Laura Corin Posted January 26 Share Posted January 26 I'm up to three habitual ferments - kombucha and Bulgarian yoghurt (both with bought starters that now reproduce week after week), and lacto fermented carrots using this recipe - https://www.thespruceeats.com/lacto-fermented-carrot-recipe-1327619 The carrots work so well that I am planning on green beans too https://www.thespruceeats.com/lacto-fermented-green-beans-1327620 What are you doing? 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Tick Posted January 26 Share Posted January 26 The green beans and carrots look interesting. I've had kombucha going since this summer. I keep thinking that maybe it is time to let it go, but it is so easy! I have a question about the lacto-fermented vegetables. Meaning no disrespect to anyone, do you think non-iodized salt is suggested because it is more pure, or do you think the iodine actually inhibits the process in some way? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted January 26 Author Share Posted January 26 15 minutes ago, Miss Tick said: The green beans and carrots look interesting. I've had kombucha going since this summer. I keep thinking that maybe it is time to let it go, but it is so easy! I have a question about the lacto-fermented vegetables. Meaning no disrespect to anyone, do you think non-iodized salt is suggested because it is more pure, or do you think the iodine actually inhibits the process in some way? Supposedly the iodine and also chlorine in standard water inhibit fermentation. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted January 26 Share Posted January 26 (edited) I’ve made yogurt and kimchi. I have a fermenting box for the kimchi and it makes exactly two cabbages worth of kimchi. Edited January 26 by KungFuPanda ETA: photo 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amira Posted January 26 Share Posted January 26 (edited) Yogurt is all I do consistently, and I've been making that for 22 years. We eat a lot of yogurt. Edited January 26 by Amira 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted January 26 Share Posted January 26 I've been resurrecting my kombucha scoby and will be making up a batch of this in the next few days: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUkx0aUEhSg Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Tick Posted January 26 Share Posted January 26 (edited) @Amira reminds me that I used to make yogurt, had a few batches fail and then gave it up. Not too long ago I discovered that the, admittedly cheap, Aldi plain yogurt does not actually list active cultures as an ingredient. Surely they pasteurize the heck out of it for cheaperness, but I wonder if that was why my yogurt quit working. I've switched to their next price range up that includes active cultures and have been planning to give it another go - but I keep forgetting. Adding it to my to-do list now, thanks Amira! Edited January 26 by Miss Tick 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knitgrl Posted January 26 Share Posted January 26 All I do now is kefir, with some grains my bil gave me during the height of the pandemic. Prior to my illness, I did quite a bit of fermenting for maybe 18 months. Carrots are easy and tasty; I used to do those frequently. Also sauerkraut, but not as often. I did do some green beans this past summer, and they were very good, though challenging to pack. I found a book called "Traditionally Fermented Foods" to be helpful in getting started. 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marbel Posted January 26 Share Posted January 26 The only thing I do regularly is milk kefir; I occasionally do yogurt but my last few batches didn't work out well despite my following the same process and using the same brand/type of yogurt as starter, so I've quit that for now. I am interested in trying other things so maybe this thread will inspire me. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted January 26 Share Posted January 26 4 hours ago, Miss Tick said: @Amira reminds me that I used to make yogurt, had a few batches fail and then gave it up. Not too long ago I discovered that the, admittedly cheap, Aldi plain yogurt does not actually list active cultures as an ingredient. Surely they pasteurize the heck out of it for cheaperness, but I wonder if that was why my yogurt quit working. I've switched to their next price range up that includes active cultures and have been planning to give it another go - but I keep forgetting. Adding it to my to-do list now, thanks Amira! I’ve made yogurt with cheap yogurt without issue, but I never read the label so could have gotten lucky. Does yogurt exist that doesn’t have live cultures? Are you sure you’re cooling it down enough before adding it? