When I teach fermentation classes, people are often curious what my house must look like. They are generally too polite to ask what my house smells like. The answer to both of those questions, for better or for worse, is “Ferments!” Yes, there are blooping crocks, bubbling jars, bowls of clumpy grain substances, pitchers of gelatinous SCOBYs and thickening dairy on just about every spare surface. It’s a true thing. My mom is so proud. Worse yet, when I’m prepping for a class or an event, I get the added bonus of stacks of cultures, in plastic bags or little jars, set where there’s room, and where I won’t forget them when running out the door with my arms loaded down with samples. I love this fermenty chaos, but I assume that most sane people wouldn’t necessarily be dazzled by the look of dozens of double-stacked jars wearing hoods and living on all of the shelves.
That is why, dear reader, I was elated when the wonderful people at Fillmore Container offered you up an alternative to my *cough* relaxed fermentation decor. If you aren’t yet in the know, there exists a prettier solution: the reCAP. ReCAPs are neato lids for the fermenting set. They have a hole intended for a bung and airlock (not included) and they come in a variety of colors. They look mighty pretty on the shelf, and help cut down on some of those fermenting odors that uninitiated houseguests may not enjoy (I say those folks are cray, for the record! Mmmm, kraut!). Furthermore, when fermentation is over, you can remove the airlock, flip the lid closed and stick them in the fridge. This is a much neater solution than my very handy and beloved cheapo jar method.
So we have Fillmore, a family-owned company that sells just about every container under the sun, to thank for the offer of two reCAPs. One will fit a standard mason jar and one will fit the wide-mouth version. These don’t just work great for pickles, they’re also excellent for small-batch home-brew experiments and any other type of fermented booze you may want to create. To be truthful, that is mainly what I use them for, but I also always recommend them for new or reticent fermenters on just about any project. The ease of use and the smell-deterence seem to be pretty big selling points for the new folks. Also, your mom might not think you’re turning into a crazy microbe-lady/hoarder when she comes to visit if these are neatly stacked on your shelves. Always a bonus.
SUNCHOKE PICKLES WITH reCAP
IF YOU ARE NEW TO FERMENTATION, PLEASE READ MY PICKLE PRIMER BEFORE GETTING STARTED!
Sunchokes make for truly excellent pickles, but there is one consideration with them. They need to be very well scrubbed before fermentation begins. All those little nubbins and crevices should be rubbed down, lest you end up with more than you bargained for, in the form of surface mold. Just make sure you don’t remove the whole peel in your scrubbing.
I used to call these my “Salt and Vinegar Chip” pickles, but I think their flavor is more accurately compared to fresh, crunchy, slightly nutty artichokes. Their flavor is perfect unadorned, so truly consider the spice recommendations as optional.
Ingredients
- 3.5 cups of sunchokes, unpeeled
- 1 scant tablespoon coarse salt, dissolved into 2 cups of room temperature water
- (optional) 2 juniper berries
- (optional) 1 tablespoon yellow mustard seeds
- 1-2 tablespoons vodka*
How-To
- Place spices, if using, into a quart jar.
- Thoroughly wash and scrub the sunchokes then slice into quarter inch rounds and then place them into the jar.
- Pour brine over the sunchokes and weight them down. A plastic bag filled with brine or a boiled rock will do the trick. Special pickle weights are also a great option.
- Place the reCAP with airlock on to the jar and place the jar in a room temperature spot away from direct sunlight. Leave it for 2 weeks. Taste and if it’s acidic enough for your tastes remove the airlock, close the cap and stick them in the fridge. They’re great in salads or for snacking.
*Pour vodka into the airlock. It’s a great way to keep any mold from forming if any of the starchiness of the sunchokes ends up in there.
Jesse McAvoy says
2nd ferment on water kefir! Had two jars explode last week 🙁
ktr says
I’d make sauer kraut. Or pickled carrots. Or more pickled garlic. In short, I’d use them all the time!
Eileen says
Yay, pickles! I have never had a sunchoke ever, let alone in pickled form, so I am super intrigued–especially because I love artichokes. Super intriguing! Thanks for the giveaway opportunity!
