Easy Lacto-Fermented Radish Pickles


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Radishes are one of my favorite homestead crops. They are easy to grow, go from planting to harvesting in a few short weeks, and are one of the earliest crops in the garden. Once the weather gets warm, they tend to go to seed...but those seed pods are really tasty! And then they can be planted again in the fall garden.

Many people are unsure how to eat radishes and don't know that if you cook them, all or most of their "bite" disappears. For some of my favorite ways to eat radishes, see this post. But usually, the first thing I make with radishes is fermented pickles. These are super easy to make and are packed with pro-biotics. And the radishes become very mild tasting. They make an excellent condiment or snack.

How to Ferment Radishes

 
As with all fermenting projects, start out by freshly washing everything you'll be using, including the radishes, your hands, the knife, cutting board, canning jar, weight, and so on. Nothing has to be sterile, but it should be clean. Then:
 
1. Slice the radishes thin. (Discard the roots into your compost pile; save the leaves to saute as a side dish.) Pop the radish slices and, if you like, one garlic clove into a quart canning jar. You could also add other seasonings at this time, if desired.

2. Now make the brine: 3 cups distilled water and 2 tablespoons sea salt. Stir until the salt is completely dissolved. If needed, you can lightly heat the water so the salt dissolves more easily; if you do this, be sure to allow the mixture to completely cool before you proceed.

 
3. Pour the brine over the radishes. It must completely cover the vegetables. 
 
 4. Put a glass weight on top of the radishes. The veggies must all be below the weight, or they will mold. This is the style glass weight I use.
 
5. Put a burper (i.e. "pickle pipe") on top of the jar. These are the style I use. (Put the pickle pipe on top of the jar, bump side up, then screw the canning jar ring in place.) If you don't have a burper, just put a lid loosely on the jar and plan to open the jar daily to let gas escape. 
 
6. Place the jar in a bowl, just in case the brine overflows, and let it sit on the counter, out of direct sunlight. In about a week, taste the pickles (using a freshly washed fork). When you like the flavor, put the jar of pickles in the refrigerator. They will keep for many months. If you want your radishes more tangy, give them more time to ferment on the counter.
 

 
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