2% salt for Kohlrabi

About Kohlrabi

Kohlrabi — the German turnip — is a Brassica oleracea cultivar grown for its bulbous, swollen stem rather than its root. Crisp, mild, and slightly sweet raw, it ferments into a snappy, slightly tangy pickle that retains its crunch for months. Common in Czech, German, and Korean cooking; in kimchi tradition it appears as a component in mixed-vegetable variants. The white-skinned variety ferments faster than purple; either works.

Fermentation data

Default salt

2.5%(you are viewing 2%)

Salt range

2–3%

Time at 68°F

10.0 days

pH target

3.50

Water content

90%

Preferred styles

brine pickle, kimchi component

Technique

Peel the tough outer skin (it can be thick — peel deep enough to remove all woody fibers). Cut into 1-cm matchsticks or 5-mm rounds. Pack into a jar with one bay leaf, a teaspoon of caraway seed, and a thin slice of horseradish or one crushed garlic clove per quart. Cover with 2.5% brine, weight, leave 1 inch headspace. Ferment 7-14 days at 65-72°F. Done when fully sour but still crisp at the bite. Refrigerate; will hold 4+ months.

Salt level notes at 2%

Default. If in doubt, use 2.0%. The Noma Guide to Fermentation, NCHFP, Sandor Katz, and King Arthur all cite this as their baseline recommendation.

Safety: Safe range for lacto-fermentation. 2% is the most common default for cabbage, kimchi and pepper mash.

Explore other salt levels for Kohlrabi

• 1.5% — minimum safe
• 1.8% — low-salt sauerkraut
• 2% — standard sauerkraut (current)
• 2.25% — lightly-salted brine-pickle
• 2.5% — standard hot sauce
• 3% — brine-pickle standard
• 3.5% — kimchi rinse stage
• 4% — traditional kimchi / kvass

Sources

• Katz — The Art of Fermentation (p. 99, Brassicas)
• NCHFP (UGA) — Fermented and Pickled Products
• Sandor Katz, The Art of Fermentation (Chelsea Green, 2012)

For educational use only. Consult your local food safety authority for commercial production.