# Sauerkraut



## dirtsailor2003 (Sep 26, 2016)

We make kraut a few times a year. I finally got a crock so I asked the wife to bring home 6 pounds of cabbage. After shredding there was nine pounds. 

Using Mr T's 1.2% salt to cabbage ratio I mixed and tamped the cabbage until I had adequate juice. Then I packed it into the crock, weighed it down. Put the lid on and filled the mote. It will sit at room temperature for two days then into the garage for three weeks. 








Used the Mr T approved kraut stamper

























More in a month! 


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## SmokinAl (Sep 27, 2016)

Nice crock!

Al


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## dirtsailor2003 (Sep 27, 2016)

SmokinAl said:


> Nice crock!
> 
> Al


Thanks Al! It's been a longtime a coming. Of course, while unpacking it the lid slipped from my hand and landed on the concrete floor. UGGHHHH! I will order a new one, but a bit of epoxy worked for now.

This is the TSM 5 quart crock. Which I never put two and two together until I got the box. TSM = The Sausage Maker...


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## sundown farms (Sep 27, 2016)

Tried this once and realized I had a lot to learn. How cool is your garage? I see you are in Oregon so it is surely cooler there today than it is here in Houston TX.  Who is Mr T? Do you use any seasoning?  Many thanks for the photos.


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## mike w (Sep 27, 2016)

Nice! I ordered some half gallon jars, a pack of fermenting lids, and a fermenting book. Kimchi, pickles, and sauerkraut is what want to make first. That's a great looking crock! I wished my wife ate sauerkraut so I could make a big batch


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## dirtsailor2003 (Sep 27, 2016)

Sundown Farms said:


> Tried this once and realized I had a lot to learn. How cool is your garage? I see you are in Oregon so it is surely cooler there today than it is here in Houston TX.  Who is Mr T? Do you use any seasoning?  Many thanks for the photos.



We make kraut year round. Right now it's upper 70's which is perfect for the initial fermentation. As luck would have it the temps are going to drop into the 60's in a few days. So that's perfect also. We don't turn on the heat in the house until it drops into the 40's. So plan right now is to just let it do its thing in the house. I make several batches a year. Depending on the time of year I may move it into he garage or not. Next week it's supposed to get into the 20's at night. But in the house will be the perfect temp still.


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## dirtsailor2003 (Oct 3, 2016)

This is worse than watching paint dry! Haven't peaked since day one. Just keep adding water to the reservoir. Its going to be a long 30 days!


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## disco (Oct 4, 2016)

Watching!

Disco


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## dirtsailor2003 (Oct 4, 2016)

Disco said:


> Watching!
> 
> Disco



As am I!


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## crankybuzzard (Oct 4, 2016)

I've always wanted to try this.  

I'm in


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## chestnutbloom (Oct 4, 2016)




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## dirtsailor2003 (Oct 11, 2016)

Geez I may not have enough beer to complete this project...


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## tropics (Oct 11, 2016)

I'm in

Richie


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## crazymoon (Oct 11, 2016)

DS2003, I'm also in !


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## dirtsailor2003 (Oct 18, 2016)

Couple more days and we should have the beginnings of kraut!


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## disco (Oct 18, 2016)




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## dirtsailor2003 (Oct 23, 2016)

And done! 














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## tropics (Oct 23, 2016)

Case wow did I see my name on 1 of them jars LOL points that is another art 

Richie


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## crankybuzzard (Oct 23, 2016)

I can almost smell it from here!

I see an interesting post of 4 coming soon!


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## dirtsailor2003 (Oct 23, 2016)

tropics said:


> Case wow did I see my name on 1 of them jars LOL points that is another art
> Richie
> 
> Thumbs Up



Thanks Richie! It's tasty right now but as it ages it gets better. I'll probably eat one jar over the next week!


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## dirtsailor2003 (Oct 23, 2016)

CrankyBuzzard said:


> I can almost smell it from here!
> 
> I see an interesting post of 4 coming soon!



Thanks CB! 

I may still make the grand finale cook from my other thread, but probably not until tomorrow. 

I really like sautéing apples, onions, kraut and serving with pork cups or brats. So tasty!


