10 Fermentation Mistakes to Avoid (From a Year of Fermenting)

Lesson #2. Keep Ferments Crunchy (Avoid Mushy Vegetables)

If there's one thing that will make you swear off fermenting vegetables forever, it's opening a jar and finding sad, mushy veggies. Sadly, fermentation isn't an exact recipe. For example, your house temperature, the time of year, and even the vegetables you choose can change everything.

Warmer kitchens ferment faster (and can turn veggies soft sooner), while cooler homes slow things down and usually give you a better chance at keeping things crisp. Salt also matters here: a proper brine helps good bacteria thrive and keeps vegetables firm, while a weak brine can result in softer vegetables.

My best advice is to start tasting earlier than you think you need to, and move your ferment to the fridge as soon as it tastes pleasantly tangy. The "perfect" ferment is whatever tastes great to you. And if you're brand new, stack the odds in your favor by starting with naturally crunchy vegetables like carrots or green beans before you tackle trickier ones.

Lesson #3. Salt Matters (Use the Right Kind & Amount)

Salt is the key to any great ferment. The salty water (brine) that you ferment your vegetables in encourages good bacteria to flourish and inhibits the growth of bacteria and yeast that could make you sick. Salt also helps keep your vegetables crispy by hardening the pectin in the cells of the vegetables.

Although you can use any non-iodized salt (iodine is antimicrobial and inhibits the beneficial bacteria in cultured vegetables) to ferment, you can enrich your ferments with extra nutrition and flavor by using natural, mineral-rich salts such as these: Himalayan Pink Salt, Redmond Real Salt (a fine rock salt), or Celtic sea salt.

Another benefit to using natural salts is that they haven't been as heavily processed as table salt and don't have any added ingredients, such as anti-caking agents, which prevent clumping.

Lesson #4. Water Matters (Chlorine/Chloramine Problems)

I want to say you can use any water to ferment your vegetables, but chlorine can actually inhibit fermentation. Chlorine is added to municipal water to kill harmful bacteria. Unfortunately, it will also kill the good bacteria you're trying to encourage in your ferment. I have told readers of this blog that they could remove chlorine from their water by letting it sit out overnight, which would cause the chlorine to dissipate. Unfortunately, unbeknownst to me, some municipal water systems now use a mixture of chlorine and ammonia, called chloramine, which does not evaporate, according to the book Fiery Ferments.

Lesson #5. Baby Your Ferment & Burp It Too (Avoid Leaks & Overflow)

If you can remember, I highly suggest checking on your ferment almost daily while it is fermenting. I will admit I haven't been very good at this. Once I make or plant something, I prefer it to take care of itself. This is why I struggle to water indoor plants and keep yogurt or kefir starters alive. Not checking on my ferment has resulted in vegetables sneaking out of the brine (see previous tip #6) and the ferment bubbling over, making a watery mess on my counter.

I would suggest checking your ferment every couple of days to ensure your vegetables remain submerged in the brine and that the mason jar lid is neither taut nor bulging. A taut or bulging lid is a sure sign you need to burp your ferment baby. Simply, unscrew the lid slightly and allow the fermentation gases to escape.

Lesson #6. Skip Fancy Tools (What You Actually Need)

Do I need to buy a fermentation weight? No.

Do I need to buy an airlock system? No.

Do I need to buy a starter? No.

Do I need to buy anything at all? Probably not.

Most people have some glass jars (I used mason jars for all my ferments), salt, and water. This is all you really need to get started. Now, that doesn't mean you won't want to buy a set of fermentation weights or an airlock system once you've fermented a few vegetables. Still, as a beginner, I would suggest trying it and seeing if you enjoy it before investing in any fancy tools. I fermented nearly all the recipes on this blog without investing in any equipment. At the end of the challenge, I bought these glass fermentation weights: amazon.com or amazon.ca, and I love them. This would obviously be the first purchase I would invest in.

Lesson #7. Start Simple. (Choose an Easy First Recipe)

You may be tempted to begin your fermentation journey with some of the most common ferments, like sauerkraut. But sauerkraut is surprisingly tricky to ferment. I would suggest fermenting something straightforward, like these carrot sticks or green beans. Honey ferments are also among some of the easiest ferments, although these are usually reserved for fruit. I made a honey fermented cranberry sauce that was both easy and delicious, if you want to give it a try.

Lesson #8. Label & Take Notes

My short-term memory is shorter than the length of a typical ferment, so I always mark the date I begin fermenting on my calendar as well as the date I think it should be done. Once it's finished fermenting, I label the ferment with its expected expiry date.

Lesson #9. Be like NIKE and just "ferment" it.

What is the number one lesson I learned after spending a year preparing countless ferments? You learn by doing. Sure, you're going to have some failures. My fermented eggs were so disgusting that no one in our family would even take a sample bite. My fermented radishes stunk so bad my husband said he felt like he was eating crunchy farts. I had a jar of water kefir explode all over my floor. But from each mistake, I learned what vegetables I truly enjoyed fermenting and eating, how to tell when my ferments were done, and how to prevent spills, mold, and mushy vegetables. And you will too. But only if you get started.

Lesson #10 - Geek Out (Books & Next Steps)

Humans have been fermenting since about 7000 BC, according to Wikipedia. So, as you can imagine, there are many excellent books written on this fascinating topic. Start with one of the classics, such as Sandor Katz's The Art of Fermentation or this excellent beginner's book, Fermentation for Beginners: The Step-By-Step Guide to Fermentation and Probiotic Foods.

I also love Kirsten & Christopher Shockey's books, including Fermented Vegetables: Creative Recipes for Fermenting 64 Vegetables & Herbs in Krauts, Kimchis, Brined Pickles, Chutneys, Relishes & Pastes, and Fiery Ferments: 70 Stimulating Recipes for Hot Sauces, Spicy Chutneys, Kimchis with Kick, and Other Blazing Fermented Condiments.

Start Your 12-Month Fermentation Challenge

This year, challenge yourself to experiment with fermenting something new every month. This is how I learned to ferment vegetables. Copy my challenge or begin your own. Here is my 12-month Fermentation Challenge series:

Month #12 - FERMENTED GINGERBREAD COOKIES DIPPED IN DARK CHOCOLATE
Month #11 - HONEY FERMENTED CRANBERRIES - 3 WAYS!
Month #10 - FERMENTED TOMATOES - THE FASTEST WAY TO CAN TOMATOES
Month #9 - HONEY & PUMPKIN PIE SPICED FERMENTED APPLESAUCE
Month #8 - EASY FERMENTED BELL PEPPERS & TOMATO LEAF "SALSA"
Month #7 - SPICY FERMENTED GREEN BEANS WITH CURRY & GINGER 
Month #6 - SPICED LACTO-FERMENTED RHUBARB WITH ORANGES & CINNAMON
Month #5 - EASIEST FERMENTED SAUERKRAUT RECIPE
Month #4 - LACTO-FERMENTED RADISHES WITH DILL
Month #3 - FERMENTED GINGER CARROTS
Month #2 - FERMENTED ZUCCHINI WITH DILL AND GARLIC
Month #1 - LEMON GINGER WATER KEFIR

Happy fermenting, my friend!

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