Got a bigger tomato harvest than you know what how to deal with right now? Or maybe you just want to do something different with your tomatoes for a change? I’ve got just the thing: spicy fermented tomatoes. Home ferments are totally back, and that’s not surprising given how easy and tasty they are to make.
Let’s have a look at how lacto-fermentation works and how to easily turn a batch of tomatoes into a jar full of spicy, tangy, fermented goodness.
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What’s lacto-fermentation?
Ever had pickles? Or maybe sauerkraut, or kimchi? Then you’ve eaten lacto-fermented foods before, and know they’re delish! Even better, they’re also 100% safe and easy to make at home.
You can ferment a wide range of vegetables to give them a more interesting flavor profile (salty and tangy). This includes tomatoes, which is what we’ll be using today. But how does lacto-fermentation actually work? How come you can make bacteria grow in your food, without it becoming unsafe?
I won’t go into all the details here, but there are basically two steps to it:
- Make the food unsafe for bad bacteria. This is done using salt. The bacteria that make us ill, like botulism, can’t survive in a salty environment. They also don’t like lactic acid (involved in step 2), making these ferments highly inhospitable for them.
- Encourage the growth of good bacteria. Called Lactobacillus, they’re naturally present on many foods, like vegetables. Lactobacillus don’t mind salt, and will grow freely. They turn sugars into lactic acid, which harmful bacteria hate and which gives fermented foods their lovely tangy flavor.
Voilà! If done right, fermenting makes fruits and vegetables last longer (usually 2+ months in the fridge), and it makes them extra-tasty.
Additionally, although they’re not the miracle cure some sources market them as, scientists generally agree that lacto-fermented foods are good for our gut and make it easier for our bodies to absorb the nutrients in our meals. Pretty cool, if you ask me!
Ingredients for spicy fermented tomatoes
Tomatoes
The star of the show! The fermenting process can add flavor to even the blandest supermarket tomatoes, but obviously, it’s still preferable to use high-quality produce. Organic is ideal.
Whether you chop the tomatoes or not does make a difference:
- Whole (cherry) tomatoes: stay more firm and are better suited to eating raw once they’ve fermented.
- Tomato chunks: may soften a little and work well for fresh salsa, sauces, and, more.
In my ferment in these photos, I’m using both. I’m planning on using the cherry toms for a nice salad and the tomato chunks for spicy homemade gazpacho (Spanish cold vegetable soup).
Tip: Frost threatening to kill off the last unripe tomatoes in your garden? Pick them green and ferment them, you won’t regret it!
Chili peppers
As always here on Hint of Chili, what peppers you use is up to you. I had some lovely homegrown dried mini cayennes on hand that I’d been wanting to find a use for. They pack a pretty eye-watering punch and worked perfectly in my ferment.
You can use fresh or rehydrated dried chilies, such as:
- Beginner: A single small serrano or jalapeño.
- Intermediate: 2-3 regular cayennes or similar. I used 10 of the mini ones.
- Expert: I probably don’t have to tell you what to do. Whip out the habaneros, Scotch bonnets, or whatever you like to use for that sweet, sweet torture.
Seasonings
Again, this one depends on your own preferences and what you’ve got on hand at the moment. I used garlic and bay leaf, but you could also go for:
- Rosemary
- Peppercorns
- Basil
- Thyme
- Dill
- Pre-packaged pickling spice mixes
Tip: If you’re planning on using your fermented tomatoes to make salsa later, be sure to also throw in some onion chunks. That way, all you have to do when the ferment is ready is blend everything up.
Water + salt
The key to a safe and tasty ferment is the brine: salt water that inhibits the growth of harmful bacteria, but permits the good ones to thrive. This brine also helps our tomatoes to maintain a pleasant texture by regulating their moisture content.
Use a type of salt that doesn’t have any additives, like kosher salt or pickling salt (also called canning salt). Normal table salt contains iodine and anti-caking agents that may interfere with the fermenting process.
The same goes for the water: it should be free of additives like chloramine. As such, it’s best to use filtered, bottled, or distilled. We’ll use this to create a 3% salt brine.
Did you know? A lot of cooks like to add a splash of white vinegar to their ferments when they’re done and ready to move to the fridge. It’s not a must, but it helps to balance out the saltiness of the brine.
Equipment for spicy fermented tomatoes
You don’t need much to make these spicy lacto-fermented tomatoes: just a jar and some weights. The first should preferably be made of glass or ceramic, and it doesn’t have to be fancy: an old pickle jar is fine.
Second, and very important, is some kind of weight. One of the reasons lacto-ferments are safe is because all the contents are fully submerged. This inhibits the growth of molds and bacteria that require air to thrive. Any piece of tomato sticking out of the brine is at risk of mold, and if any appears, you’ll have to throw the whole thing away.
You can prevent any pieces floating up to the top and being exposed to air by using glass fermentation weights, which are often sold alongside special fermentation jars. However, a freezer baggie filled with brine will also do in a pinch.
Spicy Fermented Tomatoes
Equipment
- 1 3/4 quart jar 700ml
- 1 fermentation weight or baggie of brine
Ingredients
- 3 large tomatoes or 2 pints cherry tomatoes
- 1.5 tbsp kosher salt
- 2.5 cups filtered water
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 bay leaf
- chili pepper to taste, you can start with 1
- 1 tbsp white vinegar see notes
Instructions
- Contamination is rare in these ferments, but wash your equipment with hot soapy water or water with a splash of bleach anyway. Rinse well.
- Prepare the brine by mixing the salt and water together until the salt has dissolved.
- Place the tomatoes in the jar. If you're using them whole, poke a few holes in them with a toothpick so they can absorb the brine. Also add the garlic cloves, peppers, and bay leaf.
- Pour in the brine and then place the weight or baggie on top. Make sure all the ingredients are fully submerged and there are no air pockets.
- Screw the lid on the ferment and place it in a room temperature area that gets no direct sun. Wait five days, opening the jar to release built-up gases daily (see notes).
- On day 5, try your ferment. It may be slightly cloudy (see notes). If you're happy about the flavor, add in the tbsp of vinegar (optional) and pop the jar in the fridge.
- Enjoy your fermented spicy tomatoes straight from the jar or use them for your favorite recipe that calls for fresh toms!
Notes
- When you open your ferment, give it a good sniff first: you’ll want a slightly sour scent (like yogurt, for example).
- Then, analyze the tomatoes visually. After 5 days, your ferment may look cloudy, especially at the bottom. Those are just innocent dead bacteria that gave their lives to make your tomatoes taste good.
- There may also be a slightly bubbly, non-fuzzy(!) film at the top. This is called kahm yeast; it can affect the flavor, but it’s not mold and therefore not dangerous.
- If there is any fuzz or colored stuff on top, your ferment likely failed due to the tomatoes not being fully submerged. Unfortunately, you’ll need to start over and try again if this happens.
