2012-05 Sauerkraut

I had a go at Sauerkraut last year.
Not too good a result. I think I used too much salt and so the fermentation didn't happen very well. Cabbages are 90 cents a head right now and I've kept my eyes out for a good vessel for 'krauting and found a candidate a month back so lets do this properly this time:

Parts:
Cabbage.
Salt.
(some call for juniper berries but I have none)

Tools:
Kraut Crock.
Good knife and chopping board.
Tea towel.

The crock I found for $1 at an op-shop. I looks like the inner bowl of a dead slow cooker. It's perfect: Parallel sides so it's easy to pack and weight down without letting light and air in and wide enough to easily pack the cabbage in. I'd like it to be taller then I could do more kraut at the same time.
I have an enamel pot that is a close fit inside and I'll fill with water for a weighted lid. That's it in the photo inside the crock.

Now chop the cabbage.

First discard and dark green outer leaves. I cut out a wedge and then finely chopped that.
You can not chop too fine but it must not be pulped or the kraut will be mush.

Put the sliced cabbage in the crock to depth of about 10cm.

Salt lightly. I used about the amount of salt I'd use salting a tray of oven roasted vege' and spuds.

Pack the layer down. Really hard. I leant down on my fist around the edges and then packed in the middle. It gets crushed and stays down if its done well.

Chop more cabbage and pack in another layer salting before packing as you go.

before packing

after packing

I just got the whole cabbage in so maybe the crock is a good size.


By the time I was finished it was starting to get damp. This is the idea: the salt draws out the cabbage juice and it ferments in it so the damp is a good thing.

Now put on the lid and press it down. You should get cabbage juice rise to the brim of the crock.


Leave this somewhere handy for the first day and each time you pass it press the weighted lid down.


After that put it somewhere cool and cover it with the tea towel. I put it on a

plate too to catch any cabbage juice overflow: The cabbage will pack down as it ferments and becomes tender and the weighted lid might push out the juice.


Check it after a week or so and remove any bloom.


In two weeks it should be done.


It does not need to be washed before cooking. I put it in a pot with sliced green apple, some bay leaves and pork spare ribs and simmer for 1 hour then eat with boiled buttered spuds.