Relief: Didn't poison my husband!

[Owen'nZoe]

I was actually quite nervous. My husband loves his mom's pickled turnips. Unfortunately for my nerves, this is an old-world recipe that is not canned, but just brined and left on the shelf in your pantry. I followed the recipe to a t, sanitized everything I used carefully, and must have washed my hands a dozen times as I made up the one small jar I did. Still I was terrified that I might have done something wrong.

He cracked them open 2 days ago (luckily for him, when I wasn't around, because I was seriously contemplating throwing them away ), ate them, declared them "yummy", and is still alive. Success!

[MissMommyNiceNice]

Good for you! don't be afraid of old fashioned recipes. Lacto-fermentation is very safe.

[Owen'nZoe]

So I keep hearing, but I was still nervous - mostly just sure that I had missed some super-secret step that kept everything from turning into botulism central. I think I'll be able to get the nerve up to try lacto fermenting pickles next year.

[PaulaJoAnne]

Botulism cannot occur when you lacto-ferment.
Ferments give you excellent warning if they have gone off.
They smell so bad, that you cannot get away from the smell fast enough, whereas botulism is silent, and a very different poison.

[Owen'nZoe]

Wonderful - I didn't know that. Thank you!

So a couple questions (that I should have asked earlier ) for those of you who ferment things. Most of the recipes I've seen here for fermented pickles and things have you change the water during the fermentation process, or drain off the brine and boil it periodically. My recipe does not call for that. Should I be doing that anyway just to be safe? Also, most of the recipes I've seen here have you refridgerate the pickles after a period of time - my MIL does not refridgerate hers at any point, even after opening them. Thoughts?

[SleeplessMommy]

Is it possible for anything to grow in a typical salt + vinegar pickle recipe? My recipe has liquid volume about 50% vinegar. (we do store in the fridge anyway)

[Liquesce]

You might want to ask over on the Traditional Foods forum ... I'm not a big TF foodie, but they *do* know their fermented vegetables.

[Owen'nZoe]

I should have thought to post over there - thank you! I'll definitely ask my questions there before the next batch, so I don't have to cross my fingers for the tasting next time.