Can you ferment tomatoes in a fermenting crock with water seal?
Going all the way, fermenting everything... 😉
Can tomatoes be fermented in fermentation crock?
Best Answer
Ripe Tomatoes
I've fermented ripe tomatoes, not on their own but in mixed vegetables. They get very soft. I used a mason jar, but I imagine a crock would have similar results.
Note that this was a brine style ferment (submerged in salt water), not a kraut-style ferment (mashed with salt and submerged in its own liquid).
Personally, I won't do it again—but then I prefer ferments that are on the crisp side, so maybe it's a matter of preference. I feel fermentation works best with hardier vegetables, though it's possible that some salsa and chutney recipes may involve fermenting red tomatoes.
Green Tomatoes
Green tomatoes, however, are a different story and ferment wonderfully. With garlic, dill, bay leaves, coriander, and black peppercorns, kosher green tomatoes are one of my favorite ferments.
The only catch is that they can be hard to find, even at farmer's markets. But at this time of year (fall), I always have some left on our tomato vines, and I find fermenting is easier than fried green tomatoes. If you don't have tomato plants, maybe friends or neighbors do.
"Undecided" Tomatoes
This is completely anecdotal and includes some guesswork, but may still be helpful:
This fall I put up four jars of green tomatoes to ferment. Three had major problems with kahm (benign yeast). Even though I aggressively managed the kahm, removing it at least daily, those jars ended up with an off-putting taste and I ended up discarding them... tears in my eyes.
I used the same procedure for all four jars that I've used several times before, But in the three failed jars I included a few tomatoes that were half ripe. I suspect, but don't know for sure, that the extra sugar in the ripe tomatoes made the kahm more likely. So it's possible that ripe tomatoes, as a relatively high-sugar item, could risk more yeast issues.
Safety
I can only say that I've had no foodborne illness problems, and I'm aware of nothing that makes tomatoes more susceptible to these issues than other vegetables when properly fermented (enough salt, kept below the liquid, etc.).
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How do you use water-sealed fermentation in crock?
After a water-sealed crock is packed, two half-circle weights are placed into the crock to keep your ferment submerged. Then, the lid is placed into an open moat which is then filled with water. Now, outside air is prevented from entering the crock and carbon dioxide gases created during fermentation easily bubble out.Can you ferment in a crockpot?
Any container can be an open fermentation crock, I have used an old slow cooker for years, it worked great. You can also buy open fermenting crocks, but since any pot or jar can be used, I would not recommend it. If you are going to spend money, get a water-sealed fermentation crock.How much salt is needed to ferment tomatoes?
I usually cut the last tomato in half, so it fits better into the jar. Using a Pyrex glass measuring jug, add 2 cups of boiling water, 3 generous teaspoons of salt and 1 teaspoon of sugar and mix together until dissolved. Add salty water mixture to the jar and fill to the top, ensuring the tomatoes are covered.How long do you ferment green tomatoes?
Allow the tomatoes to ferment for 8-10 days in a cool dark place, such a s a larder. Once you are happy with the taste, store in the fridge. The tomatoes become marginally fizzy once they have been refrigerated. They will keep for up to 4 months.Fermenting Crocks Compared; Open Crock vs Water Sealing Crock
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