Lacto-Fermentation: Strawberries
In the never-ending wish for an endless summer, finding ways to use preserved fruits that were captured at their peak is a great way of fulfilling that desire.
Johnny doesn’t like to shy away from using ingredients that have been tinned or frozen to bring that essence of summer to our glasses, and thought, who doesn’t love strawberries?
Being our friendly fermentation expert, we asked Johnny to give us the lowdown on Lacto-fermentation:
Lacto-fermentation uses lactic acid bacteria (LAB) to convert sugars into lactic acid in an anaerobic environment (vacuum bag). It’s the same process behind kimchi, sauerkraut, and yogurt. As well as producing lactic acid they can produce a wide range of other flavour compounds, from the buttery to the funky.
When Lacto-Fermenting the frozen & tinned strawberries, we would expect to create a fermentation that is sweet and tart with funky undertones, ideal for bright, complex sours or spritz-style drinks.
Ingredients
- 500 g frozen strawberries
- 500 g tinned strawberries
Drain the tinned strawberries of their syrup/juice and combine them with the frozen strawberries. Blend together with a stick blender.
Pour the blended strawberries into a vacuum seal bag.
For every 500-1000 ml of strawberries, add 1 capsule of Lactobacillus plantarum. Sprinkle the powdered culture from the capsule into the bag and discard the capsule.
Vacuum seal the bag. You want to remove all of the air.
Ferment it at room temperature (18-22ºC) for 5-7 days. Check periodically for gas buildup and release if necessary by opening the bag and resealing.
Taste and Store: Once tangy, strain the juice from the solids and move to the fridge. Use within 2-3 weeks.
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