Elementi Kitchen Quick Ferment Recipes

Fermentation made easy.

Recipes

How to use these recipes

  • Each recipe fills one wide-mouth 1-quart mason jar (~0.95 L).
  • Ideal temp: 65–72°F (18–22°C).
  • Headspace: leave 1–1½ in (2–4 cm).
  • Submerge everything; if needed, top up with matching brine strength.
  • Brine math: % salt = (grams salt ÷ grams water) × 100.

Equipment & ingredients

  • Elementi weight and lid (silicone lid or airlock lid)
  • Wide-mouth 1-qt mason jar
  • Non-iodized salt + clean water
  • Optional: digital kitchen scale, gloves for spicy ferments

Universal care & troubleshooting

  • Cloudy brine is normal; thin white film (kahm yeast) can be skimmed.
  • Fuzzy mold / vivid pink, black, blue = discard and start fresh.
  • When flavor is right, refrigerate. Most keep 1–3 months chilled.

1) Classic Sauerkraut (Crunchy & Tangy)

A crisp, tangy classic made with just cabbage and salt; our most forgiving ferment and a perfect base for add-ins like caraway or grated carrot.

Yield: ~1 quart · Active: 20 min · Ferment: 1–3 weeks

Ingredients

  • Green cabbage, thinly sliced: ~1.5 lb / 680 g
  • Salt: 2% of cabbage weight (for 680 g cabbage → 13.6 g salt; ~2¼ tsp fine)

Steps

  1. Salt & massage cabbage 3–5 min until brine forms.
  2. Pack tightly into the jar; brine should rise above the cabbage. Leave headspace.
  3. Add Elementi weight and lid.
  4. Ferment at room temp; press down if floaters appear.
  5. Taste from Day 7; refrigerate when the tang suits you.

If brine is low: top off to cover with 2% salt water (2 g per 100 g water).

2) Everyday Kimchi (with Vegan Option)

Fast, bright, and bubbly small-batch kimchi with classic gochugaru heat; includes an easy vegan swap that keeps all the umami.

Yield: ~1 quart · Active: 30 min + 45–60 min salting · Ferment: 1–3 days at room temp, then cure in fridge

Ingredients

  • Napa cabbage: ~2 lb / 900 g, bite-size pieces
  • Salt (for pre-salting): 30–35 g (rinsed off after)
  • Daikon 1 cup (120 g) matchsticks · Scallions 4, sliced
  • Garlic 4 cloves, minced · Ginger 1 Tbsp (10 g), grated
  • Gochugaru 2–3 Tbsp (12–18 g) · Sugar 1 tsp (4 g)
  • Fish sauce 2 Tbsp (30 ml)

Vegan swap: 1 Tbsp soy sauce + 1 Tbsp miso (or 2 Tbsp vegan fish sauce) + optional ½ tsp kelp powder.

Steps

  1. Pre-salt cabbage 45–60 min; toss once. Rinse quickly; drain well.
  2. Paste: mix garlic, ginger, gochugaru, sugar, fish sauce (or vegan swap). Stir in daikon and scallions.
  3. Combine with cabbage until evenly coated.
  4. Pack firmly; leave headspace. Add Elementi weight and lid.
  5. Ferment 1–3 days at room temp (cooler is longer; expect bubbles), then refrigerate to finish and mellow.

If it seems dry on Day 1, press down to release more liquid; add 2% brine only if needed to cover.

3) Garlic-Dill Cucumber Pickles (Crisp, Lacto-Fermented)

Half-sour, deli-style crunch in about a week; garlicky and herbal with a 3.5% brine to keep spears snappy.

Yield: ~1 quart · Active: 15 min · Ferment: 5–10 days

Ingredients

  • Kirby/pickling cucumbers: ~1 lb / 450 g, blossom ends trimmed
  • Garlic 3 cloves, smashed · Fresh dill 4–6 sprigs
  • Mustard seed 1 tsp · Peppercorns ½ tsp · Bay leaf 1 (optional)
  • Tannin helper (optional, for crunch): 1 grape leaf or ¼ tsp black tea
  • 3.5% brine: for 2 cups (475 g) water → 16–17 g salt

Steps

  1. Pack cucumbers with garlic, dill, and spices.
  2. Add 3.5% brine to fully cover; leave headspace.
  3. Add Elementi weight and lid; ferment 5–10 days; taste from Day 5.

Done when: pickles are olive-green, aromatic, and pleasantly sour yet still crisp.

4) Carrot-Ginger Sticks (Bright & Zippy)

Zippy, gingery sticks with a satisfying snap; great for snacking, grain bowls, and salads. Mild heat optional.

Yield: ~1 quart · Active: 15 min · Ferment: 5–10 days

Ingredients

  • Carrots: ~1 lb / 450 g, cut into sticks
  • Fresh ginger 1½ Tbsp (15 g), matchsticks
  • Chili flakes ½–1 tsp (optional) · Coriander seed 1 tsp (optional)
  • 2.5% brine: for 2 cups (475 g) water → 12 g salt

Steps

  1. Pack carrots, ginger, and optional spices.
  2. Add 2.5% brine to cover; leave headspace.
  3. Add Elementi weight and lid; ferment 5–10 days; taste from Day 5.

Flavor boost: add 1 strip lemon zest (avoid pith).

Brine & salt targets (quick reference)

  • Sauerkraut: 2–2.5% salt by cabbage weight (we specify 2% baseline and show grams).
  • Cucumber pickles: ~3.5% brine for crisp half-sours.
  • Carrots: ~2–3% brine; we use 2.5% for snap and flavor.
  • Kimchi: pre-salt and rinse; 1–3 days room-temp, then refrigerate to mature.