{"id":3339,"date":"2015-06-05T20:55:56","date_gmt":"2015-06-05T20:55:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/pantryparatus.com\/wpmigration\/?p=3339"},"modified":"2015-06-20T05:18:59","modified_gmt":"2015-06-20T05:18:59","slug":"fermenting-large-vs-small-batches","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/pantryparatus.com\/articles\/fermenting-large-vs-small-batches\/","title":{"rendered":"Fermenting: Large vs. Small Batches"},"content":{"rendered":"
You can pickle nearly anything<\/strong><\/a> following the same basic steps in this article.<\/a> Really. My family doesn\u2019t really care for pickled carrots, but I absolutely adore pickled garlic, onion blooms, and radishes. And of course, there is always sauerkraut <\/a>too! If you are interested in pickling eggs, please read this article.<\/a><\/p>\n <\/a> <\/a><\/p>\n When I ferment anything, I no longer use the large \u201ccrock\u201d method. Perhaps that is because I have never owned a real fermenting crock but have tried other hacks such as food grade buckets. I much prefer fermenting in very small batches and so I stick with mason jars.\u00a0<\/strong> This is purely experiential opinion, but you’re welcome to it:<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Less Risk.<\/strong> If you’re new to fermentation, I better tell you right now: you will have some go bad.\u00a0 It’s just part of it.\u00a0 If you have a vat of sauerkraut go bad, you cry when you have to bury the whole vat to keep the animals from getting sick in it. If you have a jar go south, it\u2019s not so sad. And you will also find that each jar somehow tastes ever-so-slightly different\u2014it\u2019s like fine wine or fine cheese (which makes sense, they’re fermented too)!<\/p>\n Faster Fermentation.<\/strong> Because I want it yesterday. You need to check your fermentation frequently anyway, but there\u2019s something about checking it that makes me wish it was table-ready now; smaller batches ferment much faster.\u00a0 A glass jar of pickles will be ready in 3-5 days (depending upon preference).\u00a0 A food grade bucket can take a month or more.\u00a0\u00a0 If I want a slower fermentation or have a crazy-large harvest to preserve, I will use multiple 1\/2 gallon jars.\u00a0 They take a least a week longer to ferment properly.<\/p>\n