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Tick Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 3 hours ago, KungFuPanda said: I’ve made yogurt with cheap yogurt without issue, but I never read the label so could have gotten lucky. Does yogurt exist that doesn’t have live cultures? Are you sure you’re cooling it down enough before adding it? Before last month I would not have thought yogurt could exist without live cultures. I'm thinking that live cultures have to be used to make yogurt? But then one could heat the yogurt with to kill off those cultures and extend the life of the yogurt? Those yogurt failures happened many years ago, after a number of years of yogurt success. After a few failures in a row I set that project aside. It was probably something I was or wasn't doing, I can't really blame the yogurt - much as I might like that salve for my confidence. Ok, I'm fired up. Getting out my yogurt cooler and I'll give it a go this weekend. I'm feeling inspired! 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted January 27 Author Share Posted January 27 3 hours ago, KungFuPanda said: I’ve made yogurt with cheap yogurt without issue, but I never read the label so could have gotten lucky. Does yogurt exist that doesn’t have live cultures? Are you sure you’re cooling it down enough before adding it? I've had variable success using yoghurt as a starter. I do think some is partially or wholly killed to improve shelf life. I now am using a heritage starter that I bought - Bulgarian. My previous Greek heritage lasted for years before picking up something and going fizzy. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
regentrude Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 Talk to me about making yogurt. I need a simple way. I don't have a crockpot. Do I absolutely have to acquire a thermometer? How much volume of milk is lost to whey, and how much yogurt do I actually get out of, say, half a gallon? I am wondering whether it is worth the effort because I can buy 2 lbs of organic whole milk yogurt for under $4. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amira Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 There's no loss to whey (unless you drain the finished product, in which case you choose how much whey to drain off), so if you start with a half gallon of milk, you'll get a half gallon of yogurt. I don't use a thermometer, but you'll need to watch the milk when it's heating. I personally use an instant pot to heat the milk (and a crockpot before that), just to not have to babysit the milk, but I've done it on the stove many, many times. Heat the milk on the stove till it's just starting to boil/rise, then turn off the heat immediately if you have a gas stove or remove it from the heat if you have electric to make sure it doesn't boil over. Let the milk cool till it's warm but not hot to the touch. The exact temperature is flexible. I use a freeze-dried starter for an initial batch, then I use my own yogurt after that. Pour your milk into whatever container where you'll incubate it, and add your starter or yogurt to the warm milk. Stir well and incubate till it's set. I like tangy yogurt so I incubate it for 12 hours. Put it in the fridge and it will continue to firm up The milk needs to stay warm during incubation. I've wrapped towels around a plastic container if that's all I have and leave it in the warmest spot in the house. I usually use a 2-liter yogurt incubator though. If you can get good yogurt at that price, then it might not be worth making, depending on how much your milk costs. I have never found a store-bought yogurt that I like as much as my homemade yogurt, plus it's always cheaper for me to make it. The best yogurt I've made was from my neighbor's cow in a little town in Kyrgyzstan. 2 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soror Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 I have fermented many things in the past but the only thing brewing in my kitchen now is sourdough starter. I did yogurt for many years until I went off of milk and then when I was back on dairy we had a new stove and my old method didn't work. I've done it off/on with my Instant Pot and it has gone well. I've tried kombucha off/on but it always seems to go bad too easily. I keep saying I'll try it again but haven't. I had okish luck with kimchi but I'm the only one eating it and I didn't find it worth the effort.I've done various other recipes I don't remember all the details. I was big in the traditional food movement for a bit and dabbled in lots of things. I would like to get in the habit of doing yogurt again and also give kombucha another try. I eat lots of yogurt and love, love, love kombucha. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted January 27 Author Share Posted January 27 16 minutes ago, Amira said: If you can get good yogurt at that price, then it might not be worth making, depending on how much your milk costs. I have never found a store-bought yogurt that I like as much as my homemade yogurt, plus it's always cheaper for me to make it. The best yogurt I've made was from my neighbor's cow in a little town in Kyrgyzstan. Part of the reason I make yoghurt is that I can get organic milk in returnable glass bottles, whereas if I buy yoghurt it is in plastic. I eat 1.5 litres of yoghurt a week, so I felt bad about the pots, even though I recycle. 