Fermentation Brine Percentage and Tannins
This is probably a 2 part question.
When determining how much salt to add to my brine... what is the best method? Is the percentage based on the weight of the veggies or is it the weight of the water into which the veggies will be fermenting?
Where the heck can I find things like grape leaves, oak leaves, etc to add tannins to keep my veggies crisp?
Edit: So... to further clarify... would it be "advisable" to determine how much water I need to cover my X grams of "things to be fermented"... the weigh that water and calculate salt percentage... or, can I just take 1L of water... weigh that... calculate my salt... then cover what's in the vessel?
Best Answer
Calculate your brine percentage by dividing the weight of salt by the weight of water, then multiply by 100. Most vegetable ferments are in the 1.5% - 5% range. It appears many people find the 2-3% range ideal. If you can't find oak or grape, I have seen that some folks use tea leaves for added tannin.
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What is a 3% brine?
\u2022 30 g salt per L water (or 1 oz salt per qt) for a 3% solution. \u2022 50 g salt per L water (or 1 1/4 oz salt per qt) for a 5% solution.Is 2% salt too less for fermentation?
It is perfectly fine to use any salt ratio from 0% up to 5%. Anything higher than 5%, and you risk stopping the fermentation. Ferments with a salt ratio of less than 2% risk going off. However, if you are on a low sodium diet then it is possible to make salt-free fermented vegetables by using a good starter culture.How do you make a 2% brine?
To get a liter of 2% brine, fill a pitcher with 1000 ml. of water (1 liter), multiplying by . 02, which equals 20, which is the amount of salt to add (in grams) to the water. Or, you could just use the handy brine chart, but isn't it good to know how to do it?What is the ratio of salt to water for fermenting?
HOW MUCH SALT DO I USE? Our rule of thumb for salt in vegetable ferments is 1-3 tablespoons per quart of water.Sandor Katz Interview - Fermenting Vegetables: How Much Salt
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