Why is it hard to ferment fennel?
Fennel seemed like a natural for lacto-fermentation.
There are many recipes with fennel as an ingredient (especially in cabbage kraut), but no one seemed to talk about just fermenting up a big ol' batch of fennel.
So I gave it a spin using my standard brine: 3T kosher salt per quart plus bay leaves, peppercorns, and corriander. I ran one batch with two mason jars of fennel, and a second batch with three.
Of the five jars, three turned out delicious but took a weirdly long time. I left the other two jars running for 5-6 weeks but they didn't show the active bubbling I expect and they never really came together. They were somewhat tart, but their pH was up around 5 instead of down in the 4's where it should have been.
Is there some reason fennel doesn't want to ferment?
Best Answer
After dumping out a couple of jars of failed not-quite-fermented fennel I wondered, "Could fennel have antimicrobial properties?"
<< facepalm >>
Why, yes. Yes it could:
Granted, these are about the essential oil and not the whole plant. So I can't be sure this is the problem, but it seems very likely.
Maybe a little fennel mixed in with something else won't muck up the fermentation process, whereas a whole jar of fennel can.
And though it's hard to know, I suppose there could be a safety concern. Lacto fermentation protects us through (1) salt, (2) oxygen depletion, and (3) acid production. Based on what I saw with the failed batches, (2) and (3) may have been below normal. If salt-tolerant critters were to survive... that could be bad.
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How do you ferment fennel seeds?
Cut the fennel into very fine slices with a vegetable slicer. Sprinkle everything with the salt and leave to brine for 20-30 minutes. Fill up the jar with 2% brine, if necessary, and let it ferment in a rather cool place for 2-3 weeks.Can I put fennel in sauerkraut?
Fennel and caraway are familiar flavors with sauerkraut making their addition seem completely natural.How do you make sauerkraut with fennel seeds?
Mix the shredded fennel and cabbage well in a very large bowl. Put down a layer of the vegetables about an inch thick in a 3-gallon crock. Sprinkle with salt and some of the seeds. Repeat until you have everything in the crock.How much does a bulb of fennel weigh?
According to the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Nutrient Database, one raw fennel bulb weighing 234 grams (g) contains: 72.5 calories. 0.47 g of fat. 2.9 g of protein.Fennel and Citrus Fermentation \u0026 Sacral Chakra Basics
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