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## dirtsailor2003 (Oct 23, 2016)

I should mention that the three jars on the bottom are blue. Hence the green colored kraut! Yellow and blue makes green! 


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## crankybuzzard (Oct 23, 2016)

dirtsailor2003 said:


> I should mention that the three jars on the bottom are blue. Hence the green colored kraut! Yellow and blue makes green!
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk



I was wondering if Heisenberg had visited your place!


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## disco (Oct 23, 2016)

MMMMM! Enough said.

Point!

Disco


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## dirtsailor2003 (Oct 23, 2016)

Disco said:


> MMMMM! Enough said.
> 
> Point!
> 
> Disco



Thanks Disco!  It is tasty!


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## dirtsailor2003 (Oct 23, 2016)

CrankyBuzzard said:


> I was wondering if Heisenberg had visited your place!



Ha! Love that show!


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## chilerelleno (Oct 24, 2016)

Those look good to me.
Love me some kraut on dogs and many sausages.

Do you make Kimchi too?


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## dirtsailor2003 (Oct 24, 2016)

ChileRelleno said:


> Those look good to me.
> Love me some kraut on dogs and many sausages.
> 
> Do you make Kimchi too?



Thank you. 

Yep I sure do. I'll be posting a batch in the near future. More on that in a few weeks.


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## redheelerdog (Oct 24, 2016)

Thats some fine Ruben sammie makings right there! Nice.


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## dirtsailor2003 (Oct 24, 2016)

redheelerdog said:


> Thats some fine Ruben sammie makings right there! Nice.



You got that right!


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## crazymoon (Oct 25, 2016)

DS2003, Nice job on the kraut! That batch will last awhile !


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## dirtsailor2003 (Oct 25, 2016)

CrazyMoon said:


> DS2003, Nice job on the kraut! That batch will last awhile !



Thanks CM! I always think that! Goes pretty fast. I'll be out a half a jar on my first cooks!


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## dirtsailor2003 (Oct 27, 2016)

The Finale! Verdict, if you don't make your own, you should! Always good!

http://www.smokingmeatforums.com/t/253547/brats-and-kraut#post_1623496


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## old bones (Oct 28, 2016)

Wow!  Your Kraut looks good!!   I like to use the blue jars but I'm out of the older ones.  I think the colored jars help keep out the light so the kraut stays looking white longer.    I saw how you use a little apple slices with the Kraut - Now that I saw you doing it, I remember my mom adding a few slices of apple when she made fried Kraut and Mushrooms. I need to try that next time...

I just made 36 quarts of kraut a few weeks ago; I used three 5 gal food grade pails with air locks on top of each pail, I had something like 40 of cabbage in each pail.  I mix in some thin sliced onion with each layer.  This year the Kraut turned out better than ever...  No real waste with the air lock in the pails..

Points for your kraut and them Brats... ;-)  













Kraut001.jpg



__ old bones
__ Oct 28, 2016


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## bdskelly (Oct 28, 2016)

I've been married to a German for 33 years and we've never made kraut.  But thats going to change.  I wonder if Texas is too warm to keep the stuff in the garage.   Guess that would depend on the time of year right? I know nothing about crocks, salt ratio, tamping, weighing down or even filling a mote.  BUT  This has inspired me.  

Point for the step by step

Point for the finished product. 

B


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## dirtsailor2003 (Oct 28, 2016)

BDSkelly said:


> I've been married to a German for 33 years and we've never made kraut.  But thats going to change.  I wonder if Texas is too warm to keep the stuff in the garage.   Guess that would depend on the time of year right? I know nothing about crocks, salt ratio, tamping, weighing down or even filling a mote.  BUT  This has inspired me.
> 
> Point for the step by step
> 
> ...


Thanks B! I bought this crock off Amazon.


After I got it i discovered that TSM = The Sausage Maker. Go figure!

If you can get an area that is right around 60° you'd be fine. Just worked out that my house temps cooled down to there right after the initial fermentation. So I just left it on the counter. We don't heat the house until it gets below 50° inside.

Its probably one of the easiest things to make, and Mr T's recipe makes some fine kraut. I used to use a recipe that used more salt and I didn't like it as much. This is spot on. Next time I want to add some caraway seeds too.


