Homemade Sauerkraut Pictorial Guide: Q-View

[ralphed]

OOPS! You got the salt amount from the book with the crock. OKAY!

ralphed

 

[mr t 59874]

ralphed, The 1.25% figure came from the book Making Sauerkraut by Klaus Kaufmann. I would suggest this book to anyone planning to make kraut and pickled vegetables.

Adding salt that weighs between 0.8 and 1.5 % of the total weight of the vegetables will result in a product that is both tasty and long lived. There is absolutely no reason to worry about the small amount of salt used in the fermentation process. If there is not enough salt, yeast will take over, which brings about decay. If this is your first try at fermenting vegetables, stick to the recommended amount of salt above until you are more experienced.
Using a Harsch crock will minimize the need for salt. Cabbage is the only vegetable that can be fermented with very little salt or no salt at all-most likely because its leaves are rich in vitamins, minerals and naturally occurring lactic acid.

If you are using a traditional open stoneware pot, keeping the fermenting vegetables free of kahm yeast can be a problem and must be removed every 10 to 14 days, discarding the top layer of kraut at the same time. You should also wash or boil the weights and any cloth that covered the kraut.

Kahm yeast isn't harmful but because it gives the cabbage a bad taste it must be regularly removed. By using a Harsch crock the only maintenance is occasionally top up the water in the gutter that seals the contents from the outside air.

Hope this answered your question.
Tom

 

[ralphed]

for those wanting to use an airlock, there is a grommet you can get at homebrew shops for this:

IMG_20131122_185306_639.jpg

• ralphed
• Nov 22, 2013

They are used on brewing buckets.

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• ralphed
• Nov 22, 2013

I hope this helps someone

ralphed

 

[jweller]

Has anyone made kraut in a food safe bucket? I've got a home brew setup I haven't used in years; a 5 gal bucket with a lid and an airlock. So it seems like all I would need is some sort of weights to put in the bucket. I'm guessing maybe 5 - 10 lbs is enough weight?

I've never made kraut before because even though I've got 2 old  5 gallon stoneware crocks, I don't have a lid, and skimming every day or 2 just isn't compatible with the rest of my life.

 

[ralphed]

I was going to use my homebrew bucket, but didn't want to ruin it for brewing. I think it would be perfect with an airlock. I wonder if you would have to skim it? someone will know.

ralphed

 

[ralphed]

I used a piece of wood wrapped in cotton cloth and put a jar of marbles on top to hold everything under the brine. I saw some 2 1/2 gallon ziplock bags at the grocery. I have heard of people filling them with water for a weight that will seal around smaller, open top bowls/vessels. You may not need the seal with an airlock bucket. The girl at the farm where I bought the cabbage said she uses an "apple bag" on her 80 pound batches. I guess it's real big and thick plastic.

Hope this helps,

ralphed

 

[mr t 59874]

You should not have to skim if using a airlock system.  If using a zip bag for a weight, fill it with a brine mixture, 1 TBS canning salt to one quart or liter of water.  This will prevent a weakened brine in case of a leak.

Tom

 

[hoity toit]

Good thread , thanks for sharing.

 

[dirtsailor2003]

My new crock arrives today! The weather is cooling down so we will be making some more kraut!

 

[zzrguy]

Dam you all now I'm make kraut the wife will kill me.

 

[zzrguy]

OK one question If I wanted to place it in smaller jars like 1 QT Ball mason jars would I have to Processes it like other foods or just screw on the lid and let it be. Wouldn't it build up pressure over time

 

[dirtsailor2003]

OK one question If I wanted to place it in smaller jars like 1 QT Ball mason jars would I have to Processes it like other foods or just screw on the lid and let it be. Wouldn't it build up pressure over time

You need a breathable lid. You can buy mason jar kids with air locks in them. Or you could buy an airlock drill a hole in the lad and make your own.

 

[dirtsailor2003]

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• dirtsailor2003
• Sep 15, 2016

 

[zzrguy]

 
OK one question If I wanted to place it in smaller jars like 1 QT Ball mason jars would I have to Processes it like other foods or just screw on the lid and let it be. Wouldn't it build up pressure over time

Sorry I meant after it had fermented for it 90 days

 

[dirtsailor2003]

after fermentation into the fridge is fine in the mason jar with a plain lid.

 

[zzrguy]

after fermentation into the fridge is fine in the mason jar with a plain lid.

It not going to build up pressure over time.

 

[forluvofsmoke]

 
OK one question If I wanted to place it in smaller jars like 1 QT Ball mason jars would I have to Processes it like other foods or just screw on the lid and let it be. Wouldn't it build up pressure over time

I forwarded your question to Mr. T's website, as he's pretty busy lately and hasn't been around here for a while. The following was his response.

Good question. Canning the kraut will kill all the beneficial bacteria in your product, not what we want to do. If you process your kraut as described, all gases will be exhausted, you will then be able to pack it in your jars and safely refrigerate. There is a possibility that a little pressure may build, but not to a dangerous level, so when opening be prepared for a little gas escaping.

Mr. T

 

[zzrguy]

Thanks guys this is a great site alway helpful and a pleasure to be a member of.

 

[browneyesvictim]

A "Bump" for this thread. A few of you guys were making Kraut. Any updates on how its going? 

Making that stuff in my family has been passed down for generations- especially from my mothers side of the family. They are all gone now, but the old crocks, cabbage cutter and such all now belong to me, and I still make it. However, it is an emotional process for me now.

All the above is all pretty correct, except a couple of things mom and grandma did and taught me that was a little different. The cut kraut went straight into the crock. They never weighed or measured the salt or cabbage or anything. Just put a layer of cabbage down in the crock a few inches thick then liberally sprinkle some salt on. It was always Kosher salt. Then tamp down to bruise it and some juices come out. Repeat in layers with cabbage and salt. We just used a mason jar to mash it. A dinner plate went on top of the kraut and a weight on top of that. A ziplock bag with salt water was usually it. A sheet of plastic went over the crock, then a wooden lid and a weight on top of that. It went undisturbed no peaking. Of course everything used was strictly boiled or sanitized. The top layer of scuz was removed, but was otherwise done and edible. They used to seal it in quart wide-mouth ball or mason jars with the hot-water bath method for a few minutes, then cooled quickly in ice water. tI was never done in a pressure canner or "cooked" that way. The jars stayed at room temperature in the pantry until ready for consumption. Later on they changed up altogether and just put it in freezer-safe ziplock bags straight into the freezer.

We had kraut and sausage all the time but my favorite of all time is what they called kraut und speck. Just saying the words my mouth is watering! They made it in different variations.. sometimes with bacon in it as traditional but I liked it best with smoked kielbasa covered in mashed potatoes then a layer of sauerkraut  then baked in the oven until warm and heated through . Mom would add a sprinkle of brown sugar on top of the kraut before baking for us kids- I love the way it caramelized on the kraut! I still do it that way and my kids love it too!  Pure candy!

Thanks for the memories!