Sauerkraut (Home Made)

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Butterbean
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Post by Butterbean » Sun Oct 23, 2016 20:45

That sounds like it will be good. I'm big on substituting things when I don't have the exact ingredients and I'm sure people who made bigos did the same. Just like making beef stew. I've never eaten any I did not like and I've never seen two people make it the same. I bet yours will be good and if its good then that's all that really matters isn't it?

Looking at the forest rather than the trees it seems to me the idea of bigos is to cut the acidity of the kraut with sweetness to tone it down some. Other than that, I think your options are endless. The sweetness of the apples really transforms the kraut. My wife doesn't care much for sauerkraut but she likes bigos.

Good luck and keep us informed how it goes.
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Post by MatterOne » Sun Oct 23, 2016 23:51

It turned out really good. The biggest flaw, IMO is that there is too much allspice in the apple sausage. So, maybe smaller pieces would have spread that flavor out a bit more so you don't get so much at once. But really, I think kielbasa would have been much better.

For me, I don't think I want as much sweetness as what you probably got from the applesauce and maple syrup. Just a personal preference.

So, next time (and there will definitely be a next time), I plan to use kielbasa and to use more kraut and less cabbage. Other than those changes though, I really like the flavors I got out of this dish.
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Post by StefanS » Thu Nov 10, 2016 03:21

Here is supplement to my post in that topic dated on August 26th. Here are some pictures - it is my 3 rd attempt to write that post - and I think so that is time to make some changes to posting - timing of being log on -
- copying pictures - photobucket sucks -
Anyway - last Saturday was - Kraut day - just pictures this time -no comments, any questions - welcome.
Cabbage - nice , hard, white heads - after 2 weeks under cover in garage
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prepared heads to shredding -
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Shredding -
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Mixing cabbage with salt and carrot then compacting in container
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3 containers - two plastic buckets (foodsafe) and clay fermenter - moved to room - 80*F
after two days already process in progress - nice bubbles
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It is time to start spiking to the bottom of containers ( every day twice - around edge of cover, every other day I uncover containers and do spike in center a few times)
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As you see - my containers are not covered air tight during first stage of process (10 to 14 days), Containers going to be moved after that time to colder room.
Any containers, tools, covers are cleaned,washed then sanitized in solution of potassium metabisulfite (2 oz. per 1gallon of water). weigts covered in VacPack pouches.
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Post by fatboyz » Thu Nov 10, 2016 05:09

Stefan what is the purpose of the spiking? do you stir it or just poke it?
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Post by Bob K » Thu Nov 10, 2016 13:41

Stefan-
I asked Vtec if it is possible to extend time.
In the meantime if you time out and have to log in again while trying to write a long post, re log in and hit the back button a few times ...your post will still be there.

As far as pictures Photobucket or one of the other photo sites is the only option, as this site does not host picture files.
Also know that if you delete pictures from Photobucket they will no longer show up here.
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Post by redzed » Thu Nov 10, 2016 17:06

Stefan thanks for posting the pics! They they tell the story very well. And it is really too bad that our site does not host pictures, that way we would be able to upload directly. And unless you subscribe to the premium version of Photobucket, it's slow and cumbersome. A couple of years ago we had a discussion here about changing over to the same platform that the Polish site is running under and it was ultimately decided that the cost of transferring the existing posts and maintaining the site were too high. And the former "Senior Moderator" did not feel it was necessary at the time.
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Post by StefanS » Thu Nov 10, 2016 18:26

Bob K wrote:Stefan-
I asked Vtec if it is possible to extend time.
In the meantime if you time out and have to log in again while trying to write a long post, re log in and hit the back button a few times ...your post will still be there.

As far as pictures Photobucket or one of the other photo sites is the only option, as this site does not host picture files.
Also know that if you delete pictures from Photobucket they will no longer show up here.
And unless you subscribe to the premium version of Photobucket, it's slow and cumbersome
And the former "Senior Moderator" did not feel it was necessary at the time.
Maybe it is time to rethink whole project with posting, pictures. But anyway - sorry to make that mess but really I got mad that after some time spent on composing, writing, attaching pictures that staff just despair with one click - and it wasn't possible to recover it.

