Fermento Substitute: What to Use Instead?

While cooking or baking something, it is not always possible to use the exact ingredients that are mentioned in the recipes. Also, sometimes you might even run out of a few ingredients. Don’t worry, there are plenty of substitutes for fermento that you can use in your cooking.

Fermenting is an essential step in creating delicious foods like sausages, burgers, sandwiches, pasta, and pizza. But sometimes, you might not have access to fermento or want to try a different substitution. In this article, we’ll explore a few fermento substitutes.

What Is Fermento In Cooking?

Skim milk and cultured whey protein are the main components in fermento. In terms of cooking, it is typically sold as a powder when used as a cooking ingredient. Bactoferm is a free dried and starter culture used in fermenting sausages, and fermento does the same.

Fermento is not a very common ingredient that you may not be familiar with. However, if you are a sausage lover and like to make sausages by yourself, then you must have heard the name as fermento is also called the “the sausage maker.”

Modern society is increasingly embracing the benefits of fermentation, as more people are embracing the idea of processed food instead of preparing the whole food by themselves step by step. Because it can ensure the meat is preserved, speed up curing, and speed up the process, it’s considered a beneficial ingredient.

The ferment is used for preparing and fermenting semi-dry cured meats, such as sausages. It is known as a dairy-based starter culture. In fact, sausages are more appealing thanks to this little ingredient that adds a tangy taste and rich, spicy fragrance.

What Can I Use In Place Of Fermento?

Although sausage made out of farmento tastes tangy, surprisingly, fermento is made of milk and a few other dairy products like- skim milk or nonfat dried milk as a primary ingredient. So, it’s generally advisable to use alternatives that can replace the dairy in the product, at least to some extent.

There are alternatives to ferment if you cannot use it for your products. For example- Buttermilk powder, Prague powder number 1, citric acid, yogurt, Hela Germet, BiTEC and dextrose monohydrate.

The details of the fermento alternatives include:

1. Buttermilk

As fermento is a dairy product, the first dairy product that can be used as a substitute for fermento can be buttermilk. Fermento and buttermilk are both made with milk as their main ingredient.

Curing sausages and fermenting them can be done using buttermilk solids or liquid instead of fermento because both can perform the same function.

You can pick any buttermilk from your local grocery store, but we recommend Organic Valley, Organic Low Fat Cultured Buttermilk as it is produced from pasture-raised cows and contain only 1% milk fat.

2. Prague Powder Number 1

Prague powder number 1 contains 6.25% sodium nitrite and 93.75% salt. You should not eat it without cooking. It cures the food of harmful elements. Also known as Insta Cure 1, it provides fast results.

Because of the curing process, Prague powder number 2 is best suited to smoking meats such as sausage, ham, salami, bacon, canned fish, etc., similar things. In addition, its pinkish shade and salty, smoked flavor make it ideal for sausage production that you can use instead of femento.

Although there are many brands available for Prague powder, Hoosier Hill Farm produces the best one. You can try their Prague Powder No1 Pink Curing Salt, which is specially made for meat curing and sausage making process.

3. Citric Acid 

Oranges, tangerines, lemons, grapefruits, etc., contain citric acids. For sour or acidic tastes, citric acid is the principal ingredient. Besides making food appealing, it can also serve as a salt substitute.

You can reduce the growth of harmful bacteria in meat by preserving it with citric acid. As a food that metabolizes your energy and improves nutrient absorption, this item also offers many health benefits. Additionally, many of the beneficial properties will replace many of the chemical additives in our environment.

When using citric acid as fermento alternative, you should use non-GMO products and Milliard Citric Acid definitely wins the game here.

4. Yogurt

As a starter culture, yogurt is always available in most households. And even if you do not have yogurt, you can always grab some from the nearest grocery store.

Yogurt is basically nonfat semi-dried milk that has been fermented. So you can use it as a substitute for fermento by giving in the same amount.

Among the hundreds of yogurt brands and types, plain yogurt works well and 365 by Whole Foods Market is our top choice as it is organic and anyone can use it including vegetarian and kosher.

