DIY FERMENTATION WEIGHT IDEAS - what to do when you don't have an 'official' weight

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  • Опубліковано 15 чер 2024
  • When fermenting vegetables, never skip the weight! Fermenting weights are crucial in keeping a vegetable fermentation safe under the brine. Often new fermenters skip the weight because they haven't yet invested in an 'official' fermentation weight. I've made this video to give 3 simple DIY fermenting weight ideas to get the job done until you're able to get some glass fermenting weights in the future.
    ================
    ⭐NOTE: There is a concern of microplastics leaching into the fermenting food when plastic objects are used as DIY weights. Some people are not comfortable with this possibility which is understandable. That is why I included a non-plastic option in the video. Option #3 does not use plastic. Also check the comments section for other non-plastic ideas given by other viewers. Happy Fermenting!
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    Disclaimer: I am not a medical doctor, a medical professional, a dietician, or a nutritionist. All content found on the CleanFoodLiving UA-cam Channel, and related social media and written articles, including: text, images, videos, or other formats were created solely for informational purposes only. The content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or proper nutritional advice. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have watched on this video or read on the corresponding website. Use caution when following the recipe in this video. The creator and publisher of this video will not be held responsible for any adverse effects that may arise from the use of this recipe and method or any other recipe and method on this channel and the corresponding website.

КОМЕНТАРІ • 124

  • @oolacristina4506
    @oolacristina4506 8 місяців тому +20

    I’ve been using clear glass candle holders as weights. Not crystal, just plain glass. I find them at thrift stores for $1 and less. Small ones that fit small mouth canning jars and larger ones that fit wide mouth canning jars. They are 3/4” to 1 1/2” tall. I’m careful to use ones that have no cracks, chips or colors. I looked around the Internet to see if they’re safe and didn’t find anything that indicated there would be issues with lead. If you or anyone on this thread knows differently, I’d appreciate the information.
    Love your channel! I’ve been making cabbage ferments, kefir and kombucha for years, but you’ve inspired me to branch out. In the last week, I’ve done red onions, apples and probiotic water along with curtido and red cabbage/beet/carrot/apple kraut with caraway. Will put together the hemp seed yogurt tomorrow as well as three kinds of mushrooms. So fun! Thank you!

  • @MRBSimpleWays
    @MRBSimpleWays 9 місяців тому +14

    Every year l have so much vegetables from my garden and mostly wasted then started to ferment my vegetables by watching your contents and it is really helpful and informative..... Thank you so much.

  • @aditijain7168
    @aditijain7168 5 місяців тому +6

    The way you teach is really simply awesome....each and every step with clarity...thank you👍😀

  • @luckyfriday5366
    @luckyfriday5366 7 місяців тому +6

    My fermentation weights: an empty beer can filled with washed sand. For a really big jar I use a vase partly filled with sand.

    • @w.loczykij5354
      @w.loczykij5354 2 місяці тому +3

      Try to find a small jar to fit into your bigger jar.
      Aluminum and acid ,- not good.

  • @user-nr6kq7ex7r
    @user-nr6kq7ex7r 5 місяців тому +3

    One other option is APPLE, cuting 2 edges and make a small hall in the middle ( like a wagon wheel). 😊

  • @ygalel
    @ygalel 9 місяців тому +18

    I started fermenting about a month ago and my second batch of sauerkraut came out great!
    I used that brine to ferment chickpeas which I am plotting to make hummus with.
    Can't wait!

    • @jamesvoigt7275
      @jamesvoigt7275 9 місяців тому +3

      I love plotting with food. Shows thoughtfulness and usually creativity. I join you in spirit.

    • @Anne--Marie
      @Anne--Marie 7 місяців тому +1

      How was your fermented chick pea hummous?
      BTW, you can try sprouting the chick peas before making hummous. It's yummy!

  • @TheShutterbug1968
    @TheShutterbug1968 7 місяців тому

    ANOTHER EXCELLENT VIDEO!

  • @truegrit7697
    @truegrit7697 4 місяці тому

    I really appreciate your expertise ❤ I learn so much from you!

  • @hildachacon001
    @hildachacon001 7 місяців тому +1

    Your voice is so calming 😁

  • @clarissejones9353
    @clarissejones9353 9 місяців тому +4

    I am so glad I found your channel I thoroughly enjoy your explanations they’re concise and to the point

  • @ThePorrustyFox
    @ThePorrustyFox 4 місяці тому +2

    i love the marbles idea! so afordable!

  • @keshavchettrifarmer
    @keshavchettrifarmer 8 місяців тому

    It's a very good idea I liked your idea of explanation.

