Introduction to Fermenting (Preservation 101) - Pantry Chat #67

[@rawfoodelectric]

I made pea soup for my husband and he didnt want it without saurkraut. I told him he would ruin it...but he told me he wouldnt eat it without it. Then he implored me to try it as well. I did. Yuk. But I love pea soup so I began to eat it his way (peer pressure) and now...I wont eat pea soup without it! You are correct...my body began to almost crave it. Now I find that any soup is better with a dollup of saurkraut on top.

[@donnalayman1]

L

[@shellygromer5384]

Pantry chat request... Having a full freezer of meat is wonderful but I get confused on exactly what to do with the different cuts. I’d love to hear u break down the different parts of beef, deer, pig and also break down the specific names of the cuts that come from each part. Then to hear the best ways to cook it. To hear a chat about chicken and turkey would help to. It would be awesome if Caroline could maybe start a series on actually cooking meat. Maybe drop us an actual recipe every few weeks. Preserving and storing up meat is wonderful but only if we know how to best use it. I love all u do for us!! U guys rock!!!

[@kingscairn]

Anything else ?

[@suemagyari2992]

I have fermented whole green beans, put them in my cellar, brought them out a year later, They tasted great.Once opened, I refrigerated them. They kept in the fridge another year. I then threw them out ONLY because I had some fresh that I had made. They tasted great the whole time and surprisingly, the texture was crisp the whole 2 years. Incredible.

[@mlee7037]

I put my fermented tomatoes in my NutriBullet then used the tomatoes in the place of balsamic vinegar with my olive oil on greens. It was great!! I learned about fermenting tomatoes from Caroline. I love it! Thank you.

[@AuntNutmeg]

I wonder if fermented salsa would be possible. Or salsa made from fermented tomatoes and peppers and such? I have permission to try fermenting radishes (the only thing I've grown this year I'll get enough of that we won't just eat all the fresh), so we'll see how that goes when this final crop comes in, Lord willing, before the first frost.

[@lisacarden1309]

What a fantastic idea! Thank You! 🙏❤️🙏

[@ka6148]

A favorite of mine is cabbage, cayenne, and caraway seed kraut..I became addicted 💕

[@ggreviews24]

Thanks for answering my question. Life has been a little hectic since I asked while continuing my search for property. I just saw this video today and head my name and question and took it as a sign that my land will soon come. Thanks again for the lessons and information. Blessings!

[@AUniqueTreasure]

I just found this channel. You both are so easy to watch and I'm able to stayed tuned because yall are so awesome at explaining things. I'm just starting to collect information about homesteading. Thanks for keeping this interesting and hopeful!

[@sminer8257]

Awh memories, we used to live in so Idaho and we had purple and green gags plums. Mom made tons of plum jelly. So long ago, she used paraffin to seal it. Never went bad. Yum

[@penny50533]

I followed your garlic fermenting video. Worked like a charm. I'm ready to do more, so I'm going to take your class. Enjoyed your canning class the other day! I learned a couple of things and I've been canning for 16 years!

[@modernvikinghomestead367]

About the mold, in my country we are encouraged to throw anything away that has mold on it when it should NOT be moldy. The reason behind this is that we cannot easily identify the mold and be sure it is indeed harmless. Some types of mold can create toxins and without the proper identification we just cannot be sure, it is also difficult to remove mold from food since it can send hyfens through the food, which we cannot always see. Though often it is a yeast that has formed in the ferment which is not harmfull to health but can impact flavor and clarity of the ferment, this CAN be scraped off, and the ferment can be eaten without harm to health if the taste is okay. It is just something to bear in mind, your country might have different regulations on fermented food. The above is just what the Food and safety ministry in my country recommends. Love the video!!

[@Kerri060988]

This is by far the easiest to digest (pun intended) intro to fermenting for a beginner. I feel so much more confident that I can do this! I'm so grateful for your wealth of knowledge on the lifestyle I am transitioning to.

[@AnimalFarm341]

The late spring/early frost is the issue with the grand solar minimum. Please check out ice age farmer- this is especially going to affect those of us in the north. Y’all will need a greenhouse or hoop house. Find a way to extend your season as it isn’t going to get better. Cold times by Anita bailey PhD might be a good read. Hugs from the Puget Sound! Love your channel!

