Why are my beets not fermenting?

Question

My first attempt (RAW BEETS) - large mason jars, 2 tbsp sea salt, water up to 1" below lid. After a week I opened the lid to "burp" the gas out, but there was nothing, no fizz, just dead beets in room temperature water. I got sketched out and threw them out.

2nd try (COOKED BEETS)- I tried using 2 tbsp whey which I rendered from yogurt plus a tbsp of sea salt, after 3 days, same thing, no gas or fizz just warm salty dead beets.

My house is always at 70 degrees.

I am very disappointed. I have had great success with carrots in the past.

any insight would be appreciated.

Answer 1

Ummm to the poster above me- if you're using heat it isn't fermenting!

To answer the question, I would guess that you didn't have enough good bacteria on the beets to start the fermenting process. Did you use organic veg? Unpeeled? I find that adding some outer cabbage leaf guarantees me the lactobacillus, no matter which raw veg I am using (yes it must be raw). Also, I think you need to leave it alone a bit longer. If you don't see any changes through the glass (bubbles, colour change) then wait a bit to burp it. I actually think an airlock top for your jars would be a good investment so you don't open them at all till the end (weeks later). Your salt ratio doesn't sound problematic to me, but I guess double check the maths (salt to liquid weight).

Good luck with your next try, beets are soooo yummy. I do mine with some coriander seed and a bay leaf (the tannins help keep mushy veggies firm).

Answer 2

You do not give the ratio of salt to liquid or salt to weight of your veggies so with that missing info I may (but do not think so) be wrong. The only way they would not be fermenting is that you used too much salt and they are salt preserved instead of fermented preserved. Still edible but entirely different tast plus they will be soft if this is the case.

Your ratio of salt to vegtables ought to be in the neighborhood of 1 to 3 tablespoons salt per quart of water. Or if you are doing shredded vegtables do not add water, add 1 1/3 tablespoon salt per lb of vegetable.

Answer 3

From personal experience:
If I ever want to ferment a fruit or vegetable, I add the vegetable or fruit in with the same ingredients as you would for a pie, i.e. 1tbs lemon juice and 1/2 cup sugar and then I cook it for about an hour at around 200-250 C. After that I let it go back to room temperature and then set it in the fridge for two days. It helps also if you cut the beets into a smaller size.