How To Ferment Radish

Radishes are a spring staple on our homestead. They’re easy to plant and yield in just under 30 days, plus they do well in cool weather. So as soon as the ground is workable, these are usually one of the first veggies I plant.

In our house, the first planting of radish is usually consumed raw. Plucked from the earth, washed and sprinkled with salt. That’s the best way, in my opinion. But one can only eat so many raw radishes, and eventually I start looking for other ways to preserve our harvest.

Fermenting Radish

Gather these…

• 2 bunches of radish, washed
• 1 bunch garlic chives
• 2 cups filtered or distilled water
• 1 Tbsp sea salt
• 1/8 tsp turmeric
• Whole cloves
• Fermenting kit: glass weight and air lock

Wash your radishes and cut the stem and tap root. If you prefer, you can slice your radishes, or even cut them in small chunks. However, I wanted to use my fermented radish on tacos so I shredded them in our food processor.

Cut a sprig of garlic chives and rinse. Then place in the bottom of a clean pint sized canning jar. (Don’t have garlic chives? You can use regular chives or substitute with 3-4 garlic cloves.)

Pack your jar with the radish. The trick to fermenting is to eliminate any pockets where air can get trapped (air equals mold). Fill your jar, leaving a couple inches of space at the top. Sprinkle the turmeric and cloves on top of the packed radish.

In a measuring cup, mix the sea salt into the filtered water until it fully dissolves. Then pour over the radish slowly, letting the water fill every void and pocket in the jar. Make sure the water just barely covers your contents in the jar.

Add a glass weight to the jar, pushing everything down so that its fully submerged under the water. This step is crucial to get a proper ferment. Add your lid or air lock and place your jar in a dark corner or cabinet to ferment for 7 days. Then store in the fridge for up to 6 months.

A few notes…

This recipe will actually fill two pint sized jars. I like to use these instead of a quart sized jar so I can experiment with different ingredients in each jar. Some other things you might add to this ferments are: onion, mustard seed or a jalapeno pepper.

I use a couple different fermenting kits. If you’re brand new to fermenting, a basic air lock system is very inexpensive to buy and easy to use.

Radishes are packed with potassium, fiber, magnesium and vitamin B. Fermenting enhances the health value of radishes by introducing beneficial lacto-bacteria, which act as a probiotic for your gut.

Also, try our Sweet & Spicy Pickled Radish recipe for another easy way to enjoy your harvest.