If you don’t love radishes . . .
This recipe just might change your mind! Fermenting radishes takes some of the “bite” out of their flavor, replacing it with a slightly garlicky tang. Both of my kids have been known to ask for second and third helpings when this dish makes it to our dinner table, so give it a try!
Fermented Garlicky Radishes
Fermented Radishes
For this recipe you will need: 1½ quart jar with airlock OR a 1½ quart jar with tight fitting lid, a weight to keep the radishes beneath the salt brine - I use a glass weight that came with my airlock jar but a plastic lid that fits inside the mouth of the jar or a stone that has been boiled and allowed to cool will work, too, a kitchen towel
Ingredients
- 3 1/2 cups radishes sliced
- 2-3 garlic cloves peeled
- 3 tablespoons unrefined sea salt
- 4 cups filtered water
Instructions
- Thoroughly wash and dry your jar and lid before getting started.
- Prepare your salt brine by mixing the salt and water together and stirring until dissolved.
- Pack radishes and garlic into your fermenting jar.
- Pour salt brine over the radishes until completely covered, leaving at least one inch of space between the top of the brine and the lid.
- Place a weight inside the mouth of the jar to keep your radishes under the brine. Cover tightly and set up the air lock if you're using one.
- Drape jar with a towel and let radishes sit on your counter for 3-7 days, depending on how sour you like them.* When they've reached the level of sourness you like remove the weight from inside the jar and transfer to the fridge.
Notes
* If you're using a jar without an airlock you will need to "burp" your jars periodically, otherwise carbon dioxide levels can build up within your jar and cause it to explode. Check the metal lid every day - if you can't push it down simply unscrew the lit a bit and then immediately tighten it back down. Using an airlock which allows the gases to release eliminates the need to burp your jars.
Heather
December 5, 2012 at 1:44 PMIt’s from Pickl It, Whitt 😀 http://www.pickl-it.com/
zeffie
December 5, 2012 at 4:40 PMWe have been making these for several years just love them. My dad and my 2 year old son both gobble them up.
One tip for anyone without a weight is to add sliced carrots as a thick top layer. They don’t float and will hold the radishes down.
Heather
December 8, 2012 at 10:44 AMAWESOME tip, Zeffie! Thank you! My kids love these, too. Even more than pickles! 😀
Cristin
April 8, 2015 at 2:12 PMnice!
Sabiha
December 5, 2012 at 10:57 PMThanks for sharing! If someone is severely hypothyroid, how much radish should they consume/day?
Heather
December 8, 2012 at 10:37 AMHi Sabiha! Honestly, I don’t really know. In my research I discovered that black radishes contain more raphanin than red radishes but there was no info on how the Russians determined dosages. I’m guessing it varied quite a bit from case to case.
Stella
December 6, 2012 at 7:22 AMThis recipe sounds easy and delicious. One question, where did you get your weights? I’ve had issues in the past with food floating above the brine and cabbage leaves haven’t been a good fix…
Heather
December 8, 2012 at 10:34 AMMine came with my Pickl It jar, but you can also use a boiled stone 😀
Stella
December 6, 2012 at 8:27 AMIf you want a cheap alternative or want to make your own, this is the easiest DIY fermenting jar method Ive found online. I googled ”mason jar recap lids” and found a seller who shipped for free… the other parts you can get at a home brewing (beer) supply store. here’s a link to the DIY…
http://www.nwedible.com/2012/07/how-to-turn-a-mason-jar-into-a-fermenting-crock.html
Heather
December 8, 2012 at 10:33 AMThank you, Stella! I love DIY stuff! 😀
Sarah @ Killer Pickles
December 6, 2012 at 9:38 AMDo Asian radishes – such as daikon or mooli – have the same compound? I love Gaktugi Kimchi!
Sonya
December 6, 2012 at 10:30 AMI am SO glad I saw this recipe today. I am making it ASAP! I would love to know if there are other recipes you can share that are beneficial to thyroid health. Thanks so much!
Heather
December 8, 2012 at 10:32 AMHi Sonya! There are many foods which are beneficial for thyroid function. I’ll share more as I learn, but one that cannot go without being mentioned is bone broth. You can read about the connection here: http://nourishedkitchen.com/the-benefits-of-bone-broth/
Loretta | A Finn In The Kitchen
December 10, 2012 at 2:58 PMFabulous! The only fermented veggie I’ve done so far is sauerkraut and I love having it on hand. I’m sure I’d love these as well. Radishes are just one of those veggies that I can’t eat much of. If they’re fermented, I bet they’re much easier to stomach!
Emily
December 12, 2012 at 12:25 AMI was so excited when I saw this thyroid healing recipe that I made it! Then I read this article http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/think-raw-veggies-are-best-think-again/ about how raw (even fermented) radishes (among other veggies) are actually harmful to the thyroids. There is so much conflicting info out there… just when I think I have something figured out it turns upside down. So, is it helpful or hurtful to the thyroids? Does anyone really know?
