Fermented orange carrots

These crunchy little sticks stand out for their simplicity and their delicious taste. Use them to make chewable crudités as soon as the urge for a "crunch" takes hold. Warning - these fermented carrots tend to disappear very quickly, especially around happy hour.

• Difficulty level: easy
• Type of fermentation: lactic
• Preparation time: 20 minutes
• Fermentation time: 3 to 8 weeks

EQUIPMENT

The jars (or other containers) that you are going to use for fermentation are the basis of the recipe because the amount of added salt is calculated according to their volume.

Here we give you an example that works well for this kind of recipe, but don't hesitate to change the size and type of container. You will only have to adjust the amount of salt proportionally to the new volume of the container.

• 2 mason jars of 500 ml (2 cups) with wide mouths.
• Airtight lid (recommended)
• Airlock (optional)

INGREDIENTS

• About 900 g of carrots, or enough to fill two 500 ml jars
• 4 tsp. salt (20 g)
• 2 tbsp. black pepper
• 2 orange slices (with the peel)
• Sufficient water

PREPARATION

1. Pour 2 teaspoons of salt (10 g) into each mason jar.
2. Add the pepper to the jars.
3. Peel the carrots and cut them into sticks.
4. Slide an orange slice down the side of each jar (to make it pretty).
5. Stack the carrot sticks vertically until they are firmly packed and cannot rise during fermentation.
6. Pour in water to submerge the carrots (nothing should stick out).
7. Close and stir the jars to dissolve the salt.
8. Make sure the lids are not too tight, so that the pressure can release naturally during fermentation.
9. Place the jars on a small plate to collect any excess liquid.
10. Leave to ferment at room temperature for about 3 weeks (or more).
11. Open the jar and enjoy!

The sticks should have a nice crunch and just enough tangy citrus flavor!

The cultured carrots can be kept for 1 year in the refrigerator and even longer. However, over time the carrots will become increasingly soft, but will remain just as good to eat.

On the subject of salt: Brine and its percentages can cause many headaches for amateur fermenters. This technique is simpler and is more precise: we take the volume of the jar that we are going to use, we then multiply it by 2%. This gives us the amount of salt to add: 500 ml x 2% = 10 g of salt. So, you need 10 g of salt (2 teaspoons) for every 500 ml!

Get Started! 

• How to Make Fermented Vegetables (Lacto-Fermentation)
• All Our Fermented Vegetables Recipes 
• Fermentation Equipment