Guest guest Posted August 6, 2005 Report Share Posted August 6, 2005 Howdy, I'm considering making large quantities of fermented vegetables (5 gallons at a time). Things like sauerkraut and pickled beets. The only problem is what to do after I'm done making it. How on earth do I store 5 gallons of sauerkraut? It certainly won't fit in the fridge. I have a basement, but the temperature is usually about 70-75 degrees, which is probably too high for storing sauerkraut. How do y'all recommend I store 5 gallons of fermented vegetables? Brad Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 6, 2005 Report Share Posted August 6, 2005 >I have >a basement, but the temperature is usually about 70-75 degrees, which >is probably too high for storing sauerkraut. How do y'all recommend I >store 5 gallons of fermented vegetables? > >Brad There is a fermenting group where this has been discussed. nutrition Its' a good group for concentrating on fermented Nourishing Traditions stuff. People have different solutions. Some people do just keep them out in the garage, and it seems to work for them. It probably works best when there is a good bit of salt in the vegies. Traditionally they were kept in a " cold cellar " ... one could bury a garbage can in the soil and it would stay at a nice temp, I think. I have an extra fridge though. You can pick up a used fridge for not much, put it out in the garage, and just set the temp a little higher than usual. My goal one of these days is to dig a cold cellar ... good for keeping wine too. Heidi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 6, 2005 Report Share Posted August 6, 2005 > Howdy, > > I'm considering making large quantities of fermented vegetables (5 > gallons at a time). Things like sauerkraut and pickled beets. The only > problem is what to do after I'm done making it. How on earth do I store > 5 gallons of saurkraut? It certainly won't fit in the fridge. I do have > a basement, but the temperature is usually about 70-75 degrees, which > is probably too high for storing sauekraut. How do y'all reccomend I > store 5 gallons of fermented vegetables? > > Brad Hi Brad, I make fermented veggies in my 15L (4 gal) Harsch Crock. I defeat the 90+ degree Houston weather by placing the crock in a 66L Igloo Ice Cooler I got from Wal-Mart (it's almost a perfect fit). By placing ice in the cooler every 2-3 days or so, the temperature remains around 40- 60 degrees (depends how often and how much ice I add and/or drain off the water). I ferment my veggies for about 6 weeks before placing them in the fridge. I see no reason why the veggies cannot remain in the cooler longer--which would essentially be makeing the cooler a storage container. Ken Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 8, 2005 Report Share Posted August 8, 2005 Sauerkraut has been around for a long time, longer than refridgeration. As I understand it, Kim-chee (the original sauerkraut) was traditionally made in the fall, as the weather cooled. It was stored in a hole in the ground to protect it from frost. It would keep vegetable nutrients available all winter. You could follow that approach: only make it in the fall. In the summer eat locally grown, organic fresh produce. If you insist on warm-weather kraut, a bit more salt will make it keep longer. -Jay > > Howdy, > > > > I'm considering making large quantities of fermented vegetables (5 > > gallons at a time). Things like sauerkraut and pickled beets. The > only > > problem is what to do after I'm done making it. How on earth do I > store > > 5 gallons of saurkraut? It certainly won't fit in the fridge. I do > have > > a basement, but the temperature is usually about 70-75 degrees, which > > is probably too high for storing sauekraut. How do y'all reccomend I > > store 5 gallons of fermented vegetables? > > > > Brad > > Hi Brad, > > I make fermented veggies in my 15L (4 gal) Harsch Crock. I defeat the > 90+ degree Houston weather by placing the crock in a 66L Igloo Ice > Cooler I got from Wal-Mart (it's almost a perfect fit). By placing ice > in the cooler every 2-3 days or so, the temperature remains around 40- > 60 degrees (depends how often and how much ice I add and/or drain off > the water). > > I ferment my veggies for about 6 weeks before placing them in the > fridge. I see no reason why the veggies cannot remain in the cooler > longer--which would essentially be makeing the cooler a storage > container. > > Ken Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest guest Posted August 8, 2005 Report Share Posted August 8, 2005 Jay: >Sauerkraut has been around for a long time, longer than >refridgeration. > >As I understand it, Kim-chee (the original sauerkraut) was >traditionally made in the fall, as the weather cooled. It was >stored in a hole in the ground to protect it from frost. It would >keep vegetable nutrients available all winter. The Koreans make kimchi all year round too. Kimjang is in the fall, for the cabbage winter kimchi, but different types are made in the spring and summer, featuring produce that is ready then. Kimchi is served with *every* meal, sometimes several types with one meal. The " hole in the ground " stays cool in the summer too. The pioneer folks did the same thing in the US using a " cold cellar " or a hole dug under the house (sometimes even in the livingroom, in those one-room dirt-floor cabins). My great-great grandma though, just had a barrel for kraut out on the front porch. She didn't seem to work to keep it cool, but she may have used more salt as you mention. Probably there isn't as much temperature variation in a big ol' barrel though, as there is in a little mason jar. These days the Koreans tend to have an extra fridge, for the kimchi, or those styrofoam picnic containers. Heidi Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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