Sauerkraut (Home Made)

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Re: Sauerkraut

Post by two_MN_kids » Fri Mar 23, 2012 19:36

DLFL wrote:I started a small 2 lb. batch of Sauerkraut.
Dick,
That's only enough for a couple of Rubens and a few Smoked Polish!

Jim
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Post by two_MN_kids » Fri Mar 30, 2012 19:01

Sliced nine pounds of cabbage and salted at 2.25%. I hope it's not too odoriferous as it's in the kitchen. It's the only place where I can hold the temperature between 65° F and 70° F right now without running the furnace. Probably will need to move to basement for the weekend as the temperatures are projected in the high-70's.

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Post by DLFL » Fri Mar 30, 2012 19:13

Jim, my small batch had noticeable odor for a few days even with the windows open. A large batch might not be good in the kitchen. LOL
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Post by NorCal Kid » Fri Mar 30, 2012 19:27

I just received some of the online items I ordered to begin make some sauerkraut (per Marianski's book).

4 widemouth (1gal.) glass jars:
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A bag of grommets, plus several 3-piece airlocs:
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Now I just gotta hit the local Farmers Market tomorrow & snag some organic cabbage...

My plan is to keep these in our attic (avg 63-68°) for the next 3 weeks. If it does begin to smell, no one will notice... :mrgreen:

Kevin
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Post by two_MN_kids » Fri Mar 30, 2012 19:46

Dick,

It's small enough, I can move it if it gets too bad. :grin:

Jim
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Post by Dave Zac » Fri Mar 30, 2012 19:48

You guys will not be disappointed. And please, don't let it ferment in the kitchen. If the occasional burp doesn't make the missus throw it out, once you take the lid off to clean the scum layer she will throw the jar AND you out :mrgreen:

It cans really well in packed 1/2 pint jars.
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Post by two_MN_kids » Fri Mar 30, 2012 19:48

Kevin,

I had been looking at the ceramic fermentation crocks, but was unwilling to pay the price or shipping. My dad was a wine maker and I remembered the water seal airlocks he used, so I bought a brewer`s bucket, thinking I could keep the air from molding the brine. I can`t see into it however, as you will be able to do.

In January I worked a Charity event where we served Polish on Buns with kraut and pickle spear. I retained six of the one gallon jars with lids. The brew store is just down the road, so I think I need to stop in there and get some seals and more of the airlocks.

I had planned to use the jars for pickles this summer; Dick turned my attention to the sauerkraut. The kraut will be finished by pickle season!

Jim
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Post by DLFL » Fri Mar 30, 2012 21:45

I planted my first cucumber plants in 20 plus years this spring.
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Post by DLFL » Fri Mar 30, 2012 21:48

Interesting to me is that I made the mistake of keeping the batch in the refrigerator for the first two days. I moved it to the counter and all seems to be going well. No scum has developed. I keep tasting the cabbage and it seems to be working OK. Time will tell.
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And now its started....

Post by NorCal Kid » Sun Apr 01, 2012 04:05

There was a big sale on cabbage today at the local grocer (post St patty's day blow out) and they were clearing 'em out, so I brought home about six rather puny heads. Sliced 'em up, added the recommended amount of salt (25g salt per kilogram of cabbage) and packed up two clear glass gallon jars. I added caraway to one batch. I'm using ziploc bags full of water (same salinity as the kraut brine) to weigh down the cabbage. Already plenty of juice.

I discovered our walk-in pantry is a pretty consistent 62-68° & dark, so I tucked these two jars away in the back.

And now we wait...

Kevin

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Novice krautmaker needs help!

Post by two_MN_kids » Wed Apr 04, 2012 14:33

Patients; not my forte!

After waiting less than a day and thinking that there was not enough liquid over the cabbage, I made a simple brine of 25g salt to 1 quart of water, and poured into the bucket.

It`s been five days or so and it`s not fermenting yet! My fear is that the filtered tap water I used may have contained chlorine and that killed off the bacteria needed for fermentation. Should I have used distilled water?

Is this a lost cause or can I still save it?

My understanding of chlorine treated water is that the chlorine dissipates after a few days. I was contemplating adding another head of shredded cabbage, salted to 2.25%, in hopes that it would jump start fermentation.

Any thoughts or suggestions are appreciated.

Jim
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Post by DLFL » Wed Apr 04, 2012 15:07

You could shred some outside leaves and add that to the shredded cabbage and cover with new outside leaves of the cabbage. That would seed the mix. A couple green leaves shredded and mixed into the other and covering it with new should not need anymore salt. I would want the dark green leaves that are loose. Trying to think this out in my head that seems to make sense to me.
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High Tech Equipment

Post by DLFL » Wed Apr 04, 2012 19:23

At great expense I made my sauerkraut in the highest Tech equipment available to man! This kraut is tasting good.

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Post by DLFL » Mon Apr 09, 2012 02:00

The cabbage was well onto getting sour. I let it go a few more days and it is now real salty. I am guessing my kitchen scale is not very accurate for small weights. Better luck next time!
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Post by NorCal Kid » Mon Apr 09, 2012 02:39

DLFL wrote:The cabbage was well onto getting sour. I let it go a few more days and it is now real salty. I am guessing my kitchen scale is not very accurate for small weights. Better luck next time!
Dick, I'm sorry to hear about the 'kraut going awry!

My biggest issue has been trying to find a location in our home that has a steady temperature around 65-70! No such luck....

My walk-in pantry where I had placed the kraut jars NEVER got over 65° (and stayed between 59-65° the whole time. Great 'root cellar' conditions, maybe, but not in the temp zones needed for good sauerkraut (65-70°F). After 5 days of no action, I moved the jars.

The kraut jars now reside just inside our attic door (top of stairs landing). Now according to the gauge I keep with the jars (temp & humidity gauge), the temps are warmer, but I'm still getting a big drop-off at night (70-75° daytime temps, but dropping to the mid-50s at night. To counter this nighttime drop, I've been wrapping the jars in heavy blankets....Jeez, this is high-maintenance cabbage! :mrgreen:

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The good news, bubbles have been forming (fermentation!) and the bright green of the raw cabbage has transformed to a paler straw yellow one associates with kraut. More to come...

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Kevin
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