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Fermented Strawberries

How to make fermented strawberries for sauce, jam or cordial.

Making fermented strawberries is the easiest way to preserve a large crop. See the sections above for information on how to turn your strawberries into a probiotic sauce, cordial or jam. 

Scale

Ingredients

  • 2 cups of slice strawberries (about 1 pint)
  • 1/4 cup of culture (see notes)
  • 1 tbsp of sugar (optional)
  • 2 tbsp of filtered water (enough to cover)

Instructions

  1. Wash and slice the strawberries.
  2. Pack the berries into a 500 ml jar.
  3. Pour in the culture. See below for five different options. 
  4. Stir in 1 tbsp of sugar, if you want. This is a sweet ferment, so adding extra sugar will cause the strawberries to ferment more quickly, however it isn’t necessary.
  5. Pour in enough water to cover the strawberries. Use a weight to keep them from floating. If you are using a wide-mouth mason jar, then a jam jar works nicely.
  6. Cover with a cloth to keep the fruit flies out, and leave the jar to ferment at room temperature and out of the sun for 2 to 4 days. A kitchen cupboard is ideal.
  7. The strawberries are finished when they have softened and the liquid is slightly sparkly. Put a lid on the jar and store them in the fridge. Alternatively, turn the strawberries into a sauce, jam or cordial by following the instructions in the section above.
  8. Fermented strawberries taste best if enjoyed within 3 weeks. Otherwise, freeze them in straight-sided mason jars for longterm storage.

Notes

  • This is a sweet ferment, so use a yeast-based culture. Personally, I like using ginger bug, which gives the strawberries a bit of extra flavour. Kombucha, water kefir or cider vinegar with a mother will all work as well. 
  • Alternatively, you can ferment strawberries with honey. To make honey fermented strawberries, omit the sugar and culture. Instead, stir in 2 tbsp of unpasteurized honey. 
  • Don’t use strawberries that have started to go off. You don’t want to contaminate your ferment with mold.

Keywords: probiotic, jam, sauce, cordial, ginger, honey, kombucha, water kefir, storage, preserve, spring, summer, easy, simple, healthy, keto, vegan

Find it online: https://www.fermentingforfoodies.com/fresh-fermented-strawberries-for-jam-or-sauce/