Sauerkraut

[Juneau4]

Does anyone make there own Sauerkraut? I'm looking for some different ways that people here have done. I've got several ways by doing a search, but want some opinions. Thank you in advance for any info.

I don't intend to make 5 gallons just 1 gallon.

[Walleyehooker]

Parents used to make it back in the day in wooden barrels in the basement. For that little just buy it and you wont have to put up with the smell.

[Juneau4]

It's an experiment and something I want to do. My parents used to do it in a 10 gallon stone crock 60 years ago and I know the smell. Something like a good/bad flatulation. Still want to make some.

[pushbutton]

Have made it in everything from a quart jar to a three gallon crock. Usually grow the "early" varieties( 1 1/2 to 2 pounds) and one fits almost perfect in a quart....but can lose up to a quarter in mold in smaller batches, and think a little bigger is better. Stumbled upon a three gallon crock......which I now use......can or freeze.....mostly freeze.....but have always thought a 1 gallon would be a good size for normal small family use. Biggest key is to get a tight pack and use enough salt to get enough "juice" to prevent the mold.

[Juneau4]

I plan on using an ice cream bucket and pack it tight in that and let it ferment. Just wondering how much salt I need. After its done there put in jars or bags and freeze.

[gunner55]

Sparce has a similar thread over there.He'd probably help you out if you ask nicely

[delcecchi]

Found this in America Test Kitchen DIY recipes. Usually their recipes are pretty reliable.

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Sauerkraut

Makes about 3 quarts; Make today, enjoy in 5 to 10 days

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS: A classic pairing with brats, Reubens, or just about any meat, sauerkraut packs a big punch, yet it’s little more than shredded cabbage and salt that have been left to ferment. Naturally occurring bacteria devour sugars in the cabbage, producing lactic acid. The acidity along with the salt keep bad bacteria at bay and lend that trademark sour, funky flavor. Sauerkraut is a snap to make, practically foolproof, and leaves lots of room for flavor experimentation. If mold (which is harmless) appears on the brine, remove as much as you can with a spoon. When fermenting, cleanliness of both the ingredients and your utensils is critical.

See the photos that follow the recipe.

—ANDREW JANJIGIAN,

Associate Editor, Cook’s Illustrated

5

 

pounds green cabbage, quartered, cored, and sliced lengthwise ⅛ inch thick

  

 3

 

tablespoons Diamond Crystal kosher salt (click here)

  

 1

 

tablespoon juniper berries

1. Combine half of cabbage and half of salt in large bowl. Forcefully knead salt into cabbage until cabbage just begins to soften, about 3 minutes. Add remaining cabbage and salt and continue kneading until all cabbage has softened and begins to give off moisture, about 3 minutes. Stir in juniper berries.

2. Transfer cabbage and any accumulated liquid to sterilized 1-gallon ceramic crock, pressing down firmly with clean fist or sterilized flat-headed potato masher to eliminate air pockets. Top cabbage with clean plate just small enough to fit inside crock and weigh plate down with clean rock or quart jar filled with water. Cover

with triple layer of cheesecloth, securing in place with rubber band. Let ferment at room temperature, 65 to 75 degrees, for 2 hours.

3. Remove cheesecloth and weight, and press plate firmly onto cabbage. Replace weight and cheesecloth and let ferment 2 more hours. Repeat process twice more, or until cabbage is fully submerged under brine. (If brine doesn’t completely submerge cabbage within 24 hours, cover cabbage with mixture of 1 cup water and 1 teaspoon salt).

4. Check cabbage every 2 days, pressing down cabbage to keep it submerged (top off with additional brine, made following instructions in step 3, as needed). Let ferment until sauerkraut has reached desired level of fermentation, 5 to 10 days. Transfer sauerkraut and brine to glass jars with tight-fitting lids and refrigerate. Sauerkraut can be refrigerated for up to 2 months.

Shred it: After discarding any soft or discolored outer leaves, cut the cabbage into quarters. I like it sliced as thin as possible. How you slice it is entirely up to you: thick or thin, long or short, it’ll work fine. Transfer half the cabbage to a bowl, sprinkle 1½ tablespoons kosher salt over it, then top with the rest of the cabbage and another dose of salt. Salting in steps helps to distribute tKnead until it hurts: Now add your spices to the bowl, tossing the mixture to combine. Being a gin lover, I’m partial to a juniper berry–flavored kraut myself, but the sky’s the limit when it comes to spice or herb add-ins, so long as you don’t use too heavy a hand (a tablespoon or so total per 5 pounds of cabbage is good). Transfer the cabbage, a handful at a time, to a clean 1-gallon crock and tamp it down firmly with your fist (make sure your hands are clean; a clean flat-headed potato masher would work as well). This removes any air pockets and ensures that the cabbage is fully submerged in the brine.

