Fermented beetroots are as good to eat as they are tricky to make. If for you fermenting beets is synonym to mould these recipes will save your day.
In case you are here wondering whether fermented beets ( or beetroots, depending on where you are from ) and Russian beet kvass are the same, the answer is no.
They are two totally different fermented products and the fact that so many are convinced of the opposite is mainly due to two aspects.
Stuff that gets lost in translations and the generally low quality of information available online.
Bloggers, with a few exceptions, seem to have mastered the art of copying and pasting and forgotten the one of researching.
So it does not come as a surprise that nearly all recipes found on the web are the replica of another one seen somewhere else and carry the same mistakes over.
I am sure you too have noticed that.
That’s why in this article we are giving you two tested recipes that you can start making right away with the freshest Autumn beetroots.
But, as often on our blog, before diving into the making of things we need to clear up the path just a little.
Beet Kvass And Lacto Fermented Beetroots – The Differences
If you happened to read our post covering beetroot kvass and how to make it, you already know we went into the details about the wide spread nonsense.
So this time I will only sum up the differences very briefly.
Lacto fermented beetroots are, as the name suggests, beetroots fermented by lactic acid bacteria which are known to break glucose down into lactic acid.
This is why when we intend to make lacto fermented beets we use salt as a conduit to fermentation.
Beet kvass, on the other hand, is fermented by yeasts ( fungi ) which transform sugars into alcohol and release carbon dioxide ( fizz and bubbles ) as a side product.
In this case the favourable environment for fermentation is created by adding sugar(s).
As obvious as it might seem it’s worth remembering that two different types of fermentation will produce two totally different foods with totally different organoleptic properties.
Lacto Fermented Beets And Mould
Unfortunately opening a jar of lacto fermented beets just to find them covered in mould is all but a rare occurrence.
And the main culprit is the high sugar content of beetroots, which would naturally prefer an alcoholic fermentation over a lactic one.
That’s why it’s important to understand that when we intend to ferment them with salt we are setting ourselves on a quite tricky journey.
After all, we are forcing nature down an unnatural path.
So in order to maximise our chances to conduct a successful fermentation and ending up eating delicious probiotic food we need to apply best practices.
Among the rest:
- Choose the most suitable fermenting vessel
- Properly airlock the jar so no oxygen can enter
- Fully submerge all produce
- Properly calculate the amount of salt for both brine and dry salting methods
But even if we are as careful as we can there will be times when Nature will still have it her way.
And that’s ok.
In a non-commercial environment controlling every variable of fermentation is almost impossible and mouldy vegetables are just part of the game.
As fermies the best thing we can do is to accept it.
But mouldy beetroots should never be eaten as they can pose risks to our health.
Gift them to the compost pile or dispose them in the rubbish bin; next time you will be more successful.
Now that we gained more clarity let’s finally proceed with fermenting some beetroots together.
Lacto Fermented Beetroots – The Cubes
This very simple yet very tasty recipe is given to you without quantities so you can use it for any amount without worrying about halving, doubling or converting.
INGREDIENTS
- Fresh beetroots
- Salt
- Water
- Chillies or peppercorns ( optional )
- Bay leaves ( optional )
- Juniper berries ( optional )
STEPS
- Wash, peel and weigh all the beets you would like to use
- Cut them into bite sized pieces and poke each piece a couple of times with a toothpick
- Place all the pieces in a jar leaving 3cm / 1 inch head space.
- If you planned to use herbs or spices this is the moment to add them
- Fill up the jar with water making sure to submerge all beetroots
- Pour all water out, weigh it and make a 2.5% brine calculated over the combined weight of vegetables and water
→ Here is how to make a brine if you have never made one before
- Fill up the jar with brine ( always leaving enough head space ).
- Repeatedly insert a skewer or a spoon handle among the beets to eliminate air bubbles
- Weight the vegetables down ( you can use a glass weight, a cabbage leaf or anything else you have handy )
- Seal the jar with a lid and let it ferment at room temperature for at least 10 days
- Periodically unscrew the lid to release CO2 if necessary
TIPS
After 10 days have passed you could start tasting the beets to see if they have reached a state of fermentation you are happy with.
If they are ready, or almost ready, you can place them in the refrigerator where the cold temperature will slow down the work of microorganisms.
If they are not, allow fermentation to continue and taste the beetroots daily or every couple days.
With the first awesome recipe behind us we would like to share with you another great way to ferment beetroots, which is also our favourite.
