Fermenting For Beginner’s – Where You Should Start?

Curious about fermentation, but aren’t exactly sure what to try out? This guide to fermenting for beginner’s provides a list of easy and delicious recipes that are perfect for fermenting newbies.

To learn more basic fermenting information check out How to Ferment.

Qualities of a fermenting for beginner’s recipe

These ferments have most (if not all) of the following things going for them:

1. They are easy… like ridiculously easy to make.
2. If they aren’t easy to make, then the pay off is good. Meaning: I get a whole lot of something that will last for a long time before it expires.
3. They are absolutely delicious.
4. They are the sort of ferment that pretty much anyone will eat without realizing they are getting a dose of probiotics.

Milk Kefir and Yogurt

Fermented dairy is such a delicious and easy way to get a dose of probiotics. It is perfect for breakfast, snack and dessert. Milk kefir and cultured buttermilk are the EASIEST fermented dairy. And yogurt is always popular.

Also, fermented dairy can be used to make so many other fermented foods, including: prefermented baking, simple soft cheeses, and probiotic treats.

Sauerkraut

Sauerkraut (and other cabbage ferments, like kimchi and curtido) is so easy to make. It’s such a low-maintenance ferment that I’ve gone into schools to teach kids how to make it. Teens are really into pounding cabbage into jars and preschool kids love using my rotary grater (affiliate link.)

If you aren’t sure about what to do with sauerkraut, here are a few recipes that feature sauerkraut.

Sourdough

Sourdough baking is really rewarding. It only takes about 3-4 days to catch a vigorous gluten free sourdough starter with buckwheat flour. And it takes about 5 days to make a whole wheat sourdough starter. Sourdough is perfect for pizza, bread and waffles.

Pickles

Yes… pickles… Fermented pickles are absolutely amazing. Sour, salty, crunchy and perfect. This fermented pickles recipe is incredibly easy. Just fill a jar with cucumbers and brine and leave them to ferment until you’re ready to eat them!

Miso

Miso is the perfect way to add a little umami to your meals. Stir it into anything and everything that needs a bit more body. From soups to salads, miso is delicious.

Miso is the EASIEST of the offbeat ferments. It does take about 8 months to ferment… but really… it’s only one afternoon’s worth of work. Best of all it’s a really reliable ferment, and it will last for years, so make a big batch!