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## dwdunlap (Oct 29, 2016)

WOW!! Dirtsailor2003, that Kraut and sausage looks so good and I'm so envious

Since the discussion was on making Sauerkraut I thought some of you might be interested in seeing a recipe 1911.  The following pictures are from the Miller Company publication for retail butchers in that era. I think the book is a hoot and a lot of good info.

 .

I may have invest in a crock too!!

DWD    Richardson, TX


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## dirtsailor2003 (Oct 29, 2016)

DWDunlap said:


> WOW!! Dirtsailor2003, that Kraut and sausage looks so good and I'm so envious
> 
> 
> Since the discussion was on making Sauerkraut I thought some of you might be interested in seeing a recipe 1911.  The following pictures are from the Miller Company publication for retail butchers in that era. I think the book is a hoot and a lot of good info.
> ...



Thanks! 

Kraut is easy to make. The process I use as Outlined by Mr T had become my go to. 

Love those old cook books. I have this great one that my father in law gave me. 













IMG_4011.JPG



__ dirtsailor2003
__ Oct 29, 2016


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## dirtsailor2003 (Oct 31, 2016)

Well one jar down! Good stuff!


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## WaterinHoleBrew (Oct 31, 2016)

Wow Case, not sure how I missed this thread !  Awesome !   Thumbs Up


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## dirtsailor2003 (Oct 31, 2016)

WaterinHoleBrew said:


> Wow Case, not sure how I missed this thread !  Awesome !   Thumbs Up



Thank you Justin! Good stuff!!!


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## ironhorse07 (Nov 1, 2016)

Kraut looks good. MrT's process is my go to also, good stuff.


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## dirtsailor2003 (Nov 1, 2016)

Ironhorse07 said:


> Kraut looks good. MrT's process is my go to also, good stuff.



Thank you! Tasty stuff! I want to add a few things next batch.


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## bdskelly (Nov 1, 2016)

Im on this....  Been on the road doing trade shows since Wednesday. But doing some USDA studying too. When I get Home i'll be a cabbage chopping fool. B


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## dirtsailor2003 (Nov 1, 2016)

BDSkelly said:


> Im on this....  Been on the road doing trade shows since Wednesday. But doing some USDA studying too. When I get Home i'll be a cabbage chopping fool. B



It's good stuff, and good for ya too! I'm going to need to make some more sausages soon. Maybe kielbasa or linguica. 

I used our mandolin to cut the cabbage. Made quick work of it.


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## chef k-dude (Nov 13, 2016)

I have been making pickles and kimchi for years and just started making kraut earlier this year.

None of the three ever turn out as good a store-bought. All very edible and good in their own rite, but I can never get the same results as what I can buy.

My kraut comes out with a darker color than store-bought, and it's actually a little sweet, and all I use is salt. My mom swore I had put brown sugar in it when she tasted my last batch.

I found a kraut cake recipe that is pretty good I'm still tweaking. For a different way to use kraut, check it it out. I just found a few recipes with a web search. Kraut and potatoes together make a great fried cake too.

I'm back to buying kimchi from the Asian market here. They just have that flavor down pat that I love. I end up using most of my homemade kimchi in kimchi soup and kimchi fried rice with...and I know this really hurts on a smoking site...tofu...I'm sorry, but the Asian market has this fresh soft tofu for 35¢ a block that is just fantastic. You fish it out of a bucket of swill with your hand wrapped in a plastic bag! Sounds gross, but fantastic stuff. I'm very partial to Asian food...and tofu kind of comes with that genre if one is to really experience the full spectrum.

But I digress...back to the kraut...                

Do you use just the salt?

How does your kraut compare to the various canned, bagged and jarred stuff?

I like kraut to be really tangy and not sweet at all. Don’t care for the German caraway sweet versions. We actually prefer the Walmart canned stuff over some of the more expensive ones!

I squeeze the juice out and save the juice…well actually I usually drink it on the spot…great pro-biotics in that stuff for the guts. Kraut juice makes a great twist on a martini too…kind of like a dirty martini. About 1 part vodka to 2 parts kraut juice, shake with crushed ice and strain just like a proper martini.

Not for everybody…but then I’m one of those weird people that saves pickle juice and takes a nip on it here and there, as well as add to recipes like potato salad and deviled eggs.

