How to Make Fermented Turnip with Dill

It’s no secret I’m a lover of old cookbooks and vintage recipes! Family members know this and keep an eye open for me when visiting garage and library sales. This recipe came from one of their finds, an outdated book on putting food by! After having a surplus of turnips one year, I thumbed through, searching for ideas and stumbled upon a fermented turnip recipe!

 

The Thing About Fermenting Turnip

Whenever preserving produce, the best results come from home-grown food. If possible, grow your own turnips! Otherwise, visit your local farmer’s market to purchase fresh-as-can-be turnips!

Always taste-test a slice or two before starting into this recipe. Some turnip varieties have a very spicy peel. If the flavor is too strong for your taste buds, peel approx 1/3 of the vegetables and then proceed.

 

Fermented Turnip With Dill

You’ll need:

• 5 lbs (2 kg) turnips
• 10-12 feathery leaflets from fresh dill
• 3 Tbs salt (per 5 lbs)

Directions: wash turnips well, using a scrub brush to remove soil from every crack and crevass.

Place your cheese grater on a tray that will catch juices. Fresh turnips release a lot of liquid! It should be kept for the fermenting process!

Grate turnips until used up. Collect shredded goods (and juice) in a large bowl or crock.

When finished grating, take your dill and rinse the feathery leaflets. Dice into 1/4-1/8 inch pieces. Mix into the turnip.

Take a crock or food-grade bucket. Place 1/3 of the turnips inside. Sprinkle with 1/3 of the salt. Add another layer, then sprinkle with salt. Finish by added the remaining grated turnip and then top it with salt.

Cover the crock or bowl with a towel and let the contents sit for 12 hrs. Salts will pull out the juices and color will change from white to a faint pinkish brown color.

Transfer the turnip and juice into two, half gallon jars. Seal with lids and let sit in temperatures between 60-75F. By day 2-3 the first stage of fermentation should occur. As gas builds inside the jars, be sure to break the lid’s seal daily.

Once pressure stops building, transfer your ferment to the cold room or refrigerator.

Add to your salads, eat with cold cuts or consume alongside breakfast eggs!