5 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bibiche Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 I ferment sauerkraut in the cooler months. I have a big K&K Keramik crock that I love for this. I use it for cucumbers sometimes too. @regentrude What Amira said for the yoghurt. A simple way to keep the mix warm is to put it in a cooler with warm water. If you like thicker yogurt you can add a bit of milk powder beforehand. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted January 27 Author Share Posted January 27 1 hour ago, Soror said: I did yogurt for many years until I went off of milk and then when I was back on dairy we had a new stove and my old method didn't work. I've done it off/on with my Instant Pot and it has gone well. I've tried kombucha off/on but it always seems to go bad too easily. I've been lucky with kombucha but I've twice tried sauerkraut and both times had white mould develop on the surface. I also use my instant pot for yoghurt. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bibiche Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 59 minutes ago, Laura Corin said: … I've twice tried sauerkraut and both times had white mould develop on the surface… A water-sealed fermentation pot is the easiest way to avoid this. And it makes the most satisfying bloop-bloop noise while it is fermenting. And doesn’t make the whole house smell like sauerkraut. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knitgrl Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 I use silicone air locks that fit mason jars. Because I am lazy. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 3 hours ago, Soror said: I've tried kombucha off/on but it always seems to go bad too easily. Does bad mean mouldy? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Tick Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 27 minutes ago, Rosie_0801 said: Does bad mean mouldy? Good question. Mine has been brewing on the counter for the last 6 months. Now I'm looking at it with a touch of concern 😀 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 9 minutes ago, Miss Tick said: Good question. Mine has been brewing on the counter for the last 6 months. Now I'm looking at it with a touch of concern 😀 Unless it is mouldy, it's fine. (Probably not fresh and tasty, but fine.) Add more tannins and sugar. If it is mouldy, dispose of the mould and add more tannins and sugar. Keep doing that until it can sit there smelling vinegary for a few days without moulding. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 (edited) 6 hours ago, regentrude said: Talk to me about making yogurt. I need a simple way. I don't have a crockpot. Do I absolutely have to acquire a thermometer? How much volume of milk is lost to whey, and how much yogurt do I actually get out of, say, half a gallon? I am wondering whether it is worth the effort because I can buy 2 lbs of organic whole milk yogurt for under $4. It’s worth it because the whole batch yogues and a gallon of milk is cheaper than a gallon of yogurt. A gallon of milk is about 8 lbs, so you can get a gallon of yogurt for the price of milk plus a few tablespoons of yogurt. A thermometer is the only thing you really DO need. You have to heat high enough to kill the cooties (180), then cool to a specific temp (110-115) to add a dollop of yogurt. I put mine in a cooler surrounded by hot jars and let it do its thing for 6-8 hours. It’s always worked. Generally I make it at night and it’s ready in the morning. I think the process is faster without fancy equipment. I can heat to temp, cool to yoghurt-adding temp, stir in starter, and put in container in cooler all in 15-20 minutes before bed. There’s no waiting for a machine to take its time hitting those temperatures. I cool mine faster by putting the yogurt pot in a sink with some cold water and stirring until it hits 115. I have met people who can accurately measure the ~115 degrees by how long they could stand to keep their finger in the cooling milk, but I’m not that person and a too-high temperature will kill your cultures Edited January 27 by KungFuPanda To share a super informative photo 1 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted January 27 Share Posted January 27 4 hours ago, Laura Corin said: I've been lucky with kombucha but I've twice tried sauerkraut and both times had white mould develop on the surface. I also use my instant pot for yoghurt. 3 hours ago, bibiche said: A water-sealed fermentation pot is the easiest way to avoid this. And it makes the most satisfying bloop-bloop noise while it is fermenting. And doesn’t make the whole house smell like sauerkraut. The Korean fermenting box I posted above is also super easy, but it’s not as pretty as some of those crocks out there. It’s pretty good at sealing in the smell though. I don’t even eat kimchi but I make it for DH. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Soror Posted January 28 Share Posted January 28 16 hours ago, Rosie_0801 said: Unless it is mouldy, it's fine. (Probably not fresh and tasty, but fine.) Add more tannins and sugar. If it is mouldy, dispose of the mould and add more tannins and sugar. Keep doing that until it can sit there smelling vinegary for a few days without moulding. I mean tastes off and without a yummy tang and I didn't have luck getting it to taste good again. If it doesn't taste good I'm not going to drink it! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
