{"id":2460,"date":"2021-08-24T12:34:50","date_gmt":"2021-08-24T16:34:50","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.agooddish.com\/?p=2460"},"modified":"2021-08-24T12:34:50","modified_gmt":"2021-08-24T16:34:50","slug":"lacto-fermented-salt-pickles-are-easy-to-make-and-to-eat","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.agooddish.com\/?p=2460","title":{"rendered":"Lacto-Fermented (Salt) Pickles Are Easy To Make And To Eat!"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Lacto-fermented pickle spears<\/span>
Stoneware plate by Mary Barringer<\/a><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Two potters I like and respect, Liz Quackenbush<\/a> and Doug Peltzman<\/a>, recently posted similar recipes for lacto-fermented<\/a> pickles. Liz uses a combination of salt and vinegar and Doug just salt. Last year, I posted a recipe<\/a> for vinegar pickles and enjoyed those well into the winter but in Doug\u2019s recipe, the cukes are cured with salt water and delicious but are not for long term storage. I gave them a try.\u00a0<\/span>Lacto-fermentation is the process of good bacteria eating and converting sugars into lactic acid, similar to sourdough, yogurt, kombucha, kimchi or sauerkraut (also very easy to make with just cabbage and salt). Food becomes easier to digest and has healthy benefits (good bacteria in our guts is a positive thing) as a result of this process.\u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/p>\n

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Bubbles indicating fermentation<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

I thought making pickles with vinegar was easy but with salt it is even simpler. Just dissolve the salt in water, add herbs, garlic and spices and your cucumbers (whole or cut). Then you \u00a0cover and wait a few days until the pickling magic happens. You can use a crock (Peltzman makes some beauties especially designed for this process, with a water lock\u2014the gallery\/shelf where the lid sits has a little depression for water\u2014so gas produced by fermentation can escape) or just clean glass jars. I\u2019ve found other potters making crocks (including (Krista Cortese<\/a>, Gwendolyn Yoppolo<\/a>, Miki Palchick<\/a>, Daniel Bellow<\/a> to name a few) but there are many making wonderful big jars or lidded bowls which work, too, if you crack the lid to let the gas that is formed by fermentation to escape. <\/span><\/p>\n

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Pickles in process in a Doug Peltzman crock<\/span>
Photo courtesy of the artist<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
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Stoneware fermenting crocks by Doug Peltzman<\/a><\/span>
Photo courtesy of the artist<\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

You can pickle other vegetables, like carrots, green beans and green tomatoes this way. If I make more pickles\u00a0 <\/span>I will have to learn to use a water bath to preserve them into the winter without refrigeration but, honestly, it is not likely I will be willing to go through that hot processing, since we are eating them so quickly. For now, we will be happily munching pickles from the fridge, using them in salmon and sardine salads and putting them on burgers of all kinds. Next time I may have to use a half-gallon jar… Thanks to Doug and Liz for the inspiration and guidance.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Lacto-fermented pickle<\/span>
Plate by Mary Barringer<\/a><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

PICKLES (from Doug Peltzman)<\/span><\/p>\n