Not a bad morning's work.

[gbrown]

I been making sauerkraut for years. This morning, took it out of the crock where its been fermenting for a month. Kraut and caraway mix. Yum-Yum. About a year's worth if the grandson in Denver doesn't do too much damage.

[Winger Ed.]

You better hide that stuff.
There's people who will jump on that like a school of piranha.

[osage]

Looks great. I've only had crock made sauerkraut once and it very good.

[shampine]

That is a pretty sight right there.

[MaryB]

reminds me.. I have rib tips in the freezer and some homemade kraut... crock pot them until the meat falls off the bone and the fat renders out... skim fat, pick meat off bones and cartilage, mix back into the cooked kraut and serve over mashed potatoes. Add a BIG pat f butter. Don't tell your cardiologist!

[gbrown]

reminds me.. I have rib tips in the freezer and some homemade kraut... crock pot them until the meat falls off the bone and the fat renders out... skim fat, pick meat off bones and cartilage, mix back into the cooked kraut and serve over mashed potatoes. Add a BIG pat f butter. Don't tell your cardiologist!

Yep, you got it, for sure. Do the same thing with country style pork ribs or some good smoked sausage and the potatoes. Only difference, I like boiled red potatoes, small ones or quartered large ones.. To me, very few dishes are better.

[1Papalote]

My brother canned his sauerkraut today!

[4rdwhln]

At our house growing up the kraut wasn't ready till the whole basement smelled like old gym socks. Nothing rivals mashed taters smothered in Sauerkraut with sausages. Comfort food at its finest..Good memories

[tdoor4570]

You will never find sauerkraut in my house YUCK

[Buzz Krumhunger]

Grandmommy used to make kraut in a crock. I wish I had been able to get her crock when the family cleaned out her house. I haven’t had home made kraut since the 1960s.

[MT Gianni]

You will never find sauerkraut in my house YUCK

It is a very different taste warmed than cold.

[namsag]

That stuff looks great! I have been wanting to try my own homemade kraut, you are inspiring my wife and me to do it, thanks for posting!

[Woodbridge 30-30]

reminds me.. I have rib tips in the freezer and some homemade kraut... crock pot them until the meat falls off the bone and the fat renders out... skim fat, pick meat off bones and cartilage, mix back into the cooked kraut and serve over mashed potatoes. Add a BIG pat f butter. Don't tell your cardiologist!Oh I agree... I do it just like MaryB. Absolute best use of kraut in my opinion... and only the home grown kind, the stuff that comes in a tin can or plastic bag doesn't stand a chance.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G920A using Tapatalk

[MaryB]

Experiments with freezing some this year. I was worried it would lose a lot of texture but it holds up well.

[gbrown]

Experiments with freezing some this year. I was worried it would lose a lot of texture but it holds up well.

We never froze it, always canned it. Thanks for the info. Next year I may try a few jars like that. Do you use jars or another kind of container?

[tdoor4570]

It is a very different taste warmed than cold.

still won't find it in my house

[MaryB]

We never froze it, always canned it. Thanks for the info. Next year I may try a few jars like that. Do you use jars or another kind of container?

Pint vacuum bags that I squeeze out most of the air then sealed(do NOT use the vac pump!). With my new chamber sealer I will be able to vacuum bag it for real. Jars work, get wide mouth though! I have used regular jars and not cracked one but luck will run out on that LOL

[WRideout]

Back in the summer my neighbor invited a bunch of us over for his annual sauerkraut making festival. We spent the better part of a day shredding and mashing giant heads of cabbage, which he added salt to. We used 30 gal food-grade plastic containers to hold it. A couple of months ago he brought me three quarts of it. The first time I really liked kraut was when I had it fried while I was in the army in Germany (West Germany at that time.) Just rinse it a little, and heat it up in a skillet with an adequate amount of butter. I have been putting it on sandwiches, and serve it with hot German potato salad. It's all just vegetables, right?

Aside from his own use, my neighbor gives it to his helpers, and also supplies the local food banks and pantries.

