Yes to both - fermented pickles and sauerkraut. You'll find several discussions about both here.

Welcome to the forum. :)

Dave

Yes, I do both in early summer, when the kitchen stays cool. But I don't do as well in high summer, when I can't guarantee room temps below 72. It really does make a diff, especially with pickles, which actually warm up for a day or two as they ferment. With kraut, I've had the best luck with small batches, like one head of cabbage that ferments into a quart of kraut. In my experience, both are done in about 7 days.

I've read Wild Fermentation several times, and The Sun magazine had a long interview with Katz last year. Anyway, I have found that increasing the salt level beyond your taste level (as the book suggests) more toward the salt level of sea water (to my taste) works best. In other words, the salt brine should taste saltier than you would ever consider eating, minimum 2 tablespoons per quart.

Thanks dave and planatus!

I have made pickles several times - but only with small, home grown cukes/pickles. Always whole.

A few got away from me (size) and I was wondering if you can use the brine method on sliced ones (like the wedges typical in a jar of pickles in the store). or if it is best to keep them whole?

Regarding WF - just recently tried about 8 oz of shredded beet with his recipe....can not believe how tasty it is! Can't wait to do a large batch and share with family.....

t-bird, I LOVE fermented cucumbers. I also make lots of kraut because my family likes it so much. One of my girls' favorite things is fermented cauliflower.

I pickle things with vinegar, too, but much prefer the more subdued flavor of fermented foods.

I usually make larger batches of ferments just because it takes the same amount of fermentation time to make a few gallons as it does a quart.

I have a three-gallon Harsch crock that I love, plus several pickl-it jars. But it's really just as simple to buy plastic fermenting buckets from a brewery and an airlock to go with it. I also use five-gallon food-grade buckets from a local restaurant.

Judi

I pickle peppers and sauerkraut. This fall, when it cools off, I'd like to try Kim CHee I'm also going to grow lots of daikons and hope to ferment them. I can only ferment in the cool months of the year,

t-bird, regarding the whole or spear pickle question: I've found that for my taste I like to keep them either whole or halved. The quartered ones are too soft tasting for us. If I have large cukes (and they definitely hide and get away from me) I either compost them or make relish or something.

Judi

Thanks Judy! I do like a snap in a pickle!

I make mine in a soup tureen I got at a thrifter......

Anybody tried pickling okra with fermentation? How about greens besides cabbage? How did they turn out?

"Anybody tried pickling okra with fermentation?"
I hope someone answers that one Tracy!

I also ferment pickles and kraut. I use a large, barrel shaped Snap-Lock container. I think it's 2 or 3 gallon.
Good for ferementing, NOT good for anything like sweet pickles where you have to reboil the brine and pour back over the veggies....the plastic is not designed to withstand the heat.

I'll have to try the cauliflower, that sounds really good.
Does it discolor at all? I wonder about the yellow and purple varieties...hmmmm...I could have Purple Pickles!! :)

That would be a conversation starter, huh?

Deanna