How to make saurkraut

[Bob W]

This is the simplest deal ever.

Use a big sharp knife to slice cabbage.  Layer it into a small 8" by 3" deep crock or bowl.  Sprinkle a bit of salt on top of each layer.

Take a potato masher on each layer and at the top to press down.   Press down daily and stir once or twice a week.

Cover with a plate and let ferment on your counter or in the garage.

It usually takes a week for perfection.

This stuff is amazing.  It is full of healthy live bacteria.

I put it on meats,  cook it with pork, stir fry it in bacon grease. 

Yesterday,  I pan fried it in bacon grease and then plopped a couple of eggs on top, breaking the yolk and flipping once.  Amazing!  I top salads with it as well. 

Did I mention I love sauerkraut!

You can also add any veggies that you want to pickle and make bigger batches if you like.   

The process is called lacto fermentation and there are plenty of Google sites that you can learn more on.

Enjoy one of the worlds oldest and simplest recipes!

Bob Werner

[forummm]

I also have made my own. I have an old gallon pickle jar that I use. My favorite is with purple cabbage. I put garlic in mine. I want to do one with carrots soon.

Frying it with eggs sounds really good.

[Mr One Wheel Drive]

My wife makes sauerkraut too and it is delicious

[Fi(re) on the Farm]

I use a couple of half gallon canning jars and flavor the jars with different things. One gets caraway seeds, one gets hot peppers and garlic and the last with juniper berries, bay leaf and cumin. This year I want to try a batch with fennel seeds. Homemade sauerkraut is so good and so easy!

[Rezdent]

Love saurkrauts so we go through at least a quart each week. We make ours Korean-style,  AKA Kimchi, with plenty of hot red pepper, onion, garlic and cilantro.

We've found both sauerkraut and Kimchi ferment better in the cooler months.  They seem to process too fast in the 100F August heat here.  So we make regular batches fall through spring.  In the spring we make a huge batch to keep in the fridge over the summer.
One of the reasons I am looking forward to October.

[aj_yooper]

This is the simplest deal ever.

Use a big sharp knife to slice cabbage.  Layer it into a small 8" by 3" deep crock or bowl.  Sprinkle a bit of salt on top of each layer.

Take a potato masher on each layer and at the top to press down.   Press down daily and stir once or twice a week.

Cover with a plate and let ferment on your counter or in the garage.

It usually takes a week for perfection.

This stuff is amazing.  It is full of healthy live bacteria.

I put it on meats,  cook it with pork, stir fry it in bacon grease. 

Yesterday,  I pan fried it in bacon grease and then plopped a couple of eggs on top, breaking the yolk and flipping once.  Amazing!  I top salads with it as well. 

Did I mention I love sauerkraut!

You can also add any veggies that you want to pickle and make bigger batches if you like.   

The process is called lacto fermentation and there are plenty of Google sites that you can learn more on.
Bob Werner

I was just reading about the process and looking to do sauerkraut too. 

[DaveSch]

A while back we used to have a "sauerkraut event" in the neighborhood. After a while it got to be a bigger deal with real cabbage shredder. This was a badass event captured and put on my webpage for all to gasp in amazement, or just to shake their heads. So I invite all here to have a look.

Homemade Sauerkraut Page

Dave

[senecando]

Got some LF pickles going at the moment. A very easy way to take care of extra CSA produce, it turns out, is putting it in a crock. (I've saved cabbage and now cukes this way.)

I really like me some kraut soup, especially in the fall and winter. Good way to go through a ton of it.

[dycker1978]

The last batch I made, I added a onion(to three heads of cabage) and about 1 oz of raw pepercorns... by far the best I have made yet.

[horsepoor]

I love making kraut, and all other kinds of ferments.

One tip I wanted to add to Bob's instructions, is to fill a freezer bag about half full  of brine, and use it as a weight on top of the plate that is holding the cabbage down.  This will keep outside nasties from getting in, and ensure that the cabbage doesn't get exposed to air and mold.  Filling with brine instead of plain water is in case the bag breaks it won't mess up the salt ratio in your batch of kraut.

[Bob W]

The last batch I made, I added a onion(to three heads of cabage) and about 1 oz of raw pepercorns... by far the best I have made yet.

