! I was making lacto-fermented veggies this way and then yesterday…I read this: http://www.foodrenegade.com/3-biggest-fermenting-mistakes-youre-already-making/
And am now totally confused over whether or not I should continue!?
Help!
I know. Right? It’s recently become so. Darn. Confusing. I really love what Sandor Katz has to say here, but I made some homemade airlock jars that I’m experimenting with on and off. http://naturallivingsocal.blogspot.com/2012/05/fermentation-response-from-sandor-katz.html