Any fellow sauerkrauters here?

[frustratedearthmother]

Kimchi? Did somebody say Kimchi? @Hinotori - I love kimchi! I've only made it with Napa cabbage, but I do put daikon's in it and maybe a little bit of shredded carrot and ginger. I've never made it with bock choy.

 

[CrealCritter]

Bay, it would have to be a live ferment, so just like any ferment you've stored in your fridge, they go dormant and you'd have to kind of wake them up a good bit at room temps for awhile to use them for that purpose. Folks eating yogurt, cottage cheese, cheese and buttermilk who keep it in the fridge are not exactly eating live cultures, but dormant ones...these were all traditionally kept in a cool place, like a cellar, a spring house, etc, but not in the fridge. Many of the old timers never put their buttermilk in the fridge but used it at room temps.

I was reading on the whole kraut in a jar thing and how people were recommending it be stored in jars where the oxygen couldn't get in and blah, blah, blah. What a bunch of hooey. Kraut is and was traditionally fermented in stone crocks, inside a pillow case or other such thin cloth, with a wt on it to keep it under the brine. Air flow aplenty in that mix. No vapor locks, etc.

People seriously misunderstand the anaerobic nature of LABs...it doesn't mean it can't HAVE any oxygen~H2O is one part oxygen, for pity's sake~ it means it doesn't NEED free oxygen in order to metabolize and free oxygen may inhibit growth...so as long as things in a pickling ferment are kept beneath the brine, they don't get any of that and can continue to grow.

Very well said B.

 

[Hinotori]

I haven't made kimchi. There is a very large Korean population over here. We shop H-mart a lot and they have a huge kimchi selection. 20 or so varieties. You tell them what you want at the counter and how much.

I love sauerkraut as well. I prefer it lightly sauteed to warm it up.

 

[frustratedearthmother]

I'm jealous that you can go purchase it anytime you want it! I have a tiny bit of a jar left in the fridge - I have a feeling it will be part of my lunch. I'm going to try making some from baby bok choy and see how that turns out. I'm inspired!

 

[baymule]

I've read about that, using some brine after fermentation has completed to jump start a new batch of fresh cabbage. But I was always concerned about contamination of the starter brine while it was being stored for use, so I never tried it.

Brine is most definitely salty and I'm not sure what nasties could grow in it. It may just be me being overly concerned, I don't know.

You could ask your question on the old farmers almanac, they seem to answer pretty quickly --->https://www.almanac.com/content/how-make-sauerkraut

I would like to know the question myself.

I read the article and all the comments, then posted my question. We'll see what they say.

 

[Hinotori]

Ive bowed to my hubby's demands and will be making him some sauerkraut in half gallon mason jars.

I had the glass weights to make it. I needed to get a tamper and when looking for one on Amazon, an ad for some mason jar fermentation caps came up. They came today. My husband, being the child he is, immediately stuck the one I showed him under his shirt. *sigh*

https://smile.amazon.com/dp/B079NSKRHQ/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_awdb_t1_3IiLCbQE0ANA3

 

[Lazy Gardener]

He needed 2.

 

[CrealCritter]

He needed 2.

Three is better than two

 

[Lazy Gardener]

huh????

 

[Marie2020]

Ok here we go... They say a family that makes sauerkraut together stays together

Start with approx 80 lbs of cabbages, 2 5 gallon food grade buckets with screw on lids, canning salt, filtered non clorine spring water (.89 a gallon at Walmart) a kitchen scale & a big stiff knife.

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Remove bad outer leaves but save a few of the good ones. Slice cabbage in half and remove the core. My hunting knife I made works great for this.
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Slice long ways and small enough to fit in the food processor. The food processor makes quick work of shredding. Several large bowls are also needed for this.
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Weigh out 5 lbs (shredded weight) and dump into the 5 gallon food grade bucket. Sprinkle 3 TBS of pickling salt and massage in. Then pack it down firm with a ash ball bat.
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Keep layering 5 lbs of shredded cabbage into the food grade bucket until you have 7 layers or 35 lbs. Remember each 5 lbs gets 3 TBS of pickling salt massaged in and a good smashing with the ball bat Once 35 lbs is reached - lay a few good outside cabbage leaves over the top. This help keep small bits from rising to the top.
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Then add a upside down dinner plate and press the plate down until the juices come up over the plate. Then add a 1/2 pint jar upside down and pour in 1/2 gallon of brine (brine is 3 TBS pickling salt dissolved in 2 quarts of cold filtered non clorine spring water) the 5 gallon food grade screw lid will keep the plate submerged.
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Repeat for the next 35 lbs or bucket #2.
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Ensure the 1/2 pint canning jar is in the center then screw the lids down tight then back off about 1/16 of a turn so the buckets can berp. Store the buckets away from a heat source that's easily excessable so you can unscrew the lid every couple of days and skim the scum little bits of cabbage that raises to the top and of course sneak a little

And there you have it 70 lbs of shredded cabbage fermenting easy smeazy...In several weeks it will be sauerkraut. Any little bits of cabbage that finds it's way to the top and gets air will need to be skimmed and trown away along with any scum that forms on top of the water. Happy skimming

I'll post some pics as the weeks pass and when I skim.

This is valuable information for me I adore this.