Anybody else make Sauerkraut?

[gbrown]

Just curious. I shredded 50 pounds of cabbage yesterday and put it in the crock to ferment. I do it about every other year. Something I did with my parents. We are not of German stock, but my father was raised in an area of German settlers and loved it. I had some of my 2011 batch with venison sausage and boiled potatoes the other night. Awesome! The recipe I use is 3 tablespoons of kosher salt for every 5 pounds of shredded cabbage. I add a tablespoon of caraway seed (per 5 #) for flavor.

[wch]

We make it every fall and can quart jars in a water bath canner. Here in Central PA it's a much appreciated casual gift around Christmas.

[Okie73]

My mouth is now watering. How long do you let it ferment?
We eat sauerkraut and pork every New Years. My wife was just asking me if we are going to cook it in the crock pot or the oven.
It would be nice to make our own instead of store bought.

[wch]

From "Yankee" magazine, July 1977 issue:
Keep all metal objects and your hands out of the crock, use wooden tools only.
For a one gallon container:
Core and shred 5 lbs of cabbage and measure out 3 tablespoons of kosher or pickling salt (do not use iodized table salt).
Alternate layers of cabbage and a sprinkling of salt and tamp down with a wooden potato masher (the last layer should be salt).
This will give you a 2 1/2% solution, which is right for fermentation.
Cover the cabbage/salt mixture with a dish towel that you have boiled for five minutes and weight this down with a plate that fits inside your crock and weight the plate with a quart canning jar full of water.
If your cabbage was fresh and tender, you should have enough brine to cover it the next day. If it doesn't cover add enough brine in the proprtion of 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt to 1 cup of water.
In two or three days, white scum will form on the top. Skim this off, replace the cloth with a newly boiled one, wash the plate and replace it all. Repeat this skimming (a five minute job) each day until the bubbles stop rising. Then your sauerkraut is done; it takes about two weeks.
At this point you can keep the sauerkraut covered with a plate at 40 to 50 degrees (F) and use it as you wish.
If your cellar isn't that cool, heat the sauerkraut to simmering, seal and process in a water bath 20 minutes for quarts, 15 minutes for pints.

[kodiak1]

We make it every fall. We have a couple relatives that always want a few jars after it is made.
Crock. Tamper, Big old plate and to put on top of the plate and cloth is a stone that has been around the house for 50 years and gets to sit on top of every new batch of shredded cabbage!

Great stuff Ken.

[farmallcrew]

Love fresh homemade kraut!!!!!!!! Then after new years, cold pork and kraut samiches.

[ammohead]

Crocks are getting quite expensive when you can find one. We have used new 5 gallon buckets that you can buy at Home Depot or similar stores. Wash the bucket in hot soapy water and rinse well. Then scald with a gallon or so of boiling water. Then follow wch's recipe. If the plate fits the inside of the bucket with minimal clearance but doesn't get stuck there is no need for the towel. A standard plastic grocery bag will fit over the bucket just snug, or use rubber band. The bag will puff up like a chefs hat during the day and pull down to nothing at night when it's cooler. We kept ours near the rear entrance...no basement.

[gbrown]

I use stainless steel stuff, not wood, not that it matters. My crock is an old one my dad got about 35 years ago. Has some epoxy covering a crack he mended. Still works. I have another that I picked up about 20 years ago. Shred cabbage in 5# batches. I use a knife, doesn't bruise the cabbage like a food processor. Always looking for the old timey mandolin for shredding. Mix 3 tbsp salt with 5#, toss well and place in crock. Keep it up til all cabbage is shredded. Take an old bat and put in clean trash bag. Tamp the cabbage down with bat until well packed. Place a large plate on cabbage, place weight on this and then cover crock with another trash bag. I lifted the trash bag and checked mine this morning and I had 1 1/2 to 2 inches of brine over the cabbage. Let it ferment in a place with temp between 60 and 70 for 3 to 4 weeks. Can it and enjoy with sausage, corned beef, smoked brisket, or "kraut" dogs or (drool,drool) Rueben sandwiches. Homer buckets should work as well if no crock is available. Any stainless vessel would also work. Aren't turkey fryers stainless?

Added as not to conflict with wch's instructions--which I am +1 with. Temp and fermentation time are one's choice. I remember, as a child, listening to grandparents who talked about pickles and sauerkraut being stored in root cellars in crocks. When they wanted some, they would go to the root cellar and fish out a pickle with a long fork or dish up some kraut with a slotted spoon.

