Saurkraut question ?

[Boaz]

How much salt would you use to make a quart of fermented sauerkraut ?

[rancher1913]

I'll try and ask the wife (she gets home from work after I leave for work) what her ratio is, don't think its has to be real accurate. quart won't last long, you need to think bigger

too bad shipping is so cost prohibitive or I'd send you a quart, wife made about 30 gallons of kraut last year.

[Jniedbalski]

Use 1 half to one teaspon its not that important. Use the non iodine salt

[Boaz]

I'll try and ask the wife (she gets home from work after I leave for work) what her ratio is, don't think its has to be real accurate. quart won't last long, you need to think bigger

too bad shipping is so cost prohibitive or I'd send you a quart, wife made about 30 gallons of kraut last year.

Wow 30 gallons ! I could really dream that big , I'm experimenting making it in quart jars in hopes of making bigger batches . We do love kraut . I would applicate her input . Thanks

[Boaz]

Use 1 half to one teaspon its not that important. Use the non iodine salt

I figured it would be a little more salt , we are use to the store bought . I have had homemade and prefer it because it's not as salty as a rule . Thank you

[Jniedbalski]

We usually put one teaspoon of non iodine salt per quart add cabbage and salt to canning jars. Put rings and lids on loosely to let the gas out and let it ferment a few week.u can add more salt but I don't like it very salty got to watch my salt Intake

[gwpercle]

My Single Quart Sauerkraut Recipe says to use 1 Tablespoon of fine sea salt. But I'm sure any fine grained un-iodized salt would do.

[wcp4570]

How long does it take to ferment a quart? Second question, do you leave it setting on the counter or in the frig? My son bought a one gallon fermenting crock and tried a number of times to make kraut but never got it to work. The wife loves kraut and it would be good to have a foolproof way to make it.

wcp

[M-Tecs]

To start the fermentation 65 to 70 degrees works well for me.

http://germanfood.about.com/od/salad...Sauerkraut.htm

http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make...son-jar-193124

http://www.food-skills-for-self-suff...auerkraut.html

http://www.almanac.com/content/how-make-sauerkraut

http://www.wildfermentation.com/making-sauerkraut-2/

[wcp4570]

M-Tecs
thanks for the links

wcp

[Teddy (punchie)]

last time I made it was 30 years ago. I tasted it and when it tasted like salt was right it was okay. Used my hands and smashed it until it released it water to make the brine. Little salt and cut some more and smashed until I filled the crock. I think, I recall hearing about a quick kitchen counter top recipe that's ready in days.

[Boaz]

To start the fermentation 65 to 70 degrees works well for me.

http://germanfood.about.com/od/salad...Sauerkraut.htm

http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make...son-jar-193124

http://www.food-skills-for-self-suff...auerkraut.html

http://www.almanac.com/content/how-make-sauerkraut

http://www.wildfermentation.com/making-sauerkraut-2/

Thank you !

[Jeff Michel]

This is my technique for sauerkraut pretty simple in the extreme. I use a ten gallon crock have used 15 and 20. Wash and shred your cabbage, in the crock, layer of cabbage, 4-5 inches is enough, a handful of salt (non iodine) cabbage, salt and repeat until the crock is level with the top. Take a dinner plate or a piece of hardwood, ash or oak works best cut so as to fit inside of the crock, place it on top of the cabbage and find yourself a rock about ten pounds or so (I use limestone) and place it on top of your plate or wooden top. Cover with a piece of cheesecloth and put it in the basement. When I say basement this would not be a finished part of the house, think root cellar. set it up on a shelf and forget about it for about three months. It should be pretty cool in your basement probably not much more than 60F. It will produce it's own brine. Every so often, lift off the cheesecloth cover, remove the plate and there should be a bit of mold growing on the surface of the kraut, scrape this off and discard. The Sauerkraut should take on a light brown color with the distinct odor of fermented cabbage. Taste it, you'll know if it's ready. You can then can it then if you like or leave it in the crock. You will lose product to molding if you leave in in the crock, that would be the only drawback.

[bubba.50]

^^^^this^^^^

is about exactly the same recipe my granny used only she stored the crock on a shelf in the covered end of the back porch.

[MaryB]

I always weighed the cabbage before hand and used a set amount of salt per pound... but I don't have my notes in front of me and I just got power back after the third outage in 7 days... will try to grab it tomorrow if I have the time.

[Rustyleee]

Try looking on youtube to see how some are doing it there.

[Jeff Michel]

[

is about exactly the same recipe my granny used only she stored the crock on a shelf in the covered end of the back porch.[/QUOTE]

When I was a kid, we made pretty much everything. I remember when my grandmother would come by for a visit, we had to keep an eye on her. Due to diet restrictions, she wasn't allowed sauerkraut. We would catch her sneaking down in the cellar, She would rake clear the top of the crock and use a teacup she had hidden down there and sit there and drink sauerkraut juice until the authorities caught her. She was a tough old bird.

[Boaz]

Well I made a quart yesterday . I'll list my obvious mistakes first ;

I hand sliced half a medium size cabbage , it looked like plenty to fill a quart mason jar . I intended to add one tablespoon of kosher salt and did . Worked , it over by hand and stuffed/packed it in the jar tight . I gaged it wrong , in the process of crushing it by hand the bulk was reduced .....not enough to fill the jar so cut the remaining half up , worked it and finished filling the jar . Had to add 1/2 tablespoon of salt to the last half to make sure it got salt . So although it worked out I found to make sure you had enough cut cabbage to do the job . I really don't think the additional salt will ruin it .

Next mistake ;

Filled the jar about an inch from the top (not enough headspace) When we got back from church I saw it had leaked a lot of brine . Had the jar sitting on a Styrofoam plate so it caught the excess brine . The cabbage is really 'cooking' ! You can see the bubbles rising , I left the top tight enough to let the built up pressure escape but will not let air in . Seems like it is working . Next time I will defiantly leave more headspace in the jar !

[Prairie Girl]

Yeah dad's sauerkraut was pressured up pretty good! It's a wonder it didn't take his hand off!!! Lol

[Prairie Girl]

It's actually looking like sauerkraut now and smells like it too!