Recipe: Fermented Gingered Carrots - Chris Kresser (2024)

Type of dish: Condiment, Fermented Foods
Equipment: Grater or food processor with grating attachment, half gallon jar or 1.5 liter glass canning jar with tight sealing lid, pounding tool

Ingredients:

  • 4 cups carrots, peeled and coarsely grated
  • 4 ½ tsp fresh ginger, peeled and grated
  • 4 tsp sea salt (this is the minimum quantity of salt, 5 tsp is better)

Directions:

  1. In a sturdy bowl, mix all ingredients and pound with a wooden pounder or to release juices. This will take approximately 10 minutes.
  2. Place in the mason jar and press down firmly with a pounder or meat hammer until juices cover the carrots. The top of the carrots should be at least 1″ (2 ½ cm) below the top of the jar.
  3. Cover tightly and leave at room temperature (72°F/22°C) about 3 to 5 days before transferring to the refrigerator.

Enjoy!

Recipe: Fermented Gingered Carrots - Chris Kresser (1)

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Recipe: Fermented Gingered Carrots - Chris Kresser (2)

15 Comments

Join the conversation

  1. Hi, I just made and tried the krout for the first time. There was not many bubbles or gas as I would have expected and it is very salty (I waited 4 days). The recipe states that it works best with 5 teaspoons of salt. Have I done something wrong? Also, I am just wondering why this recipe only calls for 3 days fermentation – many recipes say that it will take 3-4 weeks. If it is ready in 3 days will it still have the same amount of probiotic’s? I have noticed that a few people have asked a similar question, I would really appreciate it if the admin team could reply.
    cheers

  2. I would not “cover tightly” as fermentation produces gas and that must escape( or else the container will give way). I always just loosely cover my kraut ferments when they’re on the counter at room temp.

  3. Hi Chris,
    I am 56 years old. 16 years ago I was bitten by a red bellied black snake, AND had shell back tick fever (Riketsia) woithin a few short months, both common to where I lived at the time in Australia. After a shaky recovery of fevers and rapid weight loss and a few hospital visits, I became a hyperactive nutcase. It was 2 years of running on quicksand that a doctor thought to test my thyroid> Sure enough, I was hyperthyroid to the max. I was put onto Neomercazole and betablocker , Inderal to slow my racing heart down.
    After 5 years of this and being ‘skinny’ person, I started to react to the medication. I was then put through irradiated iodine therapy leaving my thyroid mostly dead and me with hypothyroidism.
    After years of the ups and downs both in weight and moods, I also picked up Blastocystis Hominus in China which put my gut into turmoil. By this time, I thought i would go mad.
    BUT, I read a book called STOP THE THYROID MADNESS and put myself (via a GP) on natural dessicated pig thyroid and the Paleo diet (supposed to keep the Blastocystis down).HOWEVER, I suddenly jumped 12 pounds/5 kgs in weight that I cannot get rid of, and feel tired all of the time.I need some help. I am so confused
    Korinna

  4. This tastes great, it’s easy, and it’s a really good first experience in fermented foods.

  5. Anyone have suggestions for keeping the veggies down beneath the brine? I’ve tried this with sauerkraut and it doesn’t work for me I think in part because the kraut keeps expanding up and becoming oxidized (or whatever the right word is to describe this). Thanks.

    • I use the half gallon mason jars to ferment in. I weight the kraut down using mason jelly jars that fit inside the jar. I use wide mouth jars and it works fine. I also have some of the decorative glass blobs found in garden supply stores. Keep them washed and use only as fermenting weights.

  6. 1. How about using whey? 2T per batch?
    2. This recipe seems like it will make WAY less than a 1/2 gal jar with only 4c grated caroots and the ginger–> ?

  7. Is this a dish that can be water-bath canned/processed, does anyone know? Thanks!

    • Canning this would defeat the whole purpose of fermenting. It would kill all the beneficial bacteria. Once you ferment it is then refrigerated.

  8. If starting with peeled carrots, we can assume that the bugs which drive the fermentation all be those floating around the kitchen air, containers, tools and preparation work surfaces.

    On the other hand, if the carrots are from an organic garden with soil known to be generally clean, I would think just a good scrubbing before grating would be sufficient, as this should lead to a wider, potentially more beneficial variety of soil-based microbes getting a foothold in establishing the fermentation brew.

    Any thoughts on this?

    • I’ve had brushed or scraped carrots instead of peeled, and no matter what, they always taste like dirt, clean or otherwise.

    • I agree 🙂

  9. Hi Chris, I have a little confusion about the amount of sea salt, first says 1 TB and later says 4 tsp. Which one is the amount I need to use?

    • We’ve updated the recipe. It’s 4 tsp of salt.

      • Thanks!

Recipe: Fermented Gingered Carrots - Chris Kresser (2024)

FAQs

How long do fermented vegetables last? ›

Kept at a consistent cool temperature away from daylight (basically in the fridge), pickled and fermented vegetables should keep for at least three months, if not longer. Fermenting vegetables will need the jar burping occasionally.

How to eat fermented carrots? ›

This is the warmest part of the fridge but still cooler than room temperature—perfect for your carrots to keep slowly fermenting. Fermented carrots are ready to eat 1 to 2 weeks after you make them. Enjoy them straight out of the jar as a pickle, or use them in recipes.

Can you eat too much fermented vegetables? ›

Fermented foods are considered safe for most people. However, some individuals may experience side effects. Due to the high probiotic content of fermented foods, the most common side effect is an initial and temporary increase in gas and bloating ( 32 ).

What are the drawbacks of fermentation? ›

The downside of fermentation

Another disadvantage is the high sodium levels in many fermented foods. Under some conditions, harmful microbes may also cause undesirable effects from the ingestion of fermented foods in certain conditions, such as mycotoxicosis and botulinism.

How do I know when my fermented carrots are ready? ›

As the carrots ferment, the brine will get cloudy; this is when you can start to test your pickles. They're ready when they're pleasingly sour and pickle-y tasting, without the strong acidity of vinegar. If they're not sour enough for your palate, continue to ferment longer.

Why are my fermented carrots slimy? ›

Slime may be produced by yeast or fast culture growth, which is why we recommend a simple salt brine without whey or starter cultures. Cucumbers with the blossom end can cause soft or slimy pickles. Slimy vegetables should be discarded, but slimy brine is not always a cause for concern.

What is the white mold on fermented carrots? ›

Mould and Yeast in Fermentation

If there's a whitish layer on the surface of your lacto-fermentation jar, it's probably a biofilm called “Kahm yeast”. It's harmless! Microorganisms can build up a delicate, white biofilm that doesn't smell much.

How to tell if fermentation has gone bad? ›

A spoiled ferment will smell rancid, like rotting broccoli. A good ferment will have a pleasant sour smell. Note: If there's Kahm Yeast present it may have a strong smell, but once scraped away it should have a pleasant sour smell if it's not spoiled. A spoiled ferment may be slimy in texture.

Do fermented foods have a shelf life? ›

The shelf life of fermented foods is naturally pretty long since the veggies are preserved in salt water brine. Here at Olive My Pickle, we mark our products with an expiration date 6 months from the time of packaging, which is plenty of time to enjoy the ferments! Our advice is that fresh is best!

How do you store homemade fermented vegetables? ›

Cold temperature slows down the speed of fermentation. To preserve your vegetables for the long term, it's better to keep them in a cool place. Here is our favourite technique: Put the vegetables in jars following our lacto-fermentation tips or the directions in your recipe.

Can you ferment something for years? ›

When properly fermented, food can last from one to two years safely sitting on your pantry shelf! I'll teach you how.

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