[@justpatty7328]

Agreed!

[@benniboop752]

I really love how you ease into the taste of fermented foods to new gen who’s really used to high processed, sugar heavy foods. Many staples we use today have an origin of being a fermented food-including “soda”, “ketchup” etc. but it wouldn’t taste like those items of today.

[@FineFeatheredHomestead]

So glad to hear the lact fermentation explained as different from lactose, and actually lactobacillus. That helps understand why whey or brine both work for lacto-fetmentation. Thank you!

[@nanc2762]

I have recently been playing around with lacto fermentation. I made some tomato salsa w/jalopenies, onion,garlic,basil and thyme. It was so incredibly good that I shared with some friends. They love it too! I made three more jars of it a couple days ago and just put them in the frig. Gonna be trying lots more things like carrots, onions, peppers and cauliflower. And green beans. Simple to make and a healthy way to get nutrition! Thanks Carolyn ,and congratulations to you and Josh!! So glad you are feeling better.

[@mikeking6830]

Very good addition to add sliced jalapeño seeded for a little heat. Been creating sauerkraut and kimchi for years, asparagus.

[@dancnluc1]

Great video! I started doing some fermenting about 2 years ago except for sauerkraut. I had a small accident and ended up in surgery. Due to the antibiotics given to me, it killed all the good stuff and I ended up sick. So I ended up on prebiotics and eating more yogurt. That is when I started searching on fermented foods.

[@bluepenguin369]

Wow I new this was coming. I worked on an organic farm. People have no idea how and who does all the hard work in the fields. Great video!

[@breezyveezy1]

Perfect! Just started doing kombucha and counter top sprouts. This is the next step

[@greenmouseguard]

My favorite fermented vegetable is Onions with some dill. Or add apple slices. Love the fermented cabbage. I never had a failure Thank you 😁👍🏻 God bless you 🙏🙏 Linda from Ct

[@franmoyer8527]

I’m so glad you chose fermentation today. I’ve been kicking around the idea for a while. Thank you!

[@abigailg9188]

Do you ever make your own vinegar from excess fruits or from peelings? Your channel has been an excellent learning source for my husband and I and we really enjoy your videos. Thank you for sharing!

[@Lydia11599]

I enjoy watching this channel. They give us a lot of tips. I want to can apple sauce this fall. I like their shelves also.

[@k4xxxminecrafter792]

Thank you so much for this!!! Amazing information. Can’t wait to try carrots and tomatoes- I had no idea we can do those.

[@lukewarm2075]

I just made cabbage and carrot and chilli saurkraut its still fermenting.

[@AGHomestead]

Did the same combination one week ago. Tastes pretty good. 🙂

[@robertm4050]

@@AGHomestead I have tried a few times, but found it needed far more time fermenting than I thought it would. I actually forgot about the last one for 6 weeks. It was 6-8 weeks until it got to be a really good smelling and tasting sauerkraut.

[@AGHomestead]

@@robertm4050 My weather here is a bit warmer so I find ferments tend to get pungent a lot faster. We have been having some 100 degree days here and I try to keep them in the coolest part but it is still in the 80's. I don't like my kraut too pungent. I leave that for the kimchi's.

[@howiewill]

Lots of good information. Thank you

[@bkerr1]

I've found a few cases of pint jars in local grocery stores and picked up a couple. I don't want to be the jerk who hoards them all. I started a fresh ferment of kimchi about a month ago, sauerkraut last weekend and some hot peppers for sauce today. Fermenting is really so easy once you know how it works.

[@angelacollins1343]

I did a google search on pumpkin shortage, I found the harvest is later due to lots of rain when they should have been planted. They say as a result the harvest is late but the crop is good, and we should see canned pumpkin on the shelves soon.

[@adrumwhisperer]

this is clear and useful information... thanks for not wasting my time! Great content!

