How much salt do fermented cauliflower, green beans, asparagus and Brussels sprouts need?

The calculator's default is a 5 percent brine. For 2 lb (0.91 kg) of vegetables in 1 quart (0.95 L) of water, 5 percent takes 47.3 g (1.7 oz) of salt and 3 percent takes 28.4 g (1 oz). Illinois Extension gives 5 percent for whole and large pieces and 3 percent for shredded vegetables.

How long does fermented cauliflower take?

The calculator shows 21 to 28 days at 68 to 72°F (20 to 22°C) and 35 to 42 days at 60 to 67°F (16 to 19°C). These are general extension times, not written for cauliflower. Hobby Farms gives six days at 60 to 75°F (16 to 24°C), and The Kitchn's mixed pickles are tangy in 3 days.

Why is the calculator's time so much longer than the recipes?

University of Minnesota Extension and Illinois Extension give 3 to 4 weeks at 68 to 72°F (20 to 22°C) for fermented vegetables in general, and the calculator uses the longer minimum. Recipes written for one vegetable and cut finish sooner, and the calculator does not use their times.

How strong is the Brussels sprouts evidence?

It rests on one recipe, Saveur's sprout kraut, which uses 1/4 cup of kosher salt in 4 1/2 cups of water for 1 pound of halved sprouts and ferments about 3 to 4 weeks, ideally at 70 to 75°F. The calculator's time is general extension guidance.

Fermented Cauliflower, Green Beans, Asparagus, Sprouts

Q: How long do fermented green beans take?

The calculator uses the same general times as for every vegetable here. Mother Earth News says bubbles begin to show in 4 or 5 days and the jar is fully packed in about 2 weeks, without saying the beans are ready, and its universal pickle recipe says half-sour in about a week at around 70°F (21°C).

Q: Can I can fermented cauliflower, green beans or asparagus?

Fermenting is not canning, and this page gives no canning instructions. Do not can the result unless you follow a tested canning procedure from the National Center for Home Food Preservation or a university extension service.

Cauliflower, green beans, asparagus and Brussels sprouts ferment in the same 5 percent brine in the calculator: 5 g of salt per 100 g of water. For 2 lb (0.91 kg) of vegetables in 1 quart (0.95 L) of water that is 47.3 g (1.7 oz) of salt, which is 3/8 cup of Diamond Crystal kosher, 3 1/2 Tbsp of Morton kosher or 2 1/2 Tbsp of table salt. The calculator returns identical numbers for all four, so they share one set of tables below. The 3 percent brine is the strength for shredded vegetables (Illinois Extension) and is still in the calculator.

The time is 21 to 28 days at 68 to 72°F (20 to 22°C) and 35 to 42 days at 60 to 67°F (16 to 19°C). These are general fermented-vegetable times, not written for any of these four, and the recipes for each finish much sooner. The sections and the time section explain the gap. The Brussels sprouts section rests on one recipe.

The vegetables side by side

Vegetables in this guide, side by sideEvery number comes from the calculator at each vegetable's default weight and strength.
Vegetable	Cut the times apply to	Default weight	Water	Salt	Time at 68 to 72°F	Salt options
Cauliflower	Small florets	2 lb (0.91 kg)	1 quart (0.95 L)	47.3 g (1.7 oz)	21 to 28 days	3% brine, 5% brine
Green beans	Whole small green beans, trimmed	2 lb (0.91 kg)	1 quart (0.95 L)	47.3 g (1.7 oz)	21 to 28 days	3% brine, 5% brine
Asparagus	Asparagus spears cut to fit the jar	2 lb (0.91 kg)	1 quart (0.95 L)	47.3 g (1.7 oz)	21 to 28 days	3% brine, 5% brine
Brussels sprouts	Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved through the root end	2 lb (0.91 kg)	1 quart (0.95 L)	47.3 g (1.7 oz)	21 to 28 days	3% brine, 5% brine

Default strength is the 5% brine. Garlic uses less weight and more water per pound than the others.

Calculator for each vegetable

Enter your own weight, choose the salt level and your salt type, and get the salt by weight and volume and the time.

