First time making kimchi - the three week difference was wild

I started my first batch of kimchi three weeks ago using a recipe from a Korean cooking blog. The first taste after just 3 days was super salty and pretty simple, just cabbage and paste. But last night I opened the jar and it had transformed completely. The flavor got deeper and more complex, with that funky sour tang you expect from good kimchi. I think the fermentation really kicked off around day 10 when I saw tiny bubbles forming. The cabbage softened up but kept a nice crunch, which I was worried about losing. I used a cheap glass jar with an airlock lid I found on Amazon for 12 bucks. Has anyone else noticed a big shift in their kimchi around the 2-3 week mark?

3 comments

3 Comments

faithb783mo agoMost Upvoted

haha yeah mine almost blew up my fridge too!

lane.drew3mo ago

Buddy's batch turned into this funky bomb around day 18, blew the lid off.

lilychen1mo ago

My first batch got so active I came home to find the lid on the ceiling and the jar in the sink. I guess my ferments are more of a "cover your ears and hope for the best" kind of deal.