• If you have a question about commercial production or the hot sauce business, please post in The Food Biz.

Didn't want to hijack a thread - Sauerkraut

Read that someone uses the juice from sauerkraut as a starter.  So I can just squeeze some juice out of a can of kraut to get my ferment rocking next time I make it?
 
I used yogurt this last time and didn't really see it working like I thought I would. 
 
Canned kraut will be dead.  You would need an actively fermenting kraut that has not been heat processed. 
I think canned sauerkraut is not even made by a fermentation process.  It would be better called sourer-kraut as it is just cooked cabbage and vinegar.
 
cone9 said:
Canned kraut will be dead.  You would need an actively fermenting kraut that has not been heat processed. 
I think canned sauerkraut is not even made by a fermentation process.  It would be better called sourer-kraut as it is just cooked cabbage and vinegar.
 
Yep cone9 is right.  You can use harvested whey or hooch from sourdough starter (from breadmaking) or juice from actively fermented kraut or kimchi.  I've read of people using probiotic capsules though I have not done so.  Normally I just use salt and time.  If you're looking for a jumpstarter and wasn't happy with whey I can recommend Caldwell's vegetable starter culture. I've used that before with good results.  
 
When you guys mention probiotic capsules...is that basically an item you would find at a health food store that is made for human consumption...or is it something you find at a food stuff store for adding to things like ferments.....?
 
You have to use a live bacteria to get the best start on a batch of 'kraut.  I have a friend who brews beer that gives me one from time to time and I pour a splash of that in my ferments to get them started.  Not enough to taste of change the color, but enough to add some bacteria to the mix and get it started a tad quicker.  Most fresh veggies like cabbage also have a natural coating of the bacteria unless they have been washed in a disinfecting solution and don't need much to really get themselves started.  I start looking for bubbles at around the three day mark and if no bubbles by the end of a week, I toss the batch and start over because cabbage is cheap and the ER for food poisoning aint!!!
 
WCB
 
Back
Top