sauerkraut
- Thread starter lnm03
- Start date
ohiofarmgirl
Sipping Bacon Martinis
- Joined
- Aug 18, 2009
- Messages
- 5,488
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 189
kraut pro's - i'm standing here with a crock and 3 huge heads of cabbage.. eagerly awaiting tips and tricks.
here is my question... i have a big ol crock and its a food grade one. however someone painted on the OUTSIDE of it.. still ok to use or should i divide the kraut up in to the smaller non-painted on ones?
here is my question... i have a big ol crock and its a food grade one. however someone painted on the OUTSIDE of it.. still ok to use or should i divide the kraut up in to the smaller non-painted on ones?
keljonma
Epicurean Goddess
Have you checked the Ball's canning guide? There is sauerkraut in there. Or a search here on ss should reveal quite a bit of information.
I didn't use my 3 gallon crock as I had 1 gallon pickle jars to use. I started ours on Sept 16th and have had very little scum to remove.
My grandmother used to put up sauerkraut in October for a first dinner appearance on New Year's Day. (Good luck, ya know! 
)
I didn't use my 3 gallon crock as I had 1 gallon pickle jars to use. I started ours on Sept 16th and have had very little scum to remove.
My grandmother used to put up sauerkraut in October for a first dinner appearance on New Year's Day. (Good luck, ya know!
)ohiofarmgirl
Sipping Bacon Martinis
- Joined
- Aug 18, 2009
- Messages
- 5,488
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 189
GREAT! thanks keljonma! how funny - i have my guide right here... i've been using it all day and never thought to look for kraut
freemotion
Food Guru
I just shred the cabbage, add shredded carrots for color (you can use just cabbage or add anything you'd like...caraway seeds, onions, carrots, turnip, etc.) and put it in a large mixing bowl and pound it with a potato masher to get the juices out. Add sea salt and mix and pack it in a jar (crock if you have one) and pack it down tightly, trying to get all air bubbles out.
If I have some whey I add a bit to give the good beasties a boost. Whey from mesophilic cheesemaking, or from drained yogurt or kefir, fresh and alive. If your cabbage is organic or close enough, save a couple of nice outer leaves to put on top, then put your weight on that. Add some brine made with water and more sea salt if there aren't enough juices to cover the veggies.
Use a ziploc freezer bag filled loosely with brine (in case it leaks) as a weight if you don't have anything suitable. I will scrub rocks and run them through the dishwasher to sanitize them.
With whey, you can leave it at room temp for 3 days before transferring to cold storage (cold cellar or fridge), less time if it is above the low-mid-70's. Let it age for a few weeks/months to develop flavor. This is live, fermented kraut and is very high in immune and digestive-boosting nutrients. If you don't heat it.
This is how I make mine. If you don't have whey, you can just put it right into a cool/cold cellar and let it age slowly, checking and skimming scum/mold periodically.
If I have some whey I add a bit to give the good beasties a boost. Whey from mesophilic cheesemaking, or from drained yogurt or kefir, fresh and alive. If your cabbage is organic or close enough, save a couple of nice outer leaves to put on top, then put your weight on that. Add some brine made with water and more sea salt if there aren't enough juices to cover the veggies.
Use a ziploc freezer bag filled loosely with brine (in case it leaks) as a weight if you don't have anything suitable. I will scrub rocks and run them through the dishwasher to sanitize them.
With whey, you can leave it at room temp for 3 days before transferring to cold storage (cold cellar or fridge), less time if it is above the low-mid-70's. Let it age for a few weeks/months to develop flavor. This is live, fermented kraut and is very high in immune and digestive-boosting nutrients. If you don't heat it.
This is how I make mine. If you don't have whey, you can just put it right into a cool/cold cellar and let it age slowly, checking and skimming scum/mold periodically.
freemotion
Food Guru
I'd use the painted crocks, too.
ohiofarmgirl
Sipping Bacon Martinis
- Joined
- Aug 18, 2009
- Messages
- 5,488
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 189
thanks!
i gotta say.. i'm a little noodley-aroundy about this whole kraut business..... but i'll march forth and get my crock on. or something like that
;-)
i gotta say.. i'm a little noodley-aroundy about this whole kraut business..... but i'll march forth and get my crock on. or something like that
;-)
Boogity
Almost Self-Reliant
- Joined
- Jan 18, 2010
- Messages
- 742
- Reaction score
- 0
- Points
- 158
Here's something to think about when selecting a crock, jar, container, etc. for making kraut. If you will notice most old fashioned stone or ceramic crocks have straight side walls. This was done with fermenting in mind. Many people use a plate or saucer to cover the contents during the "curing" time. (My Mom used to use thick round wooden "plates" that her grandfather made just for fermenting. She had nice round rocks to use for weight. These rocks must have come over on the Mayflower ) Then we set the container aside with a weight on top of the plate. This is to keep pressure on the contents to keep air bubbles out and to assure that the contents is always covered with the juices.
If you select a jar with sloping sides or with a neck at the top it will be a little more difficult to cover the contents completely and it will be a little more difficult to put your rock, brick, or jar of water (for weight) on top of the plate.
I found three straight sided glass jars that are about 5" in diameter and about 16" tall at an auction. Luckily I found some old wine bottles that just barely slide down inside my jars. I fill a wine bottle with water and simply insert it into the top of the contents inside the jar. The bottoms of the wine bottles are flat and I do not need to use a plate on top of the contents. There is about a 1/8" gap around the wine bottle which is good to allow the contents to "breathe". The wine bottle rises and lowers with the contents. This size is perfect for two large heads of shredded cabbage and any spices that I add.
) Then we set the container aside with a weight on top of the plate. This is to keep pressure on the contents to keep air bubbles out and to assure that the contents is always covered with the juices.If you select a jar with sloping sides or with a neck at the top it will be a little more difficult to cover the contents completely and it will be a little more difficult to put your rock, brick, or jar of water (for weight) on top of the plate.
I found three straight sided glass jars that are about 5" in diameter and about 16" tall at an auction. Luckily I found some old wine bottles that just barely slide down inside my jars. I fill a wine bottle with water and simply insert it into the top of the contents inside the jar. The bottoms of the wine bottles are flat and I do not need to use a plate on top of the contents. There is about a 1/8" gap around the wine bottle which is good to allow the contents to "breathe". The wine bottle rises and lowers with the contents. This size is perfect for two large heads of shredded cabbage and any spices that I add.
lalaland
Lovin' The Homestead
How important is it to keep the kraut cold after 3 days with the whey? Can you get it too cold, say 30 degrees? temps are dropping overnight, I don't have a cellar....
it is only 60 in the house, but that isn't cold.
shoot. I have the cabbage, the crock, but...no cold.
it is only 60 in the house, but that isn't cold.
shoot. I have the cabbage, the crock, but...no cold.
freemotion
Food Guru
If it is too warm, it will get mushy/moldy. Too cold, it will freeze. You could protect it somewhat from the cold by putting something around it to insulate it overnight, I suppose....