[gwpercle]

Thanks for recipe. Sat. morning I went into Bourques Supermarket in Port Barre , La. , they were bringing in heads of local harvested cabbages. The size of a John Deere tractor steering wheel . Price, 3 for a dollar. So I bought 3...they filled up the cart... but hey 3 huge cabbage for a buck ! We ate 1/2 of one head and now I know what I'm going to do with the rest.... never even considered homemade kraut. Got to be better than store bought canned.
Big thank you...gary

[pipehand]

I've made it before, along with KimChi. Naturally fermented good probiotics, but I like my kraut heated, and that destroys the micro-organisms. Still tastes great, and a natural accompaniment to Brats or pork or Kielbasa. I think the cold Kimchi has better health benefits, though. Been thinking of getting one or two of the Harsch crocks to keep a batch of each going.

[K-Rod]

I miss my Grandma now!!! She made something called "Kraut Nancies" She would fry up a couple pounds of burger with a bunch of her homemade Kraut & lots of garlic. Then she would spoon the Kraut mix onto a cut out piece of fresh made bread dough. Put another piece of dough over the mix & pinch the two pieces of dough together to make a "Pizza Pocket". Bake the "Pockets" in the oven until golden brown. Serve with a dollop of sour cream or my favorite, Hot Mustard!!!!

[gbrown]

K-Rod's recipe sounds awesome! pipehand--I've made KimChi in small batches (1 gallon) as no one else around here will touch it. It's awesome. Spent a lot of time around Ft. Hood with a huge Korean population. The KimChi they served there was great. Lot of stuff I didn't recognize, still tasted great!

[AnnieOakley]

I wonder how long sauerkraut will keep if you keep it cool, i.e. in a root cellar? We made a batch a few months ago and have kept it cool, but didn't know how long it would actually keep. I'm a little afraid to eat it! :) We tried a little taste of it and it tasted like sauerkraut and was still crunchy!

[kenyerian]

Love homemade kraut. used tohelp GrandMa make it make in the 50's and 60's.

[375RUGER]

I'm going to try it now. Some of the best I've ever enjoyed was some kind of Russian kraut I had overseas.
Do ya'll can it? How do you store it when making a big batch or small batch?

[geargnasher]

Gbrown, I learned Kraut and wine making from a Czech friend of mine in Ganado. I don't know how far you are from that area but if you ever get a chance, stop in and see a movie at the Ganado Cinema (best theatre audio system in the world, in fact) and ask to speak with Alvin. Tell him Ian sent you. Ask him to tell you about his Kraut. If he offers you any Bohemian Stomach Medicine, be sure you have a designated driver.

I like mine with 25% white onion and several large, pre-pickled Jalepenos added. Just cut the heads into quarters, carve out the heart wedges, and split the remainder (for eighths) and toss in a gallon jar with salt. The 2-1/2% brine percentage above jives with the way I've done it. Usually takes about a month for it to make, though, might have something to do with the sugar in the onion.

Oh, and for the gallon jar, I just three triangular flint rocks that will fit in the neck separately to hold the cabbage under the brine, and a latex exam glove stretched over the mouth of the jar.

Gear

[Just Duke]

This should be stickied in the food section.

[chrisw]

I wonder how long sauerkraut will keep if you keep it cool, i.e. in a root cellar? We made a batch a few months ago and have kept it cool, but didn't know how long it would actually keep. I'm a little afraid to eat it! :) We tried a little taste of it and it tasted like sauerkraut and was still crunchy!


it will keep til eaten!

when people "'stop"' the fermentation by canning its to keep it from getting more sour. If its been kept cool (like you said a root cellar) and looks and tastes good, its good!

in fact its probably better now!

[gbrown]

it will keep til eaten!

when people "'stop"' the fermentation by canning its to keep it from getting more sour. If its been kept cool (like you said a root cellar) and looks and tastes good, its good!in fact its probably better now!



+1 with this. There was a time when electricity and refrigeration did not exist. People kept foods, though. I was told about the big treat when going into town on Saturday to go to the general store, (late 1800's in Missouri) was to get a big dill pickle out of the barrel at the end of the counter. How long would a 40-50 gallon barrel of pickles last?

geargnasher--your recipe sounds delicious. Not sure where Ganado is. I'm in SE Tx. Dad was raised in the Hill Country near Blanco. Lots of names up there ending in heimer and meir. Blanco is about 50 miles east of Fredericksburg, the center of German settlement.

