Fermenting Adventures: First Batch of Saurkraut
As Canicula, the hot time here, breaks I find myself bubbling with excitement as I get started on a few different fermentation projects. I've got a happy ginger bug under way as well as: my first batch of saurkraut. It all started with a head of cabbage, glass jars and a few tablespoons of salt.
This thing costed my 15 pesos and made me two quart jars of kraut...hopefully. I'll know for sure in a week or so.
I removed the outer leaves to reduce any chances of contamination.
Look at all those layers, to be pounded then packed into jars.
Finely chopped. I followed a recipe that recommended 1-3 tablespoons per head of cabbage, so I used 2.5 for my first run with this one.
Then I used this jar to pound it for awhile. The idea is to release enough water to cover the cabbage so that you don't have to add any water to the fermentation. I was surprised at how much cabbage the water held. A meat mallot would help too.
This is it about halfway through, when I really started to notice some moisture. It took about ten minutes and all my frustrations for the day were pounded away into the saurkraut, I'm not kidding.
I was left with a sense of accomplishment for what I had accomplished, which was pretty much just enough.
I jarred them up and used some of the leaves I didn't cut up, torn into round shapes to help hold down the cabbage pieces. I did one so well that it didn't even need a weight, the other one did which was good because I only have one functional reliable option for that. You just don't want the kraut to hit the surface or it'll introduce mold. Supposedly you can still eat that, but I'm not interested in risking my health needlessly. I'll change my mind if I can find some proof its harmless.
I put them on plates on this shelf in our extra bedroom, now empty as our friend has gone home. The plates are to catch any spillover as kraut commonly bubbles over especially if it's filled to high, which these likely are. I'll keep a watch on them, I'm hoping for the best and will keep you all posted!
Check out some of my other recent posts!
A Walk Down the Coastera: Sunday Night Stroll
Acapulco Botanical Garden Adventures: Wet Season Visit Part 3
Acapulco Botanical Garden Adventures: Wet Season Visit Part 2
Me and my dad make it this way. I usually let it ferment for about a week or so. Seems to turn out better if you have a cold basement or cellar to let it chill out in the dark and bubble away. A food processor is amazing for this. Takes ages to cut up a whole head of cabbage. Then again when I do it its like containers and containers of it we make. last a long time too, once it ferments to your preferred taste it can last for months refrigerated. upvoted! :)
How much take time of fermentation
From just a few days up to two weeks depending on tastes. I'm shooting for about a week for this first batch. :)
Waiting for ur final result...thx for sharing dis recepe..
hmmm, I just love saurkraut, nice done :-)
I've never had real fermented kraut so I'm stoked. Stay tuned for the results.
Ok, as i grew up in Denmark next to Germany, it was almost mandatory, when we were shopping and on holidays. But it long time ago though. yes I want to see the result :-)
Very informative. I've been eating saurkraut since I was a kid and I never knew how it was made. I also heard that salt inhibits fermentation but seeing how I never knew how to make it, I could be wrong.
It's a small amount of salt, the purpose is to keep the solution from getting contaminated before it ferments. All the recipes I found on it used salt, just a few tablespoons, one at the least.
Thanks for the update. I suppose that salt would keep it from getting contaminated. And with all the water contained in the cabbage it would probably not affect the fermentation. Have a nice day
It seems to be fermenting nicely, I'll know for sure though in a few days!
I have grown to like sauerkraut. I have enjoyed it in Reuben Sandwiches and pizza. Have you ever had it on pizza?
Nope, i've not!
Hi !
Please follow , voting and reply me
salt is an inhibitor for fermentation. Add some sugar to make the reaction quick.
No, salt is required to keep the solution to a level to keep mold out until the fermentation is finished, there is no issue with the amount I used. Sugar isn't necessary for fermentation, especially when cabbage is so sugar rich.
yeah its true. Salt is used to stop mold growth. But when fermentation started then there will be no mold due to high temperature and acid production. Sugar is used as substrate to initiate the reaction fast.. better you know because you are doing it. Thanx for sharing all of your adventure with us
Nice photography!!
its cool!!
Canículas (dog-days) are the days (early July to early September) when Sirius (the Dog Star, because it's the brightest star in the constellation Canis Major, the Big Dog) rises and sets the same time as the sun (coincidentally the hot part of the year). When I first heard the word here (from a Mexican speaking Spanish), I thought it was the Russian word кани́кулы (kaníkuly), which has the same Latin origin, but now means 'vacation, holiday' from work, school, etc.