sauerkraut

gt568

avinabacca wrote: »

You're probably better off making it in earthenware, glass or plastic - the sour juice that comes off the cabbage can stain (or worse, react with!) metal and spoil the batch while it's in there fermenting.

Have you got something like a big, food-grade plastic bucket you can use? That would be a lot better - but metal? I'd probably not use that at all......

(as for re-heating it, though, once it's pickled and ready - metal saucepans are fine)

Hope I've got the gist of what you wanted to know - but if not, give me a shout and we can talk more?

Exactely what I was after....

Am I right in thinking....

Mix cabbage and salt..put in bucket..make sure enough brine comes out...put plate on cabbage and weight down...presumably the liquid now comes over the top of the plate...skim scum off as it ferments?

And how long do I leave it? Ta.

avinabacca

gt568 wrote: »

Exactely what I was after....

Am I right in thinking....

Mix cabbage and salt..put in bucket..make sure enough brine comes out...put plate on cabbage and weight down...presumably the liquid now comes over the top of the plate...skim scum off as it ferments?

And how long do I leave it? Ta.

Yep - this is pretty much it! Just make sure you get the salt and the cabbage thoroughly mixed together as you're filling the bucket, and that the cabbage is well packed-down.

Then a weighted plate on top of the cabbage, leave the bucket in an out-of-the-way place, and wait for the liquid to leach out - you will get scum and mank on the surface, but just skim as much as you can (don't stress too much about getting all of it) off as it forms.

Give it a couple of weeks, then pull the plate and see what's going on under the surface - try a bit, and if it's not quite to your taste leave it a few more days.

Dead easy, really - good luck, let me know how it goes!

gt568

Now that the plate is covered in liquid and weighted down, do I need to clingfilm over the top of the bucket?

avinabacca

Nope, no need at all - it'll not hurt to be exposed to air, and cling-filming over the bucket will stop any CO2 from fermantation being released. The sour juice from the cabbage fermentation will be fine left as it is, so long as you skim the surface scum off when you get the chance.

Really is as simple as that!

gt568

It effin stinks mind, the wife is whinging...

avinabacca

gt568 wrote: »

It effin stinks mind, the wife is whinging...

That's why we put it in an out-of-the-way place (see instructions).

It's early days yet though, but give it a couple more days and see how it goes. Maybe a little later in the week, pull off the lid and look it over. If it smells like sauerkraut (is this what you're smelling?), with a good colour and apperance, then you should be fine.

Follow your nose, though - and if in doubt, chuck it out. Always.

But give it a little more time......

[Deleted User]

I grew up with sauerkraut, oh I loved it and this is one of the recipes we used to have

http://www.sauerkrautrecipes.com/recipe14091.shtml

whiteflag_3

kittie wrote: »

I grew up with sauerkraut, oh I loved it and this is one of the recipes we used to have

http://www.sauerkrautrecipes.com/recipe14091.shtml

mmm! delicious!

just lose the sauerkraute and the sausage, oh and the cabbage

ps pm sent lol!

avinabacca

kittie wrote: »

I grew up with sauerkraut, oh I loved it and this is one of the recipes we used to have

http://www.sauerkrautrecipes.com/recipe14091.shtml

Sounds suspiciously like a plate of Polish bigos I once had - mighty from start to finish

gt568

When it's finished fermenting and I want to jar it, what do I do...

Skim the mold off, and then put it in sterilised jars with the same fermenting brine? Is that right? If so what is to stop bits of the mold I can't skim getting mixed in with the krau IYSWIM...