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SAUERKRAUT

Just started a new batch of homemade sauerkraut. Love the stuff. And it's a WHOLE lot better tasting that the stuff out of a can from the local market.

ok, so far so good. my Grandmom made sauerkraut every year at the end of the spring cabbage season. mostly big Flat dutch, chopped up, and put in a urn/jar kind of thingy. it was big. never knew the exact recipe. but involved salt, water, and a rock on top holding a plate down on the cabbage so that it remained under water during the cure.

please tell us more, and in some detail. we'll be trying to keep up.

I use 3 Tablespoons of either kosher salt or sea salt (with no additives) per 5 lbs of sliced cabbage.

Slice the cabbage and weigh it. When I have 5 lbs or so, I add the salt. While the cabbage is in a large plastic bowl, I mash it by hand with a small wood tool. Then I add it to the crock. All the mashing does is to help start the fermentation process.

I usually have to add a little water to it also, as you had mentioned to cover it up. I then place 4-5 full cabbage leaves over the top of the kraut and place weights on top.

I'll add a few pictures here shortly. I'm having a host of troubles with my Photo-bucket account today. gggrrrrrrrr !

thanks, that helps to clarify. as i barely remember, no weighing going on at Grandmom's kitchen. it was a hand & eye methodology i reckon. and oh, she used well-water, might have had a bug in it, but no other chemicals that didn't leach in from the natural soil. always stored the fermenting kraut on the steps going up into the attic beside the dirt-daub rockchimney in the center of the house...kept it cooler she believed.

we'd like to hear more. brings back some memories of the childhood. as for store bought, it seems to vary from good to way less than good. the stuff in the cooler is far better than the canned. the probiotic population of home-made seems to be fantastic?

Wooden Masher

Wood Masher



Kraut after 2 days. I have 4 different weights on top. Sorry for the bad picture.


Kraut with weights


Sorry for the links, I keep getting messages from Photo Bucker that they're performing maintenance.

thanks! please keep the group informed. cabbage is easy to grow, and can be converted into healthy sauerkraut. wish i could remember more about the details.

oh, the fermenting kraut is always below the water line, yes? did you use sufficient water to cover the entire batch from the start? seems like letting some of the "cook, "make, "batch," etc. getting above water is a no=no? that is, that's the purpose of the weights, plates, stones, yes? it keeps the kraut under water until the proper time?

later, i'll have questions about hot-water baths, or pressure-cooking, or other prepping for the fridge. i think Grand mom gave the quart canning jars a steam=bath. but i might be off base. thanks for the sharing. growing giant flat-dutch cabbage and converting to sauerkraut does provide for a good winter=time staple.

The salt starts the cabbage in the leaching process. I don't know if it creates enough liquid to cover the whole batch.

I make a brine using 3 Tablespoons of salt to 2 quarts of water. I pour over the cabbage till just barely covered. I think that there is well over an inch of liquid now.

If the cabbage does not stay below the water line, it apparently spoils. This is the second time making it. I read lots of articles from local university extension services. Lots of recipes, and watched a bunch of You-Tube videos.

You don't need a crock. An old 1 gallon glass jar will work. The also sell kits on the Internet for the glass bottles. The kit's allow the gases to burp or escape.

Once you've mad a batch, you'll never go back to canned kraut again.

As for hot baths and pressure canning, I don't process mine. I use sterilized jars, and once fermented, I place in pint or quart bottles and place in an old refrigerator. It stays "crisp" this way.

and pls don't become discouraged from my near constant interferance.

we want to know how the project goes, and how best you might choose to achieve the desired results the next time around.

probiotics is sweeping the health food world. we were eating sauerkraut before we had even heard tell of the word "probiotics." i'll step aside w/my remembrances and stop interfering w/a good post.

Silly me. I always associated making kraut with earthenware crocks.

Nope ! there's a zilion recipes on the web using mason jars for small batches.

I gots jars and I gots cabbage. See ya in about a month !
There's a Swiss place near me that has THE BEST. I'll try to make it like theirs with the sugar, garlic and carrots.

http://www.southernfoodways.org/something-good-from-helvetia/

Owl, one of best lady friends make her kraut in smallish crocks using a small kitchen trash can liners filled with water on top of her cabbage during fermentation. Keeps the nasties out as well as being "self adjusting" during that period.

Works great !

Thanks 284- That's a great tip.

curiosity got the best of me so I googled it.

Hers looked kinda like this.

Do you can it after fermenting?

Cool stuff here!

Sauerkraut keeps yer innards squeaky clean.

Immodium, don't leave home without it

Water bath method I believe. Neighbor lady has dozens of jars of the stuff on the shelves in her cold cellar.

2 weeks into the fermenting. 2 weeks to go, Cant wait....

First time posting. Looks good, we make it every year here as well. Do ours in a food grade 5 gallon bucket and put a plate on top with a gallon jug for weight. Usually let ours go 6 weeks then open kettle can it.

Very cool. Love good kraut!

Welcome Shade Tree!

Owl, couple of pointers you might consider trying if you want to. First of all if your batch turned out good last yr and does again this yr, then by all means keep doing what you're doing, why mess up a good thing.

But, you wouldn't have to mix up a brine and stomp it if you chose not to. We put a layer of fairly fine cut cabbage in (about 3 scoops with both hands) then a tablespoon of Kosher salt sprinkled evenly on top. Keep repeating that process, layer of cabbage, tablespoon of salt. The salt draws out the moisture in the cabbage and makes its own pure brine. You need weight on top to help drive it out. We use a glass gallon jug on top of a plate. Within a few days the plate is submerged in liquid.

As for canning, again if you chose too, sauerkraut is not very involved when it comes to canning. Because of its acidity there's no need to either pressure cook it or water bath it for safety sake. Same as tomato sauce, etc.

Simply bring your fermented kraut to a low boil, then open kettle it right out of the kettle into your canning jars. Make sure your lids are clean, jar rims are clean, and jars are slightly warmed so they wont crack from the hot liquid and you're good to go. No need to refrigerate they will keep for several yrs if need be just sitting on a shelf.

Just some different options to think about if you decided to try a different way. Hope your batch turns out good, good homemade sauerkraut is certainly worth the effort!