[@ScentSational35]

Thank you SO MUCH for talking about the Yeast (white) on top of ferments!! I just tried the fermented carrots with ginger, and I added a tiny bit of pineapple that we had. If I hadn't watched this video and saved it in my favorites, I'd've thrown the whole thing out!! Thank you also for mentioning that the ferments will taste and smell odd...since I do know what putrid smells like, these just smell....different. I'm not a beer drinker so fermented stuff is very new. I have pickle pipes and burp lids, and now cannot find a video to explain how to CLEAN the burp lid! Do you have suggestions?? Thank you from AZ

[@barbgardiner5719]

Every ferment I’ve done with pickle pipes has molded!😭😭😭

[@barbgardiner5719]

I even boiled them with no better results

[@tdavis3822]

Sweet potato is a great substitute for pumpkin.

[@Loosgroov10]

i realize i'm watching an old video, but the viewer question made me think of something that may be useful to other people who are buying property. if you live in a coal mining area, you should also look into whether or not there are old mines below your property and whether or not they suggest or even require subsidence insurance at your particular location. like if the mine caves in, regular insurance won't cover it, you need to have extra that is called "mine subsidence" or "subsidence" insurance.

[@sammygeiger3562]

Odd question, but I would love to hear about your family's dental health? With the way you eat, whole foods, lots of dairy, fermented foods etc I am curious if you deal with many dental issues like cavities? I am reading up on weston a price and what he has to say about how food affects dental health and everything he recommends to eat to support great dental health, your family seems to eat. I would be curious to hear your family's experience with whole foods and dental health! Thank you so much!

[@lcostantino7931]

There has to be a family in need u can share with.... Never have too much ...

[@kuzadupa185]

Fermented food is great in keeping your stomach biome healthy!

[@mpedals]

We dug a big hole, and keep ferments in it to over winter, in tubs, of course

[@susandowd1666]

Totally awesome! My nect personal challenge! Thank you!

[@mamamode1312]

I have had "fermenting failures", but in true homesteader style, I converted them to ham. Yes, ma'am I did. Ferments gone bad become ham and eggs. For those who might not be there yet, I just fed them to the pigs and chickens.

[@justpatty7328]

Northern Illinois here, no canned pumpkin on the shelves here. Great information, as always! Thank you!

[@westcoastcandle6703]

Wow. What a Lesson. I learned a lot . Thank you

[@debbiebowman6846]

Carolyn mentioned not using plastic to ferment in, but I just fermented whole tomatoes in a food grade bucket after hearing her mention it was okay in her tomato fermenting video. Was I confused about this being okay to do?

[@pate57100]

Hi! Love your videos. Can you freeze dry the fermented vegetables or will that kill the beneficial bacteria? Thanks for making everything look so easy!

[@MrTahoeBob]

Great tutorial, thanks. Is there any problem doing the ferments in larger jars then transferring to smaller, say pint sized jars, before transferring to cold/fridge storage?

[@NancysFanciesDesign]

I was told at the grocery store that pumpkin cans will be in short supply for a while. Thankfully, I found a few cans!

[@mothertreasa]

Thank you for all the great information.

[@annelioskarsson5053]

Just in time. I promised my dad to make sauerkrauts, I told him it was easy 😂😂. I have never fermented 🙈.

[@RaechelleJ]

Lol its not too hard.

[@robertm4050]

There is a guy named Sandor Katz and he is basically the god of all fermentation. He is in tons of videos online. He has a bunch of books too and he knows everything there is about fermentation. But an easy video out there is from BA, the guy is pretty entertaining too. kzbin.info/www/bejne/qZ_bk5KGiMpmhtU

[@armandowilliner299]

Thanks a lot for all this information!!! Really interesting video! I would like to make a question, is it ok to use metal utensils (spoon for example) to manipulate the ferment? (To take away some mold for example). Thanks again!!!

[@StonewallJackson-n8w]

Make yourself a wooden spoon.

[@maureenfernando4033]

Can you ferment fish and meat? Thank you for taking time to teach us all these skills. Bless you

[@doloresreynolds8145]

Yes

[@RoseFelton]

I Fermented some Dilly Green Beans Sept. 15th. The beans are still kind of hard. I was hoping they would get softer. Did I do something wrong or do I need to do something else to them? Can I leave them to ferment longer? Would that make them better? I am about to cook them just so I can eat them.

[@judybaugus2909]

You are an amazing teacher

[@corinnelavallee7039]

Hi I'm new to all of this I wanted to let you know I found this video very helpful. Thank you.

[@HomesteadingFamily]

Glad it was helpful!

