# The Luxury of Home Fermented Sauerkraut



## Metalman (Dec 8, 2012)

My wife and I are living proof that senior citizens can learn new tricks, in this case, developing our procedure to home ferment sauerkraut that we think is as good as any supermarket product we ever purchased and better than a significant portion of supermarket kraut.


We retired from our 40+ year technical careers during 2013 and are standing up what we hope to become a successful market garden and orchard in central Texas. Two events caused us to finally try home fermenting sauerkraut. A nearby HEB supermarket advertised cabbage at 4 pounds for $1 and the weather was so nasty outside that we were in risk of developing cabin fever. What better remedy than to try making our first batch of sauerkraut. Actually, wife had tried a batch before we met some 35 years ago and it went so bad she dumped it. A bit of reading indicated the cause of that failure was likely too much salt.


We sliced up about 4 pounds of cabbage and mixed it with the recommended portion of salt and let it sit in a large stainless steel mixing bowl until it collected liquid. We then packed the mixture in a 2-1/2 qt jar that came from Wal-Mart packed with VALSIC dill pickles and left the lid about half tight. We left the jar on our breakfast table to do as it wished. By the next morning the mixture was bubbling away and flooding over the top of the jar, so we sat the jar in a Pyrex pie plate to catch the overflow.


After a week, we tried a taste test or two, and decided to let it ferment longer. By the end of the 2nd week, it was tasting so good we were taking a sample at most meals. I really like to slice up one of the VALSIC dill pickles on top of my serving of kraut.


By the time we were about half way through this initial batch, we were looking for more cabbage to start a second batch. We got more inventive with this second batch by adding ingredients such as pickling spices, sliced radishes, slivers of carrots and a large poblano pepper. This batch really took off with the bubbling and burping over the top of the jar. We have not sampled yet, but hope to do so soon.


The main purpose of this post is to solicit information from others with more experience with fermenting sauerkraut. The book âArt of Fermentingâ contains a paragraph in which one person reported that an attempt to ferment kale was a disaster that was dumped. Have others tried fermenting other vegetables similar to cabbage, such as beet, chard, collard, kale, mustard, turnip or other similar greens?


Of the books we obtained from our local library, âJoy of Picklingâ seems to be the most useful to add to our library. Do other have favorite references for fermenting vegetables?


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## unregistered5595 (Mar 3, 2003)

I don't have a favorite source for information but I do love sauerkraut and naturally fermented pickles, and kimchee/kimchi.

I've found that fermenting them in the basement gives me more of a chance to get mold in them, the icky kind, so now I'll only ferment them on the first floor. It is warmer up here so they ferment faster but less chance of failure.

I read that pickles fermented are 'sours' and 'half sours', the only difference is the amount of salt, the half sours use less salt.

I use a 5 gallon food grade bucket with a plate on top, then a brine solution filled gallon zip lock bag to hold down the plate. I keep the whole contraption next to the kitchen sink, covered in a towel, so I can check it daily.

I've canned sauerkraut and pickles with the pasteurization techniques, and eaten it fresh, it is so much better fresh. Eating it fresh, it is sour, crunchy, delicious and more beneficial as a pro-biotic than canned. Canned though, is good when I don't have anything fermenting. I had a big bowl of it last night with some hot vegetable pickles, and a little sour cream, OH YUM. Sauerkraut on brats and hot dogs, sauerkraut on pizza, sauerkraut in vegetable soup!

I just bought some MORE cabbage (as if 20 cans of sauerkraut should be enough for me), and it is going to be sauerkraut to eat fresh and some kim chi. Cabbage is on sale right now.

If you want to try something new and different, well, Kim chi is not really new, but it is different. I love the stuff, to make soup, to eat just as it is, it is a side dish, goes well with eggs, give it a shot?


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## mathchick (Aug 13, 2013)

dh and I just started a couple of batches of sauerkraut and fermented eggplant a week and a half ago using directions from Art of Fermentation actually!  I can't wait to try it!!!

We've fermented kale and collard greens - gundru (sp?). It's awesome. It smells awful while fermenting, and tastes pretty rotten too - until you dehydrate it (this process also smells gross especially when using kale). Then it's amazing! We especially like it on eggs and baked potato slices. mmmmmmm. All you do is cram as much as possible of you preferred hearty greens into a jar and let it sit for 2 -3 weeks, if I remember correctly.

