Saving the Carrots

Sometimes I buy too many carrots. I don't usually grow very many, because, well... I guess I get tired of the thinning and fighting the weeds until the little things get going. They take forever, it seems. That being said, I have had a few very successful carrot crops. Not this last year. So, I've been buying them at the grocery store. And like I said, I buy too many. I think my idea of what is "enough" has not quite calmed down since the children all left home.

About 3 pounds of carrots were in our refrigerator and they had little white roots all over them. I had to face the facts. They were not going to get eaten before they rotted.

Lacto-Fermented Carrots

1/2 gallon jar
Either a lid with an airlock, or some nice clean rocks to hold the vegetables under the brine

3 pounds carrots (approximately)
1/4 cup kefir whey (other live whey would do just as well)
1 quart of water (+ maybe just a little more)
1 Tablespoon sea salt

Wash and peel the carrots, cutting off the tip and the stem ends.

Slice them all thinly, either with a sharp knife or in a food processor

Place the sliced carrots in the jar. Mix together the whey, salt and water until the salt is dissolved and pour that over the carrots. You might need just a little more than a quart of water. The carrots need to be submerged.

Top with an airlock lid, OR, put some clean rocks on top to hold the carrots under the brine.

Let it sit on the counter for 3 days. Taste them. If they are getting a little sour (not rotten), store them in the refrigerator.

I really like these! They will continue to ferment in the refrigerator, but it will be slow and I will enjoy them for quite a while to come.