  • @EdwardNY8
    @EdwardNY8 8 місяців тому

    What a relaxing voice, even if I don't want to learn about her specific item she has on video I will go just to listen to her in the background. But the weight ideas in jars was beneficial 😁

  • @frankfurder3742
    @frankfurder3742 9 місяців тому

    Awesome video, very informative

  • @vaughngrimes4374
    @vaughngrimes4374 9 місяців тому +1

    Thank You so much for your channel!😊 I started fermenting about one week ago the mushrooms turned out great! I also went down to the river and picked out some really nice rocks. I've grown attached to the idea and liked using! But O.K. I must use another method. 😊

  • @briankerr4512
    @briankerr4512 9 місяців тому +5

    for my lactic acid ferments, I am using a brandy snifter glass with a stem and base which fits well and the round glass seals the opening on the jar. I cover it with a paper towel and elastic band. so far i have not died ... wish me luck

  • @gunnerzane5230
    @gunnerzane5230 8 місяців тому

    I took Rock of my list last month.. Very helpful video.

  • @moritaagishta6190
    @moritaagishta6190 9 місяців тому

    Excellent video thanks for sharing.

  • @user-mi2ej5dd4m
    @user-mi2ej5dd4m 3 місяці тому

    Thanks for letting good suggestions

  • @charlottetown4422
    @charlottetown4422 9 місяців тому

    Thank you for your tips.

  • @lindab34
    @lindab34 9 місяців тому +9

    I use porcelain baking beads in a plastic bag. Works well when I run out of glass weights. I get a bit carried away at times with how many jars I fill. Such good food. Thankyou for all your info.

    • @jamesvoigt7275
      @jamesvoigt7275 9 місяців тому +3

      Are you referring to pie weights? I get carried away sometimes too. So little effort, such large rewards.

    • @lindab34
      @lindab34 9 місяців тому

      Yes, they are the ceramic beads that weigh down pastry to stop it rising. I haven't heard them called that (in the UK) but it makes sense. @@jamesvoigt7275

  • @ilovemichigan-1111
    @ilovemichigan-1111 4 місяці тому +2

    I use cut plastic lids that squeeze down into the jar and sit on top of the vegetables under the brine. I just use lids from sour cream containers things like that.... Whipped cream container lids work great because they don't have any paint or writing on them. You just cut them down to size.

  • @jacobgranados9427
    @jacobgranados9427 9 місяців тому +4

    I have been using the quarter pint jars as weights, they'll fit and allow use of the lid

  • @coldshot5555
    @coldshot5555 9 місяців тому +4

    I use quartz crystals as they are easy to retrieve and clean silica just like glass is silica...

  • @howiewill
    @howiewill 6 місяців тому +1

    Thank you for this information. I started my first ferments this week and only have one ferment spring. No glass weights yet. I babysat my kimchi and kept pushing it below the brine. My house is at 65 degrees so it took a while longer to start seeing the bubbles. It’s in the fridge now. Thanks again

  • @soniamarshall9293
    @soniamarshall9293 9 місяців тому +11

    Not sure I would use plastic touching salted water. I rather use the last suggestion . Thanks for the tip. I going to save for the glass tops.

    • @CRKramics
      @CRKramics 9 місяців тому +3

      I think many people also do not recommend using plastic for fermentation.

    • @undefinednull5749
      @undefinednull5749 9 місяців тому +2

      Avoid plastics!

  • @cillau6319
    @cillau6319 9 місяців тому +1

    Amazing videos

  • @user-xi8tz6yf2e
    @user-xi8tz6yf2e 6 місяців тому

    Nice suggestion thank you

  • @sel7245
    @sel7245 8 місяців тому +2

    Thanks for sharig. I had an old PE (polyethylen) chopping board. With a holesaw I could make some tight fitting disc. On top I put stainlees steel screw. Long enough that the lid would press on it..

  • @fludrbywest3886
    @fludrbywest3886 7 місяців тому +1

    ❤thank you I have learned so much from you that my mom didn’t tell me! But I didn’t ask either😮❤

  • @sbmiller7477
    @sbmiller7477 9 місяців тому +12

    I have used the glass rug savers for the legs of furniture. I don't know if they are still sold but I found a large bag at a second hand store very inexpensive.

  • @middle-agedmacdonald2965
    @middle-agedmacdonald2965 8 місяців тому +2

    I just bought some flat clear glass marbles off Amazon. I'm thinking of folding a silicon dehydrator tray mat into four, stuffing that down like I normally would a cabbage leaf, then packing in as many marbles as necessary to keep the silicon mat mostly sumberged. I have a bunch of different shaped jars (I often save pasta jars just for ferments) so the pucks don't always work. If it were by choice, I'd just use wide mouth jars and glass pucks.

