Turshia (Fermented Pickled Vegetables)
Fermented pickled vegetables (what many cultures call turshia) are nothing like the pickles you buy from the grocery store. Instead of getting their sour flavour from vinegar, fermented turshia gets its lip smacking taste from lacto fermentation. In other words, you only use water and salt to make them, then time does the rest. The vegetables live submerged under salt water which eventually turns pleasantly sour, inhibits bad bacteria and good bacteria thrives.
That good bacteria is a powerful source of probiotics, which are essential for so many reasons. Probiotics are important microbes that make digesting food much easier. It allows for better absorption of nutrients from food and those good bacteria keep the bad bacteria at bay. This is why it’s so widely recommended to consume fermented foods during and after illness. To read more about the benefits of fermented foods, here is a great post from Harvard Medical School.
What Ingredients do I Need to Make Turshia?
To make fermented turshia, you will need:
- Chlorine free/filtered water
- Pickling salt or any Kosher or sea salt (not iodized table salt)
- Fresh, crunchy vegetables like cauliflower, carrots, peppers, pickling cucumbers and celery
- Fresh dill
- Fresh garlic cloves
- Bay leaves
- Black peppercorns (optional)
- Yellow mustard seeds (optional)
How Long do I Ferment Turshia?
Start checking your turshia after 3-5 days. The liquid should begin to look cloudy and smell pleasantly briny. Give it a taste, and if it has reached your desired level of sourness, you can refrigerate it. Otherwise it typically takes anywhere from 7-14 days to completely ferment.
The best way to experience this mouthwatering mixed veggie pickle is to just try it! Watch the video on the I Cook and Paint Youtube channel and save this recipe. If you do, then please rate the recipe on this post and leave us a comment about how it turned out for you!
Check Out These Other Mouthwatering Ferments!
- Eight Reasons Your Fermented Pickles Aren’t Turning Out
- Easy Kimchi for Beginners
- Homemade Sauerkraut
- How to Make a Ginger Bug
Turshia (Fermented Pickled Vegetables)
Equipment
- 1 Large jar
- Smaller jars for transferring after fermentation
- Saucepan
- Wooden spoon
- Fermentation weights or any non reactive weights
Ingredients
BRINE
- 4 tablespoons pickling salt Kosher or sea salt also works
- 8 cups water, chlorine free any filtered or spring water works
VEGETABLES
- Cauliflower, carrots, pickling cucumbers, peppers, celery, cabbage, green beans, turnips, beets etc. any amount
SEASONINGS
- Fresh dill, bay leaves, peppercorns, cloves, mustard seeds, garlic cloves any amount
Instructions
FOR THE BRINE
- Add about 1 cup of the water to a small saucepan and stir in salt. Heat over low and stir constantly until the salt is completely dissolved.
- Add the warmed salt water to the remaining water and stir well.
FOR THE VEGETABLES
- Wash all vegetables very well and cut into bite sized pieces. Place a few sprigs of fresh dill in the bottom of a large jar. Add some peppercorns, garlic cloves and any other seasonings you are using. Arrange half of the vegetables on top, packing them snugly into each other. Place another layer of dill and seasonings. Repeat until everything is used up. (You can also build your turshia in several smaller jars instead of one large jar.)
- Pour the brine over the vegetables until they are just submerged. Place a fermentation weight on top to keep the vegetables under the brine. It is important that none of them peak above the surface as this can introduce oxygen that can create bad bacteria. If you do not have fermentation weights, place any non reactive object on top to keep the vegetables weighed down.
- Cover the jar loosely with either a lid or a paper towel secured with an elastic band. Put your jar (or jars) in a warm, dark place for 1-2 weeks to ferment. Check and taste the turshia every couple of days to ensure the process is smooth and the turshia reaches your desired level of fermentation.
- Once you are happy with the flavour of your turshia, transfer from the large jar into several smaller jars, cover with lids and refrigerate. Your turshia will keep for several months.