Lacto-Fermented Pickles w/ Garlic Scapes
I love pickles and I love all kinds of pickles, from cucumbers and onions to turnips, and everything in between. Last year I made bread and butter refrigerator pickles, which we liked, but needed some improvement to the flavor. I meant to make more, and experiment with the methods, but didn’t get around to it, until a few weeks ago.
I had purchased a Master Vegetable Fermenter from Cultures for Health a few months ago, in hopes that I would have a lot of garden vegetables this year to culture into things like sauerkraut, pickles, curtido and gingered carrots. Since we are still a few weeks away from harvesting any of these goodies, because we got a late start, I thought I would buy some cucumbers at the Farmers Market and get practicing. During that same Farmers Market trip I also got some garlic scapes, and decided to throw some in the mix as well. Just for seasonal relativity, I made these pickles about a month ago, right as garlic scapes were beginning to show up at the markets.
The process to making lacto-fermented pickles is easy because there is no cooking and so canning process involved. This food preservation technique goes back to a time where there was no refrigeration. You use sea salt or whey brine to inhibit the growth of un-friendly bacteria, and mold, until enough lactic acid is produced to keep the vegetables preserved for many months. In the old days, people kept these stored in their cold root cellars along with other winter storage veggies. These days, most people store them in their refrigerator. There are added health benefits to preserving vegetables this way as well, since the lactobaccili which produce the lactic acid enhance digestibility through supporting the growth of healthy flora and enzymes in our gut.
As with any recipe, starting with the freshest ingredients possible is very important. I used a recipe for pickles from Nourishing Traditions, and enhanced it with the garlic scapes, fresh dill from the garden, pickling spices and added raw apple cider vinegar after fermentation, since we do like the vinegar flavor of store bought pickles. My next batch, I am going to try a bread and butter version. Remember it is important not to add these other components until after the fermentation process.
This original batch was a hit. We had friends over for dinner last week, and they brought with them raw milk and fermented pickles to contribute to the dinner (we love our friends!) and we had a pickle tasting. I am not sure if they were just being nice, but everyone agreed that my pickles were the best. Think I am going to make a batch for them the next time we visit them? You betcha!
INGREDIENTS:
6 cucumbers
6 garlic scapes, chopped
1 TBS of pickling spices
2 TBS of fresh dill
2 TBS sea salt (or 1 TBS of sea salt and 1 TBS of whey)
1 cup filtered water
water
ΒΌ cup raw apple cider vinegar
METHOD:
Wash cucumbers and garlic scapes well and place in the vegetable fermenter (or a large, half gallon wide mouth mason jar). Combine remaining ingredients and pour over the cucumbers, adding more water if necessary to cover the vegetables. The top of the liquid should be at least 1 inch below the top of the jar. Cover tightly and keep at room temperature for 3-7 days and transfer to cold storage. Once the culturing is complete, add the apple cider vinegar and mix.
I have not made this recipe using the mason jar method, preferring the master vegetable fermenter method, which has a glass jar that includes an airlock set up which facilitates gas escaping your fermented vegetables while keeping air out. This allows you to make pickles, sauerkraut and other fermented vegetables while greatly reducing and usually eliminating the threat of mold.
NOTES (paraphrased from Cultures for Health): Do not remove the lid from the jar during the culturing process. Removing the lid could introduce bacteria which can cause mold or scum. Check your vegetables through the glass every day to check for signs of scum or mold. If any is present just scrape it off the top, and obviously do not eat any vegetables that have mold on them.
vanillasugar - July 20, 2010 at 7:06 pm
jenn i love you. lol. i am a pickle junkie, no connoisseur!
have you ever made pickled eggs? i love those too.
crankycheryl - July 20, 2010 at 7:20 pm
Pickles are on today’s to-do list around here too. This batch is going to be of the grandma-style-canned-variety while I wait for my pickling cukes to produce.
lo - July 20, 2010 at 7:25 pm
Have been wanting to make lacto-fermented pickles for a while now, but have never actually made the leap. I love it when you beat me to something… and then I can use your recipe as inspiration!
It really only takes a week??