Wayne

[TCLouis]

I would love to taste some real kraut once in my life.

Maybe more after that first tasting!

[gbrown]

Grandmommy used to make kraut in a crock. I wish I had been able to get her crock when the family cleaned out her house. I haven’t had home made kraut since the 1960s.

You can make kraut in small batches in gallon pickle jars with a an airlock. Find the jars at Little League fields concessions or high school concessions. Locks can be found on Amazon or local brewery supply stores. Epoxy the airlock in the center of the lid, pack the kraut tightly in the jar, I estimate about 10-12 pounds, and let sit in a 60-70 degree environment for about 30-40 days, and you should have some good kraut.

[gbrown]

BTW, I make small batches of Kimchee in my pickle jar. My oldest daughter comes in when I am eating some, and says, "What smells like butt?" OK, all I can say.

[gbrown]

I would love to taste some real kraut once in my life.

Maybe more after that first tasting!

Once you eat real kraut, there is no going back. Homemade kraut vs. that store bought stuff ain't night and day, it's planet to planet. No comparison exists.

[MaryB]

Plus homemade is loaded with good probiotic bacteria, it is a very healthy food. And no need to can, freeze or in the fridge where it keeps 6 months in sterilized jars(use standard canning practice, boil jars for 5 minutes). Leave the band a little loose so it can off gas in the fridge, it will keep fermenting a tiny bit and get a little more sour. I just ate a jar that was in the fridge a year, still good but I do not recommend this(I know my fridge temps and monitor them, it is 35 in there...)

[MUSTANG]

BTW, I make small batches of Kimchee in my pickle jar. My oldest daughter comes in when I am eating some, and says, "What smells like butt?" OK, all I can say.

Ahhh Kimche. Anyone ever go to the Kimche Museum in Seoul Korea? Many years ago they had recipes for many thousands of different Kimche's and numerous displays of "Kimche" making.


As an aside - many years ago there was also a Military Museum in Seoul that had a large "Regional Map" that displays the China/Japan/Korea regional area and had hundreds of thousands of LED's that showed the borders of these three "Kingdoms" shifting over time. The interesting part was their depiction of the time line at the time. Most History sources speak of "Civilization" as being 3000 to 5000 years. Yet the Seoul depiction spoke to 15,000 years of moving "Kingdom Boundaries" between China/Japan/Korea. This diversion was brought to you by a memory sparked by the preceding Kimche Museum.

[farmbif]

with a pot full of corned beef, cabbage--green beer, oh yeah, here come st Pattys day festival

[gbrown]

The Shinto monks, I believe I have that right, have pickled veggies for hundreds of years, if not more. Primarily their source of food. Just saying.

[smithnframe]

Now that looks tasty! My brother in Pennsylvania makes a 55 gallon drum of sauerkraut every year!

[bluebird66]

That looks great! I love sauerkraut.

[farmerjim]

Where did you get those quart jars on the right. They are as rare as primers.

[gbrown]

Where did you get those quart jars on the right. They are as rare as primers.

They are not actually quart jars, but 24 oz. They are Classico Pasta sauce jars. Several years ago, I bought a jar of it and noticed that it had Atlas Mason on it. Got curious, and when we used the sauce I washed the bottle and tried a canning lid and ring on it. Worked! Since quart jars go for 13-15$/dozen, I just started saving them. I have tons of pints and quarts, but had not canned in these so used them this batch. I will add, Classico says you should not reuse them, as they are weaker and could fail. Worked good for me in a hot water bath. You'll have to decide for yourself.

[Trav454]

That looks so good. I like eating it cold out of the jar.

[tommag]

I used to make kraut in a large crock, but not anymore. I got a couple 1/2 gallon jars and airlocks and started making kraut again. I'm trying a recipe for an salvadoran curtido, basically a sauerkraut with onions, chilis, and carrots. I couldn't wait to test it, and while it was salty and not fermented yet, the flavors had time to blend and it was FANTASTIC!
Myself, I prefer only cabbage and salt for my kraut simmered with the browned ribs, but I think this Curtido will be good after it's fermented.