Sauerkraut

[mel_s12]

So I made Sauerkraut the Cafe Gratitude way, and it tastes kinda fizzy! Has anybody else had this? Oh if only I could get it tasting like the real German sauerkraut I would be in heaven! :p

[spicyfull]

I haven't made it for sometime now but when I did it tasted to Me, like the real thing. Did you leave it fermenting long enough? Do a "SEARCH" at the top of this page. There's plenty on it. Hope all eventually works out for you.

[spicyfull]

Try this one...

http://www.rawfoodtalk.com/showthrea...eferrerid=4614

[thatoneguy]

I kept getting confused by recipes! Did I do this right???

I chopped the cabbage in a food processor, added a little sea salt and massaged it. Then I put it in a gallon glass jar and pressed it down. Now here's the part that the recipes confused me on. I put bigger cabbage leaves on top on the chopped cabbage, then put plastic wrap on top of that (to keep air in?). I kept trying to search on how to do this last part, but I set a glass of water on top of the plastic (for weight), put platic over the jar opening and put the lid to the jar on.

Was I supposed to do the plastic and weight thing? Is it okay to put the lid on the jar (or are you supposed to put cloth over it so air can get it)? Is air supposed to get in?

I'm so confused, lol.

- Matt

[Veganforlife]

When mine got fizzy? I was told to put probiotics in the batch...

[Ilse W.]

Here is how real sauerkraut works:
Shred cabbage. Put a layer into a crock, sprinkle sea salt on it and "beat" it with a sauerkraut "stomper". (It's a wooden "mallet" especially made to beat/tenderize the cabbage. I don't have one here in the US, so I used a sturdy glass bottle.) You do that until the cabbage releases enough water to cover the layer. Repeat everything until the crock is full. Put a cotton towel on top followed by a plate, which should be weighted down. I use a large stone from my yard which I scrubbed thoroughly just for this purpose. The idea is to keep the cabbage covered in liquid. Put the whole thing in a cool dark place and leave it to ferment for about 6 weeks. Some "scum" may form on top. I just skim it off. (Other than the towel, plate, and stone, there is no cover on the crock.) We had a stone cellar at home when I was a kid, and just kept the kraut there and scooped some out when we needed it for a meal. I don't have a cellar, so when my kraut is done fermenting, I pack it tightly into gallon sized jars (mine have snap-top lids), and keep them in the fridge. I still have a little sauerkraut left from last fall, still tastes just as good as the stuff my mother made.

[Stina]

After ruining many a batch, I finally realized my cold Oregon home wasn't allowing for the probiotics to thrive. Someone cued me in to buy a certain bulb to put in my oven to make a little temperature-appropriate incubator. This may not be your problems. There are a few factors that can go wrong, like bacterial contamination. I gotta double-check what kind of bulb they recommended.

[thatoneguy]

Wow! Now That's sauerkraut, Emma!

Will what I did still work? I saw on another site to put a bag of water on top (instead of a glass of water). I'm wondering if I should switch it out and try that or just leave this batch alone and try it the next time.

Is it okay that I have the lid on tight?

- Matt

[Veganforlife]

My dtr used a bag of water on hers. I'm thinking remove the lid and use some cheesecloth or something?

Others? Lid or no lid?

I have this, image taken from this website:


http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.therawdiet.com/sitebuilder/images/kraut_new-189x251.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.therawdiet.com/vikraut.html&usg=__0dL0ZUoug2QWTJsBRQm7rWpZSZ8=&h=251&w=189&sz=6&hl=en&start=4&tbnid=PMbr5JsXvHHxRM:&tbnh=111&tbnw=84&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dsauerkraut%2Bmaker%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3De n%26safe%3Dactive

[thatoneguy]

I think I'm going change it from the glass of water to the bag. That shouldn't mess it up since it's only been in the jar for about 12 hours, right?

The website I saw (with the bag) had a lid on the jar.

It was this site (http://www.thefamilyhomestead.com/homemadekraut.htm).

Also, one of my books said the cabbage shouldn't be watery. But sites say to add more water so it covers the cabbage. Should I add more water?

[Ilse W.]

For weight on top, use whatever works. It's only there to keep the kraut submerged to keep oxygen from getting to it. The fermentation process creates it's own gases, so keep the lid off to let them escape. I think the reason most people's sauerkraut doesn't turn out the way they think it should is that they don't let it ferment long enough. Sauerkraut does NOT happen in 6 days. I don't know whose instructions you used, but as long as you keep it submerged and fermenting long enough (in the fridge should be just fine), it should turn out great.

[thatoneguy]

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b390/thatoneguyonline/Raw%20Food/Cabbage.png?t=1241803135
Okay, I took out the other stuff and just put a plastic bag w/ water on top. I went ahead and put the lid on. That site and my book says it's okay.

- Matt

[thatoneguy]

I checked my cabbage last night (after 3 days of fermenting on the counter) and it's good! It's starting to look, smell and taste like sauerkraut! I put the cabbage in a couple mason jars and stuck them in my fridge. I guess I'll check it out in a week or 2.