Sauerkraut today

solarnoon.aspen
solarnoon.aspen Posts: 219 ✭✭✭
edited October 2020 in Ferments

I grew two kinds of cabbage this year - storage and sauerkraut. They are both really beautiful tasting. But I am awestruck with the sauerkraut heads. Each kraut cabbage weighed between 10-14 pounds! and they are so juicy.

Today I got out the mandolin and filled 3 crocks and one 2 litre bottle of kraut. I only used 4 cabbages out of the 13 that I grew. The 3 crocks and the mason jar hold a total of 24.5 litres. That's a lot of kraut. I do have another 5 litre crock, but I'm wondering if we will ever be able to eat it all.

I made a recipe that calls for just a little sugar, which really enhances the flavour and adds to the fermentation. And I add some dill seeds for a little extra jest.

Can't wait for it to be ready.

Comments

  • jowitt.europe
    jowitt.europe Posts: 1,465 admin

    @solarnoon.aspen Oh lovely! I love sauerkraut! It is so healthy! The bowl micro flora loves it as well. I do not use any sugar. Ripe cabbage is sweet enough to have enough sugar of its own.

    i make a lot of sauerkraut, but I store it in half Liter jars. There are just two of us in the house, so 0,5 Liter is enough per whatever we make. When we have children and grandchildren visiting, then we open more jars.

    I do not consider 24,5 Liter per year too much. It is too healthy to be too much. Enjoy your sauerkraut.

  • Monek Marie
    Monek Marie Posts: 3,539 ✭✭✭✭✭

    We made sauerkraut one year and will again this year.

    Easy and so good! We used a 25 gallon crock and let it set in the den to age

  • water2world
    water2world Posts: 1,177 ✭✭✭✭

    @solarnoon.aspen Wish I could grow my own cabbage, until then, thank goodness for farmer's markets! I have purchased sauerkraut and love it; currently getting supplies together to "try my own"! One thing I had not thought about were the types of cabbage-----is there a "best"?

  • water2world
    water2world Posts: 1,177 ✭✭✭✭

    @Denise Grant 25 gallon crock?? And here I am worried about quarts! It must have been a success if you re doing again this year. Yum!!

  • Torey
    Torey Posts: 5,679 admin
    edited October 2020

    There is so much to do in a a day! I have made sauerkraut before but it is a chore that I rarely get to myself. I am fortunate to have found a sauerkraut maker at a local farmers market who makes wonderful kraut so I buy hers. She makes a variety of flavours. One of them is similar to what you have made with dill seeds, @solarnoon.aspen, called Double Dill. Some of her other flavours that you might want to consider: Queen Anne's Delight (with grated carrot), Hellacious Habanero (its not too hot), Barvarian Horseradish, Russian Red Garlic (one of my favs).

    I recently found Ball fermenting kits to fit mason jars that have burping lids and a spring to keep the kraut weighed down under the liquid. So I have intentions of getting back into fermenting but on a smaller scale than before.

  • annbeck62
    annbeck62 Posts: 1,028 ✭✭✭✭

    Sounds amazing! You'll probably come up with lots of creative recipes to use all that woderfulness :)

  • Cherlynn
    Cherlynn Posts: 169 ✭✭✭

    I confess I did up 50 lbs of cabbage last year. Used a 5 gallon bucket with a fermentation thing added in the lid. We use about 2 cans of kraut a year but this stuff is so good we are almost out! I will pick up another 50 lb bag and start it fermenting again. It's like candy to us not at all like the store bought stuff.

  • gardneto76
    gardneto76 Posts: 528 ✭✭✭✭

    we usually make our kraut 1 gallon jar at a time. We have done that a few times and always wonder why we don’t make more, but there are only 2 of us. I agree @Cherlynn homemade is always so much better than store bought. We have learned that with so many things now. We use a recipe that calls for a tiny bit of sugar.

  • solarnoon.aspen
    solarnoon.aspen Posts: 219 ✭✭✭

    Denise Grant

    wow 25 gallons. - what do you store it in?

    I actually have an old 25 gallon crock that we once filled with cabbage - in the 70's. But when we heard that the old crocks often have lead in them, we had to dispose of the cabbage because we couldn't find a way to test it. The acidity of the fermenting veg would bring that out into the food. I use it now to make soap!

    So, although I'd love to have it all in one vessel, I only have the newer german and korean types to fill, plus the glass jars. There are only two of us and only one is avid on this, so perhaps it will be enough this year. I'll see how long the rest of the cabbages last.

    lol

  • judsoncarroll4
    judsoncarroll4 Posts: 5,490 admin

    One of my favorite foods!