  • @Gearsub
    @Gearsub 8 місяців тому +2

    I am skeptical about shoving in a plastic bag into my jar of fermentation..I thought rocks were a good option but what you mentioned makes sense

  • @yootoob1001001
    @yootoob1001001 7 місяців тому +1

    I did your sauerkraut recipes using the 2 oz (I think) size Mason jar in each on top of the cabbage leaves and it worked fine empty. They fit in the wide mouth quart jars and I am sure they could be filled with something and capped if needed.

  • @ThuLe-eh1xe
    @ThuLe-eh1xe 9 місяців тому +1

    Use smaller glass jar like you did , and put paper towel or clear plastic wrap on top and secure with rubber band. Thanks.

  • @9xqspx6
    @9xqspx6 Місяць тому

    I wouldn't want plastic to get in contact with my ferment. The smaller glass jar is a good idea!

  • @CristinaTobosaru-sy9pr
    @CristinaTobosaru-sy9pr 8 місяців тому

    Felicitari

  • @et1097
    @et1097 8 місяців тому +2

    I don’t want to invest in buying those glass weight because I like to avoid buying things that serves single usage. I use smaller glass jar that filled with water which is good fit sitting inside of the jar for fermentation works well.

  • @herds22
    @herds22 4 місяці тому +1

    If the jar is the right size, you might be able to use one of those plastic pizza saver tripods. Just place upside-down under the lid.

  • @darkstarpyro5358
    @darkstarpyro5358 8 місяців тому +1

    I cut a solo cup to size and cut slits where the bottom and sides meet without cutting off the whole bottom.

  • @richardmassoth8237
    @richardmassoth8237 9 місяців тому +3

    I was wondering if anyone else had tried the new Ball stainless steel spring weights, or used a silicone muffin cup as a fermentation weight holder (containing glass beads, stones, marbles, etc.)?
    I grew up learning to do fermentation in crocks and gallon jars with ceramic plates and boiled limestone rocks as top weights (the limestone will react with salt and acid brines so it needs to be wrapped with plastic or waxed paper and never submerged like glass weights). I think that granite stones or "river rocks" are a better idea, but take more care and have more technique or rules than are often expressed (so I agree with your recommendation to avoid rocks). Also, a linen or fine-weave flat cotton dish towel can be used with butcher's twine (and a suitable knot as a closure if you don't have a big enough rubber band. So, thanks for this useful video!

    • @dragoncarver287
      @dragoncarver287 8 місяців тому

      I tried the Ball spring thing. I found that the spring is a bit too strong and pushes the ferment way too deep, crushing the produce. I cut the spring shorter, then topped the ferment with a cottage cheese lid cut to fit the jar. The spring kept the lid under the brine. I quit using the spring.

    • @dustingraham6316
      @dustingraham6316 8 місяців тому

      I just started my first ferment with the ball kit with springs. The springs are terrible, they totally smash pickles and allow pieces of food to float to the surface since the springs are wide open. I’m waiting to see how my kraut turns out but I can already see my pickles are totally smashed to the bottom. A few pickles slipped past the spring and got wedged between the spring and jar, those look normal. The rest will be mashed.

    • @dragoncarver287
      @dragoncarver287 8 місяців тому +1

      @@dustingraham6316 Cut a plastic cottage cheese container lid to fit just under the shoulder of the jar. Then use the spring on top of that to hold your ferment under the brine. As I said in a previous post I don't use the spring anymore. Just using the plastic lid works fine for me. You can also use cabbage leaves or grapevine leaves stuffed on top of your ferment. Just toss when you are are ready to open and eat. Good luck.

  • @mcanultymichelle
    @mcanultymichelle 9 місяців тому +1

    👍like your scarf

  • @M3Blu3
    @M3Blu3 9 місяців тому

    Welp I was that enthusiast to start sauerkraut without a weight and I'm on day 4 but now I'm nervous, Soo I may just have to toss the progress and start over... after I go through the checklist🤦🏽‍♀️. I'm glad I saw this video though!

  • @christinadoonan713
    @christinadoonan713 9 місяців тому

    Heya! I'm fermenting cucumbers and used your picking video for reference. But like this video i dont have glass weights. I used a tea stainer to lock everything down. I started on Monday and now it Wednesday. The tea stainer pulled up a lot of water leaving the dill out pf the brine. I lifted the strainer up and it let a lot of the brine down, filling the jar again. It was above the brine for maybe 15 hours. I pushed all the dill back down below brine. Is this going to affect the fermenting process?

