Homemade Saurkraut

[rokefert]

Just about done with my third batch of kraut this winter.  I made 20lbs this batch.  I make mine in a white 5 gallon bucket.  You can make your own in 5 lb increment batches.  Finely shred cabbage into your bucket and for every 5lbs of cabbage add 1/3 cup pickling salt toss to mix and punch down till hard like a rock.  I do it in 5lb lifts.  Then cover with a kitchen plate that will fit tight with about 1/8th inch gap between plate and bucket.  I then place a 1 gallon plastic jug of water on top to hold plate down.  Then cover bucket with clean cloth to keep dust out and put in a cool area (basement etc).  Check after a week or so for mold, just scoop it away with a spoon.  Mold is part of the deal-it has no effect on it and all kraut will mold on top of the juice that floats over the plate.  After 2 or three weeks when bubbling and molding ends and it smells right its done.  Don't rinse it, just eat it.  You can freeze it or can it for 15 min in a waterbath canner.  I love it, real sour kraut, not the cheap stuff you buy in the store.  Also very cheap to make.  Just thought i'd give everyone something to think about and maybe try this winter.

[JBlk]

I usually make my Kraut by cutting the cabbage with my kraut cutter into a large stone crock.I salt each layer lightly and stomp with a wooden stomp er.I taste the kraut as I make each layer and if it taste too salty I add more cabbage.When I reach the top of the crock I cover it with whole cabbage leaves and weight a wooden cover or a large plate down with a large rock encased in a plastic bag.The salt that I use is usually livestock salt that doesn't contain iodine.I have discovered that by making the kraut in this manner there is very little crud to skim from the working kraut and it has an excellent taste when finished.I usually can my kraut when its finished working but you can use it right out of the crock if you so desire.The trouble with the canning procedure is that the kills the lactic acid formed by the kraut when working so it is not as beneficial.I usually use late flat dutch cabbage but I have also tried others.

[bilmac]

Thanks for the recipes guys, I've tried several times to make kraut but it has never been much good. I see a couple things I may have done wrong, I never packed it when I was filling me bucket, and I may not have waited long enough for it to finish fermenting.

[boondocker]

We can ours but my grandma left it in the crock in the cool basement and worked out of there. Seperated basement tho as it had quite the odor. Tried that with my wife,only lasted a few months had to can it lol.  Boon