Salt percentage

The percentage is grams of salt per 100 grams of water, not of the vegetables. The brine percentages guide explains the difference.

Firm brine, 5 percent. This is the default. Illinois Extension gives 5 percent for whole and large pieces of vegetables, which is what this guide covers, and does not name these vegetables.

Standard brine, 3 percent. Illinois Extension calls a 3 percent brine generally safe for shredded vegetables, so 3 percent is the strength for shredded cauliflower or green beans.

The sources do not agree on one number, and each section lists what its recipes use. Across the four vegetables the recipe amounts range from about 1.8 percent to about 5.7 percent of the water, depending on the salt each recipe names, and the calculator offers 3 and 5 percent.

Salt and water by weight

Weigh the vegetables after trimming and cutting, before adding brine. K-State Extension uses about 1 lb of vegetables and 2 cups of brine per 1-quart jar, which is the calculator's 0.5 quart of water per pound. The calculator accepts 0.5 lb (0.23 kg) to 10 lb (4.54 kg) of these vegetables.

Firm brine, 5 percent (default)

Salt and water for firm brine, 5%, all vegetables in this guideSalt is 5% of the water's weight. Volumes are given for each salt type.
Vegetables	Salt by weight	Diamond Crystal kosher	Morton kosher	Table salt	Water
1 lb (0.45 kg)	23.7 g (0.83 oz)	3 Tbsp	1 1/2 Tbsp	1 1/2 Tbsp	0.5 quarts (0.47 L)
2 lb (0.91 kg)	47.3 g (1.7 oz)	3/8 cup	3 1/2 Tbsp	2 1/2 Tbsp	1 quart (0.95 L)
4 lb (1.81 kg)	94.6 g (3.3 oz)	3/4 cup	3/8 cup	3/8 cup	2 quarts (1.89 L)
5 lb (2.27 kg)	118 g (4.2 oz)	7/8 cup	1/2 cup	3/8 cup	2.5 quarts (2.37 L)
10 lb (4.54 kg)	237 g (8.4 oz)	1 3/4 cups	1 cup	7/8 cup	5 quarts (4.73 L)

Weigh the salt when you can. The same volume of different salts weighs different amounts.

Fermentation time by room temperatureTime is the same for any weight and for every vegetable in this guide.
Room temperature	Time
60 to 67°F (16 to 19°C)	35 to 42 days
68 to 72°F (20 to 22°C)	21 to 28 days

Standard brine, 3 percent, for shredded vegetables

Salt and water for standard brine, 3%, all vegetables in this guideSalt is 3% of the water's weight. Volumes are given for each salt type.
Vegetables	Salt by weight	Diamond Crystal kosher	Morton kosher	Table salt	Water
1 lb (0.45 kg)	14.2 g (0.5 oz)	1 1/2 Tbsp	1 Tbsp	2 1/4 tsp	0.5 quarts (0.47 L)
2 lb (0.91 kg)	28.4 g (1 oz)	3 1/2 Tbsp	2 Tbsp	1 1/2 Tbsp	1 quart (0.95 L)
4 lb (1.81 kg)	56.8 g (2 oz)	3/8 cup	1/4 cup	3 Tbsp	2 quarts (1.89 L)
5 lb (2.27 kg)	71 g (2.5 oz)	1/2 cup	1/4 cup	1/4 cup	2.5 quarts (2.37 L)
10 lb (4.54 kg)	142 g (5 oz)	1 cup	5/8 cup	1/2 cup	5 quarts (4.73 L)

Weigh the salt when you can. The same volume of different salts weighs different amounts.

The calculator uses 2.8 g per teaspoon for Diamond Crystal, 4.8 g for Morton kosher and 6 g for table salt. The guide to kosher and table salt in brines covers why the volumes differ.

Sources differ on water. Illinois Extension's fermentation handout says filtered water or spring water is preferred and not to use distilled water. University of Minnesota Extension says to use soft or distilled water because hard-water minerals can discolor produce or change its texture. The water shown in the tables is a default; use enough to cover the vegetables completely, enter your own amount in the calculator and the salt follows it.

