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RegionRat

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Home Made Sauerkraut

Is there a forum for making kraut? Or a recipe somewhere. I'd like to try it myself.

No problem.

I have a special fermentation crock but you don't need one. Any non nonreactive container would work. You can just weigh the sauerkraut down with a bottle filled with water and a plate. I also used a food processor to shred the cabbage but you could just use a knife or a mandoline.
bottle.jpg

3Tbs salt per 5# cabbage. That's the main part to remember. Then just make sure the brined cabbage stays submerged till it ferments out.

Here is what I did...


Sauerkraut:

7 small heads of cabbage Removed outer leaves and reserved 4 to use later.

Quartered heads and removed cores.

Cut them into 1/8 heads.

Cuisinart 12-Cup Food Processor. With 3mm shredder head.

Ended up with 15lbs shredded cabbage
shread.jpg


Added 9Tbls canning salt.

Worked cabbage and salt in by crushing in hands for hour or so to break down the cell walls to get juice flowing.
crush.jpg
Once it started getting wet I switched to a plastic cup to crush it more. Notice the drop in volume.



Transfer to Fermentation crock
crock.jpg

Place reserved outer leaves on top of cabbage and put stone weights on top

Put on lid and fill water channel with water
weights.jpg
Leave on counter over night

Juice should rise to 1 ½ to 2 inch above stones.

If more brine is needed use: 1 cup of water and 1tbls salt
sealed.jpg
Leave in a warm place for a few days until fermentation starts.

Transfer to cool spot for 4 to 6 weeks.

Enjoy

RR
 
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wow, that's fairly simple, just cabgage and salt?

I'll look for a crock and give it a try.

You dont have to use a crock, they are nice though. Any nonreactive container would work. I am sure you could walk around the kitchen section of Walmart and find something to use. You could even use a 1 gal food grade bucket.

RR
 
I started 25# of Sauerkraut tonight. I know it is not wine but it is still ferment.....

RR
Does anyone know how to do pickles? Fermented the old fashioned way? I believe they are called sours in the fancy delis.
 
Pickles you say? Make them with the krout, buy small 3inch cucumbers and layer the krout every 2inches and then put 10 to 12 cucumbers, they are the best!

I have never done that. It sounds like something that would be soooo good.

I do use a little juice from what ever I have going at the time as kind of a "starter" to get a batch going.

RR
 
Pickles you say? Make them with the krout, buy small 3inch cucumbers and layer the krout every 2inches and then put 10 to 12 cucumbers, they are the best!

Sliced or whole?
 
RR, is this the guy who owns Katz deli in NYC?

He does mention growing up in NYC but makes no mention in his book of the Deli you speak of. He says in his book he is now living in the "Hills of Tennessee."

His book Wild Fermentation is a very good read.

RR
 
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http://www.wildfermentation.com/making-sour-pickles-2/

I have this guys book Wild Fermentationhttp://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/wil...=pla&ean=9781931498234&isbn=9781931498234&r=1

The above 2 recipes are from that book. It is a good read. I ferment all kinds of things.

RR
RegionRat, Now you have done it! I went to the local grocery this morning and came home with several heads of cabbage and a box of Kosher salt, Then I hit the local flea market where the nice Mexican produce seller had pint baskets of Habanero and Ghost peppers for a buck each and large red bell peppers for 50 cents each. I now have a batch of kraut fermenting and a half gallon of pepper sauce fermenting!
Thanks for the link! I really enjoyed reading the site and will be ordering the book.
I could not find any small cucumbers to make the pickles but I will be in the future.
Happy Fermenting!
 
RegionRat, Now you have done it! I went to the local grocery this morning and came home with several heads of cabbage and a box of Kosher salt, Then I hit the local flea market where the nice Mexican produce seller had pint baskets of Habanero and Ghost peppers for a buck each and large red bell peppers for 50 cents each. I now have a batch of kraut fermenting and a half gallon of pepper sauce fermenting!
Thanks for the link! I really enjoyed reading the site and will be ordering the book.
I could not find any small cucumbers to make the pickles but I will be in the future.
Happy Fermenting!


After you read the book get back to us and tell us what you think. I think this is going to open a new chapter in your life.

I grow most of the things I ferment. After it ferments out I can. But there is nothing like fresh out of the fermenter. The pepper sauce I make ferments the I age it like wine for 6 to 8 months. Then I blend it with vinegar. The best ever! Here is a link to something along the way I do it. Pepper sauce

Here is a batch of pickles I just started.View attachment 6736

RR
 

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I love the big kosher pickles you get at the really good deli's, They are usually in a big jar sitting on top of the lunchmeat counter.
Is there a recipe for them out there somewhere?
 
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I love the big kosher pickles you get at the really good deli's, They are usually in a big jar sitting on top of the lunchmeat counter.
Is there a recipe for them out there somewhere?

Sure thing. Here is the above recipe


I use a 4.5% brine. 1 liter water 45gr salt. During the summer I use fresh dill. This time of year I use a combination of dill seed and dried dill. I also put in LOTS of fresh garlic.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsvDSmMCKpA"]Here is a good video[/ame]

Hope that helps.

RR
 
I use to make sauerkraut with my Mom but haven't made any in years. You guys got me thinking about making a gallon batch and sure enough I go to my local grocery store and they have cabbage on sale. So here I go!
 
I put together my grocery list, and I'm going to start a batch of pickles this weekend,
Thanks for the Link RegionRat.
Once I find a crock pot, I'm doing the Saurerkraut too!
Julie
My candy cane wine is down to 1.010 so it's getting racked this weekend.
 
I love my crock, but recently found a 2 gallon food grade plastic bucket at Lowe's for about $4 with the lid. The crock is wonderful, but not entirely necessary...especially at today's prices.
 
I put together my grocery list, and I'm going to start a batch of pickles this weekend,
Thanks for the Link RegionRat.
Once I find a crock pot, I'm doing the Saurerkraut too!
Julie
My candy cane wine is down to 1.010 so it's getting racked this weekend.

I finally got mine bottled and will label it tomorrow, now I just got to fine some boxes!


Julie, thanks for transferring to this thread!

No problem, I think this is going to be an awesome thread!
 
No problem, I think this is going to be an awesome thread!

R u stealing my thunder? Just kidding.... Thanks again for starting a new thread!


I absolutely love fermented foods. As a kid in the early 60's my emigrant grandparents had a summer place in Michigan. There was a huge vegetable garden, fruit trees, bushes, and plants etc.... Everything was; dried, canned, salted, smoked or fermented. It was what was done back then. They knew how to make the harvest last all year.

In the last 10 years or so I have tried to recreate all the things I remember a kid. It is such a pleasure to find people on this forum that share the same interest.

RR
 
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R u stealing my thunder? Just kidding....


I absolutely love fermented foods. As a kid in the early 60's my emigrant grandparents had a summer place in Michigan. There was a huge vegetable garden, fruit trees, bushes, and plants etc.... Everything was; dried, canned, salted, smoked or fermented. It was what was done back then. They knew how to make the harvest last all year.

In the last 10 years or so I have tried to recreate all the things I remember a kid. It is such a pleasure to find people on this forum that share the same interest.

RR


What's old is new again. It's high time we get back to the way things should be. I often wonder what food tasted like 50, 60, 70 or 100 years ago compared to the way things are today. I have a feeling that it had a lot more flavor, just based on eating foods while they are in season vs. not in season.

I never had the chance to see these things as a kid, but am trying to offer them to my niece and nephew...though they much prefer to go to any fast food restaurant instead of eating Auntie's "weird" food...lol.
 

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