r/fermentation • u/Dizzy-Cartoonist3011 • 16h ago

Any strategies to minimize the smell of garum?

I have these fermentation jars:

Jars here

I'm pretty gung ho on the idea of making garum from mackerel.

From what I understand the stench from this process is absolutely god awful. Unfortunately I live in a place that will get extremely cold within the next couple of months, so I don't think a shed or garage is going to slice it - of course, if I want garum by Christmas or early in the New Year.

My questions:

  1. Would the jars that I bought be enough to minimize the smell? It seems like the only times I would really need to break any air seals is to fill up the silicon air filter with water every now and then. From my understand it is not entirely necessary to stir the garum if you include the fish guts.
  2. If these jars would still release significant smell, what could I try as a strategy to reduce the stench, or at least heavily confine it?

Any and all advice is welcome. Thank you!

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2

u/urnbabyurn 15h ago

Garum doesn’t ferment producing gas depending on how you make it. So just use regular jars and seal them.

1

u/Dizzy-Cartoonist3011 15h ago

How do I make it without producing gas? Basically just fish and salt is what I was thinking.

2

u/EnigmaticAardvark 15h ago

Essentially the fish eat themselves - the enzymes and acid in their guts more or less digest the rest of their flesh and eventually their fragile little bones, and the salt keeps the nasties away. 

2

u/OddRestauranteur 16h ago

Those jars lids are designed as a "one way" air exit device. You can make the jar air tight, but it can fuck with the fermentation / possibly create a putrid bomb.

IF you really need garum for some odd reason - just purchase asian fish sauce where the ingredients are only fish and salt. Highly recommend a brand called megachef.

1

u/Dizzy-Cartoonist3011 16h ago

So these would basically do nothing to prevent the smell from escaping hey?

2

u/OddRestauranteur 16h ago

yes, they're designed specifically to let air escape

1

u/Dizzy-Cartoonist3011 16h ago

Gotcha, so maybe good for vegetable fermentation but not so much garum.

1

u/bowlegged_monkey 16h ago

They are fine for fermentation, albeit way way overpriced. They wont stop the smell at all

1

u/Pitiful_Reality2973 8h ago

Bottom of a closet, put a cardboard box over it.

1

u/awakeningoffaith 7h ago

You need to use sealed jars. 

1

u/Kaiyn Probiotic Prospect 5h ago

Having experimented with alot of garums, This method is by far the best.

https://www.culinarycrush.biz/all/3-hour-garum-recipe

It takes a bit of searching to find the protease/pancreas, but once you have it, this method produces the absolute best garums. Ive tested these against 6-9 month garums and the taste is almost identical. The older ones do have a slightly thicker texture, which leads to them coating your mouth a bit more. But for how easy this method is, its the best.