  • @megnlu
    @megnlu 4 місяці тому +1

    Before I purchased weights I used appropriate sized rocks inside a ziplock & it worked well. The weights I have now are too small & not working as good

  • @YadiraLopez-mr3in
    @YadiraLopez-mr3in 8 місяців тому +1

    Thanks for sharing your knowledge🙏🏽 , the only thing I am concern is about the micro plastics of the bag contaminating the food. What are your thoughts in that matter?

    • @CleanFoodLiving
      @CleanFoodLiving  8 місяців тому +2

      Yes, that's why I made sure to include a non-plastic option, #3 👍😊

  • @denisecares6124
    @denisecares6124 9 місяців тому +6

    Couldn't the washed rocks be placed inside a small glass jar to use as the weight? I mean the rocks won't contact the food then. Trick is finding the right size small jar to fit closely inside the bigger one. Would need a cover cabbage leaf for sure. Could we use a cabbage leaf as cover for fermenting other things too like carrots or pickles?

    • @dragoncarver287
      @dragoncarver287 8 місяців тому

      Or just cover the rock with a plastic bag. Works for me. =)

    • @inowillie
      @inowillie 5 місяців тому

      yes.

    • @Metqa
      @Metqa 4 місяці тому

      putting the rock inside a container were her 2nd and 3rd suggestion. So yes indeed, you don't have to worry about contamination or debris if it is contianed in a bag or a jar, or a silicon cup. Look around your home for items that would fit. Using a cabbage leaf as the first barrier is a great idea, and then putting the weight on top to hold it down. I've made cabbage saurkraut with carrots and red radishes and discovered that I enjoy the salted radish as it's own item so I intend to use a cabbage leaf as a barrier for the radish pickles as well. Why not, eh?

  • @1995nicat
    @1995nicat Місяць тому

    Thank you very much! One question: why does fermentation still need to be secured or covered if everything under brine or under anaerobe environment? Why is weight not enough? I have seen some people never close the jar, just they place it under weight.

  • @jago4673
    @jago4673 3 місяці тому

    How about using cotton nut bags and clear marbles made in the US from Marble King?

  • @glendawillingham5614
    @glendawillingham5614 9 місяців тому

    Thank u so much for this video.. am still confused..is it true that even when carrots are put in icebox.. I can’t take the fermentation glass off top ..my first carrots all had to be thrown away..(did 2.jars at sone time)… one had blk snd green mold growing on top of liquid 🤬🤬😡😡😡 only 2 or 3 days) After ..so I got worried snd just put the 2nd jar in icebox ..was afraid to leave it out to finish fermenting..that’s 4 jars total I have had to dump of carrots..the others were all slimy and dripping slime wh en I went to taste one ..while still fermenting!! Guess I need to give carrots up !! Am afraid to taste the jar in icebox..but glass fermentation top is still over them

  • @xlntnrg
    @xlntnrg 5 місяців тому +2

    As for using plastics, some (like polyethylene) are food-safe, some are not, bags and containers designed for food storage should normally be safe.

    • @Metqa
      @Metqa 4 місяці тому

      Thank You!

  • @davidduplessis5666
    @davidduplessis5666 9 місяців тому +3

    I thought of using the largest coffee plunger I could find. (cant find a big enough one though) If the plunger is nice an sterilised, it should work just fine.

    • @Anne--Marie
      @Anne--Marie 7 місяців тому

      That's actually a brilliant idea! I have a French press coffee pot, but the GI doc said that coffee is off of the list. I wonder if the salt would corrode it or if it would work?

    • @davidduplessis5666
      @davidduplessis5666 7 місяців тому +1

      as I understand it, if you are doing a very long ferment, months to years then maybe yes. the acidity might corrode the metal, but for a few weeks? Its worth a try. stainless steel parts should be just fine.@@Anne--Marie

  • @ImeldaFagin
    @ImeldaFagin 9 місяців тому

    Thanks for all these ideas. I was using the plastic bag method but I got a lot of negative feedback on a Facebook group: some people were saying the plastic would leech into the ferment. I really didn’t know. Also I see some people mention using glass furniture coasters. Could some glass contain lead? Or is all this over-thinking?

    • @CleanFoodLiving
      @CleanFoodLiving  9 місяців тому +2

      I agree that cheap plastics (like baggies) pose potential for micro-plastic leeching. Yes some glass could contain lead, but most likely not if manufactured in the USA or specified. If it were me, I'd use glass wherever I could... but in my early, desperate days of fermentation I did use plastic until I was able to get glass weights. Now I'd never go back.

