Sauerkraut FAIL

[NickTheGreat]

Hey all,

Not really sure why I'm posting this here, but I had my first Sauerkraut failure over the weekend.

I'd been doing kraut for 6 or 7 years now, maybe longer. I used to get free cabbage from a gardener friend of mine, but over the last few years I'd been buying store cabbages after St Paddy's. So this year I did the same and kinda forgot about it. I'd let it go for months before, but this was in there since late March . . .

It had plenty of nastiness on top but once I scraped that off, the kraut underneath was too soft. It looked okay, but was really mushy and tasted a little off. I tried to convince myself it was okay, but it wasn't real sour or tangy. Just tasted off, almost bitter. My wife agreed, so I decided to just pitch it.

I realize this was too long and I'm not really even asking a question. More of just a shared misery type of thing! The worst part is I’m out of kraut now, no more in the pantry!

 

[Tom R]

The only time I had a batch go bad was when I tired to ferment it in 70-80F temps. Slimy, squishy, and gross. I threw out three quarts.

Started another batch in more typical mid-low 60s, and had crunchy wonderfulness a month later.

I just started another batch a few days ago, here's a link to my favorite recipe.
I double the cumin and the jalapeno. So tasty!

Southwestern Kraut Recipe (culturesforhealth.com)

 

[NickTheGreat]

I've never tried flavoring mine. My cabbage friend used to do his with garlic, but I alwasy liked it straight up.

The saddest part is this is the first batch my 6-year old really helped with. I don't think it was her doing, and she doesn't really think it is either.

 

[Beer666]

I forgot to put mine back in the fridge and had to chuck it. I found at about a week it was crunchy and a little tangy. I dont cruch the cabbage anymore as i like it crunchy. I top up with 2% brine and mix it with kimchi in wraps.

 

[Evilgrin]

Cabbage
Little bit of carrot shreds
2% salt by veggie weight (No iodine salt) I use Korean Solar salt now. Its sun dried sea salt. Canning salt is fine too.

Salt and weep the cabbage for an hour. Pound it with your kraut packer and stir it up a few times
Pack it TIGHT in a jar with kraut packer. About 1/4 of it at a time. You want it really packed down.
Top off with a cabbage leaf, glass weight and a little 2% brine
Put on a air lock lid....I use Easy Fermenters now
FORGET ABOUT IT FOR 7-10 days in a cool dark place.

After that verify its sour and toss it in the fridge for at least 2 weeks. It will be pucker sour and crunchy. This never fails me.