Friday 7 June 2019

Homemade Sauerkraut - Part The First

I love sauerkraut, and thankfully so does Mr P.  Well, he eats it readily, unlike seafood, much to my dismay.  All those unmade prawn and crab dishes ...  I've been making a dish which we call Polish Cabbage (borrowed from a Polish-Australian actress's recipe) for many years.  It consists of cabbage, bacon and lots of sauerkraut, so this winter I am determined to make my own sauerkraut for it at last.  



sauerkraut crock fermenting away in our walk-in robe  

Our gorgeous potter friend Miss B. made me a wonderful sauerkraut crock this year, which I have been dying to try.  Now that the weather is more suitable to the making and the eating thereof, I am giving it a red-hot go!  'Double, double, toil and trouble.  Fire burn, and cauldron bubble' - as the three witches said in Macbeth.  Hopefully there won't be too much bubbling - or  trouble:-)   


ingredients:


1kg. white cabbage - aka green cabbage

15g. sea salt or any good quality salt flakes

3 bay leaves

4 black peppercorns


Method:


Peel off the outer leaves of the cabbage, and take out the core

Shred finely with a sharp knife till you have lovely, small slivers

Pack it down into your very clean crock or jar, in layers, sprinkling some salt on each layer

Give each layer a bit of a pounding before adding the next layer

Now you pound for anything from five minutes to fifteen!  You will start to see clear liquid at the bottom of your crock

When your arms are about to fall off, stop pounding, add the bay leaves and peppercorns, whack on the weights if you have them, or fill a very clean (large) ziploc bag with water and lay that on top of your well-pounded cabbage

If the cabbage is not completely submerged in liquid, make up a cup of brine (or two if needed) and pour over

Now let it sit in a cupboard or some dark place in your house, with a tea towel over the top

Check it every day to see if it is starting to bubble and ferment; and make sure the cabbage is still completely submerged

Now here's the important part:  if it looks fuzzy, or green or disgusting or smells foul, you will have to start again!  If it has a bit of white scum or foam on top, that's okay.  Just scoop it out as you see it, or when you refrigerate it after the fermenting period.  Basically, use your common sense.  If it just doesn't seem right to you, start again

The fermentation process can take from one to three weeks, depending on how tangy you like it to be

Part two: the unveiling, will be coming in another post

I had to add 1 cup extra brine, so I made up 1 cup water to 1 tsp salt


Notes:


June to August is peak cabbage season down south here in Australia, so now is the perfect time to make sauerkraut:-)

I had a 1.3kg cabbage which, after peeling off the outer leaves and taking out the core, left me with about 950g.

The usual formula is 1kg of cabbage to 15g of salt, so keep that in mind if you wish to make more than a kilo in one go

If you need extra brine, make up 1 cup of water to 1 tsp salt

You don't have to have a crock to make this, but it is a heap of fun.  Just mix it all together in a large bowl and stuff it into a jar, making sure you let the gases escape each day    

My crock has a moat around the top, into which you pour water.  This seals the crock from the bad guys (hopefully).  So just keep the water level up so your seal remains intact

I checked out a number of recipes for making sauerkraut, in particular from The Healthy Chef, Curious Cuisiniere and The Kitchn blog.  Emma at The Kitchn suggests that you can still keep fermenting even if there is mould!  Just scrape it off, she says, but obvs, use your common sense here.  If it's smelly and looks disgusting, toss it!

I used my wooden cocktail muddler as a sauerkraut stomper.  You can buy one online, or just use your perfectly clean hands, my friends





ingredients gathered



shred the cabbage finely



keep pounding


and pounding


pounding done and brine added



throw in the peppercorns and bay leaves


on go the weights



lid on, and ready for the dark cupboard for 1-3 weeks :-)



All will be revealed in Part Two.  I am praying it doesn't go mouldy or disgusting!




  artwork © Sherry's Pickings

34 comments:

  1. I love sauerkraut (and Kimchee ), but have never made it. Looking forward to reading the second part.

    ReplyDelete
  2. I haven't had sauerkraut in a long time. This Polish recipe sounds wonderful, and I think the bacon makes it. It really spoke to me, as I'm part Polish. I love your green Sherry's Kitchen crock. And what a delightful girl in the background.

    Happy June days.