[skeet1]

I remember when I was a kid my Grandpa Hunter made some kraut in a large wooden barrel (about 55 gallon size), it was great! His was very mild as I remember and I have not had any as good since.

Ken

[AnnieOakley]

[QUOTE=chrisw;1988116]it will keep til eaten!

That's great news! I bought a 5gal. crock this last summer at our local flea market for $25. I was thrilled! After our cabbage harvest this year, we made a bunch of kraut and let it sit. I had thought maybe we let it sit too long, but the flavor and crunch were good. Good to hear affirmation from you all about length of time for fermentation. I almost threw it out but my husband loved it. Now we just need to brine some venison! We made some corned venison last year which was delicious!

[gbrown]

Brown up some good, smoked sausage. Remove from pan, add sauerkraut and heat--add sausage on top and cover with lid or foil and heat it good. Served with some boiled potatoes, turnips, carrots, parsnips or kholirabi and it's a meal to be enjoyed.

[MT Gianni]

We are working on 36 years of marriage and Holly still won't let a cabbage in the house. She gets her stomach turned when I get some @ costco with the polish dog.

[waksupi]

We are working on 36 years of marriage and Holly still won't let a cabbage in the house. She gets her stomach turned when I get some @ costco with the polish dog.

That's because it is store bought. The home made stuff is a whole different thing. Doesn't stink, and tastes good.

[wills]

We have some in the crock now.

[gbrown]

We had the all-American meal last night. Hot Dogs, Mac & Cheese, & Ranch Style beans. I looked in the fridge and no sauerkraut. Opened the next to last jar. Stood for a moment at the counter eating it out of the jar--mmmmmgood. Had two big kraut dogs.

[skullmount]

My dad, gone for 3 years now, passed this along to my brother and I.
After all the outside leaves were taken off the heads, down to the white leaves, cut out the heart, 40 pounds of cabbage weighed, to 1 pound of kosher salt.
Turn every other day or so by hand. After it stopped "working" in the crock, cold pack it in jars.
All the functions our family goes to, my mom is expected to bring the kraut & sausage................

[Lance Boyle]

Excellent thread. I've made lots of pickles and prefer the brined type and the fresh garlic dills but I've never made krout and I love cabbage.

i have made kimchi though, good stuff! I'm near Ft. Drum so we have a few Korean folks with army links around. Great restaurants.

[gbrown]

Good stuff. Got it all canned up this morning. 20 Quarts and 13 pints. YUMMMY! Thought I was out, only got a pint of the last in the fridge. Rooting around I discovered the last quart from 2011.59884

[mold maker]

I love krout dumplings. A whole meal in a pot. On a cold Winter evening it will warm you all over.
As a child I helped both Grand Ma and my Mom make it in an earthen crock with a plate and a rock. Hadn't thought of that in many years.

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

How did I miss this thread til now ???
I love making Kraut !!!
A picture tells a thousand words, here are six photo's,
that saves me lots of typing 8-) , from my 2010 batch, except the first photo is from fall 2012 with my "new to me" triple bladed Kraut cutter a friend got for me at a garage sale...I've never seen a triple bladed one before. It cuts fast :shock: WOW :shock:

http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/uu127/JonB_in_Glencoe/triplebladekrautcutter2012session.jpg

I have become a Kraut purist, I've added spices and other adjuncts in the past..But now I prefer it Cabbage and Salt only !!! fresh picked cabbage from the garden is best...seems to make the juiciest/saurist kraut.
http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/uu127/JonB_in_Glencoe/2010patch.jpg

I cut it outside, place cutter between two logs and a clean bucket in the middle. shown here is a 1 bladed cutter I use to borrow from my neighbor, he has passed on now. I miss him.
http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/uu127/JonB_in_Glencoe/2010cut.jpg

Once it's shreded, I layer it in my kraut fermenting Bucket...5 lbs of cabbage then 3 TBLSP canning salt...stir to mix, let sit for 5 minutes for the salt to draw out some moisture...then crush with a baseball bat...repeat til bucket is 3/4 full or you run out of shreded cabbage.
http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/uu127/JonB_in_Glencoe/2010crush.jpg

I always save a few of the largest, fullest, nicest leafs to cover the mix. Usually four per bucket.
http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/uu127/JonB_in_Glencoe/2010leafcover.jpg

then I cover that with a second bucket, partially filled with water to weigh down the mix...til cabbage juice rises to completely cover everything. Then it goes into the coolist corner of the cellar to ferment for 6 weeks...then I process it into pint mason jars.
http://i640.photobucket.com/albums/uu127/JonB_in_Glencoe/20102ndbucket.jpg

[gbrown]

JonB. I'm jealous as heck of you and that triple blade. I've been looking for one of those old mandolin type shredders for years. Used to see them all the time. Now? Like unicorns.

