NT sauerkraut recipe

abifae

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I do just salt and cabbage and let it sit the week :)

Don't pound it either. But yeh, the whey speeds it up :D

Either way works. Just depends, the whey DOES taste different. I think the extra time with salt before I pour on the brine helps it stay crispy, though. No idea if it does :gig
 

moolie

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Interesting, thanks :)

Hubs loves sauerkraut and the time it takes to ferment has never been an issue so I think I'll stick with what I know.
 

Wifezilla

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Without the whey, there is a slight risk of spoilage if you don't use a lot of salt. Whey just speeds up the good bacteria and gives it an edge against the bad bacteria.
 

TanksHill

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This is how I pound mine. ;)
333_img_2246.jpg


Sorry but I had to share.

G
 

moolie

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Adorable! And she looks so proud to be helping :)

(What does the pounding do?)
 

TanksHill

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You can pound or massage the cabbage. It helps it release its liquid. Im sure there's a term for it.

She's a great helper.

G
 

Boogity

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Yup, that's exactly how we do it, TanksHill. Your little helper is adorable. During cabbage harvest time we always have two small crocks going all through the summer. Sometimes a dry cabbage head will need a little bit of water to supplement the natural juices but not always. We usually taste-test at about 2 weeks but sometimes it takes 3 or 4 weeks to get good and sour. If I remember correctly there is a old thread here on sour kraut making.

While we're on this topic, I bought 2 little white ceramic glazed crocks in Wallyworld a few months ago for $4 each. They look like maybe 1 gallon size - about 6" inside diameter and 10" tall. I'm sure they are meant to be used as a utensil holder on your counter top. We just happened to have three stainless steel canisters that fit down into the inside of these crocks perfectly. I use one of the canisters, full of water, as a follower to press the cabbage down while fermenting. Works like a dream.

ETA: Do any of you ever put other things in your cabbage? Like carrots or onions or garlic? We do not but I have heard of it.
 

framing fowl

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I agree Abi, I think the whey version tastes a bit different and is mushier. Maybe I let it go too long or something. Now that our house is cooler again, I think I need to throw another batch together and use my new weights!

BB- why wouldn't you use a weight with the whey version? Don't you still have to keep the floaties underneath the brine for the 3 days? Maybe that's why I didn't like the taste of the batch I did with whey. :hu
 
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