How to ferment these vegetables

The method is the same for every vegetable here, and the how to ferment vegetables guide walks through it. Weigh the vegetables after trimming and cutting, dissolve the salt in the water, pack the vegetables and cover them with the brine, and weigh them down so they stay under it. University of Minnesota Extension keeps 1 to 2 inches of brine above the produce, and says fermented produce can be kept refrigerated for up to 9 months once it tastes right. Each vegetable's section below lists what differs.

Cauliflower

What the recipes say. The calculator checked these sources for cauliflower. Their salt and time are listed as the sources give them.

Source	Salt and water as given	Time and temperature
The Kitchn (mixed pickles with cauliflower, carrot and red bell pepper)	3 Tbsp of salt per quart of water	Tangy in 3 days at room temperature, no temperature given
Hobby Farms	3 1/2 cups of florets in 1 Tbsp of coarse kosher salt per 2 cups of water (about 1.8% with Diamond Crystal and 3.0% with Morton)	Six days at 60 to 75°F (16 to 24°C)
University of Michigan MHealthy	Not given for cauliflower alone	At least 3 to 6 days at room temperature

Cut and weight. Weigh the cauliflower after trimming and cutting into florets, before adding brine.

Salt. The sources do not agree on one number. The Kitchn recipe uses 3 tablespoons of salt per quart of water, about 2.7 to 5.7 percent depending on the salt, and the Hobby Farms recipe works out to about 1.8 to 3.0 percent.

Time. Recipe sources give 3 to 6 days, such as the Hobby Farms recipe's six days, and The Kitchn says readiness varies from a few hours to a few weeks. The calculator uses the longer minimum, and the time section explains the 21 to 28 and 35 to 42 day windows.

Steps that differ for cauliflower. The shared steps are in the method section.

Prepare. Wash the cauliflower and cut it into small, uniform florets, which the Hobby Farms recipe does so they ferment evenly.

Hobby Farms says produce above the brine is prone to mold, which is why the florets stay under it.

Green beans

What the recipes say. The calculator checked these sources for green beans. Their salt and time are listed as the sources give them.

Source	Salt and water as given	Time and temperature
Mother Earth News (fermented green beans)	2 lb of small beans in 6 oz of salt and 1 gallon of water (about 4.5% of the water)	Bubbles begin to show in 4 or 5 days and the jar is fully packed in about 2 weeks (the page does not say fermented or ready); no temperature given
University of Michigan MHealthy	2 Tbsp of salt per 4 cups of water	At least 3 to 6 days at room temperature
Mother Earth News (universal pickle recipe)	Not given for green beans alone	Half-sour in about a week and fully sour in about two weeks at around 70°F (21°C); about a week at 80°F (27°C); three weeks or more in a cool cellar

Cut and weight. Weigh the beans after trimming, before adding brine.

Salt. The sources do not agree on one number. The Mother Earth News recipe uses about 4.5 percent of the water, which is 6 ounces of salt in 1 gallon, and the University of Michigan recipe works out to about 1.8 to 3.8 percent depending on the salt.

Time. Recipe sources give a few days to about 2 weeks. The Mother Earth News recipe says bubbles begin to show in 4 or 5 days and the jar is fully packed in about 2 weeks; it does not say the beans are fermented or ready then. The calculator uses the longer minimum, and the time section explains the 21 to 28 and 35 to 42 day windows.

Steps that differ for green beans. The shared steps are in the method section.

Prepare. Rinse the beans and trim off the stem ends, as the Mother Earth News recipe does.

Asparagus

That time is general guidance for fermented vegetables, not an asparagus source. The two asparagus recipes the calculator checked give much shorter times, and they also disagree with each other.

What the recipes say. The calculator checked these sources for asparagus. Their salt and time are listed as the sources give them.

Source	Salt and water as given	Time and temperature
The Globe and Mail	2 Tbsp of sea salt or pickling salt per 1 litre of water (about 3.4% to 3.6%)	8 to 18 days at 17 to 22°C (the page also writes 65 to 74°F)
The Kitchn	1 1/2 to 2 lb of asparagus with 1 1/2 tsp of coarse salt and water to cover (no water amount given)	2 to 4 days is typical, no temperature given

Cut and weight. Weigh the asparagus after trimming and cutting, before adding brine. The times apply to spears cut to fit the jar. K-State Extension uses about 1 pound of vegetables and about 2 cups of brine per 1-quart jar, which matches the calculator's 0.5 quart of water per pound.