  • @denisegough5923
    @denisegough5923 9 місяців тому +8

    Use a shot glass

  • @subliminalfalllenangel2108
    @subliminalfalllenangel2108 9 місяців тому +2

    Can I use sea pebbles/sea stones for fermentation? They feel very smooth to the touch.

    • @undefinednull5749
      @undefinednull5749 9 місяців тому

      Yes, why not? Better than anything synthesized. You can boil them before to make sure that any microbes in them are killed off. Be careful to not pick any stones with undesirable elements such as heavy metal periodic elements.

    • @undefinednull5749
      @undefinednull5749 9 місяців тому

      Rocks are porous and can disintegrate in acidic conditions and in hot water.

    • @Metqa
      @Metqa 4 місяці тому

      So long as you are comfortable with whatever they are made of being in your food. Unless you know for certain that the salt or the acidity of the ferment is not going to react with whatever mystery stone you've picked, then you are taking the chance of eating whatever "leaches" off into your brine. The same thing people worry about with plastics. Not everything "natural" is automatically safe, and not everything man-made is deadly. You might want to do a bit more research about the stones, where you find them, what kind of rock they are and how they react to different solutions before putting it into your food.

  • @TheEMWD
    @TheEMWD 8 місяців тому +1

    After about two days fermenting peppers my glass fermenting weight (wide-mouth in a wide-mouth jar) worked its way down and fell to the bottom of the jar. Is it safe to dump it all into a clean glass bowl, remove the weight, put all the peppers back into the fermenting jar, replace the weight and put the lid back on? It was working well which softened the peppers and increased the amount of bubbly liquid which allowed the glass weight to shift its position so much.

    • @CleanFoodLiving
      @CleanFoodLiving  8 місяців тому +2

      Yes, that's not a problem. The key to the successful 'reset' is everything including hands being pristine clean including rewashing the weight before re-using it👍😊

  • @richardmccabe2392
    @richardmccabe2392 9 місяців тому +3

    I see a lot of fermentation tutorials recommend the zip loc bags full of brine as DIY weights but aren't these unsuitable due to the plastics potentially interacting with the acidic solution and leaching chemicals like plasticisers?

    • @CleanFoodLiving
      @CleanFoodLiving  9 місяців тому +2

      Some people don't mind, but that's why I put in a non-plastic option in this video so there is an alternative.

    • @Metqa
      @Metqa 4 місяці тому

      The foods we buy in the store are often stored in plastic containers and bags and are safe to eat. You will likely only be using the bags for a few weeks and salt and acid are common food conditions that these plastic containers are designed to be safe with. The issue with plastic isn't so much when they are brand new from the box, as much is when they are used and degraded. It was specified that using a clean Unused bag was ideal... Once the fermentation is done, you will be discarding the bag, not using it again and again. The times I have seen suggestions on using bags is for beginners who do not have the equipment or the finances to buy expensive glass/ceramic, fancy things just to ferment a jar of cabbage. it's a good way to get started without investing a lot of money. One plastic bag.
      I won't put a link or UA-cam will have a hissy, but I will quote from a page about plastic and food safety. but TLDR: _Plasticisers are not used in soft flexible plastics. Plasticiers are oil soluble not salt/acid soluble, so are more prone to migration with fatty foods or hot contents. (Ferments are neither oily nor hot.) The chemicals that make plasticisers are metabolized by our bodies harmlessly in small amounts, but avoid their use around babies/infants. Use glass, ceramic, or stainless steel instead._
      [ *Plasticisers and Food Safety: *
      In fact, plasticisers are substances mainly used in hard plastics to improve their flexibility and durability. PVC is the most common hard plastic material that uses plasticisers. Therefore, food containers, commercial cling films, gaskets used to seal the metal lids of glass jars, conveyer belts, gloves, made of PVC as well as adhesives and printing ink on food packaging contain plasticisers. _On the other hand, soft plastics such as polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and polyethylene (PE) are inherently flexible and therefore do not require the use of plasticisers (see Table 1)._
      However, as plasticisers are _oil-soluble_, plastics containing plasticisers, especially phthalates (i.e. in the case of PVC products) should not be used in food contact materials for holding _*_fatty foods._*_ Local and overseas data showed that some _fatty foods such as edible oils, oil-based sauces and cheese_ were detected with low levels of phthalates, possibly related to environmental contamination or inappropriate use of food contact materials.
      Plasticisers are widely used industrial chemicals. Due to their widespread presence as environmental contaminants, exposure to low levels of plasticisers through food, water or skin contact with plastics is unavoidable. _Our bodies can effectively metabolise and excrete plasticisers such as phthalates._ Exposure to low levels of phthalates is unlikely to pose a health risk. We can take the following measures to reduce our exposures to phthalates.
      Advice to Consumers
      +Follow manufacturer's instructions especially on the temperature specifications and microwave and dishwasher instructions when using plastic food containers.
      +Do not use PVC or unidentified plastic containers to hold fatty foods or hot foods. Use glass, ceramic or stainless steel containers instead.
      +When using or reusing glass jar, make sure the fatty foods do not come into contact with the gasket of the lid. ]
      Cheers and Happy Fermenting!