[@deborahtofflemire7727]

I also love kombucha. But fermented vegetables are so good

[@Greens5511]

Also look into wind rights too

[@vance7354]

Have you ever tried Lacto Fermenting a veggie followed by dehydrating it at a low temp? I am talking at like 95F to 113F. I Just Did some Carrots that way and I have some Peppers that I Lacto Fermented that I am Drying right now that I hope to turn into a powder.

[@brightstarr57]

Very informative as usual! Thanks! 😊

[@aikomorioka5024]

When the tomatoes are fermented to the right taste can you prevent further fermentation by refrigerating the tomatoes? Dont like it when the tomatoes get too sour and t Rotten tasting. Also how long does the food keep? Thank you❣️

[@tayleanruatha]

Good one, as always! Thanks guy, hope the weather is kind to you 👍

[@judykimber6349]

I am trying fermenting for the first time. How do I know when it isdone?

[@Brittleannee]

I have heard that it is not a good idea to keep multiple ferments in close proximity so the bacteria doesn't interact with each other. My question is, what do you do when you have multiple ferments ready to store in the fridge at the same time (say, sauerkraut and sourdough starter for example)? Is it ok to store multiple ferments in the fridge?

[@27kjh]

With making traditional Kimchi there isn’t very much brine to submerge the cabbage in. It’s just basically covered with a thick sauce. I have wondered if this is okay? Also after you put your ferment like sauerkraut in the fridge and start using it…do you still need to make sure it stays under the brine?

[@pokemaster6939]

I use the older sauerkraut to cook in a pork chop for flavor then use a newer ferment to add to my mash potatoes and pork chop meal

[@marytervo5560]

Is cabbage the the covering for you then the glass holder. Thank you for this information. Your both so helpful.

[@amandawooden5409]

All of my local grocery stores in northeast Alabama/northwest Georgia are out of canned pumpkin as well.

[@luckybfarms2707]

My grandmother used to make pickles in a tall crock in her kitchen. I was young then but it seems like it was about 3 feet tall. She just had a plate covering the top of the crock. Was she making fermented pickles? It used to sit there for what seemed like along time. I have looked everywhere for one of those crocks but can't find one. I'm going to see if my aunt has it and if she's part with it.

[@janpos9435]

I have dabbled for several years and still, the only ferment I know is done, is milk kefir. I have made sauerkraut several times, but don't know when it's done, so go by what the recipe says. Right now, I am eating a red cabbage, beet, apple, ginger kraut. It's delicious, but is it really done? I did apple cider vinegar with scraps from dehydrating apples, but is it really done? I only ever saw one persons ferment where it looked like it was boiling and was told that that is what ferment means, to boil (not like on a stove or any heat). I have never seen bubbles , except bubbles in my sourdough and of course, not like that.

[@robertadunaway7030]

Is one format better $$ for you, youtube or your channel to watch videos?

[@bootmender]

I have a power line across the back corner of my property and a Natural gas pipeline and 8 gas wells that I get royalties off of. I still own the mineral right here. We here in the South don’t ferment much.

[@angelenerash5160]

I have read not to can tomatoes that have been through a frost because the acidity changes. Would fermenting those tomatoes that have ripened be a good option? Thank you for sharing!!

[@ironlion45]

A couple of years too late to this, I know, but I wanted to comment on lactobacillis; what it does to your food, it also has similar positive benefits in our own bodies' microbiomes., Lactobacillis will improve our digestive health, and there's also some evidence that it can even improve our health in other ways too; such as immune system, oral health, and heart health. Lactobacillis is a very important part of a healthy internal microbiome. And foods fermented with a live lacto caulture are a cheat; they're super healthy (as Caroline said in the video) and they're also what most commercial probiotic supplements are made from. if you're eating naturally lactofermented foods, you will get the same benefits, and then some, of people who take probiotic supplements to compensate for a diet of mass produced, sterile food that doesn't have that benefit.

[@barbgardiner5719]

Thank you for the guide, but I can’t get it to print out and it’s too hard to just use my iPhone! 😭😭😭

[@backwoodsbaby9729]

Yea its a national canned pumpkin shortage. I read an article that said it will just be a late harvest and they are just starting to pick them now instead of having them picked and processed already

[@vallietmc9553]

If crops get hit with a freeze, can you just put it in a freezer and use it for soups? Yea Robin!!!

