Fermented berries are a great way of getting more fermented foods and beneficial bacteria into your body. Many people, when they first start eating fermented foods, have a lot of trouble getting used to the sour flavor of sauerkraut or kimchi. These have a light sweetness and are often a good way to transition into eating more fermented foods. They also make a wonderful, healthy dessert.
Fermented Berries
Fermented Berries
Author: Susanne Runion
Recipe type: Fermented Foods
Prep time:
Total time:
Serves: 4
Fermented berries are a great way of getting more fermented foods and beneficial bacteria into your diet.
Ingredients
- 3 cups of fresh berries (blackberries, blueberries and raspberries tend to work best) You can also use frozen.
- 2 tablespoons of raw honey, organic sugar or rapadura (like this)
- 2 tablespoons of whey (click here to learn how to make whey), ½ teaspoon of veggie starter culture (like this) or 1 acidophilus capsule (like this)
- ¼ teaspoon Sea or Himalayan Salt
- 2 tablespoons Spring or Filtered Water
- 1 Organic Apple, a sterilized river stone, or a fermentation weight (like this)
- 1 pint mason jar
Instructions
- Rinse the berries and place in a bowl.
Fermented Berries
- Heat the honey in a bowl of hot water to melt it.
Fermented Berries - Heat up the Honey
- I a separate dish, mix together the sweetener, the culture you have chosen to use, the salt and the water.
Fermented Berries - Honey, Culture and Water Mixture
- Put the berries into a 16 ounce mason jar. Use a wooden spoon or something else to push them down.
Fermented Berries - Push the berries down
- Pour the liquid over top.
- Fill a few inches from the top.
- The berries need to be completely submerged under the liquid.
- I used a large piece of an apple, but you can also use a river rock that has been sterilized in boiling water or a fermentation weight (see above)
- If you are using an apple, cut it into a large, round piece, big enough to fit into the top.
- Place the apple piece into the top so it is pushing the berries underneath the liquid.
Fermented Berries - Push the berries down with an apple slice.
- If using a stone or a weight, place that into the top so the berries are submerged.
- Place the top on the jar.
- Only screw the top on halfway. As the berries ferment, pressure will build up so it is best not put the top on too tightly as it could explode.
- Place the jar on a plate in a case it leaks in a safe place.
- It will take 1-3 days to ferment, depending on how hot it is in your house. Make sure you don't ferment it too long or it will turn to alcohol.
- You can check periodically to see if it is done, by carefully opening the jar over the sink, and when it is bubbly, fizzy and less sweet, it is done.
- When it is completely done, take out and discard the apple pieces or take out the weight or the stone and clean them.
- It will keep in the refrigerator for around 6 weeks.
- You can serve this with yogurt, over ice cream, in a smoothie or just eat it plan.
I’ve been fermenting for quite a while, but I’ve never fermented fruit. I have some wild blueberries in my frig – I think this is a perfect idea for using some of them!
Those do sound delicious. If only I could keep berries long enough (or get enough of them) for some of them to make it into a jar… My kids devour them on sight!
These look really yummy! And the idea of using the apple to hold them down is BRILLIANT!
Great idea! My girls would love this!
I make sauerkraut all the time, but I never thought about fermenting fruit! I’ll have to try this.
I love this recipe! I’m going to share and pin it now. YAAAY! 🙂
Hi Megan, Thanks so much. This is such an easy way to get more fermented foods into your diet.