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Refrig Shelf Life of an Opened Bag of Sauerkraut?

Bumblebeez SC Zone 7

14 years ago

Any ideas? I am finding the time varies wildly on the web. I've had a bag in there for about a month and wonder if I should throw it out. Or, buy a pork roast today while out shopping. This cooler weather is making me want it again!

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Comments (8)

lindac
14 years ago
Sourkraut keeps forever.....nearly!
What's to go bad? it's already sour and fermented!
I would say unless it gets dried out, don't worry and keep until it's gone.
Linda C
Bumblebeez SC Zone 7
Original Author
14 years ago
Well, some food safety sites say a week.
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lindac
14 years ago
There are many many sites that say that it'll keep 6 to 9 months or more as long as it's covered with brine.
I couldn't find one spot that said a week.

Think about it? what could happen? Go rancid? no fat! Botulism? Too acid? Salmonella? again too acedic, mold? Too acid.

Buy the pork and don't worry about it.
Linda C
grainlady_ks
14 years ago
I like to check the web site - StillTasty.com as a quick guideline for shelf life of foods and the link below might help you out. -Grainlady

Here is a link that might be useful: Still Tasty - sauerkraut
annie1992
14 years ago
I think it depends on the kind of sauerkraut. Homemade stuff will last nearly forever, it's truly fermented, we used to have a big crock in the basement and just take kraut out of it all winter as we wanted it.

The commercial stuff is different, though, I'm not sure it's even fermented, it's more pickled, or something. As the link Grainlady added shows, the refrigerated stuff lasts longer than the canned stuff, probably more preservatives!

I see the bagged refrigerated stuff is good for months, the canned stuff only days. I also know that the guidelines are very, very conservative, they do not say that the food is spoiled after that date, sometimes it's the quality that suffers although the food is still perfectly safe.

Would I eat it? Does it smell OK? Is it firm? If it smells bad, is moldy (duh) or is soft and mushy, I'd toss it. Otherwise I'd buy the pork! And yes, I know that not all food that looks good, feels good and tastes good is still OK, but those are all factors in the decision making process.

Annie

Annie
Bumblebeez SC Zone 7
Original Author
14 years ago
Thank you everyone and grainlady, thank you especially for that link.
It is the opened, jarred (or canned - never at my house!), unrefrigerated kind that is 5-7 days. I have the bagged, refrigerated, opened and that will last 6 months. Since we eat approx. 2/3 cup or less a month, I'm glad it's a keeper!

I did buy pork loin halves today, bogo, and as I cut those in half, I now have 3 pork loins for the freezer and 1 in the refrigerator for tonight. And plenty of sauerkraut for each meal.
cooksnsews
14 years ago
I'm reminded of the story Hubs tells about when he was young, single, and stupid... He opened a can of 'kraut for supper, and stored the leftovers in the fridge, in the same cheapo aluminum pot he warmed it in. The next day he had a cheapo aluminum sieve, and 'kraut juice all over the lower shelves of his fridge.
sally2_gw
14 years ago
Oh, wow. That's some sauerkraut!

I've never seen bagged kraut.

I've kept the jarred kraut for weeks, and then eaten it. The problem is that the jars of kraut are so large it's hard to eat it all, even with a whole family eating it. Then, you don't want it day in and day out, so it sits in the fridge till the next time you decide to have hot dogs or whatever. I don't like the canned stuff as well, so what can you do. Does it freeze?

Sally

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