Fermented Ginger Pickles Recipe - Fit Bottomed Girls (2024)

By Jenn

July 25, 2017

Probiotics have never been hotter. Fermented foods have never been cooler. And this Fermented Ginger Pickles recipe? Well, it’s darn right blazin’ awesome.

(Also? It’s what you probably envision as pickled ginger — it’s not, like, cucumbers pickled with ginger. Although now that I’m thinking about it, that would probably be darn tasty, too!)

Fermented Ginger Pickles Recipe - Fit Bottomed Girls (1)
From the bookFiery Fermentswhich includes110 formulations for spicy fermented condiments including sauces, salsas, relishes and chutneys, plus recipes for dishes and drinks that use them — this recipe is perfect for those who are looking to make fermented foods with big flavor and kick.

Fermented Ginger Pickles Recipe - Fit Bottomed Girls (2)
It’s also a great beginners’ recipe. If you’ve wanted to do some fermenting but have been intimidated by recipes that require special gear, try this one. It’s SO easy!

Fermented Ginger Pickles Recipe - Fit Bottomed Girls (3)

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Fermented Ginger Pickles Recipe

Author:Kirsten Shockey and Christopher Shockey

Recipe type:Side

Serves:1 pint

In early winter the produce section of markets can be loaded with newly harvested ginger, galangal, and turmeric roots; they are full, succulent, and fresh. This is the time to preserve them. If you are lucky, you might find varieties beyond the widely available yellow ginger, such as the milder baby ginger, labeled “pink,” “young,” “new,” or “stem” ginger, or the zestier blue Hawaiian. This recipe can be used for any kind of ginger, turmeric, or galangal, though galangal is more fibrous and better suited for a grated paste. We use these slices throughout the year to flavor meals or to put in other ferments to give them a head start (for example, when starting a hot sauce with only dried chile pods).

Instructions

  1. Prepare the ginger by peeling off the skin and slicing the root as thinly as possible — think of the pickled ginger that’s served alongside a plate of sushi. Place these slices in a bowl.
  2. Mix in the salt.
  3. Pack the mixture tightly into a pint jar, pressing out any air pockets as you go. Leave the top quarter of the jar free.
  4. Press a Ziplock bag against the surface of the ferment, fill the bag with water, and zip it closed.
  5. Place the jar on a plate and set aside, out of direct sunlight, to ferment for 7 to 14 days. During the fermentation period, monitor for air pockets, pressing down the ginger if needed. As the ginger ferments, the color will change slightly. The brine will become milky.
  6. When the pickles are ready, transfer the jar to the refrigerator. These pickles will keep, refrigerated, for 12 months, provided the ginger is kept under the brine.

Notes

Heat index: 2


What other fermented foods do you love? You know my feelings on sauerkraut on all the things. —Jenn

Excerpted with permission from Fiery Ferments, © by Kirsten Shockey and Christopher Shockey, photography © by Lara Ferroni, used with permission from Storey Publishing.

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7 Comments

  1. elena says:

    March 6, 2018 at 10:03 pm

    what does the fermented ginger usually smell like? I made some for the first time and can’t tell if its safe to eat, it smells bad. I have been making lots of tasty saurkraut and I know its good when it smells good but then again I know what saurkraut is supposed to smell like. I can’t say I have ever smelled ginger kraut on its own.

  2. John says:

    November 10, 2018 at 2:44 am

    What’s the difference between this method and soaking the ginger in salt water instead?

  3. Kelly Johnson says:

    November 4, 2019 at 9:57 pm

    I just want to make sure I understand correctly- you’re not adding water to the ginger, just salt and packing it tightly in the jar and then using the ziploc water bag to seal out air? Thanks

    1. Jenn says:

      November 5, 2019 at 10:20 am

      You got it — that’s right! 🙂

      –Jenn

  4. Cheryl Creasey says:

    June 6, 2021 at 5:03 am

    Looks very easy I am going to try it.

    1. Jenn says:

      June 6, 2021 at 10:00 am

      Awesome! Let us know how it goes!