Salt. The 5% brine is the default. Illinois Extension gives 5% for whole and large pieces and calls a 3% brine generally safe for shredded vegetables. The 3% strength is close to The Globe and Mail recipe, which uses 2 tablespoons of sea or pickling salt in 1 liter of water, about 3.4% to 3.6% of the water. Illinois Extension does not name asparagus.

The Kitchn recipe gives no water amount, so its percentage cannot be calculated.

Time. The recipes are shorter. The Globe and Mail says 8 to 18 days at 65 to 74°F (the page also writes this as 17 to 22°C, a slightly different range) and says to start tasting after day 8. The Kitchn says 2 to 4 days is typical and gives no temperature. The calculator uses the longer extension minimum.

Steps that differ for asparagus. The shared steps are in the method section.

Make the brine. Weigh the water and salt, and dissolve the salt completely. The Kitchn uses filtered water because chlorine can interfere with fermentation.
Pack the jar. The Globe and Mail packs the spears firmly, alternating tips up and tips down. The Kitchn packs the jar tightly.
Keep them under the brine. The Globe and Mail floats a small water-filled jar in the mouth, and The Kitchn wedges an orange slice or asparagus pieces across the shoulders.
Ferment. Keep the jar at 68 to 72°F (20 to 22°C), out of drafts as The Globe and Mail advises, and check it daily.

Mold or film on the surface. The Globe and Mail says to prick out mold that appears in the neck of the jar. The Kitchn says to skim a light film and to discard the batch if mold appears. The surface growth note in the safety section shows that other sources word it differently again.

Brussels sprouts

This section rests on one recipe. Only one recipe naming Brussels sprouts with a brine and a time was found, and the times are general guidance for fermented vegetables, not a Brussels sprout source.

What the recipes say. The calculator checked these sources for Brussels sprouts. Their salt and time are listed as the sources give them.

Source	Salt and water as given	Time and temperature
Saveur (Sprout Kraut)	1 lb of halved sprouts (about 35) in 4 1/2 cups of water with 1/4 cup of kosher salt (about 3.2% with Diamond Crystal and 5.4% with Morton)	About 3 to 4 weeks at room temperature, ideally 70 to 75°F (21 to 24°C)

Cut and weight. Weigh the sprouts after trimming and halving, before adding brine. K-State Extension uses about 1 pound of vegetables and about 2 cups of brine per 1-quart jar, which matches the calculator's 0.5 quart of water per pound.

The Saveur recipe uses 3 cups of water in the jar for 1 pound of sprouts, more than the calculator's default of 2 cups.

Salt. The 5% brine is the default. Illinois Extension gives 5% for whole and large pieces and calls a 3% brine generally safe for shredded vegetables. It does not name Brussels sprouts.

The Saveur sprout kraut recipe uses 1/4 cup of kosher salt in 4 1/2 cups of water for 1 pound of sprouts. It does not name the kosher salt brand, so its percentage is about 3.2% to 5.4% of the water, depending on the salt. That range spans both of the calculator's strengths.

Time. The calculator's general time is close to the one Brussels sprouts recipe. Saveur says to leave the jar at room temperature, ideally 70 to 75 degrees (the page does not specify the unit), for about 3 to 4 weeks, until the sprouts taste cured to your liking.

Steps that differ for Brussels sprouts. The shared steps are in the method section.

Pack the jar. The Saveur recipe adds dill, black peppercorns, crushed garlic and dried chiles. Pour the brine over the sprouts.
Keep them under the brine. The recipe sets a resealable bag of brine on top of the sprouts as a weight.
Ferment. Keep the jar at 68 to 72°F (20 to 22°C). The recipe's 70 to 75 degrees is slightly warmer than the calculator's band.