5. Hela Germet

Hela Germet is a fermento substitute used as a starter culture in Southern and North European sausages. Their sausages are usually dry, so Hela Germet gives them a good substitute.

The dry sausages have a public demand due to their dry but pungent taste. To produce a dry sausage with the desired flavor, one can use the Hela Germet.

In the Hela Germet, the pH levels are very low. So, it is suitable as a flavor enhancer and can contribute to the classic mild taste of European sausages as well as improve their color.

6. BiTEC

The main ingredient in fermento is bactoferm, which is also available in the BiTEC. It can produce many types of reliable starter cultures too. If there is no Bactoferm, these substances are helpful for the fermentation of traditional sausages and immediate preservation.

In addition, they contain starter culture combinations designed to achieve different results to guard against toxic bacteria. LS 25 is the brand’s best-known product designed to acidify sausages from North America and Europe quickly.

You can use this starter culture to make dry sausages, which provides many benefits. In addition to this, it also affects the color and stability of the mixture.

7. Dextrose Monohydrate

Dextrose Monohydrate is a different type of substitute from other fermento substitutes because it is made from corn. It is also used to replace sugar.

Although it tastes sweet, there is no sugar in it. So, it is a healthier alternative. The flavor and quality of fermented sausages can be enhanced with it, so it can replace fermento.

Dextrose monohydrate offers a sweet flavor, making it an ideal food additive for sweet recipes, but it can also be used to process meat. So, whenever you eat that sweet white cream pasta with sweet and salty sausages, now you know where the sweetness comes from.

You can use a constituent of glycogen, starch, and cellulose such as LFA Dextrose Monohydrate Powder.

What Does Fermento Do In Sausage Making?

Skimmed milk contains protein that tastes good with meat, and fermento has skimmed milk in it. Skimmed milk and fermento can be formed as the bactoferm substitute. Such substitutes are useful for making semi-dry sausage.

Its fermentation capability reduces the time it takes to ferment and provides the ability to stuff the sausages instantly. That is why fermento is an essential ingredient while making sausages.

You can also prepare summer sausages with fermento, as it does not make you wait. Also, although fermento is a processed ingredient, it does not need a refrigerator which is another reason for fermento to be a summer sausage ingredient.

Do I Need Fermento For Summer Sausage?

When kept unopened and suitably stored, summer sausage can survive even the hottest summer days without rotting. That is why it is called the summer sausage.

You might need fermento for summer sausage ingredients as it does not need a refrigerator or cool weather to be stored. Also, it can prepare your sausages in a very short time.

But you can still make summer sausage without fermento by using nonfat dried milk as a fermento substitute. You will find nonfat, dried milk available in any super shop around the block.

To process the summer sausage, you will need 1/4 of the nonfat dried milk or fermento into the mix. Then you grind everything together. However, it can make your mixture very sticky, so you might need to handle it carefully.

Once the second grind is complete, add the remaining nonfat dried milk, and mix thoroughly until the dough is sticky. Applied to large diameter products, such as summer sausage, it will bind the meat tightly together.

Is Fermento Harmful To Health?

Fermento is made of healthy ingredients, so it is not a direct threat to your health. However, having too much of something is not good. So, if you have consumed too much fermento that might be a risk for your health too.

Also, many people might have allergic reactions from consuming fermento. If you experience any discomfort after consuming fermento, you should stop consuming it immediately. Also, you should contact a doctor as soon as possible.

People who have diabetes should avoid fermento as it can raise their sugar level. Also, pregnant women and breastfeeding mothers should consult their doctor before having fermento, as it might harm the fetus and cause allergy to the baby.

So, as you can see, fermento is not directly harmful, but it can cause harm in many ways. So, you should be careful and consider your situation before consuming fermented foods.

Final Words

There are several fermento substitutes that you can use in your baking recipes. The most important thing is to find the one that works best for you, and that will give you the desired results.

So, experiment with a few different options to find the one you like the best, and that will be the most convenient for you. With a little bit of trial and error, you will be able to find the perfect fermento alternative for your needs.