fermenting fruit?

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fermenting fruit?

Postby Ido on Thu Jan 30, 2025 5:17 am

Hi all,
Been thinking of fermenting fruit, just like we do vegetables(?),
Till now I've only done standard veg-kraut, not juices etc.
So can the same principles work with fruit? Like with lemons? just pieces of any kind of fruit submerged in brine? was specifically thinking of whole pomegranate seeds, but would try other stuff, hard not mushy, apples?
I searched here and didn't find anything about this... I presume the natural sugar will require more salt, but besides that?
Thanks,
Ido
edit: I never did only lemon ferments, always added them to veg,
so maybe same principle would work with other fruit? mixing them with "hardy" veg like cabbage and if relevant gaining all kinds of bacteria/ferment process's and less riskey ferments?
Ido
 
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Re: fermenting fruit?

Postby Christopher Weeks on Sat Feb 01, 2025 6:32 am

I've preserved lemons and limes in combinations of salt, sugar, chiles, and other spices. It's hard to tell how much lacto-action is going on because the starting media is so sour. And I never tried a brine where the dead bacteria would become visible. I've also preserved cranberries in honey. In all of those treatments, the produce was still good (if a little soft) ten years on -- but again I'm not sure much fermentation was really happening.

I look forward to reading about what you try and what comes out of it.
Christopher Weeks
Nuka Ninja
 
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Re: fermenting fruit?

Postby Ido on Sun Feb 02, 2025 8:37 am

Thanks as always Christopher,
I've gained some experience over the years with the basic veg-brine ferments, but totally lack the in-depth know how of the chemical process, especially in regards to honey-alcohol etc. (would have loved to make mead beer etc.),
I might try dropping small amounts of apples or pomegranates (if I find any now) in the next veg ferment, where my logic says small amounts shouldn't upset the standard veg ferment (?), maybe I'll add a bit more salt... If there will be something worth mentioning, I'll post.
I will add that I've often done "quick" ferments with a good fermentation liquid-brine from the end of a ferment batch (emphasis on good brine), where I added stuff that I thought wouldn't suit a long ferment on it's own, like mushrooms or parsley, mostly came out fantastic, both taste and the feel of it.
And I just did that for a local edible weed-plant where I also thought the ferment-salt would kill off potential harmful bad stuff (I'm a bit paranoid on that, will soak fresh wild herbs in salt and vinegar),
came out great, even the liquid got the fresh green taste of the plant…
Cheers
Ido
 
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Re: fermenting fruit?

Postby Christopher Weeks on Sun Feb 02, 2025 6:10 pm

One thing you said reminded me that I've grated apple into sauerkraut and it worked great.
Christopher Weeks
Nuka Ninja
 
Posts: 2642
Joined: Tue Oct 12, 2010 3:59 pm
Location: Carlton County, MN

Re: fermenting fruit?

Postby Ido on Mon Feb 03, 2025 4:49 am

good to know, thanks
Ido
 
Posts: 78
Joined: Mon Apr 25, 2011 3:32 pm


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