  • @Kiko108
    @Kiko108 8 місяців тому

    ❤❤❤

  • @MrSHAUNE55
    @MrSHAUNE55 9 місяців тому

    I've used pebbles from the garden!!
    I have just done my first ferment after watching your videos, carrots from the garden, put some onion and garlic in and a few peppercorns. I left it 8 days, just tasted it and it smells and tastes great, no mould or anything. I have put it in the fridge, am I right in thinking that I don't need the weight now?

    • @CleanFoodLiving
      @CleanFoodLiving  9 місяців тому +1

      Once in the fridge, the weight is no longer needed.👍

  • @FernCurtis
    @FernCurtis 3 місяці тому

    Yeah, I tried the rock one, 1 time…not again!

  • @phoebe20153
    @phoebe20153 2 місяці тому

    I tried using the zip lock bag filled with liquid option, but I found 2 mouldy patches floating in the liquid that seeped above the zip lock bag on day 5. I was making strawberry vinegar, and all the strawberry pieces were successfully weighed down, i stirred it every 2 days, and i sterilised the jar before adding ingredients. Would anyone know why it went mouldy? I live in Australia, so I was wondering if the ambient room temperature was too warm, and perhaps I should try again in winter?

    • @llb6623
      @llb6623 2 місяці тому

      If you are making vinegar not fermenting you do not want to use weights. Vinegar needs oxygen to get started and sugar. She has videos on making vinegar’s. I just strained my strawberry vinegar but it ended up being too acidic. PH was below 3 so I will just use it for cleaning. But making fermentations and vinegars are totally different.

  • @ozmobozo
    @ozmobozo 9 місяців тому +1

    I love the idea of picking up a rock and rinsing it before dropping it.

  • @dkburruss
    @dkburruss 9 місяців тому

    I was wondering I created a banana peel ferment by accident, I have failed at other ferments. Can I use this liquid to seed a newly started vegetable ferment?

    • @inowillie
      @inowillie 5 місяців тому

      yes if ph is right

  • @flatlander2743
    @flatlander2743 9 місяців тому +6

    I'm glad you are no longer recommending the use of rocks. I'll be highlighting this video in my upcoming library lecture on basic fermentation.

    • @undefinednull5749
      @undefinednull5749 9 місяців тому +4

      What's wrong with rocks? They are naturally occurring and free. Better than anything synthetic.

    • @flatlander2743
      @flatlander2743 9 місяців тому +1

      @@undefinednull5749 It depends on one's knowledge of the rocks available. Some rocks contain elements we wouldn't want in our food. Lead and chromium occur in our local soil. Are they also in any rocks I might collect and use as weights? I do not know.
      The people I will be lecturing are likely as ignorant as I am as to which rocks can be safely used.

    • @undefinednull5749
      @undefinednull5749 9 місяців тому +3

      @flatlander2743 i think the best solution may be to use thin sticks, or maybe willow twigs, whatever interleaved into a # looking pattern and just place whatever you have natural and available on top of that. Maybe use multiple layers of such twig nets.
      I'd suggest rowan twigs with leaves for their parasorbic acid which is a natural food preservative but I'm not sure yet how it affects fermentation. What do you think?

    • @flatlander2743
      @flatlander2743 9 місяців тому +3

      @@undefinednull5749 I admire your goal of sticking to natural materials. However, my ignorance is almost boundless- I wouldn't know a rowan twig from an oleander twig.

  • @pamross8561
    @pamross8561 8 місяців тому

    Is it ok to add dried beans, chick peas instead of rocks or other options?

    • @Metqa
      @Metqa 4 місяці тому

      you can add anything that is heavy. One commenter said they used sand! If you have a bag of beans, then by all means use them. They won't be as heavy as rocks or water, but they will add some mass to whatever container you are filling them with.

