If I had to name one food that most reminds me of my childhood, it would have to be wild blueberries. Growing up, we spent every summer at a mountain lake, and that mountain was covered in blueberries.
We would run out to the yard in the morning to pick just enough berries for mom to use in blueberry pancakes. And blueberry pie and blueberry buckle were frequent desserts.
That mountain home is still in our family and blueberries are still a yearly treat.
Blueberries are Simply the Best
Mike is king when it comes to picking blueberries. He’ll spend hours and hours filling his buckets. I’m only good for a quart or two, but I clean the berries and I’m the pie baker, syrup maker, jam canner, and blueberry fermenter. Sounds like a fair division of labor, right?
I’m madly in love with pie, but I also like berries to top my homemade yogurt and soaked oatmeal in the morning. All the better if those berries add a probiotic boost to my diet, and lacto-fermented blueberries are just the way to do that.
How to Ferment Fruit and Berries
Fermenting fruit is a little more challenging than fermenting vegetables. Because of its high sugar content, fruit ferments much more quickly than vegetables, and can quickly turn to alcohol. Using whey helps to steer fruit towards lacto-fermentation, rather than an alcohol ferment. In addition, a short fermentation period is used. While I’ve had fermented vegetables last an entire year, fruit is kept preserved for only a few weeks in the refrigerator.
I make my whey from my homemade yogurt. Store bought yogurt may be used as long as it contains viable cultures. Simply strain plain yogurt through a coffee filter. The resulting liquid is whey. What’s left in the filter is a nice thick Greek-style yogurt.
Ingredients
- 2 cups blueberries
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup or organic sugar
- 2 tablespoons whey
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- chlorine-free water
Instructions
- Mix together berries, maple syrup or sugar, whey and sea salt.
- Pack berry mixture into a 2 cup wide mouth canning jar or Fido jar. Lightly press down on the berries get them to fit in the jar being sure to leave at least 1" of headspace.
- Add water to cover the berries completely.
- Place a glass fermentation weight, or a small, tightly closed plastic bag of water on top of the berries to keep the berries submerged.
- Place the lid in place and leave to ferment at room temperature for 24 hours.
- Refrigerate, and use within 2 - 3 weeks.
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Lesli says
Looking forward to giving this a go! Quick and healthful! I’ll use homemade kefir whey, but expect comparable results. Great idea, thanks for sharing!
Susan Vinskofski says
You’re welcome, Lesli. Thanks for stopping by!
Karen says
Would this work with any type of fresh fruit? Also, does the fruit have to be fresh or could it be frozen (thawed)?
Susan Vinskofski says
Hi Karen! I hesitate to answer definitely, but yes, I believe that most fruits would work. I’ve never tried using frozen fruit; I suspect the final result would be mushy.
Billy says
This looks so delicious. I love the idea of fermenting blueberries. I can picture a pancake recipe with fermented blueberries making their way in! It sounds so great! Thank you for sharing this recipe, I can’t wait to try it at home.
Lacey Daniels says
Delicious sounding recipe, and so simple! I found this post when researching different fermenting recipes. I’m just getting started in fermenting and am curious to try fruit sometime. I’m so excited to have found your blog! I’m a 29-year old aspiring homesteader in California and trying to learn as much as I can in my off-hours from work and on weekends. My husband and I are getting ready to buy our first house soon and we are so excited to have our own space to pursue our homesteading dreams. I’m bookmarking your blog and will be reading your old posts! You have a lot of wisdom!
Susan Vinskofski says
Thank you, Lacey! You’re definitely headed in the right direction trying to learn all you can before you even own property!
spidey says
i tried to make a lacto blueberry soda but the liquid turned thick and slimy after 3 days ?
tastes good but looks gross . what did i do wrong ? the mix is still sitting on my kitchen counter waiting . should i toss or is there a way to save this batch ?
ive had this happen a few years back with beets but ive never tried blueberries before.
Susan Vinskofski says
Hi Spidey! If your ferment tastes good, it probably is good. Keep in mind that fruits ferment much more quickly than vegetables. I generally keep fruit ferments at room temperature for only 24 hours and then refrigerate. A black color doesn’t necessarily indicate that something has gone wrong. You may want to try this method for fermenting your soda next time: https://learningandyearning.com/fermented-strawberry-rhubarb-soda-fermented-with-wild-yeast/.
Megan says
Hi! I haven’t fermented fruit before, this seems easy! What does this taste like? Is it still sweet only being fermented 24 hours?
Susan Vinskofski says
Hi Megan, it is a little sweet with a touch of tang! Really delicious!
Jedn. Bordón says
I just prepared my 1st batch of fermenting blueberries. I anticipate using this with yogurt and hemp seed for breakfast and spooning over grilled salmon or trout for dinner. Sounds so yummy.
Susan Vinskofski says
Sounds amazing!!!
Teresa says
Should the lid be on tight for the 24 hour fermenting process?
Susan Vinskofski says
I generally use the Fido jar, but if you are using a mason jar, then keep the lid a little loose to allow gases to escape.
MB says
Curious why there’s no specific amount for water, just “cover it”? I always weigh my food, water, and salt when fermenting to ensure a 2.5% salt solution for safety reasons, according to a food microbiologist. I’d feel better using a recipe that is precise.
Susan Vinskofski says
I, and many others, ferment using a folk method with great success. I definitely encourage you to find another recipe if you are not comfortable with this method. It is understandable. 🙂