Brine-Pickled (Fermented) Garlic Scapes

What's in it?

This recipe calls for brine-pickling or fermenting the garlic scapes. Brine pickling is a fermentation technique that's also used in making sour pickles and these fermented carrots. And it's easy, too, calling only for your vegetables (in this case garlic scapes), salt, water and spices (if you like them).

• Garlic scapes are the foundation of this fermented pickle. They have a light garlicky flavor and a firm texture that holds up well to fermentation. Garlic is also a strongly anti-inflammatory herb that supports metabolic health (1) and immune system function (2).
• Salt is essential for proper fermentation. It helps keep ferments crisp while also creating optimal conditions for beneficial bacteria responsible for fermentation, such as lactobacillus, to multiply.
• Dill and other herbs can give your pickled garlic scapes flavor. While we prefer fresh dill fronds or flowering dill, you can also substitute dried dill or other herbs and spices as you like.

Tips for fermenting garlic scapes

Making fermented garlic scapes is simple and straightforward. Unlike traditional pickling, which requires heat, fermentation happens at room temperature. You start by snuggling the scapes into a jar along with any herbs or spices you like, and then cover them with saltwater brine.

After that, you seal the jar and wait for the beneficial bacteria present on the scapes to do their work - eating the carbohydrates in the vegetable and releasing acids that help preserve - or pickle - the scape. Still, there's a few tips to keep in mind.

• Use clean, unblemished scapes. Soft, mushy or similarly blemished scapes can spoil or produce an inferior ferment.
• Younger scapes are the most tender, and they make the best pickles.
• Trim the the end of the flower otherwise it can be difficult to eat.
• Use a natural salt without additives. Iodized salt can sometimes make ferments taste metallic or tinny.
• Use a fermentation jar equipped with an airlock. Properly sealed ferments are less likely to become contaminated with mold or stray microbes.
• Use glass weights to keep your scapes fully submerged in the brine. Glass weights keep the vegetables completely submerged in brine, helping to prevent the formation of mold.
• Place the jar in a bowl during the first few days of fermentation, as the brine may leak from the jar when fermentation is most active.
• Temperature matters. The scapes will ferment faster in warm temperatures and more slowly at cold temperatures. Ideal temperature is 68 F - 72 F.
• Fermentation is finished when you like the flavor of your pickled garlic scapes (about 6 weeks). Some people prefer less mature ferments, while others may prefer stronger and more complex ferments.
• Test the brine using PH strips. Once it achieves a PH of 4.5 or less, your ferment is finished.