  • @TickleMeTimbers
    @TickleMeTimbers 9 місяців тому +2

    Can I ferment with non-organic vegetables?

    • @CleanFoodLiving
      @CleanFoodLiving  9 місяців тому +1

      Yes🙂

    • @jamesvoigt7275
      @jamesvoigt7275 9 місяців тому

      I used to be quite fastidious about using organic vegetables. I use them when I can, but I have had seemingly equal success using non-organic. Sometimes its a choice of non-organic or not doing any fermenting. I have also read that the many strains of lacto bacteria frequently eat "bad" materials for breakfast, so to speak, breaking down their toxins over time in the fermenting process. I'm going with that in the absence of any better information. Still, if I am going to consume non-organic vegetables, I feel that they are better for me in a fermented state than they would be fresh.

    • @alvareo92
      @alvareo92 9 місяців тому

      as long as the pesticides on them don't halt the fermentation, I suppose...

    • @Metqa
      @Metqa 4 місяці тому

      THere is no such thing as non-organic vegetable. If it grows it is organic. (being pedantic. )
      But Food is food and your vegetables will ferment whether you grew it in your own non-certified-organically-grown back yard garden, bought it from the non-certified-organically-grown farmers market, or paid extra for the certified-organically-grown label on the surface of the vegetable at the supermarket.
      For the record, certified-Organically-Grown does NOT mean pesticides were not used on them. it just means the pesticides used are organic in origin, meaning it came from something alive like a plant or animal, such as neem, pyrethrum (pyrethins), rotenone or ryania (botanical insecticides) - or minerals, such as boric acid, cryolite, or diatomaceous earth.
      There are natural pesticides like pyrethrins that are highly toxic to beneficial organisms like bees, and there are synthetic pesticides like chromafenozide that are relatively nontoxic to beneficial organisms, mammals, fish, or birds. Being natural/organic doesn’t automatically make something all around better. I've personally used tobacco as a pesticide and there is NOTHING healthy or safe about it. The Nicotine in it is a contact poison to pretty much every type of animal except the nicotine horn worm who poops it out before it can cause harm, but tobacco is organic!
      So, go ahead and cook and ferment with the food you have access to and can afford, whether it has an "organic" sticker on it or not.
      Cheers and Happy Fermenting

  • @jamesvoigt7275
    @jamesvoigt7275 9 місяців тому +1

    Very very sound instruction. Unfortunately, sometimes my ferments do mold. When I remove the lids, weights, and any other equipment, I then boil/simmer them for 20 minutes in case my washing technique is lacking.

    • @alvareo92
      @alvareo92 9 місяців тому +2

      You do know that you are pasteurising your ferments thus removing all probiotics, right?

    • @jamesvoigt7275
      @jamesvoigt7275 9 місяців тому

      Right you are. I, on the other hand, intend to "pasteurize" my lids, weights, and other equipment thus saving future ferments from my mistakes of the past. @@alvareo92

    • @Metqa
      @Metqa 4 місяці тому +1

      @@alvareo92 They are boiling the Lids, Weights and Equipment after washing. They are not boiling the Fermented Food. They said "In case my washing technique is lacking' They are not washing their saurkraut, they are washinig the equipment. They are concerned that spores may linger on the equipment between ferments.

  • @aarifaamos
    @aarifaamos 9 місяців тому +1

    I bought a fermentation crock and the weight it is sold with is waay too small.

    • @jamesvoigt7275
      @jamesvoigt7275 9 місяців тому +1

      Research sources of weights and purchase something that fits your needs. Having said that, receiving the wrong size is definitely a bummer. What a frustrating way to get started.

  • @suecolla9052
    @suecolla9052 4 місяці тому +1

    Or try a golf ball, A shot glass, or a plastic reusable coffee k-cup.

    • @suecolla9052
      @suecolla9052 4 місяці тому +1

      You can cover it first with a cabbage leaf, and tuck it in around the edges, with a butter knife

  • @maggiegoossens1894
    @maggiegoossens1894 9 місяців тому

    I read/heard in a video while investigating fermenting, that you can’t use plastic stuff making contact with the brine because the plastic could start a reaction too with the salt. So now I’m ’confuzzled’...😉🤔🤔🤔🤔

    • @CleanFoodLiving
      @CleanFoodLiving  9 місяців тому +1

      Well not not a reaction that's going to cause an explosion or weird things to happen... But the salt could leach the plastic into the brine. That doesn't bother some people, but for the ones it does, this video includes a non plastic option. The Comments section may also include non plastic alternatives