Nice touch.   I will be trying all sorts of blends this year.  Have done a little garlic in the past. 

[dycker1978]

The last batch I made, I added a onion(to three heads of cabage) and about 1 oz of raw pepercorns... by far the best I have made yet.

Nice touch.   I will be trying all sorts of blends this year.  Have done a little garlic in the past.

I have heard Garlic is delicious... have not tried it yet.

[Bob W]

Started a new batch about 36 hours ago.  I saved some of the remaining batch from last time and layered it in with the new.  This seems to have drastically accelerated the process!   

My work asked me to make up some kraut for an upcoming barbeque in September.   

[sekritdino]

Nom! I'll definitely try this out!

If you guys like kimchi, check out the YouTube channel Maangchi. This Korean lady makes some badass pickles!

[2ndTimer]

Will definitely try this!

[dycker1978]

The last batch I made, I added a onion(to three heads of cabage) and about 1 oz of raw pepercorns... by far the best I have made yet.

Nice touch.   I will be trying all sorts of blends this year.  Have done a little garlic in the past.

I have heard Garlic is delicious... have not tried it yet.

We I lacto fermented some Garlic.  It is great for cooking.  According to what I read, It will keep in the fridge for up to a year... Yummy!

[senecando]

The last batch I made, I added a onion(to three heads of cabage) and about 1 oz of raw pepercorns... by far the best I have made yet.

Nice touch.   I will be trying all sorts of blends this year.  Have done a little garlic in the past.

I have heard Garlic is delicious... have not tried it yet.

We I lacto fermented some Garlic.  It is great for cooking.  According to what I read, It will keep in the fridge for up to a year... Yummy!

I did this and I can't quite tell if it's done. Any tips?

[Bob W]

The last batch I made, I added a onion(to three heads of cabage) and about 1 oz of raw pepercorns... by far the best I have made yet.

Nice touch.   I will be trying all sorts of blends this year.  Have done a little garlic in the past.

I have heard Garlic is delicious... have not tried it yet.

We I lacto fermented some Garlic.  It is great for cooking.  According to what I read, It will keep in the fridge for up to a year... Yummy!

I did this and I can't quite tell if it's done. Any tips?

Well,  I just taste it.  The kraut will go from cabbage to kraut over a number of days depending on temperature.  When it is warm I've had batches get mushy.    Some people like it crunchier, some sourer.    In the kitchen with a temp of around 68ish --7 days = done to me.   I never refrigerate unless I want it cold.   

[Left]

It's the same way to make kimchi as well, for a spicy "saurkraut"

[Fodder]

Thanks for the inspiration!  I have most of a large cabbage sitting in my fridge right now, and I was trying to figure out how best to use it up.  I think I'll use half of it in coleslaw, and with the other half, take a stab at making my own sauerkraut.  I think I'll try it with onion, black pepper and garlic.  Hopefully it's yummy!

[Bob W]

Thanks for the inspiration!  I have most of a large cabbage sitting in my fridge right now, and I was trying to figure out how best to use it up.  I think I'll use half of it in coleslaw, and with the other half, take a stab at making my own sauerkraut.  I think I'll try it with onion, black pepper and garlic.  Hopefully it's yummy!

Go easy on the seasonings and have fun!

[The Borgs]

This is high on my list of things to do when I'm back on my feet. Especially with the serving suggestions (I'd liked the idea before but couldn't quite figure out what to do with it!), so thanks Bob.

[jawisco]

I made (3) gallons of saurkraut a couple of weeks ago.  Just straight up cabbage and some salt.  Yesterday I tasted and ended up canning (2) of the gallons of kraut - so delicious at this stage!  I will leave the last gallon to continue fermenting for at least a couple more weeks. 

When I say I canded the kraut, all I do is put in mason jars and put those in my extra refrigerator.  It lasts for a year that way.  So easy and delicious.

[Bob W]

I made (3) gallons of saurkraut a couple of weeks ago.  Just straight up cabbage and some salt.  Yesterday I tasted and ended up canning (2) of the gallons of kraut - so delicious at this stage!  I will leave the last gallon to continue fermenting for at least a couple more weeks. 

