These spicy lacto-fermented carrots are our favorite healthy grab and go snack! We hope you like them too!
Ready for one of the easiest and tastiest ferments you’ll ever make? These spicy lacto-fermented carrot sticks are super yummy and way more fun to eat than a plain ol’ carrot!
To make our Spicy Lacto-Fermented Carrots, you’ll need:
- Glass jar with lid (we used a regular 32oz mason jar but you could use two pint size jars as well)
- Approximately 1.5 lbs carrots
- 1 jalapeño
- 2 cups filtered water
- 1 1/2 tsp sea salt
First, dissolve the sea salt in the filtered water and set aside.
Then peel and trim the carrots and cut into sticks. You’ll want the length of your sticks to be short enough so they fit just under the rim of the jar.
Next, cut up the jalapeño. We prefer to cut into discs so we can use them to spice up a plate of nachos later on. But, that’s just us.
Now it’s time to pack your jar. Start with turning your jar on its side. This will make it easier to stack the sticks. We usually toss in half of the jalapeños, fill half way with sticks, toss in the rest of the jalapeños and then fill the remaining space with sticks. You’ll want to pack in the carrot sticks until you absolutely cannot fit anymore in. This helps with keeping the sticks submerged in brine.
Once you have filled your jar with the carrots and jalapeño, turn it right side up and fill with the salt water you had set aside. Make sure all sticks are covered and cap the jar.
Leave sit at room temperature for 2-3 days. You’ll start seeing a little bubbling going and you’ll know the fermenting has begun. At this point transfer the jar to the door of your refrigerator (it’s the warmest part) and let sit for another 10-14 days. And then your spicy lacto-fermented carrot sticks are ready to eat! Once fully fermented we recommend storing them on shelf in your refrigerator. Though they will still ferment, the colder temperature will slow the process way down.
As we mentioned before, lacto-fermented carrot sticks are an easy snack (they go great with hummus!) and in our opinion, taste way better than baby carrots. Enjoy!
Spicy Lacto-Fermented Carrot Sticks
Easy recipe for spicy fermented carrots sticks. These carrot sticks make a healthy snack!
Ingredients
- glass jar
- Approximately 1.5 lbs carrots
- 1 jalapeño
- 2 cups filtered water
- 1 1/2 tsp sea salt
Instructions
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Dissolve the sea salt in the filtered water and set aside
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Peel, trim and cut carrots into sticks
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Trim jalapeño and cut into discs
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Turn jar on its side and add half of the jalapeño
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Stack carrot sticks until jar is about half full
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Add the rest of the jalapeño
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Continue stacking sticks until you absolutely can't fit another one in
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Turn the jar right side up and cover everything with the salt water
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Cap the jar and let sit on the counter for 2-3 days
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Once you see bubbles and notice the water turning slightly cloudy, transfer to the door of your refrigerator
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Let sit for 10-14 days and then enjoy
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Once opened, keep on a shelf your refrigerator to slow additional fermentation
When I do this, I end up with white mold. What can I do to stop this? Also, is there a way to make it shelf stable without refrigeration?
Hi Jenni,
Sorry to hear you are having problems. Be sure that the carrots sticks are 100% submerged in the salt water brine throughout the duration of the fermentation process.
Is is possible that your mold is actually Kahm yeast? This article might be of interest: http://phickle.com/the-wrath-of-kahm/
As for keeping it on the shelf: you can keep them at room temp but they will continue fermenting, so you need to make sure they remain submerged or you will risk mold.