A Family Recipe for Fermented Apples That Last Until Summer
A Shared Love for Fermentation
Fermented Whole Apples Recipe: Barrel or Jar Method
Ingredients:
10 L of water (about 2.6 gallons)
14 oz (400 gr) sugar or 21 oz (600 gr) honey
3 Tbsp non-iodized salt
Apples — enough to fill your bucket (not too tight, all must be submerged in brine)
Optional: hay, black currant leaves, or cherry leaves
Method:
Pick unwashed apples straight from the tree and let them sit on a table for 4–5 days.
Any imperfections or rot will show during this time.
Use only apples with intact skin and no damage.
Do not peel or remove stems — keep them whole.
Rinse apples gently in clean water.
Mix 10 L (2.6 gallons) of water with either 14 oz of sugar or 21 oz of honey, plus 3 Tbsp of non-iodized salt.
Bring the mixture to a boil, then let it cool to room temperature.
Place apples stem-side up in a bucket or large container, layering them carefully.
Make sure stems don’t puncture the skins of apples above them.
Pour the cooled brine over the apples.
Place a plate or wooden disk on top and weigh it down so the apples remain fully submerged.
First Fermentation
Keep the bucket at room temperature (64–70 °F) for about 1 week.
Apples will absorb liquid, so check daily and top up with water as needed to keep them submerged. This time, add room-temperature water and not brine.
After 1 week, move apples into one-gallon or larger jars.
Once you transfer the apples check if there are any damaged or imperfect one and remove.
Strain the brine and pour it back over the apples, ensuring they remain covered.
Close jars with a non-airtight lid.
Store in a cellar or other cool place for 30–35 days.
After about a month, the apples are ready to eat.
Keep them stored in the brine, and they stay tasty until spring/ summer.
In the past, apples were fermented in barrels lined with hay or layered with leaves from black currants or cherries.
Some people still use this method, but my cousin prefers to skip the leaves. In her experience, leaves sometimes cause over-souring. She finds apples turn out perfect every time without them.
If you’d like to experiment, scald leaves or hay with boiling water before adding them beneath the apples.
Whether through dairy, vegetables, or drinks, I hope fermentation gently becomes part of daily life—for you and your family. Let me know how you like the recipe once you try it. I’ll patiently wait, just as fermentation teaches us to do.
