Cultured Veggies – Fermentation Starter for Vegetables (2-Pack)

Cultured Veggies – Fermentation Starter for Vegetables (2-Pack)

Transform your kitchen into a little fermentation workshop with our Cultured Veggies – Fermentation Starter for pickled vegetables. It’s the ideal tool for making delicious, nutrient-rich fermented foods at home.

With Cultured Veggies, you can easily ferment fresh vegetables and many other foods yourself. The carefully selected live lactic acid cultures support a controlled and reliable fermentation process, helping you achieve pleasantly tangy flavors and a crisp texture.

Whether you’re fermenting cucumbers, carrots, cabbage, cauliflower, fruit, kimchi, or homemade vinegars, this versatile starter lets you explore your creativity and ferment seasonal produce naturally.

Your Benefits at a Glance

• Live lactic acid cultures: The starter contains selected live cultures from the genera Lactobacillus and Leuconostoc. Fermented foods are particularly popular among people who value a varied, natural diet.
• Versatile: Ideal for fermented vegetables, sour pickles, carrots, onions, garlic, radishes, fruit, vinegars, fermented chili sauces, kimchi, sauerkraut, and many other ferments.
• Easy and reliable: Makes it easier to get started, supports consistent fermentation, and thus helps save on salt.
• Customizable: Combine spices, herbs, heat, and other ingredients to suit your personal taste.
• Natural: Free from preservatives, artificial colors and flavors, and genetically modified ingredients.
• Highly concentrated: Just 2 g of starter can be used for up to 50 liters of brine.

Contents and Product Details

Pack size: 2 sachets of 2 g each, sufficient for a total of 100 liters of brine.

Ingredients: Lactobacillus brevis, Lactobacillus fermentum, Lactobacillus plantarum, Leuconostoc mesenteroides, lactose (MILK) (less than 0.2%).

Activity and strength: Each gram of starter contains at least 1 billion colony-forming units (1 × 10⁹ CFU/g) of live lactic acid bacteria.

Shelf life:

• At least 2 years at −15°C (freezer)
• 1–2 years at 4°C (refrigerator)
• Up to 1 year at room temperature

Instructions for Use

With Cultured Veggies – Fermentation Starter, fermenting vegetables at home is simple and straightforward. For the best results, use fresh ingredients, an appropriate salt concentration, and conditions that minimize exposure to oxygen.

What You’ll Need

• Fresh, firm vegetables such as cucumbers, cabbage, carrots, radishes, beets, or cauliflower
• Cultured Veggies – Fermentation Starter
• Non-iodized salt, such as sea salt
• Water
• A clean fermentation jar with an airtight lid or airlock
• Optional seasonings such as garlic, dill, peppercorns, mustard seeds, bay leaves, or chili flakes

Dosage

2 g of starter (1 sachet) can be used for up to 50 liters of brine.

For smaller batches, you can use the entire 2 g sachet or divide its contents. Store any remaining starter in the freezer in an airtight container or sealed bag. Use a clothespin or clip to seal the opened sachet.

For even distribution, first dissolve the starter in a small amount of chlorine-free water, then add it to your prepared brine.

Using more starter may speed up fermentation slightly, although the effect is generally limited.

Step 1: Prepare the Vegetables

Wash the vegetables thoroughly and cut them into slices, chunks, or sticks, depending on your preference. Firm vegetables can also be fermented whole.

For sauerkraut, finely shred or slice the cabbage.

Pack the prepared vegetables tightly into a clean fermentation jar.

Step 2: Prepare the Brine

Dissolve 20–30 g of salt (approx. 1 tablespoon) in 1 liter of water. Since the starter promotes safe and controlled fermentation, 20 g of salt per liter is often sufficient.

Stir in the Cultured Veggies Fermentation Starter until fully dissolved. Adjust the amount of starter according to the total volume of brine you are preparing.

Step 3: Add the Brine

Pour the brine over the vegetables until they are completely submerged.

The vegetables must remain below the surface of the liquid throughout fermentation. If necessary, use a fermentation weight or a clean cabbage leaf to keep them submerged.

Step 4: Ferment

Close the jar with a clean lid. If using an airlock, fit it according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Keep the jar at 18–24°C (64–75°F), away from direct sunlight.

Fermentation time depends on your preferred flavor:

• 3–5 days: Very mild and fresh
• 7–14 days: Noticeably tangier and more intense
• 3 weeks or longer: Deep, robust flavor

Actual fermentation times may vary depending on the vegetables, temperature, and personal preference.

Step 5: Taste and Store

Taste the vegetables after a few days. Once they have developed a pleasantly tangy flavor, they may be ready to enjoy.

Then transfer the jar to the refrigerator to slow down fermentation considerably. The flavor may continue to develop during storage.

Tips for Successful Fermentation

Use fresh vegetables: High-quality, fresh produce without brown spots will give you the best results.

Keep the vegetables fully submerged: Vegetables that protrude above the brine and come into contact with air may spoil. Use fermentation weights if necessary.

Monitor the temperature: Low temperatures slow fermentation, while higher temperatures speed it up and may cause the vegetables to soften.

Customize the flavor: Experiment with herbs, spices, and different vegetable combinations.

Release pressure when using airtight jars: Carbon dioxide builds up during fermentation. If you use an airtight lid without an airlock, release the pressure carefully and regularly.

How to Enjoy Your Fermented Vegetables

Fermented vegetables make a delicious side dish or topping for sandwiches, burgers, and salads. They add crunch and flavor to grain bowls and can also be used in dips and spreads. They are equally delicious served alongside cheese and charcuterie boards.

Discover the variety of fermentation and create your own delicious fermented foods – simply, naturally, and exactly the way you like them.

Company address: EXPOTEC SARL, 9 Millegaessel, 5335 Moutfort, Luxembourg
Country of origin: Bulgaria