When I say I canded the kraut, all I do is put in mason jars and put those in my extra refrigerator.  It lasts for a year that way.  So easy and delicious.

It is really a miracle food when you think about it.  I'm afraid that 2 gallons would only last me 2 months though! lol   

There is a significant different between store bought and homemade kraut.  I believe the homemade retains all the beneficial bacteria that the are heat treated to death in store brands.  I think that even the KrispKraut refrigerated brand is bacterial free.   

[kkbmustang]

I had just added figuring out how to do this on my project list. We belong to a CSA and I've got a head of napa cabbage just waiting for me to do something with it.

You just leave it out on the counter until it's done? Then refrigerate it? Sounds almost too easy….

[senecando]

I had just added figuring out how to do this on my project list. We belong to a CSA and I've got a head of napa cabbage just waiting for me to do something with it.

You just leave it out on the counter until it's done? Then refrigerate it? Sounds almost too easy….

You want to salt it, which will (in addition to other things) bring out enough liquid to make a brine. Weigh it down. Chill.

[Bob W]

I had just added figuring out how to do this on my project list. We belong to a CSA and I've got a head of napa cabbage just waiting for me to do something with it.

You just leave it out on the counter until it's done? Then refrigerate it? Sounds almost too easy….

See the first post.  That is the way I make it at least.  And yes, it is too easy.   It appears room temperature does matter.  Cooler = slower,  warmer = faster (and mushy in my experience)  A 70 degree room is nice.  It will make a nice odor,  so you might consider the garage. 

[kkbmustang]

Thanks! I'm going to try this pronto.

[Rezdent]

Thanks! I'm going to try this pronto.

I predict you will never go back to store-bought.
Our consumption has crept up a whole lot since making it ourselves.
Room temps do seem to make a difference in how long it takes to get your batch to where it's perfect for you.
Currently it's running 60 degrees or so daytime temps in our kitchen, 40s at night.  It's taking up to 2 weeks right now to get ours where we like it, but we like it rather sour.  I just keep sampling until I like it and then refrigerate it (if it isn't all gone by then :)

[Bob W]

I like to fry some kraut up in some bacon grease.   It goes great on sandwiches.   I throw some in salads.  Like it over scrambled eggs instead of picante.   Throw some on hot dogs.  Fry it up with potatoes and onions.  Eat it straight out of bowl. 

http://wholesome-cook.com/2012/01/27/5-things-to-make-with-sauerkraut-other-than-a-reuben/

[Rezdent]

I like to fry some kraut up in some bacon grease.   It goes great on sandwiches.   I throw some in salads.  Like it over scrambled eggs instead of picante.   Throw some on hot dogs.  Fry it up with potatoes and onions.  Eat it straight out of bowl. 

http://wholesome-cook.com/2012/01/27/5-things-to-make-with-sauerkraut-other-than-a-reuben/

Thanks for the link and the fresh ideas.  Looks like I could sub Kimchi in any of these.  Yum.

[The Borgs]

Very much like the look of some of those recipes, thank you Bob (particularly the dumplings). The only one that raises my eyebrow a bit is the smoothie, have you tried it?

[DavidAnnArbor]

Sandor Katz has sauerkraut making recipes on his website www.wildfermentation.com

I have some sauerkraut that I made from cabbages harvested in my garden. Because the weather was warm, I allowed the sauerkraut to ferment up to the right amount of flavor, and then I had to refrigerate it to prevent the Kraut from going bad. It has a very acidic quality because of the lacto bacillus bacteria fermenting sugars into lactic acid, which is a different flavor from the vinegar based (acetic acid) sauerkrauts you buy at the supermarket.

In the crock I weight the plate that covers over the chopped cabbage with a glass jug filled with water.  That way the cabbage and brine never comes into contact with anything other than glass,  food-grade glazed ceramic crock, and ceramic plate.

[DavidAnnArbor]

And one more point. Let's say your sauerkraut has gone bad, it might just be that the top layer of the sauerkraut has gone bad, but you should try the bottom most layer of the sauerkraut. The bottom most sauerkraut actually might still be good and worth saving in a separate glass jar in your refrigerator.