[DLCTEX]

I had some free cabbage offered recently, but couldn't interest my wife in us making kraut. I like it, but she won't even consider it.Too bad! The cabbage went to some cows, as very few people in our area will eat it in any form.

[gbrown]

I had some free cabbage offered recently, but couldn't interest my wife in us making kraut. I like it, but she won't even consider it.Too bad! The cabbage went to some cows, as very few people in our area will eat it in any form.

Cabbage rolls, cabbage patch (old family recipe), fried cabbage, steamed cabbage, cole slaw, quarter or eighth cabbage wedges w/cheese sauce, & sauerkraut--the list goes on and on.

[Rick N Bama]

Fermentation comes from Yeast, right? How is the Yeast required to ferment the Kraut added? Is it natural & already in the Cabbage?

Last year my wife tried to make Kraut in quart canning jars. I told her it wouldn’t work & it didn’t for it didn’t ferment at all. I think she should have left the tops off for a couple weeks.

Rick

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

Rick,
Traditional recipes don't have what us homebrewers might call yeast additions. The Bacteria "Lactobacillus" does the fermentation work turning sugars into Lactic acid (not alcohol) and a adequite supply of them are living in your cabbage already. If you follow a tried and true recipe, Sauerkraut is easy to make.
Here is a more scientific explaination of what is happening.
http://www.wedlinydomowe.com/food-preserving/sauerkraut/fermentation-sauerkraut

[Rick N Bama]

Thanks JonB, the link answered a lot of questions.

My Mother "tried" to make Kraut every year, but it normally turned out like Aunt Bea's Pickles......tasted like kerosene:)

Rick

[Agent1187]

Homemade Kraut is something that I finally figured out about two years ago. Not sure if I'll ever willingly buy sauerkraut in the store again.
Since Wyoming isn't terribly conducive to the growing of cabbage, I usually pick up 12-15 lbs in the store whenever it's on sale for 50cents/lb or less. Seems like I make two to three batches a year. And even after buying it, my cost is about $1/quart.
I use the recipe found on pickyourown.com, and it's basically foolproof. Step 1 - Shred Cabbage. Step 2 - Add salt and knead. Step 3 - Ferment. Step 4 - Enjoy!

[tiwimon]

I plan on trying to make regular kraut, but last year I ended up with a HUGE surplus of turnips and rutabagas (I planted expecting most to not make it - well they ALL made it to harvest) so I made saurruben with it.

The turnip version I made turned out amazing, and is great on most anything, especially pork tenderloin cooked all day in a crock.
The rutabaga version did not turn out well but I think it was more me and the temp in the cellar than anything, but then the cellar temp I think was warmer than it should have been.


This is the recipe - forget where I got it - I think from Backwoods Home Magazine

The recipe for making Sauerkraut (cabbage) and sauerruben (rutabaga) is pretty much the same
recipe - and is very easy to make. It's also a very good way to preserve some of your cabbage and
rutabaga after harvest to get you through the winter!

What you'll need:
5 Gallon Crock with rock and lid (i have seen recipes on the internet where people use 5 Gallon
Food Grade buckets, plastic wrap, a rock, plate and a towel! and it works just as well.)
3 Tablespoons of Kosher or sea salt per 5lbs of vegetable (Do not use table salt!)
Wooden spoon to stir/mix (i use my hands!)

What you do:
Shred your cabbage/rutabaga with a mandoline, food processor, cheese grater or chop by hand -
just be sure to make the slices wafer thin.
After you have 5 lbs of veg, sprinkle the salt over the veg and stir (or mix by hand) to release the
brine. Pack into your crock.
Continue for every 5 lbs of veg.
Once you have packed all of your veg in the crock, press down on the veg with your hand to
make sure there is enough brine - the brine has to cover the veg completely. If you don't have
enough brine you can make a weak brine solution (2Tablespoons of salt to 1 Quart of water) and
add only as much as you need to completely cover the veg.
Put crock rock on top, add a little water to the gutter and place the lid on top. i always put a towel
over the lid also.
Leave the crock in an area where the temp won't be higher than 75 degrees or fermentation will
not take place! Leave for at least 4 weeks but i usually let mine go for 6 weeks.
After 4-6 weeks, remove from crock and either refrigerate, freeze or can!