Anyone Make Their Own Sauerkraut

[Waftrudnir]

Maybe you had the kraut at a temperature too low.
If that was the case, fermentation by Lactobacili would have been so slow that it is still not completed.

I make kraut from cabbage grown in the garden. It usually stops bubbling within 2 months and then I just transfer to standard mason jars for storage.

Use 1 tsp salt for each pound of cabbage. No other ingredients!!! You didn't add sugar, right?

Do you have a way to test pH?
When my kraut is finished fermenting, the pH is close to 3.5
I keep the fermenter crock pot in the kitchen. Room temperature averages 60F.


Again, if it is still bubbling, there is still fermentable carbohydrates and the pH is not low enough to have killed off the Lactobacilli. The only way I can think this happens is having the pot at a very low temperature.

Here you have the complete answer. Getting rid of air when canning is a good idea.

[Fox]

We made purple cabbage kraut and green cabbage kraut, both were left for 6 weeks but the purple was fermented earlier in the fall so a little warmer in the basement, it ended up stronger but the green stuff was still good and probably would have hit the same strength at 8 weeks. We heat and simmer ours for 30 minutes to kill anything off and then pack it in 1L jars, make sure you have brine to the bottom of the ring and then water bath canned for 30 minutes.

This is the first time for us, it seems to work great so far.

[Roe+]

Have you thought of freezing it instead of jarring it?

That's what some Slovenian friends of mine do. It keeps the bacterial culture alive for those who want probiotics.

Roe+

[Roe+]

One thing I forgot to mention is be careful if you're making wine when making sauerkraut. The bacteria that ferments sauerkraut is the same bacteria that turns wine to vinegar.
BTW sawbill, I've been busy and had them in the freezer, but I finally got around to making wine out of those blueberries you sent me. It's just finishing fermenting. I've got about 3 gallons, I'll have to send you some samples via Heather.

Roe+

[jaycee]

We have been making it for years, and my parents always made it the old way in a wooden barrel, have never needed to add water .
Whether you make it in a barrel or stone crock pot, you have to mash it down a lot and this brings out the liquid in the cabbage, when you have a full barrel or what ever container is used , there should be enough natural liquid on top and this has to remain there.
Always keep the cabbage under the liquid as any cabbage that is exposed to the air very quickly goes bad and can ruin the whole batch.

Here is a link with very interesting /important info on making sauerkraut, www.nchfp.uga.edu it is the National Center For Home Food Preservation .

[Roe+]

We have been making it for years, and my parents always made it the old way in a wooden barrel, have never needed to add water .

That depends upon how must water naturally is present in the cabbage. If you're taking it from your own garden you shouldn't have to. If buying it, you don't know how long it has sat in a cooler.

I don't have any problem keeping mine under the liquid, I just found that I need a little extra liquid to keep the sauerkraut under the juice in the jar. That small amount doesn't affect the taste especially when it's present during fermentation. As well I add carrots and onion to mine.
I also know people who make it in 5 gallon food grade plastic pails and then put a second 5 gallon pail of water on top to compress it.

Roe+

[jaycee]

Best to get your cabbage fresh from a grower and later in the season when the heads are firm and not dried out.
I phoned an old fellow that I know , he used to make it for years and sold it commercially along with his sausages at the St. Jacobs Farmers Market.

He said by adding plain water that has many minerals in it you would be definitely slowing down the fermentation process or perhaps stopped it completely depending on the minerals in the water. If any liquid needs to be added, it should be a brine solution [salt and demineralized water] and the same percentage of salt as when you are adding it to the cabbage , 2 1/4 to 21/2 percent .
and definitely do not use iodized salt.
He said that in the 40 plus years of making and selling it , he had never ever had to add any liquid, as if the cabbage is mashed enough in the barrels / container there should be enough of it's own natural liquid to cover it .

The fermentation process is a 3 part action, and you will know when it is done as there will be no bubbles coming up through to the top.
One thing to keep in mind is that fermentation is very temperature reactive, this taken from the home preservation food site;

Store at 70º to 75ºF while fermenting. At temperatures between 70º and 75ºF, kraut will be fully fermented in about 3 to 4 weeks; at 60º to 65ºF, fermentation may take 5 to 6 weeks. At temperatures lower than 60ºF, kraut may not ferment. Above 75ºF, kraut may become soft.

I started mine stored at 73 degrees for 4 days, the temp of my kraut was at 71 degrees , I then moved it to a cooler area of the basement where it remained at a constant 67 degrees. It turned out perfect again.

[Roe+]

I use filtered water with Pickling salt (no iodine in it) As far as the minerals affecting the fermentation, that's debatable. Having made beer and wine for over 30 years, that has never been a problem. I have used tap water where applicable and have only used distilled water for titrations to determine acidity when making wine. The processes are very similar as I alluded to previously. I'm surprised that with using wooden barrels you have never had to add water since the wood will naturally draw moisture from your sauerkraut.

The biggest issue is cleanliness the same as when making beer or wine to avoid contamination by unwanted yeast or bacteria which is why I sterilize my vessels prior to starting.

Roe+

Roe+

[jaycee]

I use filtered water with Pickling salt (no iodine in it) As far as the minerals affecting the fermentation, that's debatable. Having made beer and wine for over 30 years, that has never been a problem. I have used tap water where applicable and have only used distilled water for titrations to determine acidity when making wine. The processes are very similar as I alluded to previously. I'm surprised that with using wooden barrels you have never had to add water since the wood will naturally draw moisture from your sauerkraut.

The biggest issue is cleanliness the same as when making beer or wine to avoid contamination by unwanted yeast or bacteria which is why I sterilize my vessels prior to starting.

Roe+

Roe+

You've never heard of pre soaking the barrels? That's how it was made in the old days as plastic was not around back then , if smaller batches were made it was done in stone ware crocks .

[johny]

Have you thought of freezing it instead of jarring it?

The curious thing about putting it into canning jars and then storing them in a cold room or refrigerator is that there is still some sort of bacterial digestive thing that happens very slowly. It does not produce gas. But it does create a weirdly yummy funkier flavour.
Fresh (2 months old) kraut has a tangy, bright clean cabbage flavour.
10 months later, there is a deeper funky fermented barnyard flavour which is also really good but different from fresh.

I guess it is like what happens to wine or cheeses as they age.
It is why I do not freeze or pressure can my sauerkraut. The flavour continues to evolve all winter in the cold room and it is nice to enjoy the changing flavour through the winter and early spring.