OK…I’ll shut up now!


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## dirtsailor2003 (Nov 13, 2016)

Just salt. Never noticed it to be sweet. Sometimes I'll add caraway seed, and sometimes onions. 

Salt wise I use 1 tablespoon  of pickling salt per 3 pounds of cabbage.


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## GaryHibbert (Nov 14, 2016)

Great post Case.  I've always been curious about making 'kraut, so this has been real interesting for me.  So Thank You. 

One question that has been bothering me.  If you got your wife to bring home 6 pounds of cabbage, how did you end up with 9 pounds after shredding it???

POINTS

Gary


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## dirtsailor2003 (Nov 14, 2016)

GaryHibbert said:


> Great post Case.  I've always been curious about making 'kraut, so this has been real interesting for me.  So Thank You.
> 
> One question that has been bothering me.  If you got your wife to bring home 6 pounds of cabbage, how did you end up with 9 pounds after shredding it???
> 
> ...



Thanks Gary! 

Yeah about that. There wasn't a scale at the store she went to so she guessed!! Hence the extr three pounds.


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## bdskelly (Nov 15, 2016)

My crock came in while I was at the home office in NY. (Thanks Amazon)  I'll be a cabbage chopping fool this weekend. Great post Case. Very motivational. B


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## dirtsailor2003 (Nov 15, 2016)

BDSkelly said:


> My crock came in while I was at the home office in NY. (Thanks Amazon)  I'll be a cabbage chopping fool this weekend. Great post Case. Very motivational. B



I hope yours turn out fantastic! I know ours is great. Give time to do its thing it gets better thenlonger it sits once it's in the fridge. I'm saving out two jars that I won't touch until one hits 6 months and the other at a year.


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## dirtsailor2003 (Nov 25, 2016)

Down to two jars! Going to have to make more as I want these two jars to age longer.  Kraut just keeps getting better every day!


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## bdskelly (Nov 25, 2016)

dirtsailor2003 said:


> Down to two jars! Going to have to make more as I want these two jars to age longer. Kraut just keeps getting better every day!


My plan is to chop cabbage tomorrow and use that new cook you inspired me to buy. b


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## dirtsailor2003 (Nov 25, 2016)

BDSkelly said:


> My plan is to chop cabbage tomorrow and use that new cook you inspired me to buy. b



Get on it I'll be looking for your thread!


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## mosparky (Nov 25, 2016)

Ok, you guys got me itching to give this a try. I'm the only one here that will eat the stuff, so small batches (about 1#) are in order. I have questions.

 what temp needs to be maintained during fermentation ? Some of the web recipes say you can just keep it at room temp and move to fridge when done.Fridge will halt or slow the process. 

 Secondly how big a jar will I need for such a small batch ? The cabbage at my store avg about 1 1/2 lbs, so I'm guessing a little over a pound cored


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## dirtsailor2003 (Nov 25, 2016)

mosparky said:


> Ok, you guys got me itching to give this a try. I'm the only one here that will eat the stuff, so small batches (about 1#) are in order. I have questions.
> what temp needs to be maintained during fermentation ? Some of the web recipes say you can just keep it at room temp and move to fridge when done.Fridge will halt or slow the process.
> Secondly how big a jar will I need for such a small batch ? The cabbage at my store avg about 1 1/2 lbs, so I'm guessing a little over a pound cored



For that small a pint jar... I know it sounds like a hunch but the minimum I'd do is 6 pounds. That would give you 2-2 1/2 quarts finished product.


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## bdskelly (Nov 25, 2016)

dirtsailor2003 said:


> For that small a pint jar... I know it sounds like a hunch but the minimum I'd do is 6 pounds. That would give you 2-2 1/2 quarts finished product.


Like Case said.

I bought a one quart Ball Jar and 2 heads of cabbage.  Salted the cabbage and scrunched it up with my hands for a while until the water came out of it and packed the jar with about an inch of cabbage water on the top. I stuck a  cabbage leaf down in the water to hold the chopped stuff under water. Put the lid on loosely.

I'm still trying to figure out what black magic occurred that allowed 2 heads of cabbage to fit in that jar! But it did! b


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