Anyone make your own sauerkraut?

[masraum]

Just curious. I grew up eating sauerkraut, but it was always store bought. The missus and her family had, I think never had it until I made it. I'm not sure that the kids are fans, but they are out of the house so that's ok. For whatever reason the missus decided she wanted to try making it from scratch. I think it's for health reasons, like eating yogurt and other pro-biotic foods.

We are starting small with a quart jar and red cabbage. I've never had it with red cabbage before. I'm looking forward to some experimentation. I like sauerkraut.

Any thoughts, gotchas, interesting/funny stories or preferred methods or recipes?

[craigster59]

Never made it from scratch. Red cabbage sauerkraut is known as 'blaukraut" in Germany and is very good. The recipe I use is the way it is done in Germany and is waaay better than how most people prepare it.

Sautee one whole onion until translucent, dump jar of sauerkraut in pot. Add one sliced apple and add Knorr chicken bullion to taste. Bring to a boil and let simmer 1 1/2 hours.

You can do the onion/ apple thing for your scratch blaukraut also, maybe skip the Knorr which is high in sodium.

[craigster59]

Also, the German cure for constipation is to drink some sauerkraut juice. These pipes are clean!

[wdfifteen]

I did once a long time ago. I made a 1 1/2 gallon crock full of it. It took a long time for it to ferment and was OK, but a little sauerkraut goes a long way. I never bothered making it again because it was so much work for something I only ate a small amount of. I never thought of trying to make a quart of it at a time.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by craigster59

Never made it from scratch. Red cabbage sauerkraut is known as 'blaukraut" in Germany and is very good. The recip I use is the way it is done in Germany and is waaay better that how most people prepare it.

Cool, I didn't know that.

Sautee one whole onion until translucent, dump jar of sauerkraut in pot. Add one sliced apple and add Knorr chicken bullion to taste. Bring to a boil and let simmer 1 1/2 hours.

Interesting since traditionally sauerkraut is supposed to be fermented cabbage not cooked cabbage, but that sounds like it would taste fairly similar and tasty.

You can do the onion/ apple thing for your scratch blaukraut also, maybe skip the Knorr which is high in sodium.

Yeah, that's something we'll try. Thanks

[masraum]

Originally Posted by craigster59

Also, the German cure for constipation is to drink some sauerkraut juice. These pipes are clean!

Yeah, no schit, sometimes it's a cure looking for a problem. I don't generally have that sort of problem, but a heaping helping of sauerkraut often has the same result. Very, VERY clean pipes. I've never had a colonoscopy, but I think that would be a good prep for one based on what I've heard.

[FMyers]

My wife makes it all the time. She does it for her brother and a lot of other people. I don't like it or the smell, but everyone else seems to love it and can't wait for her to make more. Very simple to make.

[MRM]

My family made it when I was growing up on our farm. The way we did it was very easy. The tools were a large stone crock pot like you buy at an antique store and a big guillotine-style cabbage shredder. A cabbage shredder looks like an old washboard except it has blades where the washboard ridges would be.

You pour a layer of salt in the bottom of the crock and shred a layer of cabbage on top of the salt until you have the salt covered a few inches deep. Then you put another layer of salt, cabbage, etc., until the crock is full. Then you take a wooden lid that will fit inside the crock pot and press on the cabbage. You weigh the lid down with heavy weights. A big rock will do. You stick it on your back porch and wait until it's vile enough that you know its done. I can't remember how it tasted compared to the store-bought stuff, but I remember eating it for years without complaint, so it must have been fine.

[aigel]

Blaukraut <> Sauerkraut. Sauerkraut is only made with white cabbage. Blaukraut is made from fresh red cabbage, not fermented.

I have not made it myself but my family used to when I was a kid and it was exactly done as MRM describes. I would recommend a larger quantity than a quart. Also be careful with sealed containers, there is fermentation, so you will potentially break stuff unless it is open to air.

What is gained by DIY unless you grow your own cabbage and need to preserve it? I buy mine at the Eastern Euro stores, favorite brand is Zergut and also Hengstenberg.

G

[HardDrive]

How do you make a sauerkraut? You ding the door of his Mercedes and don't leave note.

I'll be here all weeks folks.......

[rusnak]

I love sauerkraut. Also, the Japanese make some delicious pickled cucumbers, squash, watermelon rind, etc. The contrasting flavors between sour, salty, and sweet are interesting.

[aigel]

The Koreans are also good. If it can be fermented, it has been done in Korea. I like the kimchi cabbage but also the sprouts.

G

[masraum]

Originally Posted by wdfifteen

I did once a long time ago. I made a 1 1/2 gallon crock full of it. It took a long time for it to ferment and was OK, but a little sauerkraut goes a long way. I never bothered making it again because it was so much work for something I only ate a small amount of. I never thought of trying to make a quart of it at a time.

I read an article a few years back about a family in Ohio. Apparently, the end of every summer they would take a bunch of cabbage and salt down to the barrel in the basement with the kid with the cleanest feet. They would chop/shred a layer of cabbage into the barrel, put the kid into the barrel and have them stomp the cabbage a bit, then add salt, lather, rinse repeat until the barrel was full. They would then cover with a damp cloth and put a weighted board on top fo the cloth. They just had to keep the cloth damp. It acted as a one-way valve allowing the gasses out but nothing in. I guess it was fermenting all winter and gave them sauerkraut all winter. I thought it was an interesting story.

[rusnak]

I was at a shawarma place, and they had some sort of bright pink pickled radish. It was delicious.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by aigel

Blaukraut <> Sauerkraut. Sauerkraut is only made with white cabbage. Blaukraut is made from fresh red cabbage, not fermented.

interesting, good to know, thanks

I have not made it myself but my family used to when I was a kid and it was exactly done as MRM describes. I would recommend a larger quantity than a quart. Also be careful with sealed containers, there is fermentation, so you will potentially break stuff unless it is open to air.

Yep, the top of the jar is not sealed, but is covered. Air can get out.

What is gained by DIY unless you grow your own cabbage and need to preserve it?

I think the assumption is that homemade sauerkraut has bugs that are good for you, but the store bought stuff doesn't. Kind of like the current yogurt/activia craze.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by HardDrive

How do you make a sauerkraut? You ding the door of his Mercedes and don't leave note.

I'll be here all weeks folks.......

I LOLed at that. Thanks.

[masraum]

Originally Posted by rusnak

I love sauerkraut. Also, the Japanese make some delicious pickled cucumbers, squash, watermelon rind, etc. The contrasting flavors between sour, salty, and sweet are interesting.

I lived in Japan when I was younger, but I don't think I ever had much if any when I was there. I know that they do a lot of pickled veggie stuff.

[Skytrooper]

I made it last year. It is good but, no really worth the trouble. The wife and I don't eat enough to justify the whole process, so I just buy it as needed. I am known for my pickles though ! I make lots of them of several different types. I wind up mailing them all over the U.S.

[rusnak]

Originally Posted by Skytrooper

I made it last year. It is good but, no really worth the trouble. The wife and I don't eat enough to justify the whole process, so I just buy it as needed. I am known for my pickles though ! I make lots of them of several different types. I wind up mailing them all over the U.S.

Hmm....I'm curious about those. Can you show some pictures?

[yazhound]

Originally Posted by masraum

I lived in Japan when I was younger, but I don't think I ever had much if any when I was there. I know that they do a lot of pickled veggie stuff.

When and where in Japan? I lived there from 80-82 at Camp Zama. Loved the Kimchi. (yes plenty of Korean restaurants there despite the less than fond felling between the two nationalities)