We've also made kimchi - super simple, and delicious. we learned how to do it from a class and followed the written directions we were sent with. With eggs or rice is my favorite way to eat it.


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## unregistered5595 (Mar 3, 2003)

mathchick said:


> It smells awful while fermenting, and tastes pretty rotten too - until you dehydrate it (this process also smells gross especially when using kale). Then it's amazing!


Most of the fermenting foods smell bad for a while, then, they ARE amazing.
I think it is great you fermented eggplant, I would have never thought of that.


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## mathchick (Aug 13, 2013)

Feather In The Breeze said:


> Most of the fermenting foods smell bad for a while, then, they ARE amazing.
> I think it is great you fermented eggplant, I would have never thought of that.


me neither.  dh started that batch while I was at work. Confused the crap out of me when he reached up to check on a jar that I was expecting to be sauerkraut and what he pulled out looked vaguely like chopped up raw fish packed into brown-ish liquid. I think I actually backed away while yelping.


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## PlicketyCat (Jul 14, 2010)

I make "kraut" with nearly everything that is dense enough. I've successfully fermented shredded beets, turnips, parsnips, cauliflower stems, broccoli stems, kohlrabi bulbs, and fennel bulbs. They're great as a mixed "pickle" chutney/chow-chow, or mixed in with cabbage kraut. Fermented kraut is simply our winter version of cole slaw.

I also make fermented cucumber pickles and fermented garden pickles with carrots, cauliflower florets, green beans and bell peppers. I've also made fermented salsa with tomatoes, tomatilloes, peppers and onions. I've even fermented black beans and soy beans to make some Asian dishes (although those take a long time). And I've made various heats of kimchi (still working to perfect that!).

I've never tried fermented eggplant since both Dh & I are allergic, but I don't see why it wouldn't work. Would probably be lovely in baba ganoush.

One thing I highly recommend for anyone who wants to do small batch fermenting in jars... get fermentation locks! These let the carbon dioxide out without letting oxygen back in, so you can tightly cap your yummies while they are fermenting to keep dust, mold and other beasties out without worrying about your jars exploding. You can find them at home brewing suppliers to retrofit your jars/buckets, and Lehmans have fermenting kits that are built into wide-mouth lids for any canning jar and extra-wide mouth lids that fit a 2 gl jar they also sell.


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## suitcase_sally (Mar 20, 2006)

You can make your own "fermentation locks" by taking a plastic lid that fits your jar and cutting a hole in it with a hole cutter blade on your drill. The hole can be anywhere from 3/4" to 1 1/2 inch. Get an air lock and a rubber stopper with a hole through it from a wine making supply and stick the stopper into the drilled hole and attach the air lock. Your total investment will be about $3.

http://www.midwestsupplies.com/airlock-3-piece-type.html

http://www.midwestsupplies.com/rubber-stoppers-drilled.html


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## unregistered5595 (Mar 3, 2003)

YOU PEOPLE are just full of good stuff.  
PlicketyCat--when you use a fermentation lock, are you saying that I don't have to open it and skim off the foam or scum at all during fermentation? Or are you still skimming it off? Also, the kohlrabi, it probably would be better fermented than dried, I've not ever had enough of it to do either one. I bet the beets really make for a red vegetable mix. 
SuitcaseSally--thanks!
I was just pricing them on Amazon.
http://www.amazon.com/Twin-Bubble-A...=1392917060&sr=8-1&keywords=fermentation+lock
I appreciate the information.


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## unregistered5595 (Mar 3, 2003)

mathchick said:


> me neither.  dh started that batch while I was at work. Confused the crap out of me when he reached up to check on a jar that I was expecting to be sauerkraut and what he pulled out looked vaguely like chopped up raw fish packed into brown-ish liquid. I think I actually backed away while yelping.


lol, raw fish in a brown-ish liquid, how appetizing~!!
I've never had the gumption to add oysters or any seafood to my kimchi, I haven't had enough guts for that. It is often called for in many kimchi recipes none the less.
I used to bring kimchi to work, but the natives there didn't like the smell and would complain. I still subscribe to the notion of bringing in ugly food, then no body will steal it.  