aaplank Posted January 28 Share Posted January 28 I have been making water kefir, and double fermenting with fruit juice. I'd really like to start fermenting garlic cloves. Anyone have any tips? How long does it last in the fridge? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rosie_0801 Posted January 28 Share Posted January 28 7 hours ago, Soror said: I mean tastes off and without a yummy tang and I didn't have luck getting it to taste good again. If it doesn't taste good I'm not going to drink it! It's been sitting there too long, that's all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catz Posted January 29 Share Posted January 29 Well my sourdough starter has been going almost 2 years! I was sourcing locally milled flour for a really great price but that is harder now unfortunately. Looking for some solutions there. I can't manage to keep anything else going for too long. I have tried yogurt and kefir but we don't consume enough to make it worth it. I average baking something sourdough about once a week. And I don't just do straight traditional sourdough. We make pizza, stromboli, brioche, rolls, sweet and breakfasty multi grain stuff, etc etc etc. I love experimenting with it. We've got a chocolate babka here at the moment - SO GOOD! 4 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ottakee Posted January 29 Share Posted January 29 1 hour ago, catz said: Well my sourdough starter has been going almost 2 years! I was sourcing locally milled flour for a really great price but that is harder now unfortunately. Looking for some solutions there. I can't manage to keep anything else going for too long. I have tried yogurt and kefir but we don't consume enough to make it worth it. I average baking something sourdough about once a week. And I don't just do straight traditional sourdough. We make pizza, stromboli, brioche, rolls, sweet and breakfasty multi grain stuff, etc etc etc. I love experimenting with it. We've got a chocolate babka here at the moment - SO GOOD! My easiest non bread sourdough use is for crackers. Mix 1-2 T lentes butter with sourdough discard and spread thinly in a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper. You can mix in any herbs/seasonings you want and/or sprinkle them in top. So quick and easy and yummy. i also enjoy sourdough pancakes. 4 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted January 29 Author Share Posted January 29 36 minutes ago, Ottakee said: My easiest non bread sourdough use is for crackers. Mix 1-2 T lentes butter with sourdough discard and spread thinly in a cookie sheet covered with parchment paper. You can mix in any herbs/seasonings you want and/or sprinkle them in top. So quick and easy and yummy. i also enjoy sourdough pancakes. Sounds delicious. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catz Posted January 29 Share Posted January 29 (edited) That's a good reminder to do more with our discard. I was on a cracker streak for a while. I also have a crumpet recipe I have been wanting to try. Pancakes and/or waffles are a great idea! And I figured out recently that it's easy to freeze and throw them in our little air fryer toaster oven too. I saw this one for crackers posted somewhere and this is on my to do list! https://altonbrown.com/recipes/sourdough-cheese-crackers/?fbclid=IwAR1ZUp9tmyhYVFiPsPKENaznMda7vd3WRh62IDdM_9ymxRaXBAiaFsSsCYA Edited January 29 by catz 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Tick Posted February 5 Share Posted February 5 My yogurt seems to have worked, yay! BUT it is really thin, more like a yogurt drink. Anyone have suggestions on what I can do to make it thicker? There are a few blobs of yogurt floating in there. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Laura Corin Posted February 5 Author Share Posted February 5 5 hours ago, Miss Tick said: My yogurt seems to have worked, yay! BUT it is really thin, more like a yogurt drink. Anyone have suggestions on what I can do to make it thicker? There are a few blobs of yogurt floating in there. Ferment it longer? My first home yoghurt from any culture takes a long time. Sometimes overnight. The time reduces as the culture is reused. Once you are happy with it, chilling makes it more set too, and you can strain it if you like. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KungFuPanda Posted February 6 Share Posted February 6 How long did you ferment it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Miss Tick Posted February 6 Share Posted February 6 24 hours in a small cooler filled with warm water. I've seen mention that adding dry milk might help? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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