Jill McKeever - July 20, 2010 at 9:31 pm
I was just reading about this type of pickling a couple of weeks ago. Last Christmas, a sweet friend gave me a copy of Sally Fallon’s Nourishing Traditions. GREAT BOOK. I love to drift between the recipes and the research bits along the margins.
I’ll be coming into a load of pickling cucumbers at the end of the month. Now, I’m working on the plan to have them put up in a variety of flavors. I totally dig putting up foods. I’m such a newbie. I get a high looking at my deep freezer filling up with goodies and all the canning jars taking up my closet space.
I’m so glad to know you’re putting up foods, too.
The Duo Dishes - July 20, 2010 at 11:41 pm
Thanks so much for sharing this recipe! There’s a place here in LA that has the BEST pickles (Joan’s on Third). They are addictive to the max. We need to make pickles!
Rosa - July 21, 2010 at 2:38 am
A great method! Just the kind I’d choose…
Cheers,
Rosa
Pam - July 21, 2010 at 7:28 am
Love the idea of the no cooking, makes it that much easier! Great job, Jenn!
Cliff and I were looking at the recipe and Cliff even said “These look pretty easy”…..love him….he he!
I really like bread and butter ones. My mom used to make them all the time.
Enjoy your day!
xoxo
P.S. so is your mom considering moving to VT. too?
erin :: the olive notes - July 21, 2010 at 8:27 am
oh my these sound so good right now! I’ve never made pickles, and we only had one cucumber come up in the garden this year. Maybe we can try and grow some more or I’ll pick some up from the market π
kat - July 21, 2010 at 9:41 am
I think I saw Alton Brown make pickles in the mason jar method, I think the fermenter you got sounds a little safer π
Kare - July 21, 2010 at 11:47 am
Okay, whenever I visit your blog, I leave in total awe (and have learned several new things!)
These look awesome.
Arlene (MOM) - July 21, 2010 at 1:44 pm
I am forever learning about new things from you. Don’t know how you do it all. They do look tasty. Will they have a nice crunch?
Stella - July 21, 2010 at 2:08 pm
Hey Jenn, I just went to the store looking for pickling jars. I didn’t find any, but I’m keeping my eyes open…
These pickles sound lovely with the garlic scapes, and I didn’t know pickles are something one should eat if stomach flora has been unbalanced. That’s fine with me (smile)!
Rebecka - July 21, 2010 at 6:51 pm
I’m a traditional canner but I love learning new methods. Your pickles look yummy and crisp. I’ll have to take a stab at this, one day soon. Thanks for sharing your wonderful ideas and cooking knowledge!
Peter G @ Souvlaki For The Soul - July 22, 2010 at 9:16 am
How interesting! I’m really loving reading about all your methods. I’m a mad pickle lover opting for the vinegar flavored ones too. Mmmm. Wonder if you could do pickled baby onions ( great with fish and chips and very English!).
bellini valli - July 22, 2010 at 10:17 am
Garlis scapes would be perfect in pickles. I still have some that I have yet to use. It is a known fact that I love all things pickled.
ValleyWriter - July 22, 2010 at 3:26 pm
I never thought I was a big pickle fan until I had homemade pickles. There’s a world of difference! I bet these are great with the garlic, too!
Heidi Pickle-Rozzi - July 25, 2010 at 11:18 pm
I am so excited I am trying a similar recipe and can’t wait to try the lacto-fermented pickles. I have been a “vinegar” pickler for years and was trying to copy the “Bubbies” pickles that I have had. I have 10 or so days before they are ready.
Elise - August 6, 2010 at 4:11 pm
Hi, I just stumbled upon your site and these pickles look just wonderful! I have Nourishing Traditions but have just been a little too lazy and wary to try lacto-fermenting anything yet, but I think you’ve inspired me (and my husband loves pickles, so it’s a pretty easy sell for the two of us). I’m also inspired by your sourdough pizza post and might be game enough to try sourdough now, too! π Thanks so much for sharing!
coco cooks - August 6, 2010 at 4:35 pm
I swear your my twin! Both grew in in same area, went to schools down the road from each other, live in Hyde Parks, and now on our canning and fermenting kick!
LOL.
I want to do this next, but in my crock. I have seen the kits. Unlike the sauerkraut I’m going to enjoy all the active live culures with my pickles.