  • solarnoon.aspen
    solarnoon.aspen Posts: 219 ✭✭✭

    torey

    Nice recipe ideas. Thanks

    I have also found a really efficient lid for wide mouth masons: It's called Easy Fermenter. You pull out all the air with a supplied pump and it burps gasses. No need for weights inside the jar.

    https://nourishedessentials.com/collections/tools/products/the-easy-fermenter?gclid=Cj0KCQjwoub3BRC6ARIsABGhnyZn_uzKFyKNs2a0X6Pc-sH9O_t7u_xYlSHfkOlDeN0uZBnMY7w39uIaAgt-EALw_wcB

  • annflancan
    annflancan Posts: 84 ✭✭✭

    WOW! That sounds delicious. What cabbage did you use for the kraut and which did you use for storage?

  • vickeym
    vickeym Posts: 2,134 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I have about 3 or 4 gallons of kraut going right now. First time trying to make it. Have about another week before I am going to uncover it and test it out. Can't wait to taste it. Did not know there was a different cabbage for making kraut than just a regular cabbage. Hope mine comes out ok.

  • soeasytocraft
    soeasytocraft Posts: 237 ✭✭✭

    Oh wow! Good you got it done! I’m very far behind this year and have at least a dozen large heads in cold storage. Hopefully I’ll have a break to get some made next week. We have been eating it daily until we ran out a couple of weeks ago. Seems very odd not to have it at every meal. I fermented lots of pickles, carrots and tomatoes so we still get our daily ferment fix. But nothing is as great as sauerkraut!!

    i grew storage cabbage and O.S. Cross Hybrid. The OS are crazy big! One was 23 pounds with the leaves and stem removed! Amazing!! Not as firm as other cabbages but holy smokes!

  • DurwardPless
    DurwardPless Posts: 162 ✭✭✭

    Fascinating! I have often wanted to make my own. Would you start out small in a quart jar or go larger for a first timer. The Easy Fermenter is very interesting but if it is very tasty a small jar could be gone in a day. Thank you for your post solarnoon.aspen.

    DDP

  • @DurwardPless the normal unit for cabbage is head 😁 I would always go with at least a head.

    My fermenting pot for Sauerkraut will contain 10kg and this is the measure I use. And it does not last that long.

  • Tave
    Tave Posts: 952 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Korean sauerkraut, kimchi, is also delicious and has the added benefit of ginger and garlic. It uses Napa cabbage and is equally addictive. I have a gallon jar of it fermenting now. It will be ready when the other gallon jar of regular sauerkraut gets eaten, which won't take long.

  • NarjissMomOf3
    NarjissMomOf3 Posts: 113 ✭✭✭

    I have made a ferment of cabbage and carrot. It is really tasty!

    This is the first time using a cabbage from an organic farmer and when I tasted it it tasted sweet! I have never tasted a cabbage like that.

  • Thomas
    Thomas Posts: 81 ✭✭✭

    I have never made any sauerkraut, but have always wanted to give it a go. I didn't realize it was a popular thing to do. Glad I read this, now I have to look into doing this!

  • nicksamanda11
    nicksamanda11 Posts: 755 ✭✭✭✭

    I made apple garlic kraut

  • Tave
    Tave Posts: 952 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @nicksamanda11 That sounds delicious. One time, I made brats and kraut sauteed with a little apple and onions. My guests thought the apple was weird, but that's how my mom did it. The sweet from the apple balances the sour of the kraut.

  • John
    John Posts: 163 ✭✭✭

    Haven't made sauerkraut for a number of year now, these posts got me looking for cabbage types for next year's planting. YAY!!!!!!! Thanks everyone.

  • NarjissMomOf3
    NarjissMomOf3 Posts: 113 ✭✭✭

    Mix your white shredded cabbage with 1 grated carrot. Delicious!

  • solarnoon.aspen
    solarnoon.aspen Posts: 219 ✭✭✭

    I posted this link cause I know I have to hold myself back from overeating sauerkraut and thought others too. In this article:

    HOW MUCH SAUERKRAUT SHOULD I EAT?

    To get the gut benefits from sauerkraut, you should eat about a tablespoon daily. This is easily done by adding a small portion to your plate at dinner time. Doing so is known to aid in digestion and prevent constipation. Sauerkraut is low in calories and high in fiber, so why not give it a try?

    Be careful not to overdo it, especially if you feel that you may be reacting to it. Sauerkraut has high levels of histamine, which may cause intolerance.