[@patwilliamson4701]

Thank you for great information!

[@debraflanders3931]

I would love to learn how to ferment, but I have no idea how. I did try once but it molded

[@YvesStOnge]

Will fallow

[@deborahtofflemire7727]

Good can’t wait.

[@dr.lattenliterature]

I have IBS and no gallbladder. I can not eat fermented foods like soarcrout Can I still ferment my vegetables like you talked about here?

[@robertm4050]

There is a guy named Sandor Katz. He knows everything about fermentation. I have one of his books. Check him out.

[@kcoker9189]

What books of his are your favorite?

[@robertm4050]

@@kcoker9189 I only have one of them. Go check Amazon. Or even look at his KZbin stuff. This guys is the bee's knees when it comes to any fermentation stuff.

[@greyecologyst4694]

I’ve been wondering ever since i watched this video, how do you move 5+gl ceramic crock full of food from the prep area to cold storage? Even if you happen to have a couple of strong guys to move it id still be concerned about breakage. Are you using dollies? I physically can’t move something that heavy from point A to B without some kind of pully system.

[@MaiyaBG]

The only time I cook mine is fermented sauerkraut on a pressed Reuben. Yum!!

[@SuperTazman74]

I know this an old video but would canning salt be a good choice or do you recommend some other particular kind?

[@xmachine7003]

I would use canning or kosher salt.

[@raincoast9010]

I could not see how you tied the onions to the string, what kind of knot you used. Also what cows do you have? thanks.

[@justpatty7328]

I believe she said it was a slip knot.

[@loriwhitehead1052]

What is the difference between pickling & fermentation?

[@gingerehrhardt843]

If you have Stanley plums, they make wonderful prunes.

[@lcostantino7931]

Have u ever considered freeze drying some produce ....???

[@NotJustBBQLLC]

Is it safe to remove lid and remove floating pieces? At the beginning of the ferment

[@hahnspeda]

Would a wood barrel work for fermentation

[@megmcginnis239]

If you have a dehydrator, dehydrated plums are amazing and store well in jars. Quick and easy and delicious!

[@kellyjohnson6869]

I use squash in place of pumpkin for pies/bars

[@debraflanders3931]

If you dont have a fruit cellar, how fo you store fermented items? I live in Texas

[@kimr4005]

I did some great ferment for the first time awhile back. My refrigerator went out and now I am not sure if is any good

[@elissaward5519]

Ferments can last many months without refrigeration.

[@arifellman6106]

Sorry, i didn’t catch the answer to the length of shelf life if I put the jar of fermented food in cold storage and if I put it in the fridge, how long would it last

[@katherinenewsome9168]

I am wondering what kind of cover crops you plant?

[@kcoker9189]

I follow another channel of a Canadian food forest where he uses strawberry for food ground cover and clover for walking path ground cover. You could always do peas I think too if you're not walking in that area.

[@juliewilliamsnewzealand818]

Clarification please.....you are saying white or green moulds are okay? but i was under the impression from my research that green mould is a nono....white mould thats flat and slightly stringy is okay because it is Kahm yeast but fluffy cloudlike white mould is also not okay?.......gee these things get a bit confusing when researching because there are so often conflicting advice.

[@iartistdotme]

Limestone in Florida could one day be a concern but mineral rights on almost all land in Florida is already owned by others.

[@kingscairn]

Some places the mineral rights were sold off years ago

[@barbgardiner5719]

I have to buy water here as even boiled it gives me a sore throat!

[@maureentalbot9635]

Not quite on topic but I made yoghurt last Thursday same way I always make it then went away for the weekend came home this morning and went to have yoghurt and fruit for breakfast and it has fermented one jar has even risen like bread dough it’s fizzy to taste and full of air bubbles any suggestion what I have done wrong it’s never happened before but I don’t think I should eat it so wasted 2 quarts of milk

[@michelewalters9421]

So sorry I had to skip the add because a 63 minute ad by Sarah Palin is just too much to ask even a loyal follower

[@Estella0707]

If you don’t mind sharing, why did you guys move out of Tennessee? We are thinking of moving there :)