We called them beetkraut.
Here is the recipe.
Shredded Fermented Beetroots – The Beetkraut
Opposite to the recipe above, and with a clear inspiration coming from sauerkraut, we are going to ferment these beetroots using the dry salting method.
No quantities are provided so you can use it for any amount of beets you have handy.
INGREDIENTS
- Fresh beetroots
- Salt
- Fresh chillies (sliced)
- Fresh thyme leaves
- Fresh garlic (sliced)
STEPS
- Wash, peel and weigh the beets
- Grate or shred them either by hand or with a food processor
- Place them in a bowl and add the other ingredients
- Add 2.5% of the weight of beetroots in salt
- With gloves mix salt in and massage the beets for better absorption
- If you own a pestle this is the moment to take it out of the kitchen drawer
- Wait 15-20 minutes and massage again with your hands or with the pestle
- When you see that a decent amount of juice has formed pack beetroots tightly in a jar
- Press them down with a pestle or your fist so the liquid can move upwards
- Place a weight on the beets and make sure they are fully submerged
- Seal with the lid and let ferment at room temperature for at least 14 days
- Periodically release CO2 if necessary
TIPS
Just like it is for sauerkraut two weeks of fermentation are to be considered the bare minimum and a longer time will be necessary to develop more complex flavours.
Chances are, in fact, that after this first short period, beetroots will still taste more salty than tangy.
In our home, for example, after a first short fermentation at room temperature we move all the jars in our cellar and leave them to ferment for at least a month.
We do this because we know exactly how we like our beets.
But f you don’t all you need to do is making several jars and ferment each one for a different time.
After the first batch you will know with much more certainty how long you need to ferment your beetroots for.
Shelf Life Of Lacto Fermented Beets
When fermented properly and kept submerged by their own brine at all times, beetroots will last weeks or even months in the refrigerator.
But if your fridge is too full to accommodate all your ferments ( ours is…) you can achieve the same shelf life by storing them in a (root) cellar.
To make them last even longer water bathing is the best option we have.
But, in doing so, we must be aware that such high heat will kill all the good bacteria.
Fermented Beets And Probiotics
Often people ask us if pickled beets contain probiotics and the following is the answer we always give.
If by pickled beets you intend fermented beets then the answer is a big yes.
On the other hand if by pickled one means beetroots preserved in a vinegar based brine, then the answer is no.
Nothing wrong with pickling though, as one would still benefit from all the nutrients contained in the vegetable ( plus the vinegar ).
But there won’t be any added benefit provided by probiotics.
In fact it is with fermentation and fermentation only that probiotics are “produced”.
That’s why it is fair to say that fermenting beetroots, whether as beet kvass or with salt, is the healthiest and most beneficial way to eat them.
The Benefits Of Fermented Beets
The benefits of beetroots are simply too many to be summed up in a few lines and it’s beyond the scope of this website to provide and explain them in an exhaustive way.
It is also our deepest belief that in order to find reliable and trustworthy information one must search the scientific peer reviewed world.
So here are a few links for you to check
Functional properties of beetroot in management of cardio metabolic diseases
Effects of lacto fermented beetroot juice
Beetroot as a functional food with huge health benefits
And more about beetroot here.
As if beets were not awesome enough, thanks to fermentation, their nutritional value is increased and the nutrients made more readily available to the body.
They are also easier to absorb.
Keep in mind though that even the most beneficial food you can think of is not exempt from potential side effects.
Beetroots are known to contain fairly high levels of oxalate that can, under certain circumstances, bind with calcium.
Together they form calcium oxalate crystals which in turn can become kidney stones.
That’s why, if I were to give you some advice, it would be to never consume anything in excessive amounts.
No matter how beneficial or good that food looks on paper.
Last but not least…
How To Eat Fermented Beetroots
Your newly made lacto fermented beetroots, just like any other fermented vegetable, are great to eat as a side to meat dishes, fish and eggs.
They are delicious in sandwiches and hamburgers and are known to make them way more enjoyable by cutting through the oils and fats.
Fermented beets also add the wow factor to hummus and make a great partner for fresh cheese, especially those made from milk kefir.
For a quick snack toast some bread, spread on it some unsalted butter, add a pinch of ground pepper and finish with some scattered fermented beetroots.
You won’t regret it.
One last thing.
Do not throw the brine away!
You can reuse it in so many different ways…
Thank you for stopping by, we really appreciate it.
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See you soon.