On Fatboyz question -
fatboyz
Posted: Yesterday 23:09    Post subject:

Stefan what is the purpose of the spiking? do you stir it or just poke it?
During first stage of fermenting process a lot of gas is released due to biochemical reactions (mainly CO2). that gas is trapped inside cabbage. Too much concentration can lift cabbage on surface of juice (too small weight on top of cover)and rotting process can start. Also if gas not lift a cabbage, too much of it inside pile will make sauerkraut more bitter and more greyish. In short - it is one of few factors that make sauerkraut not high quality.
Just poke it with plastic stick.
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Post by StefanS » Sun Nov 13, 2016 18:26

Yesterday I moved my sauerkraut to colder room (52-56*F/ 10-14*C). It took only 7 days in 24-26*C (around 80*F) room to complete first stage of fermenting process. Visually - during poking small almost invisible bubbles of gas, also level of juice is low (means that gas is not longer in cabbage), taste is sour (pH at this stage should be 3.4-3.6), juice is clear and watery. Grated cabbage is in nice light yellow/white color, and crunchy. Around middle of December I should repack sauerkraut into glass jars, and vac pouches. At this moment I have made 65 kg of sauerkraut, I used 1.35 kg of salt, 1.2 kg of carrot, 10 g of caraway seeds (used in part of kraut). 2g of dill seeds.
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Post by fatboyz » Mon Nov 14, 2016 12:34

thanks Stefan, that makes a lot of sense! I'm making a second batch right now and I thought the cabbage was just swelling, that's why it was rising up!
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Re: Sauerkraut (Home Made)

Post by StefanS » Sun Nov 07, 2021 16:30

DSC_0940.JPG
DSC_0939.JPG
so it is - THAT TIME OF YEAR - 55 kg (122 Lb.) of shredded cabbage. salt - 2.5%, shredded carrots - 1.5%, caraway seeds 0.2%.
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Re: Sauerkraut (Home Made)

Post by Bob K » Mon Nov 08, 2021 14:40

Wow Stefan are you sure you made enough? :lol:
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Re: Sauerkraut (Home Made)

Post by redzed » Mon Nov 08, 2021 21:14

When you are Polish, soured cabbage runs in your genes. Ours finished fermenting just a couple of days ago. We made 60lbs this year, did add some carrots but no caraway. Turned out really good this year, much much better than last year which lacked in flavour for some reason. BTW I had the same slicer from the Sausagemaker, but sold it a little while ago. I now use my Hobart meat slicer. It's safer, does a great job, and I sweat less when slicing.
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Re: Sauerkraut (Home Made)

Post by Scogar » Tue Nov 16, 2021 01:52

Wow 60 lbs on a Hobart, I know people questioned whether this made sense in lieu of a Krauthobel but 60 lbs takes it to a level sufficient to prove the point. I have done maybe a head for slaw.
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Re: Sauerkraut (Home Made)

Post by Lorenzoid » Tue Nov 16, 2021 17:36

I do four heads per batch on my Hobart, and it still takes some patience. I cut each head into quarters. Am I cutting it properly for maximum efficiency?
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Re: Sauerkraut (Home Made)

Post by Scogar » Tue Nov 16, 2021 20:07

I think quartering makes sense as it allows you to get the core out and always have solid cabbage between the blade and the presser thingy-ma-bob. I guess you could keep it halved. Assuming that the whole cut side can engage with the blade it would work but if you cored a hemisphere you would have that gap where the core was and would get some collapse, unless you went perpendicular to the cut. Well I'm probably thinking too much like an engineer, but it is all better than my standard which was to cut 10 heads with a knife. I know my pieces are often too thick and certainly not consistent. So the time I tried "a" head with the meat slicer I was quite happy...still looking to get a pelican slicer for my takeoff on the buffalo chopper
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