gary350
Full Access Member
I picked cabbage today to make sauerkraut tomorrow. I am following instructions on the attached video. This recipe is 100 times better flavor than kraut made with vinegar.
Sauerkraut
- Thread starter gary350
- Start date
oneeye
Full Access Member
- Joined
- Feb 21, 2020
- Messages
- 2,529
- Reaction score
- 1,149
- Country
I love this video friend. Thank you for sharing.
YumYum
Full Access Member
I do my sauerkraut basically the same way except I don't add any spices or use a pounder. I use a 5 gallon bucket, a plastic plate that fits the diameter of the bucket with holes drilled in it for the piston in which I just press down with my hands, and then a butter bowl of sealed water for the weight on top. Keep the cabbage under water and just sit the bucket lid on top and do not seal it. Let it ferment for at least 2 weeks and scoop any moldy looking stuff off the water after several days.
It is really good. Mine molded after a month or so in the fridge so I canned what extra I had but sadly that also kills the probiotics but still very good salty stuff.
It is really good. Mine molded after a month or so in the fridge so I canned what extra I had but sadly that also kills the probiotics but still very good salty stuff.
Ruderunner
Full Access Member
Using vinegar makes a pickled cabbage and that is definitely not saurkraut.
Extremely simple, salt and cabbage. Maybe a little extra water if the cabbage isn't fresh enough, just be sure everything stays submerged.
I like to add caraway and red pepper flakes.
You can make as much or as little as you like but, I've found large batches tend to develop better flavor. I miss my 6 gallon crock and have to make do with a couple 2 gallon ones.
Extremely simple, salt and cabbage. Maybe a little extra water if the cabbage isn't fresh enough, just be sure everything stays submerged.
I like to add caraway and red pepper flakes.
You can make as much or as little as you like but, I've found large batches tend to develop better flavor. I miss my 6 gallon crock and have to make do with a couple 2 gallon ones.
reder
Full Access Member
Your homemade sauerkraut sounds fantastic! I love how simple and natural it is—nothing beats fermented cabbage for flavor and health. I’ve enjoyed similar methods and also love adding caraway or red pepper flakes. And I agree, vinegar isn’t true sauerkraut. However, I think I'll contact taste of home for more tips. They usually have great fermentation recipes and advice. Maybe they will tell me what the original sauerkraut recipe is.
Ruderunner
Full Access Member
The original recipe is salt and cabbage. The trick is salinity and temperature.
Temperature is pretty easy, you need a place that stays pretty consistent between 65 and 75f. Too warm can let bad things grow , too cold and the bacteria sleep and nothing happens.
Salinity is a little trickier and requires some math. But, you want the salt to be between 3 and 5 percent of the water content. Too much or too little and bad things happen. Oh, and use CANNING salt, not sea salt, Himalayan salt, seasoned salt. The ingredient list should be 4 letters, s a l t. Mainly, you don't have any way to tell how much other stuff is in it and some of that stuff can kill the bacteria needed for fermentation.
A good accurate digital scale is handy as it a calculator. Weigh your shredded cabbage.. take that number and multiply by 0.9. Cabbage is about 90 percent water when fresh so this is your water weight. Take the water weight and multiply by 0.04, that's your salt weight.
This basic recipe can be used on lots of fruits and vegetables. Pickles is obvious but also carrots, beets and beans. You'll have to look up the water content of whatever you want to ferment.
Temperature is pretty easy, you need a place that stays pretty consistent between 65 and 75f. Too warm can let bad things grow , too cold and the bacteria sleep and nothing happens.
Salinity is a little trickier and requires some math. But, you want the salt to be between 3 and 5 percent of the water content. Too much or too little and bad things happen. Oh, and use CANNING salt, not sea salt, Himalayan salt, seasoned salt. The ingredient list should be 4 letters, s a l t. Mainly, you don't have any way to tell how much other stuff is in it and some of that stuff can kill the bacteria needed for fermentation.
A good accurate digital scale is handy as it a calculator. Weigh your shredded cabbage.. take that number and multiply by 0.9. Cabbage is about 90 percent water when fresh so this is your water weight. Take the water weight and multiply by 0.04, that's your salt weight.
This basic recipe can be used on lots of fruits and vegetables. Pickles is obvious but also carrots, beets and beans. You'll have to look up the water content of whatever you want to ferment.