Making Sauerkraut
I don't know if this will help you now, but I have put my procedure into a message for you...
Making Sauerkraut dates back to ancient times. References can be found dating back to the Roman Empire of soaking cabbage leaves in sour wine (vinegar). During medieval times in Poland and Germany Sauerkraut was made by fermenting cabbage mixed with, salt, spices, berries, and sometimes apples.
Cabbage was known to have many medicinal benefits in ancient times; Cabbage leaves were applied to wounds to promote healing, drinking sauerkraut juice was an effective remedy to remove worms in the digestive tract. Barrels of sauerkraut were loaded aboard ships because adding sauerkraut to a sailors diet helped to prevent scurvy. Even today sauerkraut is considered a pro-biotic beneficial to health and well being. Fermented cabbage is credited with cholesterol reduction, aiding in digestion, and has a rich supply of vitamins and nutrients.
We must also recognize the difference between homemade sauerkraut and commercially produced sauerkraut. Only fermented and uncooked sauerkraut provide exhibit these benefits because it contain living organisms which are beneficial to our heath. Canned, pasteurized, and cooked sauerkraut are treated with heat which destroy these live organisms.
Making sauerkraut is a very simple process, thinly sliced cabbage and salt are combined, and then allowed to naturally ferment to produce what we know as sauerkraut. Some recipes add juniper berries, caraway seeds, pickling spices, and even apples to add flavors to the finished product. Others recipes also include the addition of carrots, celery, and sometimes onions to add multiple colors and texture, while other recipes call for the use of red cabbage to make pink sauerkraut.
Starting out....
Items needed before purchasing the cabbage are:
1) Cabbage slicer - This can be anything from a sharp slicing knife and cutting board to a large mandolin slicer. If you do not have a mandolin, I would not buy one for your first batch of sauerkraut. Wait until after you have made your first batch to see if this is something you wish to continue to make in the future before investing.
2) Fermentation container - This can be anything from a quart canning jar, a gallon jar, a crock, a five gallon bucket, or a specially designed fermenting container. Make sure your container is rated as "Food Safe" for personal safety. Five gallon buckets from pickles are rated as "food safe" but for those that are not, a "food safe" liner can be used inside the bucket or container. Using quart jars also makes easy storage when fermentation is completed, simply move them to the refrigerator. Special fermenting crocks actually have an air-lock built into them to prevent oxygen from entering the container. A brewing/wine making air-lock can be used when sealing jars or a five gallon bucket to achieve the same results.
3) Food Scale - Cabbage and salt should always be measured to insure correct measures with proven consistent results. Accuracy is always an asset and will help you to achieve the same great results time and time again.
4) Air-lock - The use of an Air-lock is optional, but should be preferred for the fermenting process. The reason for using an air-lock when making sauerkraut is to prevent air which contains oxygen from entering the fermentation vessel. The presence of oxygen promotes the formation of molds on top of the sauerkraut. That is why the scum must be skimmed off the top every day when using an open container for fermentation. The use of an air-lock allows gasses to escape during fermentation, but prevents air from entering the container, cutting off the supply of air will inhibit and kill any mold growth.
5) Potato Masher - Or something similar that will fit inside the container to compress and bruise the cabbage to help release the water/liquid contained within the cells.
6) Pickling Salt - Salt should be weighed not measured! Due to the varying sizes of salt crystals, you will find a cup of kosher salt weighs much less than a cup of table salt.
Use only picking salt, natural sea salt, or natural rock salt, other salts often have anti-caking agents added and some table salts have iodine added as well. These additives will make the brine cloudy and unappealing as well as the ability to produce undesirable results.
7) A Weight - Holds the thinly sliced cabbage below the liquid to prevent spoilage and exposure to air. This can be anything from a cabbage weight designed to be used in the fermenting pot, a mason jar filled with water, or a boiled rock (to sterilize it) which is then inserted into a zip-lock bag when cooled.
Once you have these items make sure the items are all clean and ready for use.
Always select farm fresh cabbage when possible, it is usually cheaper because you are buying directly from the farm and it has had little or no moisture loss. Rinse the cabbage and remove any bad leaves. Slice the head of cabbage in half and remove the core. Some grate the core and add to the mixture, I myself use it as something to eat while working, or you can just throw it away. Once the cabbage has had the core removed you can cut the head into quarters to allow easier handling if desired. Thinly slice the cabbage about 1/16" in thickness which will produces great consistent results. If this is your first time making cabbage into sauerkraut just do your best, it will all work out. I actually make some thick sliced sauerkraut intentionally to be used with some specific dishes. Slicing that 1/16" can be difficult by hand, this is were a specially designed cabbage slicer can make life easy. Most of these have two or three blades to speed up the slicing process and have a box to securely and safely hold the cabbage without cutting yourself.
