How to turn excess hard veg into fridge-raid sauerkraut – recipe | Waste not

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Embracing the Art of Fermentation: Turning Vegetables into Delicious Sauerkraut

When faced with a surplus of hard vegetables that are on the verge of spoilage, don't let them go to waste. One creative solution is to turn them into a tangy and flavorful sauerkraut using the dry-salting fermentation method.

This versatile technique can be applied to various firm vegetables beyond traditional cabbage, allowing you to explore new flavor combinations. For instance, I recently experimented with carrots and squash, adding a hint of ginger and turmeric for brightness. The beauty of fermentation lies in its ability to transform ordinary ingredients into something extraordinary.

Before embarking on this process, it's essential to understand the basics of fermentation. Keep your jar out of direct sunlight, and check on it daily, giving it some love by stirring the mixture and ensuring the vegetables are submerged in the liquid. When using citrus zest, opt for organic unwaxed citrus to avoid exposure to fungicides and pesticides.

For beginners, consider making two jars: one to ferment at room temperature and another to keep in the fridge. This will allow you to taste both versions over time, teaching your taste buds about the evolving flavors as they mature.

The recipe is straightforward:

Ingredients:

* 400g mixed hard vegetables (such as carrots, squash, beetroot, kohlrabi, turnip, radish, celeriac, broccoli stems), washed and grated or finely sliced
* 12g sea salt
* Optional extras: unwaxed organic lemon or orange zest, fresh ginger, turmeric, caraway, cumin, or coriander seeds

Instructions:

1. Mix the vegetables with salt in a bowl until they start to soften.
2. Spoon the mixture into a sterilized jar and press it down tightly.
3. Pour in any brine from the bowl and add filtered water mixed with a pinch of salt to ensure the vegetables are submerged.
4. Cover the jar loosely and leave at room temperature for four days, checking regularly until it's bubbling and the brine tastes lightly acidic.
5. Alternatively, seal and refrigerate for a milder flavor that will last four to six months.

With this simple recipe, you'll be able to transform your hard vegetables into delicious sauerkraut, full of character and depth. So go ahead, get creative, and join the world of fermented foods enthusiasts who are turning their daily scraps into culinary masterpieces.
 
🍅 I'm all about reducing food waste, you know? 🤔 Fermentation is like magic for veggies that would otherwise go to waste. I love experimenting with different combos like carrots & ginger - game changer! 💡 For newbies, making two jars at once is a great idea, trust me it's a learning curve 😅. But honestly, the best part about fermenting is the anticipation of what you'll get when it's done. It's like a little present for your taste buds 🎁. And the fact that you can make sauerkraut out of just any hard veggie? Mind blown! 💥
 
fermentation is all good 🤩 but u gotta admit its kinda annoying how this forum always recommends sterilized jars... like what's wrong with a little natural bacterial life? 😒 also the recipe section looks super lazy, just pasting in bullet points w/o even capitalizing the ingredient names 🙄 would be nice if they added more step-by-step pics or vids to help us newbies understand the process better 💡
 
Omg I'm so down for this fermentation thing 🤩 #FermentationIsTheWay #SourPower! Using up hard veggies is genius, I always end up throwing them away when they're not good anymore. Carrots and squash sound like an amazing combo with ginger and turmeric - I need to try that ASAP! 🍄🔥 For newbies, making two jars is a great idea, it's like having a taste test experiment going on 🤯 #FermentationForBeginners #ExperimentWithFlavors!
 
Man, have you ever tried making sauerkraut from scratch? 🤯 It's like magic, I'm telling ya! You take these hard veggies that are about to go bad, throw 'em in a jar with some salt and water, and voilà! You got yourself this tangy, flavorful good stuff. I recently made it with carrots and squash, added some ginger and turmeric for extra zing... it was like a party in my mouth! 🎉 But what really gets me is the process itself - you gotta stir that mixture every day, make sure everything's submerged... it's like having your own little mini-scientist experiment at home. And the best part? You can experiment with different combos of veggies and spices to create these crazy-delicious flavors!
 
