Fermented garlic dill jalapeno pickles

This is a really easy and a great way to try lacto-fermentation.

What you need:
-Pickling cucumbers (6)
-Carrots (3)
-Jalapeno peppers (2, ribs & seeds removed unless you want more heat)
-Garlic, fresh dill & peppercorns
-50 grams of salt by weight and 1 liter of cool water to produce a 5% brine. The type of salt is not critical (I use kosher), but you need to weigh it. Metric makes the whole process easy. 50g to 1 liter is a 5% brine. 30g to 1 liter is a 3% brine. Simple.

What you do:
-Put the vegetables in a jar or jars (split evenly if using multiple jars). I put the dill, garlic and peppercorns in first.
-Stir the salt into the water until dissolved, and pour the brine over the vegetables until everything is covered. If you need more brine, just make up a new batch using the same math.
-Weight the vegetables to keep them under the brine (prevents spoilage). I use glass weights called Pickle Pebbles that just fit into a wide mouth Ball jar.
-Place a lid with an airlock on the top (check out Ball’s fermentation kits or fermentation lids. Simple and clean) and set the jar on your counter.

Depending on temperature (ideal is 60-68 degrees, but isn’t critical), let the jar sit 3-5days. Fermentation speeds up in warmer temps, slows in cooler temps. Start testing at about 3 days and when the salt brine flavor has subsided, and everything has a tangy flavor that you like, move things to the fridge. Letting the jar sit on the counter longer will strengthen the flavor.

Once in the fridge, fermentation will slow to a crawl, but not stop completely. It’s best to eat within 6 months, for flavor. But I just finished a jar that had set in the fridge for over a year, and the pickles were great.

A couple of notes of interest if you have read this far:
-The salt brine will prevent spoilage until the beneficial lacto bacteria takes over. However, you may see some natural yeast film on the top of the brine. You can just skim that off. If you see molds (red, black, etc.) just get rid of the batch. Don’t risk getting sick. But I have never had that happen with this recipe.
-These will not taste like Vlasics! This is an entirely different process with an entirely different flavor. That said, I cannot really go back to store bought pickles after learning to make my own this way.

This is a simple, inexpensive recipe. It was my gateway into fermentation. Give it a shot and let me know what you think!