oakspoor

Recipes 

I'm new to this forum and thought I'd just ask-

Has anyone made their own sauerkraut? Would you share your recipes or methods?

I'd like to give this a try and it is a fermented food so who better to ask than fermenteurs?

Yooper

Recipes 

Yes, I've made it.

You thinly slice the cabbage, and then pound salt into it in a crock, a layer at a time. I used a mortar and pestle type "pounder". When you have enough, put a plate over it with a weight so that it's pressed down. Put it someplace coolish, but not cold. Wait. Skim off the scum every few days, and smash it back down and weight it again. It should be ready in 2-3 weeks.

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Whippy

Recipes 

I've added some peppercorns to mine and it is great! My #1 tip would be to start eating the sauerkraut when it tasts good, not when some recipe on the internet SAYS it will be done. I ruined my first batch by waiting too long to eat it.

I think I will make some this weekend, thanks for the idea!

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Two weeks to ferment, two more in the kegs
but in just one night it was drained to the dregs

oakspoor

Recipes 

Thanks, Yooper. This sounds much simpler than many of my endeavors.

Glad to share a craving Whippy. Do you use the peppercorns along with fennel and/or celery seed or instead of them? They would add a nice dimension I hadn't considered.

Airplanedoc

Recipes 

There is a good video podcast from the guys at basic brewing where they made sauerkraut.

But the basics are laid out above.

http://www.basicbrewing.com/index.php?page=video

March 12,29

SaccharoVices

Recipes 

FWIW- sausagemaker.com has the best crocks available (I'm in no way connected to their company, I am just recommending them based on my experience from buying various sausage making products) I would really like to try sauerkraut- my cabbage crop was an 80% loss this year

devilbrewer75

Recipes 

A little warning it's really easy to overdo the salt. And don't fear the mold just skim it, it does look nasty though.

dylan6668

Recipes 

2-3% salt by weight of cabbage is enough. Try to keep the cabbage under the brine.
tasty!

CreamyGoodness

Recipes 

For what it is worth, can I mention that fermenting saur kraut and dill pickles is what got me into home brewing in the first place? Cooking is a gateway drug to drinkin' ;-).

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Buck_Dooley

Recipes 

Don't forget that adding red cabbage gives you the nice pink hue.