PicketyCat--I didn't know someone could be allergic to eggplant. It is a berry. Does this mean you are allergic to other berries too? I would think you were living in berry heaven up there in AK.


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## mathchick (Aug 13, 2013)

Feather In The Breeze said:


> I used to bring kimchi to work, but the natives there didn't like the smell and would complain. I still subscribe to the notion of bringing in ugly food, then no body will steal it.


hehe. 

I once tried to reduce the number of containers for my lunch by putting kimchi in with the eggs I was going to microwave (since they'll get mixed together anyway). Boy did drama ensue when I stuck the whole thing in the microwave. Funny thing is i didn't even notice after the entire office smelled VERY strongly of kimchi - it just smelled like lunch. I don't fit in with "normal" people very well.


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## light rain (Jan 14, 2013)

Our daughter gave me a pickle book for Christmas. Have the cabbage, the pickle jar and bought the pickle salt yesterday. (Didn't realize I needed a special type of salt). Today the process begins. 

We love fermented foods too. But Feather In the Breeze, I don't think it was the "appearance" that kept you kimchee safe...


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## unregistered5595 (Mar 3, 2003)

light rain said:


> Our daughter gave me a pickle book for Christmas. Have the cabbage, the pickle jar and bought the pickle salt yesterday. (Didn't realize I needed a special type of salt). Today the process begins.
> 
> We love fermented foods too. But Feather In the Breeze, I don't think it was the "appearance" that kept you kimchee safe...


You are right. It was the stench and the looks......they didn't like the unrefrigerated braunschweiger and onion sandwich either.

Good luck on your fermenting journey. You just need non-iodized salt, which you can get right next to the iodized salt, or you can buy the canning salt.


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## PlicketyCat (Jul 14, 2010)

Feather In The Breeze said:


> PlicketyCat--when you use a fermentation lock, are you saying that I don't have to open it and skim off the foam or scum at all during fermentation? Or are you still skimming it off?


The scum at the top is formed by aerobic bacteria and molds on the surface of the water. With a sealed container and fermentation lock, the fermentation is completely anaerobic so no scum forms. 



Feather In The Breeze said:


> Also, the kohlrabi, it probably would be better fermented than dried, I've not ever had enough of it to do either one. I bet the beets really make for a red vegetable mix.


Yes, the kohlrabi is MUCH better fermented/pickled than dried - it's really funky dried  Red beets will dye everything in the jar magenta, which is cool if you're using red cabbage anyway since that does the same thing -- red beets, red cabbage, radishes and hot chiles make a brilliant red & fiery chutney for meat. Golden beets are much better for fermenting with lighter color vegetables, they don't bleed as much and have a slightly higher sugar level to help feed the lactobacillius. Carrots can also bleed a bit, too. Kale seems to bleed more than chard, about the same as red cabbage. It all tastes good, but some color combinations look less than appetizing (broccoli stems turn poopy brown, etc).


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## PlicketyCat (Jul 14, 2010)

Feather In The Breeze said:


> lol, raw fish in a brown-ish liquid, how appetizing~!!


Natives up here ferment salmon heads and seal meat. I'm sure it tastes better than it looks or smells... but I just can't get past the reek. :yuck:



Feather In The Breeze said:


> PicketyCat--I didn't know someone could be allergic to eggplant. It is a berry. Does this mean you are allergic to other berries too? I would think you were living in berry heaven up there in AK.


I didn't know I was allergic at first either since it was never my favorite. I like baba ganoush, and just figured that tingly feeling in my throat and sinuses was from one of the spices. Turns out it was an allergic reaction which got worse with age and exposure. When I got tested, I showed positive for mild allergy to the whole nightshade family... luckily, no problems with potatoes which I love, and only mild reflux and gum tenderness with tomatoes in large doses and peppers in moderate doses. But eggplant really hammers me -- instant congestion, throat closes, major stomach upset. (But hey, eggplant won't grow in Alaskan summers unless you make a black out box for it to simulate night time)

I haven't had any issues with any other berries, thank god! But I do have similar tingly reaction to mango, papaya, and chirimoya. Guess it's good that I live in the arctic and not the tropics LOL!