    • @Metqa
      @Metqa 4 місяці тому +2

      Plastics are inert to salts, which means floating ions pass right over the material without any negative effects. Plastics are inherently resistant to salts. (Plastic are also not affected by vineger, or at least the level of acidity you may be creating in your ferment) Also, salt crystals, being hard sharp rocks, itself is abrasive. Abrasive is not the same as corrosive, or solute. if you take a hand full of course salt and scrub a plastic bag with it, then you may create microplastics from basically sandign the bag with course grit. A Salt solution, salt dissolved in water, will not abrade, corrode, dissolve plastic bags or leech plasticicer from bags ( mostly because plasticicer is not used in flexible plastics like ones used for food grade consumer use bags).
      On the contrary, and interestingly enough, Metals are inherently susceptible to corrosion when exposed to water, especially when the water contains dissolved salt. The salt creates an electrolyte solution, which promotes the flow of electrons from the metal and weakening it.. If you have a hot water tank, you will have a rod that is inserted in from the top, that rod is made of metal and it's job is to corrode because the water just does that, and salt water more so, it's a sacrificial rod. You might want to check on that Rod in your Hot water Tank, by the way ,about once a year or so. a lot of people's hot water tanks fail because that rod dissolves away completely and the water starts eating the metal tank itself and causing leaks. The More You Know!

  • @zeitentgeistert4324
    @zeitentgeistert4324 17 днів тому

    Not sure about the plastic bag given the fact that plastic also sheds micro particles - including microplastics.

    • @CleanFoodLiving
      @CleanFoodLiving  16 днів тому

      That's why I included a non plastic option as well👍

  • @Eyes0penNoFear
    @Eyes0penNoFear 9 місяців тому +1

    Is there a concern with using plastic during the ferment? Does the salt or acid cause chemical leeching?

    • @CleanFoodLiving
      @CleanFoodLiving  9 місяців тому +3

      Yes it does... which is why I'm not a fan of plastic in ferments and personally would use option 3. But lots of people dont mind or have no alternative which is why I included the plastic option. I want there to be something available for everyone.

    • @Metqa
      @Metqa 4 місяці тому +1

      Plastics are inert to food grade vinegar acidity and salt. There are not plasticisers in food grade bags. and if you are concerned about photo-degradation, Well, you should be keeping the ferments in a dark place anyway, not in direct sunlight. But you can always use glass if there is still concern. or Silicon, or stainless steel, or glazed ceramics.

  • @Tassie-Devil
    @Tassie-Devil 6 місяців тому

    You wouldn't believe how many ferments I have lost... that started out successfully, but then _ALL_ my efforts to keep the ferment submerged failed, and toxic mould came in and destroyed the whole jar (often 3 or 4 litres!).
    Then there are the many jars that have failed to seal the product inside even after fermentation has ceased, and again, evaporation and mould.
    Thing is, when you are working on a shoestring budget, the prices charged for glass weights AND the freight... is just prohibitive. Too much profit for them, too little product for me.
    How I wish there were a cheaper option that works as well as purpose-made glass weights, or at least that I could purchase the weights locally off-the-shelf without paying postage.
    Much as love fermenting I am transitioning toward dehydration preservation now, because there are no added costs and few failures. Fermentation actually sucks when you can't obtain the materials at a decent price without being ripped off.
    As for Amazon... they suck, big time. Even on the link provided, surprise surprise (not) - the offer is only available if you get .
    Yeah/nah. NEVER going to give Prime my data, even for a . Very Nasty People to deal with.
    Then lastly, wanna know what glass weights cost through my LOCAL (Australian) Amazon?
    Au$7 + Au$6.40 shipping EACH!!!
    Nothing local even on the menu.
    My fermentation is on a hiatus until I can find a (hopefully local) provider of glass weights who is willing to give me a fair price.
    ALL alternatives have been failures - absolutely every one mentioned.

  • @w.loczykij5354
    @w.loczykij5354 2 місяці тому

    The bag broke. Can i eat those cured marbles ?

  • @bobmiller7426
    @bobmiller7426 9 місяців тому

    We no longer rock!? How sad.👍😂

  • @r.guerreiro140
    @r.guerreiro140 8 місяців тому +1

    What if I make a weight using concrete?
    About rocks, let's say if you use limestone
    It will react with the acids and keep the pH high
    On a worst case scenario, the rock can naturally contains heavy metals
    So please, be really sure about the type if you want to use rocks

  • @gardenweedsgrower
    @gardenweedsgrower 9 місяців тому

    2:56 wouldn’t about microplastics?