Kraut

[Denny O]

Any one making sauerkraut with the cabbage prices as low as you will see them?

[bmartin1000]

@dennyo-s - Just started these today.

[GWG8541]

@dennyo-s 3 heads in the fridge. I should have them in jars this weekend.

[Denny O]

I still need to shop for 10 pounds. I do 2 half gallon jars with mason pickle tops.
https://www.coopmarket.com/products/masontops-complete-mason-jar-fermentation-kit-wide-mouth?gclid=Cj0KCQjwuMuRBhCJARIsAHXdnqPwLioHxRz8GLL8fKeKyIflB5vw0oixJ0wqUsT6mdaa7nnE09BcnlAaAmYoEALw_wcB

[Bob Stehlik]

bmartin1000 Looks good. I love those fermentation jars. I got one about a year ago and then found the kits (compression spring & lids). I have a ton of qt. jars so we get 3-4 jars going at once just like you. Tried Kimchi but still trying to get it right.

[GWG8541]

Bob Stehlik when you get the Kimchi right, let us know. I’m still trying to figure that one out also.

[stevieb12]

I almost always have some going

[gus4416]

bmartin1000 does a recipe come with the tops

[calldoctoday]

GWG8541 Get them in the crock as fast as you can. The fresher the better for success & great flavor!

[calldoctoday]

@dennyo-s In addition to the big crock, we have tried the mason jar springs too on half gallon & quart jars for peppers & other things. I wish I could find the right lids for those old time, I think they are 2.5 gallon, pickle jars. I have some of those too just sitting around.

[calldoctoday]

@dennyo-s Yes, we have cabbages from the garden & the store. Winn Dixie had the regular cabbages on sale a few weeks ago at, I believe it was .28. I got 20 pounds or so & we have that mixed with some home grown in the big crock now for some Bulgarian Kraut. I think it has been going for a few weeks now. We tried to get it all sliced, in the crock, & stomped before nightfall that day.

[TexLaw]

I just jarred up my latest batch. I put a couple grated carrots in there too mix things up. I like it, but I’ll cut that in half of I ever do it again. It’s a little too much carrot flavor. It’s good, mind you, just not what I want.

[Denny O]

gus4416 said in Kraut:

bmartin1000 does a recipe come with the tops

If you were directing your questin @ me then, yes I think there were several for it, BUT I’d have to look to be sure.

For a simple kraut it is cabbage with a 2% salt. Work it with your hands squeezing and mixing and squeezing and mixing and squeezing and mixing and squeezing and mixing and squeezing and mixing and squeezing and mixing get it for like 10 minutes.

Then hard pack it in the jar a bit at a time until you are near the top. Use reserved outer leaves folded up in and under on top, maybe 2 then the glass weight and the pickle top and make sure the liquid brine stays near the nipple. Ya may need to add brine as it sets. It will spew out so set the jars in a pan. I keep an injection syringe handy with a 2% brine in a mason jay handy.

Some like a 2 week brine, some a 6 to 8 week brine,

I’m a 4 week guy. To each their own tastes.

[bmartin1000]

gus4416 - No, recipe comes from my Mom. 2.5% salt by weight of cabbage. Work salt in with cabbage with your hands and let sit until it start releasing juices. Half a teaspoon crushed Carraway seeds in each quart. Then let sit until your taste level acheived.

[calldoctoday]

@dennyo-s We just eyeball our pickling salt, but have it down pretty much & the goal is about what you mentioned. If we do smaller batches, we measure. Put a few inches of shredded cabbage into the crock, add the salt with some mustard seed & fennel or carraway, depending on the mood & perhaps a little Dill. Stomp with the stomper, do a few more inches or so, & keep up till we near the top. Then add a few whole cabbage leaves to the top, add the weights, & cover it up in Andrew’s closet on a pan with a towel lining it. We usually do just about 3 months, I really like my Kraut, Krauty.

[gus4416]

bmartin1000 Thanks

[bmartin1000]

calldoctoday - I’m definitely going longer with this batch but not sure I’ve been blessed with enough patience to go 3 months. I’ll bet it is delicious.

[TexLaw]

I also do 2%. Shred the cabbage and weigh it. Weigh out 2% of that weight in salt. I always add caraway, and I might add something else (dill, fennel, cumin, dried red chile). I’ve never added mustard seed, but I’ll be sure and give that a try next time. I like to let mine go 7 weeks.

I typically stomp mine into my crock along the lines of what calldoctoday does, but I mixed the last batch by hand because I added some grated carrot and wanted that mixed evenly.

For those who were wondering about kimchi, I’ve used Maangchi’s simple kimchi recipe as a starting point and been happy. I add more ginger (because I like it), and I leave out the squid or oysters (because I like it better that way), and I make about a 5 pound batch instead of 10 (because that’s all I have room for). I typically let it get it a little more on the sour side. Doak likes his kimchi funky.

I do go ahead and make the full batch of “porridge” so that I only have to do that every other time. In fact, I might very well make a double batch of “porridge” because it actually improves as sits in the back of the fridge.

[sheleyp1]

Bob Stehlik

www.youtube.com/watch?v=eTucCw1w6Ak

Go to the folks that have been doing for a long time. Kimchi is my go to food when a cold or flu strikes. I have made her variation and it is close to what I had in S Korea.

[Bob Stehlik]

sheleyp1 Thanks. Great video. We are going to make a batch using her method.