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## PlicketyCat (Jul 14, 2010)

suitcase_sally said:


> You can make your own "fermentation locks" by taking a plastic lid that fits your jar and cutting a hole in it with a hole cutter blade on your drill. The hole can be anywhere from 3/4" to 1 1/2 inch. Get a air lock and a rubber stopper with a hole through it from a wine making supply and stick the cork into the drilled hole and attach the air lock. Your total investment will be about $3.
> 
> http://www.midwestsupplies.com/airlock-3-piece-type.html
> 
> http://www.midwestsupplies.com/rubber-stoppers-drilled.html


Yep, I added locks to a couple gamma lids for our big batch buckets and they work great.


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## unregistered5595 (Mar 3, 2003)

PlicketyCat said:


> The scum at the top is formed by aerobic bacteria and molds on the surface of the water. With a sealed container and fermentation lock, the fermentation is completely anaerobic so no scum forms.
> 
> 
> Yes, the kohlrabi is MUCH better fermented/pickled than dried - it's really funky dried  Red beets will dye everything in the jar magenta, which is cool if you're using red cabbage anyway since that does the same thing -- red beets, red cabbage, radishes and hot chiles make a brilliant red & fiery chutney for meat. Golden beets are much better for fermenting with lighter color vegetables, they don't bleed as much and have a slightly higher sugar level to help feed the lactobacillius. Carrots can also bleed a bit, too. Kale seems to bleed more than chard, about the same as red cabbage. It all tastes good, but some color combinations look less than appetizing (broccoli stems turn poopy brown, etc).


You are a wealth of information, thank you. I had no idea I could not have to skim the scum if I had a fermentation lock so you've pushed me from 'wanting it' to 'needing it'. Thank you.

I love that red cabbage and beets turn everything red. I'm working on an experiment with red beets dehydrated and ground up to color soap. So far it doesn't do much good in cold process soap (too caustic), and next I'll try it in hot processed soap (or remilled, rebatched soap), to see if I can use it for a colorant. Last night we made some hot process soap, peppermint and fir needle, blue, green, white, and my SO won't even let me cut it until he comes home because he is too excited to see the patterns of the swirls, ha ha. 

The eggplant allergy.......you mentioned mangos too. Mangos are related to poison ivy, so I'm guessing you have an allergy to that too. It's good you know about your allergy reactions. We all should be enlightened to our strengths and weaknesses.

That is awesome that you know about simulating night, for the long days in AK for eggplant. I would have never thought of that either. (among the many things I don't know)
You appear to be a woman thinking outside the box, outside the house, outside most people's areas of thought. Please take that as a compliment. That is how I meant it.


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## PlicketyCat (Jul 14, 2010)

Feather In The Breeze said:


> You are a wealth of information, thank you. I had no idea I could not have to skim the scum if I had a fermentation lock so you've pushed me from 'wanting it' to 'needing it'. Thank you.
> 
> I love that red cabbage and beets turn everything red. I'm working on an experiment with red beets dehydrated and ground up to color soap. So far it doesn't do much good in cold process soap (too caustic), and next I'll try it in hot processed soap (or remilled, rebatched soap), to see if I can use it for a colorant. Last night we made some hot process soap, peppermint and fir needle, blue, green, white, and my SO won't even let me cut it until he comes home because he is too excited to see the patterns of the swirls, ha ha.
> 
> ...


As long as your vessel is completely full or you vac out all the air from the headspace, a lock will keep out the yucky scum. At worst, you'll have a tiny layer of muck at the top that grew before the fermentation gases pushed out all the oxygen.

I think you might be disappointed trying to use red beets or cabbage for magenta/red colorant in soap. I know when I dye fiber, they normlly turn a yellowish browny gray -- pretty, but not red. Red clay or rose madder might work better for soap.

Nope, completely not allergic to poison ivy (or sumac or oak). I can literally roll in the stuff all day and as long as I wash it off before bed I won't get so much as a rash. HOWEVER, both my parents have extreme reactions to poison ivy -- like mutant oozing zombie leprosy. Seems my sister and I ended up with the mango problem instead. But, I always pay attention whenever I eat/encounter something new or related to something I or my family has issues with just to be safe, especially since many allergies only trigger after cumulative exposure. 