Which storage time to trust. Saveur says the sprout kraut keeps for up to 2 months in the refrigerator, and University of Minnesota Extension says refrigerated fermented produce keeps for up to 9 months. The sources differ, and this guide does not choose between them.

Smell, texture and surface growth. The Saveur page does not mention scum or mold. Use the warnings in the safety section: discard a ferment that is slimy or smells spoiled or rotten.

How long they take

The calculator shows 21 to 28 days at 68 to 72°F (20 to 22°C) and 35 to 42 days at 60 to 67°F (16 to 19°C) for every vegetable in this guide. University of Minnesota Extension and Illinois Extension give 3 to 4 weeks at 68 to 72°F (20 to 22°C) for fermenting produce in general, and the calculator uses the longer minimum. Neither page gives a time written for these vegetables. The 60 to 67°F row is an inference from University of Minnesota Extension (5 to 6 weeks below 68°F, and fermentation inhibited below 60°F) and Illinois Extension (six weeks or longer if the temperature is too low).

Recipes finish sooner for three of the four, and they were written for one vegetable and a stated cut. Cauliflower takes 3 days (The Kitchn) to 6 days (Hobby Farms), asparagus 2 to 4 days (The Kitchn) or 8 to 18 days (The Globe and Mail), and green beans show bubbles in 4 or 5 days and are packed in about 2 weeks (Mother Earth News). Brussels sprouts are the exception: Saveur gives about 3 to 4 weeks, close to the calculator. The Kitchn says readiness for mixed pickles varies from a few hours to a few weeks. The calculator does not use these times, and a recipe's time is not a food safety limit: a ferment is ready when the pH is 4.60 or lower and bubbling has stopped (University of Minnesota Extension), which a taste test cannot tell you.

Safety

The National Center for Home Food Preservation says salt favors the growth of desirable bacteria while inhibiting the growth of others, and that a minimum, uniform level of acid is needed to prevent botulinum bacteria from growing, so the acid that fermentation produces matters for safety as well as taste. University of Minnesota Extension explains that lactic acid bacteria convert sugars into lactic acid and release carbon dioxide. The brine food safety guide collects the limits that apply to every brine.

Warnings

Ferment at 68 to 72°F (20 to 22°C). University of Minnesota Extension says temperatures over 78°F (26°C) can cause over fermentation and spoilage and temperatures below 60°F (16°C) inhibit fermentation. Illinois Extension says spoilage bacteria may take over if it is too warm.

Discard the ferment if it is slimy or smells spoiled or rotten (Illinois Extension). NCHFP's Dill Pickles page (https://nchfp.uga.edu/how/ferment/recipes/dill-pickles/) says to discard fermented pickles that become soft, slimy or develop a disagreeable odor.

Keep the vegetables under the brine for the whole ferment. Vegetables that stick out of the liquid are exposed to air, which lets mold and yeast grow.

Do not reduce the salt below the amount shown. The National Center for Home Food Preservation says salt is vital to the safety and texture of fermented vegetables and not to cut back on the salt required, and the Inyo-Mono Master Food Preserver Program (UC Cooperative Extension) says it is unsafe to reduce salt in lactofermented vegetables.

Fermenting is not canning. This calculator gives no canning instructions. Do not can the fermented result unless you follow a tested canning procedure from the National Center for Home Food Preservation or a university extension service.

The limits on salt type, container materials, surface growth and sodium are the same for every ferment, and the how to ferment vegetables guide lists them with their sources. UC Davis says the pH must be below 4.6 to prevent botulism and that its overview of the process is not a validated process.

Problems and what causes them

Illinois Extension says oxygen exposure lets mold and yeast grow, and that salt keeps vegetables crisp by firming pectin and slowing pectinase, the enzyme that causes mushiness. Keeping the vegetables under the brine and not cutting the salt address both.

How to ferment vegetables covers the method, and the fermentation salt percentage chart compares strengths across vegetables. Fermented cucumber pickles use 3.5, 5 and 7.6 percent, and fermented red cabbage covers cabbage salted dry. The fermented carrots, beets, radishes, turnips and garlic guide and the fermented peppers, green tomatoes, okra and zucchini guide cover the other vegetables the calculator handles.