Weigh it down: Once you’ve tamped it down, pour any brine remaining in the bowl over the cabbage. To keep the cabbage covered with brine, place a clean, small plate on top of it. You want to use one that is large enough to cover the kraut well, but not so big that it can’t be removed easily. Then top the plate with something heavy. (I dug up a rock from my garden, then ran it through the dishwasher. You could also use a zipper-lock bag filled with water or a quart-size Mason jar filled with water, you’ll just need a little extra cheesecloth to drape over it, which is the next step.)

Wait it out: Cover the crock with cheesecloth, and after two hours, push down on the plate to make sure the cabbage is submerged. Do this again at the four-hour and the six-hour marks. At that point, it should be fully submerged in brine; if not, keep checking every two hours until it is. From here, check the cabbage every 48 hours. If it’s not submerged, add more brine. Allow the cabbage to ferment at room temperature, somewhere between 65 and 75 degrees; at higher temperatures, fermentation will proceed more rapidly and, while it will be edible, the sauerkraut will soften excessively.

Taste, and taste again: One of the great things about sauerkraut is that it is “ready” to eat almost as soon as it starts to ferment (usually about five days in). How far you take it is up to you; some prefer the crisp, mildly acidic flavor and texture of a young kraut, while others prefer the mouth-puckering acidity and slightly softer texture of a 10-day fermentation. When it’s where you like it, move it to the fridge. If you start a new batch of sauerkraut before the last one is fully consumed, you can use some of the brine from the current batch to top off the next one, which will jump-start the fermentation.

Make it your own: I like to serve sauerkraut with a sprinkle of smoked paprika for a dash of color and heat. You could also use red cabbage and experiment with the spices. A combined tablespoon of any of the following spices would work: caraway, dill seeds, celery seeds, red pepper flakes, juniper berries, black peppercorns, or chopped herbs. And don’t neglect the “juice” at the bottom of the crock—it’s delicious on its own, and makes for a mean “dirty” martini when mixed with gin.

Types of Salt

When using a significant amount of salt in a recipe, as is the case in many pickling and curing recipes, the type of salt you use matters. First, don’t use iodized salt. Second, note that kosher salt has a coarser crystal structure and packs fewer ounces into each cup compared with table salt. In fact, even the volume measurements between the two major brands of kosher salt—Morton and Diamond Crystal—vary significantly. We use Diamond Crystal, but you can easily adjust for Morton. Here’s how they measure up:

I have a box of Diamond Crystal salt and I can weigh 3T of it if anyone wants the weight to use. Looks like 2.5 T of morton would be about the same.

[RebelSS]

I plan on using an ice cream bucket and pack it tight in that and let it ferment. Just wondering how much salt I need. After its done there put in jars or bags and freeze.

Note: Do not ferment sauerkraut in a plastic container.....it needs to be an impermeable surface.

[pushbutton]

Have read that if using plastic.... is to make sure it is food grade. Seems that everything is going to kill you one way or another nowdays. Guess eating more fermented foods is really good for you....so maybe it will off set the chemicals from the plastic

[RebelSS]

My concern is that it seems to give it an "off" taste sometimes, as I think the acidity leaches out the "taste" of whatever was in the plastic before. Found that true storing many other items in plastic, such as olives. Those really seem to taste funny after a while. Guess I'd stick with glass or ceramic, just in case.

[pushbutton]

Apparently you have never eaten kraut ice cream? Can't imagine ice cream flavored kraut wouldn't be equally as good Yeah, probably could get a gallon and a half flour/sugar jar at target for 10 bucks....

[delcecchi]

I just had a brilliant? idea. The insert from a crockpot would be a perfect thing to make kraut in, and I bet most people have at least one laying around. Or could get one at the goodwill/salvation army.

[Juneau4]

Bingo Del good idea, I have couple of those available.

[Big Dave2]

Does anyone make there own Sauerkraut? I'm looking for some different ways that people here have done. I've got several ways by doing a search, but want some opinions. Thank you in advance for any info.

I don't intend to make 5 gallons just 1 gallon.

Your neighbor seems to know something about it?

[deerminator]

Google Amy Thielen and Sauerkraut. You'll find advice and recipe online. Bought her cookbook and watch her show on the Food Network. A native Minnesotan that will show you how the its done up North in Minnesota. For a container, you could get a 5 gallon pickle bucket (food safe) from your local deli or restaurant for a couple of bucks or maybe even free.