You can't garden up here successfully without a decent understanding of photo period effects. We have over 16 hours of daylight the entire growing season. You'd be surprised at how many species and varieties can't tolerate 24 hr sun and need at least a couple hours darkness to bloom or set fruit. Too much sun can be just as much a problem as not enough, so you have to keep an eye out for long day or day neutral everything -- southern varieties need not apply. I can grow cool season crops all summer long with our temps, but if I don't shade them behind tall plants, they'll bolt and get leggy in the sun.

Hehe - I know I'm "out there", so definitely no offense taken


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## unregistered5595 (Mar 3, 2003)

Well this is ALL good to know. I'm glad you are not allergic to many things.

I'm going to try the hot process soap with the beets for coloring, with the idea in mind that I might fail. I just have to try. Hot process soap is much less caustic than cold process soaps. Don't hate me, even if it fails, I need to try. lol
I wish I had a source for rose madder or rose clay.....how would I find that? I mean naturally, not bought, maybe bartered. 

Sometimes I think people forget they have resources on their land. I have one friend that lives on playground sand--she has no soil, while I have soil, I have no sand. If a person had rose clay, would they value it, would they even know it? I'm hoping someway, someone will recognize they have rose clay and offer it on the barter board. 

I have marigold seeds, lots of them, garlic, lots of that, soap, more of that. I keep my ears open for barters on them. 

I will make some sauerkraut and kimchi, and some salsa to ferment, it is all good stuff.


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## PlicketyCat (Jul 14, 2010)

Aha - a natural red soap colorant if you or a barter-buddy has a garden-- ground dried red peppers added at trace or infused in your oil. Should be bright orange at trace, darkening through gel and aging to a bright red with mild orange undertones. It's a good way to use up that old jar of paprika or chili powder for a test 

Madder (_Rubia tinctorum_ or _Rubia cordifolia_) is a hardy climbing evergreen that can be grown in the garden and the roots harvested, pulverized or steeped for the colorant which turns bright red in alkaline solutions (like lye soap). Fermenting the roots further changes the tone of the red. Last I checked, Madder seeds were less than $4 a packet. You might even find some on a seed exchange or fiber craft barter board.

I don't use colorants in my soaps other than whatever color they turn because of the medicinal/functional additives I use. Most of my dye experience is with textile & leather. I've never been able to find a barter source for any of the clay colorings (handy for plaster and milk paint), although I'm sure someone must have some hidden in their yard and just not know it


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## light rain (Jan 14, 2013)

Well, I sliced up the cabbage on Thursday evening and combined with pickling salt and put in a vlasic pickle jar. I had to add more salt and water, heated then cooled to the jar to top it off. A little bubbling that evening but not too much. Since our kitchen is cool I moved the jar into the room where the wood stove is located. Still not much bubbling. I wonder if I put too much salt into the mix. :smack I didn't have a way to know what 4 lbs. of cabbage was.

I'm leaving it percolate and see if I start getting more bubbles. Going out today and buy more cabbage and regular, non-iodized Mortons salt. We or the chickens will always eat the cabbage if things start looking more promising with the sauerkraut. Polish sausage, egg noodles and cabbage, mmmm. :goodjob:


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## mrs whodunit (Feb 3, 2012)

Thats what I need is a case of cabbage.... we are out of kraut.


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## unregistered5595 (Mar 3, 2003)

PlicketyCat said:


> . I've never been able to find a barter source for any of the clay colorings (handy for plaster and milk paint), although I'm sure someone must have some hidden in their yard and just not know it


I would be seriously interested in seeds to grow some colorants! Plickety, you have so much good information! 
I'm a little leery of peppers for colorants--we have some hot pepper allergies here. 
My yard is truly a treasury of small rocks. Worth a small fortune I'm sure.

I think the regular salt to water amount is 6 Tablespoons of salt per gallon. If you reduce it, it will be less salty and less tangy.
http://learningstore.uwex.edu/assets/pdfs/B2087.pdf


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