Fermented Saurkraut?

[FarmerDenise]

Well, the spelling was a bit off. But I could figure out what it meant.

 

[big brown horse]

Well, the spelling was a bit off. But I could figure out what it meant.

I'm tempted to start a German thread now that I know you guys speak it!

 

[ORChick]

Well, I speak it, and read it, but I try very hard not to write it ! I figure if I say something not quite right ... well, its out, and gone. I was understood ... or not ... but there is no hard proof that I am an idiot . Writing it down however will show the world (or, here, FarmerDenise at least) that my grasp of gender and endings is tenuous. Can you believe a language that gives all its nouns different genders, sometimes with no rhyme or reason? I mean, really, die Katze (the "she" cat), der Hund (the "he" dog), and das Pferd (the "it" horse). Absolutely nuts

 

[Iceblink]

Oh, it gets worse. Some languages have 3 genders. And declensions, so there are many sets of endings for each case and gender. Whew!

 

[big brown horse]

Oh, it gets worse. Some languages have 3 genders. And declensions, so there are many sets of endings for each case and gender. Whew!

The gender thing really threw me off!

 

[Chickenkitty]

O.K., I'm back to the sauerkraut. I made 5 pints of kraut in jars. Beat it, salted, lids on loosely and it molded. Did I set lids too loose? I set it in the basement (high humidity) was that the problem? I have 5 heads of cabbage left. I'd really like to put it to good use. I don't need more relish. :/ I have a 1 gallon crock, IF I were to get it thru fermenting do I then put it into a jar and keep in the fridge?

 

[freemotion]

Did you weight it to keep the veggies under the liquid? Did you use whey to keep the lactid acid up in this warmer weather? Is your basement cool enough to skip the whey? And can you just skim the scum and keep going? A little mold, just on top, is not always a sign to toss a ferment. The fermenting keeps the bulk of it safe. Skim and then give the rest the sniff test. It might be ok.

I ferment it at room temp for three days then put it in the fridge. Maybe a 2.5 days if it is much warmer than 70's in my kitchen. I have two jars on the counter now, I am thinking of putting them in the fridge a day early, since it was low 90's here the past two days. One gallon and one half gallon....too much to lose!

 

[Chickenkitty]

I didn't weigh down in the jars. It had plenty of liquid covering when I started. the basement temp is between 60 and 65 degrees all the time. I look at it again, but I know my DH will have his reservations about it now. I think I'll try the gallon crock next time. Thanks

 

[Iceblink]

I finally tried my first batch of 'kraut..... it was way too salty. Otherwise delicious, but too salty.

I followed the recipe as to the amount of salt. I just barely had enough liquid to cover the cabbage, so I'm thinking if I reduce the salt I won't get enough?

What if I add the amount of salt called for, let it sweat, then drain and save the liquid and rinse the cabbage, then put the liquid back in? Will the lack of salt make it spoil?

Also, my sourkraut was very firm. Actually squeaky. I let it ferment for 2 months in a cool closet, it smelled good the whole time, and like I said, the flavor was good except for the salt..... if I let it ferment longer will it get softer?

 

[freemotion]

If it is firm, you did a good job!