Fermented Saurkraut?

[keljonma]

FROM THE KERR CANNING BOOK:

Fully fermented kraut may be kept tightly covered in the refrigerator for several months or it may be canned using a boiling water bath canner, as follows:

Hot pack Bring kraut and liquid slowly to a boil in a large kettle, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and fill jars rather firmly with kraut and juices, leaving 1/2-inch headspace.

Raw pack Fill jars firmly with kraut and cover with juices, leaving 1/2-inch headspace.
Hot Pack* Raw Pack*
Pints 10 minutes 20 minutes
Quarts 15 minutes 25 minutes

* 0 - 1000 ft

 

[Iceblink]

Thanks Kel- that's very helpful.

 

[keljonma]

You are welcome. I am always surprised by information I have gathered over the years.

 

[me&thegals]

Did you weight it to keep the veggies under the liquid? Did you use whey to keep the lactid acid up in this warmer weather? Is your basement cool enough to skip the whey? And can you just skim the scum and keep going? A little mold, just on top, is not always a sign to toss a ferment. The fermenting keeps the bulk of it safe. Skim and then give the rest the sniff test. It might be ok.

I ferment it at room temp for three days then put it in the fridge. Maybe a 2.5 days if it is much warmer than 70's in my kitchen. I have two jars on the counter now, I am thinking of putting them in the fridge a day early, since it was low 90's here the past two days. One gallon and one half gallon....too much to lose!

I've got cabbage on the counter, ready to go. What a great thread!! I don't even like sauerkraut that much, but hubby does and I'm prepared to learn to like it more!

1. Does lactofermentation go faster than regular? Free--you mention 2 days at room temp, then fridge. Others mention 4-6 weeks at room temp.

2. Does my whey need to be nonpasteurized? Can I use what's left from making butter?

3. If there's not enough liquid covering the kraut, can I just add a bit of water (with salt, it would be saltwater) or whey?

Thanks!

 

[big brown horse]

I always forget to use whey. Whey usually makes the process go faster. Bashing up the cabbage a bit makes it release its own form of whey, right free?

I keep mine under about an inch of brine (non iodized salt water). If the cabbage doesn't get too wet in the process, I add more brine.

Depending on how warm it is, your kraut may take longer or shorter. Just reach in there with a clean hand and taste test every once and a while.

Mine usually ferments between one to two weeks in about 70-75 degrees room temp. (I add caraway seeds and crushed garlic heads to mine in the beginning.)

 

[me&thegals]

Thanks so much, BBH! I'm really excited to have another source of good bugs!

 

[freemotion]

You can make kraut without whey. When you squish the veggies, lactic acid producing bacteria that are present can work faster. This is likely why traditional recipes tell you not to wash the cabbage, and to cover the top with unwashed outer leaves (organic only, nowadays!)

Live whey inoculates it with the right kind of bacteria and gives you added protection....giving the good bugs a boost in the beginning to win over the bad bugs. This way, too, you may be able to get away with using a little less salt.

Unless your cream is cultured when you make your butter, the whey from that is not the same. The whey from yogurt or kefir has live bacteria in it. Kefir is better if you have it.

It is my understanding that it should be made at cooler temps without the whey, and at room temp for 2-3 days with the whey....the whey protects it from spoilage for that amount of time at 72 F.

The whey can come from a pasteurized source, but cannot be heated after the cultured item is made and drained.

And lastly, yes, you can add some salty or whey-y filtered water to cover the top if there isn't enough juiciness to the pounded veggies!

 

[me&thegals]

Thanks, free. That is perfectly clear now. I think I will do a third batch and use some whey from my homemade yogurt.

I have a red cabbage batch crushed into quart jars and salted, then topped off with water as someone's father did.

I have a green/white batch salted and smooshed all alone in my crockpot. I'm going to add more cabbage as this stuff wilts tonight and then cover it tightly.

Tomorrow, I will do a third batch with salt and yogurt whey. It will be nice to compare all 3 methods and see what works the best. What is surprising me so far is HOW MUCH kraut relatively few cabbages make.

 

[Wifezilla]

Cabbage was on sale today. I also got my copy of Nourishing Traditions from the library the other day. Time to get going....wish me luck

 

[me&thegals]

I'm not allowing myself that book until winter. I bet I will regret reading it after all the fresh produce is gone... Good luck, WZ