home made suaerkraut
INGREDIENTS
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You will need a very large crock, glass or enamel container, heavy duty plastic bucket or even wood, all must be totally clean
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( put through a dishwasher or clean with the hottest water if you can)
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Minimum of 2 heads of cabbage ( about a total of 5 lbs )
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May be regular or Savoy or 1 part red cabbage to 3 parts green
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Kosher , or sea salt, or use salt which has no additives, no anti caking, no iodine etc.
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Not table salt which causes a soft and limp outcome
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Sometimes pickling or canning salt will change taste and texture too
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I simply use kosher salt
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Some tips here to prevent problems ( molds and yeasts ) with your sauerkraut:
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Never use aluminum utensils!
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Absolute cleanliness is necessary for a healthy brew!
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To prepare the cabbage, remove and discard the outer leaves.
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Wash and drain and then cut the cabbages into halves or quarters while removing the core in the process.
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Step 1)
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Shred Cabbage - May use food processor for speed and ease.
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If you shred by hand, make sure the shreds are no thicker than a nickel or dime!
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Step 2)
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Mix, with wooden spoon or very clean hands, 5 pounds of shredded cabbage with 4 tablespoons of kosher salt and toss and mix thoroughly until kosher salt dissolves!
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(You can make as much as you wish as long as you use the ratio of 5 lbs. cabbage to 4 Tbs. salt.)
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NOTE: If you plan on refrigerating and not canning ( cooking ) use 3 tbs of salt not 4!
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Step 3)
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When juice starts to form on cabbage from tossing - Pack the cabbage firmly and evenly into a clean crock, glass or enamel container.
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Press firmly to encourage juice formation.
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Fill the utensil no closer than 5 inches from the top.
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Step 4)
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Make sure juice covers the cabbage completely! (This does not always happen unless the cabbage is fresh from the garden)
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May need to prepare additional brine by putting 1 1/2 Tablespoons of kosher salt into 1 quart of boiling water.
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Dissolve salt and cool brine to room temperature before adding to the pot of cabbage.
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Step 5)
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Once cabbage is immersed in brine water, place a large food grade, plastic bag filled with brine water and lay on top if cabbage...
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(I use 2 large bags, one inside the other - sometimes a 2 gal freezer bag - with a couple of quarts of cooled brine water inside - this if the bag breaks it will not water down the cabbage into a tasteless mess)
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The cabbage must be well sealed all around with the bag, so no air can get in and contaminate the sauerkraut with unwanted yeasts or molds!
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Step 6)
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Now cover the container with plastic wrap, then a heavy towel or cloth and tie securely into place.
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Do not remove this until fermenting is complete!
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Step 7)
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Put in an area where the temperature will not be above 75 degrees. Fermentation will begin within a day, depending upon the room temperature.
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Step 8)
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If room temperature is 75 degrees allow 3 weeks for fermentation.
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If temperature is 70 degrees allow 4 weeks.
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If temperature is 65 degrees allow 5 weeks.
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If temperature is 60 degrees allow 6 weeks.
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NOTE: If temperature is above 75 or 76 degrees, the sauerkraut may not ferment and could spoil!
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Step 9)
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Once fermented taste to see if your required tartness exists. shopping list
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Tartness will weaken as you process in canning ( cooking ) so make sure it is a wee bit more tart than you like!
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Can be eaten immediately if you desire!
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