Any of you guys that make kraut I'm going to make my very 1st batch in a quart jar from what I've read I would use 2 tsp of salt but it said to just sprinkle the salt directly on the cabbage mix in and start squeezing the cabbage until you get enough brine so you squeeze the juice from the cabbage to make the brine It also said it would be done in about 5 days ?
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fermenting Fermenting Sauerkraut
- Thread starter Gargoyle91
- Start date
CaneDog
eXtreme
That sounds pretty good. I'm used to a 1.5-2.0 teaspoons salt per pound of cabbage recommendation. It may take a bit of time to get enough brine to be able to tamp down the cabbage and have it all covered in the jar. For me, fermentation usually takes longer than 5 days, though. I wouldn't even open it to check for a week and then I might easily give it another week before I put it in the fridge.
Disclaimer - I'm no kraut expert. I just make it up from time to time.
Disclaimer - I'm no kraut expert. I just make it up from time to time.
You can do it that way. I use a cabbage pounder when I do mine, but I usually make up a small batch of brine in case it needs a bit more liquid to cover the cabbage in the fermentation vessel.
Pound/squeeze it with salt, cover the bowl with a tea towel and let rest for 20 mins. Pound it again, let rest for another 20 mins. Repeat until you have enough liquid.
You should be aiming for around 2% salt by weight of the veges, and the same for the brine.
I normally leave mine 10 to 14 days.
In my opinion, pounding it and using the veges own juices does give it a flavor advantage over just using brine.
Pound/squeeze it with salt, cover the bowl with a tea towel and let rest for 20 mins. Pound it again, let rest for another 20 mins. Repeat until you have enough liquid.
You should be aiming for around 2% salt by weight of the veges, and the same for the brine.
I normally leave mine 10 to 14 days.
In my opinion, pounding it and using the veges own juices does give it a flavor advantage over just using brine.
I just chop/shred 6 heads. Put a healthy dose of salt and pack it into a fermenting crock(3 gal). After 24 hrs I add enough water to create a seal. I usually let it sit on the counter for 2 weeks. Jar it up and store in the fridge. It's a very easy and forgiving process. Tastes just like store bought but has a nice crunch rather than just mush.
Is pickeling salt better or just sea salt not seeing anyone using pikeling salt.
CaneDog
eXtreme
beerbreath81 said:
I'm pretty sure it was you I stole the idea from for cutting down plastic lids to hold ferments under the brine.
Gargoyle91 said:
Either should be fine, but be aware of the conversions for salt grain sizes if they differ much when measuring by volume rather than weight. EDIT - I usually use pickling/canning salt.
Cant you just mix up a brine 2 tsp to two cups water and call it a day? This squeezing is breaking it up into small peices and taking forever. Squeeze a bit and add extra brine to cover ?
The Tea Pot is from the 1890ish's The cup is a recent limited addition My Girlfriend is from England so tea is a thing lolboutros said:
Yeah it's the same kit got it from Amazon working out pretty good other then the easy to remove glass weights lol Not so easy without rubber gloves.
be interested to know if you are salting and immediately trying to squeeze the cabbage, if so...salt, wait 15 min or so then start to squeeze and pack into jar. The purpose of this part is to bruise the cabbage so their cells break down and they start to release their own juices. you know your done when you grab a handfull of cabbage and squeeze and a bunch of juice comes out. i don't think you will have unsuccessful results if you pack and cover with brine though it just might be a little weak?Gargoyle91 said:
Yeah I did notice it was easier after letting it sit for a bit . Don't know how tho keep it from breaking though . I'll figure it out I guess.
I think all the relevant points have been covered above, but still here is my €0.02 worth...
Take head of cabbage and prepare. Remove undesirable leaves. Quarter. Cut out cores. (Keep cores, as desired, they're fine to go in as desired.)
Weigh quarters (and pieces, if included). Remember weight. (Better, write it down.)
Thinly slice quarters. Can be done by hand, or a mandolin makes easier work of it. If using a mandolin, watch the finger tips. Or use a food processor with slicer.
