My first venture into kraut

[jcam222]

I’ve really been hooked by fermenting the last few months. Have countless pepper ferments going and a few dozen sauces bottled. I probably eat a 5 oz bottle of my habanero garlic a week. I put that and my hot Hungarian pepper sauce out with the cheese tray and people gorged. Quite a few bottles went hime with folks. The Hungarian sauce was a hit. It was fermented local hot Hungarians that I added some mustard powder too. Pretty tasty. Anyway I finally got a couple more cases of half gallon jars so started the kraut today. Pretty basic using roughly 1 1/2 t sea salt per lbs of cabbage. The green batches have caraway, mustard seed and juniper Berry added. The red are going to be my “fire kraut”. Each has 4 super hot peppers in the bottom. Mostly reaper, ghost and brain strain. Looking forward to these just before Christmas. Also added a crock to my Christmas list.

 

[SmokinEdge]

Oooooo, you will enjoy that Jeff. Home ferment is the bomb. Been doing this a while, and so different than anything you anywhere else. Kinda like cure meat, I guess. Enjoy.

 

[BrianGSDTexoma]

Wow all sounds so good. I gotta get on board with this. That garlic sounds amazing.

 

[xray]

I bet those will be good Jeff! The fire kraut sure does sound interesting.

 

[smokerjim]

Looks like some good stuff Jeff.

 

[bill ace 350]

Nice.

something i still need to try.

 

[BandCollector]

jcam222

Those look great!!!

That is something I would love to get into. Where did you get your information/instructions/recipes for this process?

Thanks, John

 

[chopsaw]

I want to try it too . I just can't get it to make sense to me . The what to do and how to part .
BTW , that all looks great .

 

[jcam222]

I used a couple different links but it seemed to only vary from person to person on amount of salt. I settled in on 1 1/2 t per lbs of cabbage. I’m using half gallon wide mouth mason jars with weights and air locks I bought on Amazon. I did sanitize them using Steramine tablets in a sink of hot water. I can link those if needed. I shredded cabbage with a mandolin. Each shredded head went into a big bowl with its salt and spices. After about 15 minutes you squeeze and work the cabbage to get juice out of it. Once it’s nice and juicy you put it in the jar. I got a kraut stick which is pretty much just a wooden stick to press and pack the cabbage down in the jar. You want the juice to completely cover the cabbage. I then took nice big cabbage leaves I save to cover the cabbage and then glass weight on top of that. It’s important to make sure all the cabbage is covered in brine. That’s what keeps the good bacteria going and the bad bacteria out. Screw on the lid with airlock , pour vodka in the airlock to cover holes of the insert. (This will make sense when you see the airlock). For any that have bits of leaf above the brine still add brine. You can make a brine with 1 1/4 t sea salt per cup of distilled water. Into the dark closet in a spare bedroom and now to wait a few weeks.

 

[mr_whipple]

Ok... i gotta ask. Vodka? Cheap stuff or top shelf?

 

[SmokinAl]

I bet that would make a killer Reuben!
Al

 

[jcam222]

Ok... i gotta ask. Vodka? Cheap stuff or top shelf?

Just cheap stuff in the airlock.

 

[jcam222]

UPDATE: I tried the kraut last week at the 3 week mark. Was tangy but still a bit salty. Today at the 4 week mark it’s perfect. The salt brine taste gone and perhaps some of the best kraut I’ve ever had. It’s still nice and crunchy and the kraut flavor is perfect. Packed up a batch of the red fire kraut too. The brine near the top was not spicy however once I paired the half gallon into a container and mixed it all has a serious zing to it. I’ll be making kraut many more times for sure.

 

[BrianGSDTexoma]

I probably eat a 5 oz bottle of my habanero garlic a week.

While I doing the Kimchi would also like to do this garlic you speak of. When have time can you post how you do them?

 

[yankee2bbq]

UPDATE: I tried the kraut last week at the 3 week mark. Was tangy but still a bit salty. Today at the 4 week mark it’s perfect. The salt brine taste gone and perhaps some of the best kraut I’ve ever had. It’s still nice and crunchy and the kraut flavor is perfect. Packed up a batch of the red fire kraut too. The brine near the top was not spicy however once I paired the half gallon into a container and mixed it all has a serious zing to it. I’ll be making kraut many more times for sure.

That’s awesome! I’m jealous. This is on my wish list. Thanks for sharing.

 

[jcam222]

While I doing the Kimchi would also like to do this garlic you speak of. When have time can you post how you do them?

Brian it’s an habanero garlic hot sauce. I really don’t have a recipe per se. Ferment a half gallon jar of habanero peppers sliced in half for 3 weeks or more. In a high speed blender mix them with a couple cups or more of the brine. ( I judge by taste and consistency) I adjust flavor with garlic powder and salt. If the taste is bitter I work with a little artificial sweetener and tad of vinegar. It’s a sweat producing process as I taste it repeatedly 8-10 times or more before I am satisfied lol. I love the sauce a lot as do my buddies who devour it. Need to make another batch soon. I’ve got 4 or 5 jars ready anytime.

 

[BrianGSDTexoma]

I was thinking of something completely different but do want to make. Thanks

 

[BrianGSDTexoma]

You going to turn me into a fermentation junky! Looking at one of these E-Jen Premium Kimchi, Sauerkraut Container Probiotic Fermentation with Inner Vacuum Lid Round . Pretty cool.

 

[jcam222]

You going to turn me into a fermentation junky! Looking at one of these E-Jen Premium Kimchi, Sauerkraut Container Probiotic Fermentation with Inner Vacuum Lid Round . Pretty cool.

It’s quite addictive lol! I’ve got a closet full of ferments going. Will be adding a crock when I feel better.

 

[Nefarious]

I used a couple different links but it seemed to only vary from person to person on amount of salt.

Wow, glad I read your post. My wife loves kraut but can't eat most store bought because of the salt, she is very sensitive. I hear about it with every meat I smoke.

When you used the ratio you used could you taste the salt very much? If you remember, whats the smallest amount from what you looked at?