Heather
December 12, 2012 at 11:01 AMAhhh, it is confusing! I can’t claim to have the final answer on this, Emily, but I’ll tell you my experience. This year is the first time I’ve had access to a farmers market in the fall, so it’s the first year I had access to fresh radishes. I’ve never been a huge fan of them, but I found all of a sudden that I LOVED them! I am tall and thin, which for some reason tends to be a body type that leans toward hypothyroidism, so I was concerned about the effect on my thyroid for the reasons you mentioned. That’s when I started digging and found the info about how it is used in Russia. I’d run across it before but only in passing, but this time I researched as much as I could. It is definitely a practice that has been used for a long time there, so I think it’s likely there’s something to it. However, if someone finds that they have an aversion to them I recommend not eating them! Aversions in cases like this may be the body’s way of telling us that a particular food – though not inherently harmful – is harmful to us. Every situation is unique!
Mindy
December 17, 2012 at 11:38 AMA little late on this one but I had to get a good batch of radishes. Making this today and will be enjoying in a few days! Trying the carrot tip too to hold the radishes down. Thank you Mommypotamus!
Michelle
December 29, 2012 at 8:47 PMPeople with hypothroidism should not eat foods in the mustard family (or should minimize their intake of these); which include cabbage & radishes. Here are two articles that talk about this: http://www.drweil.com/drw/u/QAA400441/Best-Thyroid-Treatment.html and “if you suffer from under active thyroid you should not use Horse radish at all. Actually this also applies to all plants from the “mustard” family, such as cabbage, radish and mustard itself.” http://www.herbalhealthinformation.com/herbal-health-information-on-horse-radish-amoracia-rusticana/
Mindy
December 30, 2012 at 3:02 PMAfter the radishes have been transferred to the fridge how long do they stay good for?
Heather
December 30, 2012 at 5:23 PMHi Mindy! I’m not exactly sure. If the lid is tightly sealed they should last at least a few months.
Kay
January 1, 2013 at 11:15 AMCould you just cover them with a clean towel and let the gases escape that way?
Kay
January 1, 2013 at 11:15 AMCould you just cover the radishes with a clean dishtowel and let the gases escape that way? Thanks.
JAG
January 15, 2016 at 2:37 PMno. you want to create an anaerobic environment. That means you don’t want oxygen in contact with the food. So you need a tight fitting lid. Preferably one that lets carbon dioxide escape. A cloth over the lid would allow way too much oxygen in and you will likely end up with spoilage.
Pamela
January 2, 2013 at 7:57 AMHi Heather, I LOVE your site and visit it often. I was eyeing up my overgrown radishes today, which have got out of control over Christmas as we went away camping. I was going to pull them out because they will be all hot and pithy. Do you think they may still be usable for this recipe?
Thanks for all your amazing work
Pamela
Heather
January 2, 2013 at 9:06 AMHi Pamela! I’m not sure, sorry! If you give it a try please let me know how it turns out!
Rena
March 27, 2013 at 1:05 PMI made these radishes and I think they tase awful. How do I know if I made them correctly or if I just don’t like them? Thanks!
Bekka
May 28, 2013 at 9:40 AMMy husband and I made these the other day! I can’t wait to try them. However, my husband seems to think they are pickled rather than fermented. Any thoughts/feedback?
Thanks!
Heather
May 28, 2013 at 10:17 AMThey’re fermented. This article explains the difference 🙂 http://www.thehealthyhomeeconomist.com/the-crucial-difference-between-pickled-and-fermented/
Emily
June 9, 2013 at 6:56 PMHow long do these last?
Natasha
March 18, 2014 at 3:02 PMFinally made these and they are SO yummy! I’m going to have to make a few more jars. These won’t last long.
Heather
March 18, 2014 at 6:25 PMYay! So glad you like them, Natasha!
Tamara Carr-Morgan
January 31, 2015 at 3:26 PMHave you ever fermented radishes with Whey? If so, it there a difference in bacteria strains? I’ve only fermented with whey once and some things I liked and some I didn’t at all. Looking for super fantastic recipes using whey. Thanks in advance.
Heather
January 31, 2015 at 10:24 PMI haven’t, sorry!
JAG
January 15, 2016 at 2:38 PMthe bacteria in whey is the same bacteria as in a finished fermented product. The whey speeds the process along, but is not necessary. I like to use whey because when the process happens more quickly, it reduces the likelihood of things going bad.
Rebecca
October 1, 2015 at 4:03 PMIs it necessary to have an airtight seal while fermenting? I’ve seen some other recipes that just require a weight, but no cover or air tight seal to the jar. Just wondering if air would cause a problem to the fermentation process? Thanks for your help! Can’t wait to try these….
JAG
January 15, 2016 at 2:40 PMkeeping the veggies completely submerged under a liquid, like the weight is doing, will create an anaerobic environment. It’s risky to do it this way, as opposed to a tightly sealed jar, because if any oxygen gets in contact with the veggie, like if they start to float on top of the brine, then the whole batch can be ruined by mold.
Ken
January 29, 2016 at 1:25 PMI’ve been fermenting quite a number of recipes over the years. However, I’ve not tried this one. Very tempted to try this as I find the radish/garlic combination interesting. Thank you for a nice site. Love your enthusiasm!
Ken
fernanda
April 22, 2016 at 1:16 PMHi!
Loved the post!
I have two questions: instead of using a weight can I just add more water to the jar to cover the radishes? And, have you ever tried not using garlick , does it taste good as well?
Edyta
October 16, 2017 at 7:05 PMHi, do you use hot or warm water? Thanks.
May
June 24, 2018 at 11:11 AMThese turned out great! I halved the ingredients for a smaller jar. We liked the flavor after 6 days. This was my first attempt at fermenting, and we are just thrilled with the results- Thank you!!