Sauerkraut Help

[elh]

As a new project, I am trying to make my first batch of kraut. I am not sure about my results. I made a small batch to learn the process, however I think I have made a mistake somewhere along the line.

I have seen no bubbles. I don't think my cabbage made near enough liquid and now it may have completely rotted. Does anyone have any suggestions, ideas or helpful comments? I would appreciate your input.

[Deberosa]

I made saurkraut years ago, but don't remember any bubbles. It came out great. I shredded the cabbage very thinly and layered it with salt. I mashed down each layer after adding the salt so the liquid was pretty much there as was needed to cover the cabbage. Then I put a plate on top to keep the cabbage under the liquid. I weighted the plate down. I can't remember how long I left it but it turned into really great kraut! I hope I am able to duplicate it at some point.

[Shamrock1121]

This is an easy-to-do recipe. -Karen

Sauerkraut
(source: The Splendid Grain - by Rebecca Wood)

Makes about 3-1/2 cups.

1 large head cabbage, green or purple
1 T. sea salt
1 T. caraway seeds (optional)
1-2 cloves garlic (optional)

Remove any coarse or dry outer cabbage leaves. Cut the cabbage lengthwise into sections. Grate on the small holes of a hand grater or with the small grater blade of a food processor. Mix the cabbage with the salt and caraway seeds and garlic, if using. Pack firmly in a wide-mouthed quart jar, filling it almost to the brim.

Use a pint jar small enough to fit inside the wide-mouthed jar as a weight. Fill the SMALL jar with water and cover tightly. Place on top of the grated cabbage. Set the jars on a plate to collect any overflow that might occur. A brine will form and rise to the surface within 24 hours. The water-filled jar will keep the cabbage submerged in the brine.

The kraut will be ready in 3-5 days, or when it has a pleasant and tangy fermented flavor and each piece is translucent rather than opaque. Remove the small jar. Wash the sides of the wide-mouthed jar and cover. (May be stored, tightly covered, in the refrigerator; for 3-4 weeks.)

Note One-quarter-inch grater holes are ideal. Larger cabbage shreds yield inconsistent results with this pickling technique.
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Sauerkraut
(source: Nourishing Traditions - by Sally Fallon with Mary G. Enig, Ph.D.)

Makes 1 quart.

1 medium cabbage, cored and shredded
1 T. caraway seeds
1 T. sea salt
4 T. whey (you can get whey by draining yogurt - if whey is not available, use an additional 1 T. salt)

In a bowl, mix cabbage with caraway seeds, salt and whey. Pound with a wooden pounder or a meat hammer for about 10 minutes to release juices. Place in a wide-mouthed quart mason jar and press down firmly with a pounder or meat hammer until juices come to the top of the cabbage. The top of the cabbage should be at least 1 inch below the top of the jar. Cover tightly and keep at room temperature for about 3 days before transferring to cold storage. The sauerkraut may be eaten immediately, but improves with age.

[DM]

We have been makeing kraut for over 50 years and Deb is on the right track if you want the most reliable method...

We've always added more spices to it than she does, but her's will make pretty good kraut... The shredding and pounding is important, and add enough salt to the layers to get a salty brine, but not god-awfully salty...

To pound with, we have an old 3x3 piece of long oak that i use on end to pound the cabbage while it's in the crock... Don't get carried away and knock the bottom out of the crock, you are supose to be makeing juice not a mess!!

How long it takes depends on how warm a place it's kept in, but around 6 days will be close... Keep checking it, when it's as sour as you want, get it into the fridge or put it in a kettle, bring it to a boil and hot pack it into jars... Once canned it will keep a long time!

If you let it go it will just keep on getting more sour untill it no longer will taste good...

You can make it in a plastic pail too, if you don't want to make a crock full like we sometimes do... Wash the pail real good, and then rince it out with near boiling water, and then start with the cabbage...

DM

[elh]

Thanks for the suggestions. I think I have lost this batch. The recipe I followed said 14 days at 70 degrees. I never did get all this brine everyone says I should have had. I finally added a pint of weak brine last week. And I still couldn't get it to cover the plate weighted on the top of the crock.

When my daughter and I went to check on it last, we both were overcome with the pungent aroma and nearly couldn't make it out of the cellar before nature retaliated.

Perhaps a new recipe will help and I will try! I love kraut and this is one thing I want to learn to make and make it right.

[Deberosa]

Yeah, you should not have to add any water. The mashing process takes quite a bit of elbow grease and you start with the very first layer.