Jump to content
Coopers Community

Fermenting Food


ImaginativeName

Recommended Posts

Anybody do this?

 

Yoghurt, sauerkraut, pickles?

 

It just occurred to me that there may be a risk of contaminating my beer or cider if I do this, planning on making sourdough also.

 

I really don't want something uninvited in my drinks.

 

Part of me thinks that the purpose bred yeasts we use, would be far more efficient than most wild yeast and mold, thus leaving little room for foreign invaders, but I'm also thinking there is still risk, but how much?

 

Christina, you're making vinegar, that's probably relevant here?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I make sauerkraut, yoghurt, sourdough, fermented eggplant, fermented lemons, cheese, fermented salami... so many different bacteria kicking around here.

Oh, sour beer too BTW,

 

My sourdough culture is maybe 8 years old and has travelled 3,500 kms in the back of a ute.

Makes the best pizza ever. I recently had homemade sourdough pizza with home made salami and home made cheese.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I make sauerkraut' date=' yoghurt, sourdough, fermented eggplant, fermented lemons, cheese, fermented salami... so many different bacteria kicking around here.

Oh, sour beer too BTW,

 

My sourdough culture is maybe 8 years old and has travelled 3,500 kms in the back of a ute.

Makes the best pizza ever. I recently had homemade sourdough pizza with home made salami and home made cheese.[/quote']

 

And where would this home be..... You know, just out of interest... whistling

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wow.

 

I guess I have nothing to worry about then?

 

I've missed making yogurt, I just do the easyo packet stuff, but I'm going to try harvesting from the next one, which should be as simple as taking a spoonful of the finished product and dumping it into some milk.....I hope.

 

I tried a sourdough starter, but I somehow overlooked the detail of having to pour half off every time you feed it, it was going well for a few days, then I gave up after it seemed to keel over, but I'm keen to have another crack.

 

I've never fermented any other food, I've just made 3 jars, cucumber, cabbage, eggplant.

 

Looking forward to eating it.

 

 

I imagine the lacto would never get a look in unless you really wanted it in your beer?

 

There's a thread in here where Bearded Machinist used a spoon with yoghurt on it to stir his batch, turned out fine.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I make sauerkraut' date=' yoghurt, sourdough, fermented eggplant, fermented lemons, cheese, fermented salami... so many different bacteria kicking around here.

Oh, sour beer too BTW,

 

My sourdough culture is maybe 8 years old and has travelled 3,500 kms in the back of a ute.

Makes the best pizza ever. I recently had homemade sourdough pizza with home made salami and home made cheese.[/quote']

 

And where would this home be..... You know, just out of interest... whistling

 

"I just happened to be in the neighbourhood, and wouldn't you know it, I'm famished!"

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have no problem making vinegar, kefir, and beer in the same kitchen. However, I don't ferment alcohol in the same plastic fermenter (or use the same funnels, sieves, racking equipment) that I use for fermenting vinegar. Even if Starsan/Iodophor kills all the vinegar bacteria, I think the taste would carry over. Glass would be okay though.

 

I've never used Brett, but that might be one you need to be more careful of.

 

Cheers,

 

Christina.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Been making sauerkraut for awhile now and eat at least a cup or two a day. This afternoon I am going to put together a fermented spicy pineapple salsa.

 

Peggy

 

That sounds great.

Saw a watermelon salsa I might have a crack at also.

 

Brett seems to be the one where you might have to burn your house down to get rid of, I'm not playing with that stuff, ever.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

So I've picked up another obsession.

 

I guess it's just an extension of brewing in my case.

 

Made a few tasty things already, it's surprising how they can develop over 24 hours, I'm having another crack at a sourdough starter after my first attempt a few months back.

 

Cheers

 

JP

Link to comment
Share on other sites

ImaginativeName,

 

I struggled with my starter to begin with. I make an all rye starter and yes you are spot on there, the ratios are generally 1:1.

 

My starter wasn't getting bubbly and this worked for me: I started to be rather harsh with discarding the spent starter before adding new flour and water. I discarded all but 1 tablespoon, then added fresh 30g of rye flour and water every day. I think the old, spent flour was making the fresh stuff too acidic or spoiling it somehow.

 

Also, at one point the mixture just seemed too watery. Keep in mind that flours can vary in moisture %, and atmospheric conditions need to be factored in. So I changed the ratio up a bit and added more flour than water. It's hard to explain, but I like mine to be about the same thickness as honey - certainly not watery and thinner.

 

If you lived closer to me, I'd split off some of my starter and give you some!

 

Ben10, that starter is epic... 7 years! I hope to be saying the same in 6 years time myself.

 

Nice loaf. Here's one I did recently. Just like the starter, I found the moisture content of my dough was higher than usual, so upped the flour to water ratio. Got a good rise on this one (that's what she said!)

 

80F29783-B835-47E6-B138-BC41E2F0CD66.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks Christina! I only started trying to bake because my wife said it would be too hard and that I could never do it.

 

I don't shy away from a challenge.

 

Come to think of it, I've been fooled into baking! At least the results are enjoyable and delicious.

 

Definitely give it a go. It's so much more satisfying than buying from a baker. Plus here a loaf is $7+, whereas I can make two loaves for less than $1.40!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...