Fermented Cherries
This simple fermentation process enhances the natural sweetness of cherries while creating a bright, tangy flavor that's perfect for snacking or adding to your favorite dishes.This recipe is adapted from "Lacto Plums" Page 69 - The Noma Guide To Fermentation.
Ingredients
- 453 g fresh sweet cherries
- 9.09 g sea salt
Instructions
Prepare Supplies + Ingredients:
- Wash your fermentation vessel in hot soapy water and rinse well. It does not have to be sanitized or sterilized but should be washed well with hot soapy water. Set aside to dry.
- Rinse fresh cherries under cold water - avoid hot water or soap which can damage the lactic acid bacteria necessary for proper fermentation.
- Remove the pit from each cherry.
Mix The Ingredients:
- Place a fresh bowl on your scale and zero it out. Add the cherries to the bowl and record the weight.
- Determine 2% of the weight of the pitted cherries. The easiest way to do that is to multiply the weight by 0.02, for example, my cherries in this batch weighed 453g X 0.02 = 9.06g of salt required.
- Zero out the scale again, and add the calculated quantity of salt. Alternatively, you could weigh out the required amount of salt in a different bowl and transfer it to the cherries.
- Toss the cherries and salt well. Then let sit for 15 minutes.
Prepare The Ferment:
- After the 15-minute rest, use a spatula and transfer all of the cherries, any rogue salt, and any liquids from the bowl into the fermentation vessel.
- Add a heavy weight on top, I use a pickle pebble for this recipe, but a ziplock bag filled with water placed on top would work too.
- Place a fermentation lid on top of the cherries, and remove as much oxygen as possible with the included pump. I use The Easy Fermenter for these no-brine recipes.
- Set aside to ferment.
Ferment The Cherries:
- Keep your ferment somewhere where you'll see it daily to observe and open the lid to burp it if necessary but keep it away from direct sunlight.
- You'll notice over the fermentation process that the cherries continue to release juice and the level will rise within a day or two to cover the cherries. You'll see bubbles and other fermentation activity within a couple of days.
- Allow the cherries to ferment for 4-7 days depending on your taste, don't be afraid to open the jar and test the cherries each day with a clean utensil to find the sweet spot.
Notes
Fermenting Time:
If you're new to fermenting or this ferment in particular, it's important to keep your eye on the time and don't be afraid to test your ferment often. Your taste buds will definitely tell you when they're done. Under-fermented cherries will taste raw, lack complexity, and taste like a salted cherry, while over-fermented cherries will taste sharply acidic and lack the underlying sweetness and flavor of the fresh cherries that went into the ferment.
The ideal fermentation level is somewhere where the essence of the cherries is still present and balanced with the savory tang of fermentation. Trust me, you'll know it when you get there!
Fermenting Temperature:
The ideal range for fermentation is at room temperature, between 68-75°F. If the temperature is too low, the fermenting process will take longer and may not be as effective. On the other hand, if the temperature is too high, the fermentation process will occur too quickly and may produce an unpleasant flavor.Kahm Yeast:
If you notice a white film forming on the surface of your ferment, it's more than likely kahm yeast - which is generally harmless but tastes terrible. The presence of kahm yeast will probably affect the outcome of your ferment - though some people say you can scrape it off and continue, I'd advise you to scrap it and start again.Batch:
Due to the nature of fermentation recipes, the batch size is dependent on you and the quantity of ingredients you want to add! For the photos within this post, I used 453g of cherries, they fit comfortably into a pint-and-a-half mason jar.Storage:
If desired, you can keep the cherries in their juice and toss them in the fridge to slow the fermentation process and they can be stored in their brine for up to 2 weeks - although the fermentation will continue, the rate with be much slower in the cool fridge. They can be separated, strain the pulp from the liquid and reserve for a vinaigrette or as an addition to a homemade sauce, while the cherries themselves can be stored in the fridge for up to a week without a noticeable decline in quality. Any longer than that, and they should be frozen or even dehydrated.