Once the cabbage has been sliced, weigh the total amount of cabbage you will be using. Most scales have a tare function that allows you to set the empty container on the scale and then hit the tare button to zero out the scale. Once you have tared the scale add the cabbage to get the total weight of just your cabbage. Most scales have a metric function, I suggest using the metric measuring system because it makes the calculation of salt easier and most importantly more precise and accurate.
Calculate the amount of salt to be used with a 2.25% to 2.50% ratio. this means for 1 Kilogram of cabbage you will use 22.5 grams of salt (a ratio of 2.255% = .0225 times 1 kilogram (1000 grams) simply move the decimal point 3 places which then equals 22.5 grams). Take the total amount of cabbage in Kilograms and multiply by .0225 which will result in the amount of salt to be used. Measure out the salt and set aside.
Layering and compressing the cabbage in your fermenting vessel is a simple task. Simply divide the cabbage for each container into quarters, and then separately divide the salt into quarters as well. In your clean "Food Safe" container evenly spread on quarter of the cabbage and compress with a potato masher or other item of your choice. As you firmly press (not mash) you will hear the cabbage crunch when applying firm even pressure. Work in a circular pattern until all the cabbage has been compressed and lightly bruised. next apply one quarter of the salt and lightly compress again to mix the salt with the juices that have seeped from the cabbage. Liquids may not be visible just yet but as you compress the second time you will hear the squishing sound of the liquid being present. Apply another layer of cabbage compressing it, add more salt, and lightly compress again. repeat the steps until the cabbage and salt are completely used. By the time you add the last layer you will see liquid on the last layer of cabbage and salt. The level of liquid should be just under the top of the cabbage, and as you push down, the liquid will cover it. Sometimes you may have to wait a few extra minutes for all the liquids to seep from the last layer of compressed cabbage.
If you have purchased cabbage from the grocery store it may have lost a lot of moisture, and you may not see enough liquid. In this case you can weigh a pint of water and calculate the additional salt needed to add to the water at 2.25%. This should really be avoided if at all possible because the natural liquids of the cabbage will produce a higher quality sauerkraut.
Once the level of liquid is achieved, place a disk or an upside down plate on top of the cabbage an put your weight in place which will keep the cabbage submerged below the liquid.
If you have an open crock or container, place in a cool dark spot in the basement. Sunlight as well as oxygen can cause spoilage. Check the process every few days until you see slime and scum start to form on the top. Skim this every day to prevent the mold from rotting the sauerkraut. Again this is where I suggest the use of an air-lock when possible. If you are using quart jars, gallon jars, or a five gallon bucket, simply drill a 3/8" hole through the lid(s) and insert a rubber grommet into the hole and insert your air lock with the water in place. As stated above the air-lock prevents the formation of mold which will spoil and ruin the sauerkraut. With an airlock there is no need to skim because the mold cannot survive without oxygen.
If you have a fermenting container with a built-in air lock rim, put your water into the rim and add more water as needed to keep the air from entering the chamber. Again place the in a cool dark spot in the basement, temperatures above 70 degrees will not allow the beneficial bacteria to grow and the product will spoil. Temperatures between 50 degrees and 60 degrees are preferred where enzymes produce alcohol and carbon dioxide during fermentation which are eventually converted into lactic acid and acetic acid. The temperature directly effects the enzymes ability to process the cabbage and effects the final flavor of the sauerkraut. The fermenting process can take anywhere from 20 to 30 days based on temperature.
Once the fermentation is complete, you can put the sauerkraut into jars and refrigerate. I put sauerkraut into vac-seal bags which I seal (use manual button due to liquids) and refrigerate which will last 6 to 8 months easy. Refrigeration almost completely stops the fermentation process and allows a long life in the refrigerator. I have even frozen some without any negative results.
You can eat the sauerkraut cold, or gently warm if desired, as long as you do not cook or make hot you can still gain all the benefits of fresh fermented sauerkraut.
You can preserve sauerkraut by canning and it will be so much better than store bought sauerkraut. Even though canned sauerkraut will not have the digestive aids of fresh, it will still be full of vitamins, minerals, and great taste.
When I cook with sauerkraut I like to rinse and drain it, add some fried onions, a little bit of white wine, and a touch of brown sugar, it takes it to another level to compliment the flavor of the meat/sausage rather than overpower it.
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