Fermented beetroot

  • Ferment
  • Makes enough to fill a 3l jar
  • 10 minutes
Not yet rated

Fermenting beetroot brings out its natural taste, amplifying the hearty, sweet flavours of this magnificent root vegetable. The addition of dill, garlic and horseradish gives this ferment a distinctive eastern European flavour, and both the beetroots themselves and the liquid can be used in a variety of dishes.

First published in 2019

Ingredients

Metric

Imperial

Equipment

  • 3l Kilner jar

Method

1
Trim the beetroot leaves and discard, leaving about 2cm of stalk at the top of each. Thoroughly wash the beetroots then peel them, trying to retain their natural shape as much as possible
2
Place the beetroots in a sterilised 3-litre Kilner jar along with the garlic, bay leaves, horseradish and dill
3
Mix the salt and water together and pour into the jar so it is filled right to the top
4
Close the jar and store at room temperature for at least a week in a dark, dry place. The longer you leave the beetroot to ferment, the more sour it will become in flavour. Open and close the jar every few days to allow any built-up gas to escape. Once you are happy with the flavour, you can store the beetroots in the fridge to halt the fermentation process
5
The fermented beetroots can be used in a variety of dishes, but the liquid can also be added to sauces or used as the base for a delicious beetroot consommé

From moving to England at twenty-four to attend catering college to being named National Chef of The Year 2019, Kuba Winkowski has rocketed to the top in record time. His cooking is refined, peppered with Polish influences and – most importantly – delicious.

Get in touch

Please sign in or register to send a comment to Great British Chefs.