    ~Sheri

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. hi sheri
      yes i am very fond of that crock. we have a very clever potter friend. the nun lady with the bees is made in a disabled workshop, giving them creative work and helping to create income too. cheers S

      Delete
  3. Great illustration photos - they really help! I need to try this (right after I figure out how to make my own hoisin sauce)!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thanks David. isn't it fun making or trying to make your own versions of foods? I love making my own worcestershire sauce!

      Delete
  4. Love homemade sauerkraut!I haven't made one in a while...love your sauerkraut pot too. So cute!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thanks Angie. I am very fond of my crock:-) cheers S

      Delete
  5. Good luck Sherry! I have never made sauerkraut but I've made kim chi and I love it!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I also make it myself, it's the best☺

    ReplyDelete
  7. My grandmother used to make sauerkraut from scratch and I thank you for detailed recipe since she has never written her down...she made it by heart. Enjoy the weekend !

    ReplyDelete
  8. My uncle always made the sauerkraut in the family (and he was French Canadian, go figure). I'll never forget his massive crock! I've been tempted to make this myself in my much smaller countertop crock; perhaps I'll follow your recipe when the cabbage is in season here. Dorothy

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. hi dorothy
      making things the old-fashioned way is fun. a massive crock indeed:-) mine is quite small ... cheers S

      Delete
  9. What fun Sherry! I remember my granny making sauerkraut and it bubbling away in a wooden crocks in the cellar. I've never made it, so I'm anxious to see the results.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. hi Ron,
      after a week almost, mine still isn't bubbling. i don't know if that's a good or a bad thing:)

      Delete
    2. I wouldn't worry Sherry, I bet they've already finished their bubbling phase.

      Delete
    3. I'm starting to worry Ron. no bubbling or frothing has ensued ... :(

      Delete
    4. I bet it's just fine. When I make kimchi, sometimes it bubbles and sometimes it doesn't. I do know the temperature during fermentation is a factor in the amount of bubbles I get in my kimchi.

      Delete
    5. thanks for the encouraging words Ron. It has been a bit cool lately, and the crock is in a dark little walk-in robe, so... Here's hoping! thanks again. x

      Delete
  10. Fascinating! My mother used to make sauerkraut, and the house smelled like an outhouse! But I never knew what she did. Can't wait for part 2!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. hi mimi
      it seems like everyone's granny or uncle or mum made sauerkraut. obviously it was and is a big thing!

      Delete
  11. I am fascinated by your sauerkraut story Sherry. I made a large batch today as well, two cabbages worth, phew, and many interruptions along the way. We love it. Recipe on my blog, and I use 1 tablespoon salt to 800g cabbage and add caraway seeds. Seems to work. Definitely can't make it here during Summer. Best wishes, Pauline

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. hi pauline
      yes i am hoping my sauerkraut turns out okay without blowing up! Will check out your recipe soon. cheers S

      Delete
  12. Sherry, I've always wanted to make my own sauerkraut - thanks for sharing the recipe! Your crock is so pretty!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. thank you Kelly. yes i love my crock:) Hoping the sauerkraut turns out ok!

      Delete
  13. Looking forward to following the adventure. A tip to stop small slices of cabbage floating up to the surface and being exposed to air is to cover the whole lot with a large cabbage leaf, folder over, then the weight on top.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Mm I'm starting to worry! my cabbage hasn't risen or bubbled or frothed or done anything... It may be a dud:(

      Delete
  14. What a fun project! I've never made sauerkraut, and probably won't -- mainly because I can buy reasonable decent stuff at a couple of stores. But I love the idea of making it -- looking forward to seeing how yours turns out. Good luck!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. yes we can easily buy good sauerkraut at the shops too but that's not much fun:-) I have fingers crossed that it all works out:-)

      Delete
  15. Good luck - I love your crock - how cool to have your name on it! I love the idea of sauerkraut but am always unsure how to use it! So you store the sauerkraut under the weights?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. hi Johanna
      yes i adore my crock. our potter friend makes such lovely things. The cabbage is still fermenting under the weights; when it's 'done" i.e. finished fermenting, I will stuff it into clean jars. here's hoping all goes well!

      Delete

I would love to hear from you. Please leave your comment and I will reply as soon as I can. If you have problems commenting, please try without your WordPress profile. You can try Anonymous (add your name in the text) or your Google account if you have one.