fermenting What vegetables go well in ferments?

[Friday]

I need some ideas for vegetables/ingredients to try in my hot sauce ferments. Each month I'm bottling a new ferment and trying to do something different for each. I've exhausted the different pepper varieties available in my grocery store produce sections, and now I want to try different additional ingredients.
 
I've been keeping it pretty basic with:
Garlic
Shallots
Onions
Carrots
Parsnips
 
I'm wondering what vegetables or ingredients can I add (at the fermenting stage) that will effect flavor in a big way? What are some of your favorites?

 

[Friday]

Add spices an herbs to this list too!

 

[tctenten]

Try adding fruit if you like fruit.

 

[Hawaiianero]

Try adding fruit if you like fruit.

 
+1 fruit
 
Strawberries
Mango
Kiwi
 
Kinda depends on what your target flavor is.

 

 

[Friday]

 
+1 fruit
 
Strawberries
Mango
Kiwi
 
Kinda depends on what your target flavor is.
 

 
 
Each one will have a different target flavor, that's the reason I'm asking about this. Fruit is a great idea, I haven't considered trying that yet. Does it come out tasting like the fruit? Is it sweet?

 

[Hawaiianero]

 
 
Each one will have a different target flavor, that's the reason I'm asking about this. Fruit is a great idea, I haven't considered trying that yet. Does it come out tasting like the fruit? Is it sweet?

 

I prefer my sauces on the savory side but to ensure a good ferment you need a fair amount of sugar so that's more what I use the fruit for than the actual flavor. Don't get me wrong, the flavors need to blend rather than clash so flavor profile is important but I like to keep my victims friends guessing so even though I can taste what is in there it's not always recognizable to others.
 
Also, if you want a strong fruit taste it's better to add it after the fermenting stage is done. Don't take my word for gospel truth because there are a lot of people here who do things differently and come out with amazing results.
 
Best of luck on yours

 

[MikeUSMC]

Raisins ("regular" brown ones or golden ones)
Pitted dates are great too

 

[ShowMeDaSauce]

Bosc or Asian pear aka apple pear. The flavor is extremely subtle if not over done and not overly sweet. Works very well in ferments.

 

[MikeUSMC]

Apples too. They're a great "filler" and the natural pectin in them works as a great binder for the other ingredients

 

[Friday]

Thanks for all of the responses. It seems like fruit is much more popular than vegetables! 

 

[Mr.CtChilihead]

I didn't see ginger listed.. I love fresh ginger..
 
A friend of mine makes a fantastic quick sauce with beets.l bet you a bottle of sauce they'll work great in a ferment. Plus the color is fantastic..
 
 

 

[Friday]

I did't see ginger listed.. I love fresh ginger..
 
A friend of mine makes a fantastic quick sauce with beets.l bet you a bottle of sauce they'll work great in a ferment.spamus the color is fantastic..
 
 

 
Ginger sounds like a good flavor to include. Beets would be interesting lol. 
 
Your actually the first person not to suggest fruit. 

 

[SmokenFire]

I love/use carrot, onion, garlic, ginger, jicama, parsnip, cauliflower in pepper ferments with good success.  
 
Fruit wise I love apple, pear, berries of all sorts and stone fruits such as peaches/plums, etc.  Have not had great success with citrus in ferments but regularly add them after fermentation during processing with good results.
 
 

 

[MikeUSMC]

I didn't see ginger listed.. I love fresh ginger..

Good call, Walt. I forgot all about ginger. I use fresh ginger root in almost all of my sauces

I love/use cauliflower in pepper ferments with good success.

How's that work out, Dru? (I'm assuming well, if you keep doing it ) What type of flavor does that impart, if any? Raw cauliflower doesn't taste like much to me. Is it more to add "bulk" than anything else? Inquiring minds must know

 

[SmokenFire]

How's that work out, Dru? (I'm assuming well, if you keep doing it ) What type of flavor does that impart, if any? Raw cauliflower doesn't taste like much to me. Is it more to add "bulk" than anything else? Inquiring minds must know

 
I started doing it for a semi-pickleze semi-relish tray thing we do at home; basically jalas, carrots, onion, garlic, celery and cauliflower.  I'll make a 1/2 gallon jar of that every month or so and we eat it with sandwiches or sliced meats and cheeses.  
 
Liked it so much that I started using it in other ferments.  Mostly for body, but also because it tends to take on the characteristics of whatever it's fermented with.