How long does it take to ferment turnips?

Make sure that the lids are not too tight, so that the pressure can come out naturally during fermentation. Place the jars on a small plate to catch any excess liquid. Leave to ferment at room temperature for about 3 weeks (or more) .

What is a rutabaga vs turnip?

Rutabagas are also generally much larger than turnips . So for a quick rule of thumb, the brownish-yellowish ones are rutabagas, and the smaller white and purple ones are turnips. In terms of their flavor, rutabagas are slightly sweeter-tasting than turnips whereas turnips have a slightly more radishy flavor.

What does purple turnip taste like?

Another delicious member of the brassica family, purple top turnips are generally the last turnips to make it to our CSA shares. These storage crops have a somewhat spicy flavor and can be enjoyed raw or cooked.

Can you ferment vegetables too long?

3 - 6 months. Remember that fermentation slows down the veggies will continue to ferment . They will get more sour the longer they are kept. So it amounts to using it all up or stopping when it gets too sour for your taste.

Can you make alcohol from turnips?

The turnip juice must be concentrated so that a certain level of sugar content is achieved. Subsequently yeast is added and the concentrated mass is fermented for 48 hours and then distilled . The Krautinger Schnapps is remarkable due to its strong taste of turnips.

Do pickled turnips have probiotics?

The dish sports a vibrant pink color, which is made by adding beets to the turnips as they ferment. Fermented foods are great for adding natural probiotics into your diet .

How do you make fermented turmeric?

Directions Place tumeric in pint-sized wide-mouth mason jar. Add water and salt (brine) leaving about 2 inches of headroom. Add whey (optional). Using a glass weight (pickle pebble) and an airlock, allow to ferment for 3-4 days or until it is really bubbling. Store in the refrigerator for up to a year.

Can rutabaga be fermented?

The rutabega is an unassuming workhorse of a vegetable, not often celebrated as perhaps is befitting a vegetable so rich in nutrition. The root ain't pretty, despite the blush of purple that tinges the top; still, once peeled, grated, salted, and fermented, the humble rutabega is transformed .

Can I ferment turnips?

Turnips really like to float, so use a weight to keep the vegetables submerged. Cap with a lid that can handle fermentation, and place the jar somewhere cool and dark to ferment. The pickled turnips are ready after 3 days but can be left to ferment for longer (see notes for details).

Try This Recipe for Fermented Turnips (Sauerruben) for a Tangy Snack (2024)

Fermenting Food
Asian Food
European Food
Vegetable Recipes

Leda Meredith

Leda Meredith is a food writer and certified botanist who has written five books on foraging and preserving food.

Learn about The Spruce Eats'Editorial Process

Updated on 12/21/22

Tested byMary Jo Romano

Ingredients

7 to 8 medium turnips, about 3 pounds, peeled
4 cups water
1 tablespoon sea salt, or kosher salt
1 medium fresh jalapeño, optional

Steps to Make It

Gather the ingredients.
Grate the turnips for a traditional kraut-style sauerruben, or cut them into thin rounds or wedges for a crunchier pickle. In either case, try to make the pieces as uniform as possible.
If using the jalapeño, slice into thin rounds, discarding the seeds as you go, or leaving them in for more heat.
Loosely pack the turnips and peppers into clean glass jars with lids. Don't pack too tightly. You want to make sure the brine can make full contact with the turnips. It is not necessary to sterilize the jars for Lacto-fermented foods. Just be sure they are really clean.
Make a brine by combining the salt and water, stirring until the salt has dissolved. It is important to use non-chlorinated water because chlorine can interfere with the fermentation process. Filtered tap water is fine.
Pour the salt brine over the vegetables. Gently press down on the vegetables to release any air bubbles and to submerge them completely in the brine. Save any remaining brine in an airtight container in the refrigerator. You may need more as the turnips ferment.
Cover the jarsloosely with a lid, or with cheesecloth or a clean dish towel. Alternatively, consider using a small-batch fermentation kit. Place the jars on a plate to catch any overflow that may happen once active fermentation gets going.
Leave the jars at room temperature for 3 days. During this time, remove the covers at least once a day and check to see that the vegetables are still submerged in the brine.
Add additional reserved salt brine if necessary. You should start to see some bubbles on top, which is a sign that fermentation is underway. If you see any white film or mold spots on the brine, skim it off and discard.
By the end of the three days, the turnips should have a clean, lightly sour smell and taste. Cover the jars and refrigerate. Wait at least five more days for the flavor to develop.

Tips

Using young spring turnips will result in a milder pickle.
Leave out the chili pepper and simply enjoy the refreshing taste of fermented spring turnips.
Use a food processor or box grater to grate the turnips.
Be sure to use rubber gloves when working with hot peppers, and be careful not to touch your eyes or other mucous membranes.
Running the jars and lids through a dishwasher cycle is an easy way to clean and sanitize.

Variations

This recipe also works well with rutabagas.
You can run regular tap water through a Brita filter, if desired.
Alternatively, you can boil the water and allow to cool completely, or you can leave the water out for 24 hours to allow the chlorine to dissipate.
If your tap water is very hard, consider buying filtered water.

How to Store

Lactofermented turnips will keep in the refrigerator, covered, for at least six months but are best eaten within three months. After three months they tend to lose some of their crispness.

Fermented Vegetable Recipes

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
7	Calories
0g	Fat
2g	Carbs
0g	Protein

Show Full Nutrition Label

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 32
Amount per serving
Calories	7
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 0g	0%
Saturated Fat 0g	0%
Cholesterol 0mg	0%
Sodium 225mg	10%
Total Carbohydrate 2g	1%
Dietary Fiber 1g	2%
Total Sugars 1g
Protein 0g
Vitamin C 4mg	20%
Calcium 12mg	1%
Iron 0mg	0%
Potassium 60mg	1%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Recipe Tags:

turnip
side dish
american
family dinner

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