Last year’s kraut wasn’t as tart as I would have preferred, and it was a bit crunchier than I preferred. I thought it was because I had not let it ferment long enough so this year my plan was to let it ferment at least 6 weeks.
When the cabbage was on sale at Aldi in mid-September, my head told me that was too early for kraut making because it’s still so darned hot here. I so desperately need a basement and you know . . they have really good basements in MO. 🙂
My tummy was telling me . . even though it’s still warm, you’re out of homemade kraut . . so I went ahead and made it on September 12.
Cabbage Fermenting for Kraut
This past Sunday, after just 4 weeks of fermenting, I checked the kraut and I thought it was perfect. I had Vince taste it and he said he was happy with it so yesterday, it all got put into jars.
Kraut
Eight quarts and one pint! Not bad from 5 heads of cabbage that were on sale. I’ll give some of this to Nicole, who loves kraut and Chad . . Mr. Picky Eater . . won’t touch it. This isn’t enough kraut to last us through the year so hopefully it will be on sale again around New Year’s and I can get more and make another batch.
We use it a lot on sandwiches and we have sandwiches a lot for lunches. I like it other ways but having it on sandwiches almost every day really uses it up quickly.
Good stuff!
Teresa says
Do you just refrigerate it? I know if you process it, you kill the beneficial bacteria, so I have a big jar of it in my fridge. I did can it one year and loved it that way, also. That batch wasn’t as tangy as we like it, so whenever I used a jar, I just added a tablespoon of ACV and it brought up the tang a bit. I just lost 3 home grown cabbages I had put in our cold cellar. It just wasn’t cold enough, so they rotted. I got busy and forgot to check them. They were a soggy, stinky mess when I finally did look. Thank goodness I had put them in plastic bins! Still a bear to clean up, though.
Patti Tappel says
We made about 10 gallons of turnip kraut friday. We bought the turnips at the Mennonite produce auction.
sharon says
I also would like to know if once you jar it, where one can keep it. Is it like pickles, or do you have to keep it cool?
Pat says
Can almost taste that kraut. Loved it when my mom started the kraut. Got to taste all the way through the process. Love homemade kruat
wanda j says
Why nor grow you some? Will the rabbits eat it up before you get some?. I grow it here and leave it in the ground till I’ve got to have the space for late spring stuff. I’ve gotten heads that were about 12 pounds. Had collard green plants that stayed 2 years in garden till stalks got about 6 inches around and we moved.They store in ref for many months more. Just wondering.
Evelyn says
Over here (Austria) a mixed salad often has kraut. Also, the newspaper ran a recipe for kraut pie this week. That is something I have never tried before, but one of these days I am going to make it! Cheers! Evelyn