Wellll, I don't think you'll find anyone making sauerkraut right now unless it's our friends down under [waves to Colleen]. A fall activity for sure. I don't know if you've done a search on here but there are a number of threads about it. Below I linked to one from last year that has a lot of good information. There's a follow up thread a few months later that you might enjoy too where Michael tells how his is doing.

Here is a link that might be useful: Sauerkraut

I'll be making kraut again this year. Hopefully I won't have the drama that I've had in years past.

Last year's batch came out OK, but as you saw at the end of that thread, fermentation stopped early for some reason and the kraut wasn't as sour as I would have liked. It still had a mildly sweet taste to it, probably from unconverted sugars.

In any event, as far as I'm concerned, there's simply no substitute for REAL fermented sauerkraut.

I don't heat process my sauerkraut because it destroys all the good-for-you live cultures. I make it by the quart and refrigerate it. Check your library for a copy of "Wild Fermentation" by Sandor Ellix Katz. -Grainlady

Here is a link that might be useful: Wild Fermentation - Making Sauerkraut Easy

I also know people who freeze sauerkraut, although I can mine. I won't be making any this year either, I still have some left from two years ago, that year I canned 55 quarts or so. (grin)

I ferment mine the old fashioned way, in a crock with salt, and then hot pack it and water bath can it. It doesn't take up freezer space that I don't have and my 25 year old purchased-used-with-bungee-cords-for-door-shelves 16 CF refrigerator doesn't have room either, LOL. I'll replace it when it quits working which has to be someday, then maybe I'll have more room.

Annie

Thanks NJ. I did do a search before I posted my questions, but I should have looked up the correct spelling first -- LOL.

I'm still wondering if anyone has used Allen Smith's method of making kraut (easier to spell, grin).

Grainlady, thanks for the link, makes it all seem so safe and simple. I made kraut when I was in HS from grandma's recipe, back when I didn't know what I didn't know, and it turned out good as I recall, and no one died. But now 40 years later, I am a state certified safe food handler, and I read all the caveats and cautions on this thread and on the Harvest thread, and I am just a little concerned that I am going to poison myself or my family!!

This fermentation business, for kraut and cucumbers seems to me like controlled spoilage, that if you don't get just the right bacteria going that the bad ones are going to move in and take over, spoiling your product and wreaking havoc and destruction on a three county area. I read the fermenting info on the NCHFP website as well as others, and it all sounds certain, but there's always that little bit of a chance that the whole thing will head south.

I have beautiful, organically grown cabbage in my garden this year, so I am going to try making kraut again, but I will probably overthink the whole process and worry myself into throwing it out and buying it at the grocery store.

Tell me I'm over reacting!!

Steve

A coupla more thoughts: No one has mentioned the use of vinegar in their sauerkraut. I'm wondering if this bypasses the fermentation process, or if it enhances it (I'm not familiar at all with fermentation). In the link you provided, NJ, I do see a recipe for using pint jars but, again, no vinegar.

My cabbage is spring-planted, therefore the summer harvest. I'm planting more right now to hopefully beat the frost before it matures.

Kraut is so easy. I use the fermentation method but like Annie there will be none this year. I have sooooooooooo much leftover from last year and maybe even the year before.

Need to do a better job of using it!

Now if I had a bunch of beautiful organic cabbage I'd be making a ton of cabbage rolls! Those I'm out of!

Steve, you are definitely over reacting, LOL. Yeah, yeah, I know. I took all those food safety classes when we owned the bar too, and the Master Canner's course too, but I'm really comfortable making kraut. Grandpa used to ferment kraut in big crocks and it just got dipped out of the crock all winter, kept down in the root cellar. I can mine so it keeps for more than a season.

Sharon/Chase is right, kraut is so easy. I've only once had a batch go moldy, because it was an unusually warm fall and my basement never got really cool enough for it.

sayhellonow, I've never put vinegar in my kraut, nor do I know anyone who does. As far as I can tell, it's not kraut, it's pickled cabbage, which is a whole 'nother product.

Sharon, I need to do a better job of using it too. I know someone here used kraut as a bed for cabbage rolls, now THAT'S a good idea.

Annie

"This fermentation business, for kraut and cucumbers seems to me like controlled spoilage, that if you don't get just the right bacteria going that the bad ones are going to move in and take over"

Steve,

As long as you take a little care with what you're doing, the natural fermentation process to make either pickles or sauerkraut is pretty much bullet proof.

Two or three years ago I lost a batch of kraut because I didn't take enough care as to what I was doing. I let the liquid get too low, which exposed the top layer of cabbage, which then developed a black mold.

I've made kraut and pickles many times over the years, and that is still the only batch I have ever lost.

If you can boil water, shred cabbage, and sprinkle salt, you can successfully make sauerkraut.

Sayhellonow, it seems like the addition of water in P Allen Smith's recipe would make it unkrautlike (maybe the sugar helps it ferment?), but it might be worth a qt. of cabbage to try it...ya never know.

Kframe..."...fermentation stopped early for some reason and the kraut wasn't as sour as I would have liked." Mine did the same thing last year. It's ok, but not as zingy as it should be.

My cabbages are gorgeous, but only the size of a softball.

Thanks so much everyone. I'm going to try several versions and see what works best for me. I have been afraid of the fermentation method because of the potential for mold, but I'm just going to go for it and see what happens. While we've been discussing this, I've put up three quart jars of kraut using Allen Smith's procedure, so it will be interesting to see how it turns out. He claims the vinegar is what makes the mixture "sour" as in "sauer" kraut.

"He claims the vinegar is what makes the mixture "sour" as in "sauer" kraut."

Which to me says "Not real sauerkraut."

Just pickled cabbage.

Michael, I agree. Sauerkraut which has been fermented is just cabbage and salt, and it's not really "sour" like vinegar is, it's a different tangy.

Cabbage with vinegar is going to be pickled, and it'll be sour too, but a different kind of sour.

sayhellownow, I'll be looking forward to your report on the differences!

Annie

Annie