      –Jenn

  5. Emilie says:

    October 1, 2021 at 10:28 am

    How long does it usually take until we see bubbles? After 6 days, I only see very few bubbles while my sauerkraut that I made on the same dat is bubbling like crazy 🙂 Is it normal? Should I add brine or something? Thanks!

Comments are closed.

Fermented Ginger Pickles Recipe - Fit Bottomed Girls (2024)

FAQs

What is the difference between pickled and fermented ginger? ›

They both produce a sour flavor, but pickles are sour because they are soaked in an acidic, vinegar-based brine, while fermented foods are sour because of a chemical reaction between naturally present sugars and bacteria known as lacto-fermentation.

What is the salt to water ratio for fermented pickles? ›

What is the salt-to-water ratio needed for fermentation? The salt-to-water ratio is commonly between 2-5%. Somewhat depends on taste. Most recipes will call for about 2 tablespoons of salt per quart of water.

Can you over ferment pickles? ›

You won't over ferment something, and fermenting for less time just makes them less cellar stable and they probably have a few less active cultures. So if you ferment your pickles less than a few weeks, keep them in the fridge for longer storage.

Do fermented pickles taste different than vinegar pickles? ›

Fermented dill pickles are made with salt and not vinegar, so by comparison they are milder than vinegar pickles which contain acetic acid.

Which is healthier pickled or fermented? ›

An easy way to remember the difference between the two despite their overlap is that pickling involves putting food into an acidic brine to produce a sour flavor, whereas fermenting gives food a sour flavor without any added acid. Pickling is often the least healthy choice in terms of these two foods.

What does fermented ginger do to the body? ›

Fermenting garlic and ginger can enhance their already numerous health benefits. As garlic and ginger go through the fermentation process, the number of probiotic bacteria in them increases. Consuming probiotic bacteria has many benefits including improving your digestive system and immune system.

How to tell if fermented pickles are bad? ›

Yeast develops and settles to the bottom of the jar. It may be a normal reaction during fermentation caused by bacteria. If the pickles are soft, they are spoiled from the yeast fermentation. Don't use them.

How do you keep pickles crisp when fermenting? ›

Add a Source of Tannin

Tannins work against softening enzymes and help keep pickles crunchier. They can be found in various sources, such as grape leaves, oak leaves, raspberry leaves, black tea, etc. Add some directly to your jars!

How to tell when fermented pickles are done? ›

2) Allow your ferment to go for 7 days untouched. After a day or two, you will start to see bubbles, and the brine will become cloudy. This is the beneficial bacteria doing their job! 3) Taste your ferment on day 7 with a clean fork.

Why are my fermented pickles slimy? ›

Yeast growth caused by under processing can also make pickling liquid pink, cloudy or slimy.

What is the white stuff on fermented pickles? ›

One of the most common visible contaminations is a white, cloudy substance called Kahm Yeast. While Kahm yeast isn't harmful it can indicate that there is a problem with your ferment. Kahm yeast is actually safe to eat as long as there are no molds present and the ferment tests at a pH of 4 or lower.

Can I add vinegar to my fermented pickles? ›

Or add either pasteurized or raw vinegar at the completion of fermentation. Add enough to round out the taste, starting with a tablespoon or so, wait several hours or a day, then taste and adjust if needed.

Is sushi ginger pickled or fermented? ›

It's young pickled ginger that is soaked in sweet vinegar brine. It can have a blush pink color when made from young ginger or artificially colored, or beige if made with regular ginger. We often serve and eat pickled sushi ginger while eating sushi and it's an essential part of a sushi meal.

Is pickled ginger a good probiotic? ›

Pickled ginger, like many pickled vegetables, is a low pH food that is high in good microbes, particularly, lactobacillus bacteria, which is recognised as a primary probiotic. Ginger microbes can boost gut microbiota that can prevent disease and improve overall health.

Is sushi ginger fermented pickled? ›

Our new Sushi Ginger is the first product of ours that is cold pickled in natural vinegar and fermented! Our sushi ginger is premium quality, made the traditional way, using traditional ingredients only.

Is pickled ginger the same as preserved ginger? ›

Pickled: Ginger root preserved in vinegar and often served as an accompaniment to sushi, a Japanese delicacy. Preserved: A confection, not a spice. Ginger root is packed in heavy sugar syrup.

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