Heather Little says
Love all these..sunchoke pickles…yum
Karla says
I’m currently experimenting with a ginger bug for homemade soda and someone just gave me a batch of water kefir with water grains so I could definitely use some handy equipment like this.
Deb says
Deciding what to make first would be hard – cukes, kraut, something unique? Whatever I decide on would look super under one of the ReCAPS.
Cyndi says
I have never been a pickle fan but I woul love to try making my own!
Jodi says
Mexican style carrots, onions and chiles
Kat K. says
I could definitely use these! I love using half gallon ball jars for fermenting.
Carolyn says
would be interested in learning more and trying them
Teri Kretzer says
Would love to begin making our own wine! Hoping that would be a good place to begin a new addiction!
Laura says
I’d love to try these sunchokes, they sound amazing!
Melissa B says
This would come in handy, am now fermenting my chicken feed!
Ann says
These lids look like a great idea! I look forward to finding some sunchokes to try out this recipe. You continually inspire me with my ferments!
Judy says
I think I would try sauerkraut, I haven’t fermented but once (and I wasn’t pleased with the result) so this might make it fool-proof for me.
Thanks!
Jessimer says
Beet Kvass, I know, most people would say ewww, but I have been thrilled with this healing tonic.
KarenV says
I would fement some cucumbers and some cabbage and anything else I can think of from my garden.
jonquil says
Kraut! Then salsas.
Risa says
Mmm kimchi
Kelly says
I would finally try my hand at kimchi! And I really want to pickle some cauliflower. Mmmmm
Denise says
Everything, haha! But my only explosion so far was a homemade version of sriracha.
Jennifer says
I think I would pickle asparagus first.
PickleNovice says
I’ve been eyeing this broccoli, cabbage and (I think) carrot salad mix that my family has and hasn’t been using and thinking it might make a nice flavorful mixed vegetable kraut of sorts. I’m only just about to finish my first ferment (pickled kale ribs!), using the ghetto jar method, and my parents are NOT happy with the smell, so something like this seems really helpful! I’ve been wondering what I can do about that so that they’ll keep letting me ferment things.
Allison (Spontaneous Tomato) says
I’d probably make cucumber kimchi or cabbage kimchi.
Rebecca says
Oh, I can’t wait until the end of our CSA season when we get sunchokes!
Taifa says
I would LOVE to make some strong Ginger Brew with these lids!
Laura says
Hot pepper sauce.
Shelby says
I would make kimchee. Lately, I’ve been looking at all the dandelions in the prairie behind our house and wondering what I can do with those. Dandelion wine comes to mind. I have no idea how to make wine, but reading a couple of recipes, one mentioned exploding bottles and one calls for an air break. This would be perfect for all my mad scientist kitchen experiments!
laura says
I would pickle all the lovelies that come in my csa. This week I am going to ferment green beans and maybe beets!
Kristin says
Picking what to ferment first would be hard! I tend to ferment jalapenos a lot, but I suppose it would be whatever was fresh and cheap at the farmer’s market that week!
Ali says
These lids seem like a great idea! Especially for the ever exuberant ginger beer.
Birgit K says
Whatever is abundant from the garden at the time – probably zucchini!
NICOLE says
I’ve been fermenting anything and everything in my house. The health benefits are amazing! Just last night I put together a miso fermented purple cabbage. YUM!
Jeannie says
Fermenting is my newest culinary obsession and one that I am super excited to keep learning more and more….
Grew up eating a lot of Kimchee and now I am making my own!
Lisa says
DH with cleaning fetish doesn’t like the jars and the smells. I’m good with the water kefir, but these lids could give me a reason to try veggies again. I’m guessing you burp them outside?
Amanda says
Hi Lisa,
There’s not need to burp them! The airlocks provide sufficient release! The airlock/reCAP combination definitely helps with smells. There are also vegetables that smell less than others when fermenting. Cauliflower, Broccoli and Brussels tend to be quite stench when fermented on their own, for instance!
corrie says
These sound like a great idea – I’d love to try them!
Dana Jespersen says
I want to try sauerkraut, but I may do these sunchoke pickles first.
Kristy K says
I JUST bought a sunchoke today to sprout and grow! Now I have my first recipe for them. Thanks!
Debra Lee says
Some grape kombucha!