Place shredded cabbage into v. large non-reactive vessel. Add salt at 2% weight. e.g., metric (easier): 1 kg = 20 g; US (/Imperial): 2 lb = 0.65 oz.
Mix, cover and leave it sit for a bit. I go and do something different for 15-60 minutes.
Get in there with both hands and simply clench both hands into fists around the kraut to squeeze. Release and grab a new load. Repeat until a good amount of liquid is released, or one is bored.
Optional: leave sit, covered, for a bit more.
Now just jam it into a suitable jar. Press down to release further liquid. Pour in remaining liquid from vessel. Once all is in there decide whether to add further brine, also at 2%. Aim is to cover completely, by 2 cm / 1 inch. Add weights if necessary.
Seal (with airlock, or whatever) and wait desired fermentation time. Typically about a week.
Take head of cabbage and prepare. Remove undesirable leaves. Quarter. Cut out cores. (Keep cores, as desired, they're fine to go in as desired.)
Weigh quarters (and pieces, if included). Remember weight. (Better, write it down.)
Thinly slice quarters. Can be done by hand, or a mandolin makes easier work of it. If using a mandolin, watch the finger tips. Or use a food processor with slicer.
Place shredded cabbage into v. large non-reactive vessel. Add salt at 2% weight. e.g., metric (easier): 1 kg = 20 g; US (/Imperial): 2 lb = 0.65 oz.
Mix, cover and leave it sit for a bit. I go and do something different for 15-60 minutes.
Get in there with both hands and simply clench both hands into fists around the kraut to squeeze. Release and grab a new load. Repeat until a good amount of liquid is released, or one is bored.
Optional: leave sit, covered, for a bit more.
Now just jam it into a suitable jar. Press down to release further liquid. Pour in remaining liquid from vessel. Once all is in there decide whether to add further brine, also at 2%. Aim is to cover completely, by 2 cm / 1 inch. Add weights if necessary.
Seal (with airlock, or whatever) and wait desired fermentation time. Typically about a week.
2% kosher/canning salt by weight of the cabbage has never failed me. You can make up a little 2% brine if needed to top off the cabbage.
Dole slaw mix with a little carrot in it is what i use for small quick batches. Its 14oz per bag.
Mix it with 2% salt
Leave it in a bowl for a couple hours, mixing it up good every 20-30min
Pack it tight in a jar with a kraut packer or glass bottle that fits
Top off with 2% brine if you want and seal it up but allow it to "burp" somehow. An airlock is the preferred method.
Wait at least 7 days and give it the sniff test. Usually passes around 7-10days and then toss it in the fridge to finish for 2 weeks or more.
IIRC 2 bags of the slaw mix is enough to fill a quart Mason jar. Around a tbs of mild Korean pepper flakes adds just a mild zip to the kraut and seems to speed up fermentation a little bit too.
Thats 793 grams in slaw mix
So about 16 grams of salt or just under a tbs. A tsp of canning salt is about 6 grams
When it smells sour and that "green" raw smell mellows its ready to finish in the fridge. You will end up with very sour crunchy kraut that blows away store bought.
Dole slaw mix with a little carrot in it is what i use for small quick batches. Its 14oz per bag.
Mix it with 2% salt
Leave it in a bowl for a couple hours, mixing it up good every 20-30min
Pack it tight in a jar with a kraut packer or glass bottle that fits
Top off with 2% brine if you want and seal it up but allow it to "burp" somehow. An airlock is the preferred method.
Wait at least 7 days and give it the sniff test. Usually passes around 7-10days and then toss it in the fridge to finish for 2 weeks or more.
IIRC 2 bags of the slaw mix is enough to fill a quart Mason jar. Around a tbs of mild Korean pepper flakes adds just a mild zip to the kraut and seems to speed up fermentation a little bit too.
Thats 793 grams in slaw mix
So about 16 grams of salt or just under a tbs. A tsp of canning salt is about 6 grams
When it smells sour and that "green" raw smell mellows its ready to finish in the fridge. You will end up with very sour crunchy kraut that blows away store bought.
