After many vegetable ferments, there is salty, flavorful brine left in the jar. There is no need to pour it down the drain. When the original ferment is good, that brine can help start the next batch.
This method is for vegetables fermented in salt brine, such as cucumbers, cauliflower, kohlrabi, or unripe fruits. Think of the reused brine as an already salted starter liquid, then add salt only for the new vegetables and any fresh water you add.
Ingredients:
- Leftover brine from a successful previous vegetable ferment
- A clean jar
- Vegetables or unripe fruits for fermenting, such as cucumbers, cauliflower, kohlrabi, or firm unripe fruit
- Salt
- Digital kitchen scale
Instructions:
To ferment new vegetables in reused brine from a previous salt-brine ferment, treat the reused brine as if it is already a 3% salt solution.
- Place the new jar on a digital scale.
- Add the brine you want to reuse, such as brine from a previous batch of fermented cucumbers.
- Tare the scale to zero.
- Add the new vegetables you want to ferment.
- If needed, add fresh water as well.
- Add salt equal to 3% of the weight of the new vegetables plus any fresh water you added. Do not count the weight of the reused brine.
- Continue with the usual vegetable fermentation process.
Example: If the new vegetables plus added fresh water weigh 1 lb (454 g), add 0.48 oz (14 g) salt.
Fermentation note: Reuse brine only from a successful ferment that smells and tastes good to you. Keep the new vegetables covered by liquid as they ferment.