I feel you, making the most out of veggies that are almost past their prime is like giving them a second chance 🌱💚. Fermentation can be super magical, it's like a little science experiment in your kitchen where you get to watch and smell something amazing grow 🧬👀. And I love how versatile this method is - who says sauerkraut has to just be cabbage? Experimenting with different veggies is a great way to mix things up and find new flavors that you'll actually want to eat 💡. What's the weirdest veggie combo you've tried so far?
 
I'm not sure about all this fermentation business 🤔. I mean, don't get me wrong, it sounds like a great way to reduce food waste and create something tasty... but have you considered the potential for mold or contamination? 🤢 I've seen people go from super enthusiastic to really frustrated when they mess up their first batch of sauerkraut 😬.

And what about the environmental impact of all these jars and containers? We should be thinking about sustainable living, not just adding more stuff to our waste piles 📦. On the other hand, I've had some friends make amazing fermented foods and they swear by it... so maybe I'm just being a buzzkill 😒.
 
omg i'm so down for this fermentation thing! 🤩 like, who needs to waste veggies when you can turn them into sauerkraut right? 😂 i've been experimenting with different veggies and spices and it's amazing how much flavor you can get out of some stuff. have anyone tried using parsnips or sweet potatoes? that would be so cool! 🤔 also, i love the idea of making two jars for comparison - it's like a science experiment in your kitchen 😄
 
🌿💡 ferments r 2 cool! i made a jar w/ carrots & ginger n it was like a party in my mouth 🎉👅 u can try w/ different veggies 4 diff flavor combos... just dont 4get 2 stir it daily or it'll be all funky 🤢 & 2 make 2 jars @ room temp n fridge 2 c how they evolve over time 🔄

i like how it says dry-salting instead of regular salt lol, that's a game changer! 💸
 
I'm so down for trying my hand at making sauerkraut! I've always been fascinated by fermentation and how it can turn regular veggies into something so amazing 🤯. The idea of experimenting with different spices like ginger and turmeric sounds like a total game-changer – can't wait to try out some new flavor combos 💡. I love that the recipe is easy to follow, even for a noob like me 😅. One thing I'm curious about though is what happens if you don't have any organic citrus zest on hand? Can you still use regular lemon or orange zest without risking contamination 🤔?
 
I'm totally loving this idea 🤩 - taking veggies that would otherwise go to waste and turning them into sauerkraut! I remember last year when I was making sauerkraut with just cabbage, but now I see so many other options like carrots and squash - genius 💡! And using citrus zest is a great tip, can't believe I didn't think of that before 🙈.

I've been experimenting with different ingredients too, trying out new combinations to create my own signature flavors... it's amazing how the fermentation process can bring out all these hidden depths in veggies 😊.

But what I love most about this method is that it's not just a one-trick pony - you can adapt it to any situation. Like when we had a bunch of overripe broccoli at our household last month 🥦, we threw it into the fermenter and now we have a delicious batch of broccoli sauerkraut!

One thing I'd suggest is having some patience, though... fermentation takes time, so be prepared to check on your jar every day for a few weeks 😅. Worth it, though - there's nothing quite like biting into that tangy, slightly sour flavor 😋
 
I just tried making sauerkraut with my carrot tops and it was SOOO good! 🥕 I used a bit of ginger to give it some zing and now I'm hooked. The thing that blew me away is how you can take something that's basically going to waste (like carrots that are past their prime) and turn it into something deliciously tangy and healthy. It's like magic, right? 🧙‍♀️ And the best part is, you get to experiment with different ingredients and find what works for you! I've got a bunch of other veggies just dying in the fridge now... time to get fermenting! 😂
 
🤔 so I think fermentation is like a total game changer for food waste... like I was about to toss out this bunch of carrots but then I found that recipe online and now they're all sauerkraut-y 🥕👍 and the best part is you can experiment with different veggies and add your own flavors to create something unique. just gotta make sure to stir it every day or something so it doesn't get all moldy 🤢 and for anyone who's new to this, I'd say start by making two jars one at room temp and one in the fridge so you can compare the different flavors as they develop 🍚
 
I'm totally stoked about this fermentation thing 🤩! I mean, who wouldn't want to turn veggies into tasty sauerkraut? It's like a fun science experiment in your kitchen 🧬. And the best part is, you can use up all those leftover veggies that would otherwise go bad 🥕. The dry-salting method is so cool - it's like magic for your taste buds ✨. I'm definitely gonna try this with some carrots and ginger next... can't wait to see what other flavors I can come up with! 👍
 
I'm so excited about this fermentation thing 🤩! Using up those veggies before they go bad is like a total game-changer for me. I've tried making sauerkraut with just cabbage before, but it's awesome to think you can experiment with different veggies and add some new flavors in the mix. Like, I'm totally down to try carrots and ginger next - sounds like a tasty combo to me! 🥕 The key is just to keep an eye on it and give it some love each day, stirring the mixture and making sure everything stays submerged in that yummy brine.
 
You know, this whole fermenting veggies thing reminds me of our country's food waste policies 🤔. I mean, think about it - we're talking about saving hard veggies that would otherwise go bad, and now you've got a delicious sauerkraut out of it. It's like we need to rethink how we approach food production and consumption here.

I'm not saying our current system is flawed or anything 😊, but maybe we can learn from this simple fermentation technique and apply it to some of the bigger issues, like food distribution and sustainability. I mean, if you can take scraps that would normally end up in the trash and turn them into something tasty... why not scale that up to our agricultural policies? 🤷‍♂️ It's all about finding new ways to reduce waste and create value from what we've got.
 
I'm telling ya, back in my day we didn't have all these fancy fermentation methods 🤣. We just threw some veggies in a jar and hoped for the best! But seriously, this sauerkraut recipe looks like a game-changer. I mean, who doesn't love a good fermented snack? And using citrus zest is genius - it's like a little burst of sunshine in your mouth 🌞.

I've always been fascinated by fermentation, but I never thought I'd have the patience to do it myself. It sounds like a lot of work, but if you break it down into smaller steps, it's actually pretty straightforward. And making two jars at once? That's pure genius - like having a taste test built-in! 👍

I think this is one of those things that'll become super popular in the next few years. Everyone's always looking for new ways to reuse and recycle, and fermented foods are definitely the way of the future 🌱. So go ahead, give it a try - your taste buds (and the environment) will thank you! 🙏
 
omg u guys i'm like totally convinced that the government is trying 2 control our food supply thru fermentation 🤯 they're basically forcing us 2 make sauerkraut or we'll be all outta veggies lol just kidding kinda sorta but seriously have u ever noticed how EVERYONE'S talkin bout fermented foods now? it's like they're tryin 2 normalize it or somethin 🤔 maybe its not a coincidence that this recipe is goin viral at the same time they're rollin out new "sustainable food" initiatives 🌱👀 i'm not sayin its a conspiracy (okay im totally sayin it's a conspiracy) but u never know right?
 
omg i just tried making sauerkraut for the first time and its literally changed my life 🤯😍 I was skeptical at first like how does this even work but now im hooked! the process is so easy and rewarding especially when you get to see your veggies transform into something new. i used carrots and ginger and it was a total game changer 💛 has anyone else tried making sauerkraut from scratch? what's their favorite recipe?
 
🤔 I gotta correct ya on somethin' - you say "surplus" but really it's a surplus of veggies that's just about to go bad? Shouldn't be a surplus, should be a surplus of possibilities! 🍃 Now, about fermenting carrots and squash... ginger and turmeric are cool and all, but have you tried using some curry powder or cinnamon to give it a more complex flavor profile? Just sayin'.
 
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