Lena's Home Made Sauerkraut

[Guest guest]

I made this sauerkraut last year and it turned out great and will

make it again this year.

GB

Lena's Home Made Sauerkraut

by Lena

My husband grows a very large garden every year and I have to

preserve the it to last through the winter. Since we both love

sauerkraut I make sauerkraut each year. After several trials, I found

this to be the best and most certainly the simplest sauerkraut recipe

around!

You will need a very large crock, glass or enamel container

Minimum of 2 heads of cabbage

Kosher salt

Heavy duty food-grade plastic bags or 2 gal freezer bags

Wooden spoon

Some tips here to prevent problems with your sauerkraut:

Never use aluminum utensils!

Absolute cleanliness is necessary for a healthy brew!

I have a very old 5 gallon crock that I use to make my sauerkraut.

But you can use a glass or enamel coated container. Clean and scald

the container well! (I put mine in the dishwasher, but if you wish

you can simply scald by pouring boiling water into the container and

swishing around for no less than 30 seconds)

To prepare the cabbage, remove and discard the outer leaves. Wash and

drain and then cut the cabbages into halves or quarters while

removing the core in the process.

Step 1) Shred Cabbage - I use my food processor for speed and ease.

If you shred by hand, make sure the shreds are no thicker than a

nickel or dime!

Step 2) Mix, with wooden spoon or very clean hands, 5 pounds of

shredded cabbage with 4 tablespoons of Kosher salt (pickling salt

will do but changes the flavor a bit - do not use table salt) and

toss and mix thoroughly until kosher salr dissolves! (You can make as

much as you wish as long as you use the ratio of 5 lbs. cabbage to 4

Tbs. salt.)

NOTE: If you plan on refrigerating and not canning use 3 tbs of salt

not 4!

Step 3) When juice starts to form on cabbage from tossing - Pack the

cabbage firmly and evenly into a clean crock, glass or enamel

container. Press firmly to encourage juice formation. Fill the

utensil no closer than 5 inches from the top.

Step 4) Make sure juice covers the cabbage completely! (This does not

always happen unless the cabbage is fresh from the garden) I prepare

additional brine by putting 1 1/2 Tablespoons of kosher salt into 1

quart of boiling water. Dissolve salt and cool brine to room

temperature before adding to the pot of cabbage.

Step 5) Once cabbage is immersed in brine water, place a large food

grade, plastic bag filled with brine water and lay on top if

cabbage... (I use 2 large bags, one inside the other - sometimes a

2 gal freezer bag - with a couple of quarts of cooled brine water

inside - this if the bag breaks it will not water down the cabbage

into a tasteless mess)

The cabbage must be well sealed all around with the bag, so no air

can get in and contaminate the sauerkraut with unwanted yeasts or

molds!

Step 6) Now cover the container with plastic wrap, then a heavy towel

or cloth and tie securely into place. Do not remove this until

fermenting is complete!

Step 7) Put in an area where the temperature will not be above 75

degrees. Fermentation will begin within a day, depending upon the

room temperature.

Step 8) If room temperature is 75 degrees allow 3 weeks for

fermentation. If temperature is 70 degrees allow 4 weeks. If

temperature is 65 degrees allow 5 weeks. If temperature is 60 degrees

allow 6 weeks.

NOTE: If temperature is above 75 or 76 degrees, the sauerkraut may

not ferment and could spoil!

Step 9) Once fermented taste to see if your required tartness exists.

Tartness will weaken as you process in canning so make sure it is a

wee bit more tart than you like!

Can be eaten immediately if you desire!

(I sometimes mix in 1/2 teaspoon caraway seed into 4 cups, enough for

a couple of pints or 1 quart. This makes a tasty variation.)

NOTE: if you refrigerate only rinse and toss with cold water to

attain the tartness desired!

Lena is an Internet Great Grandmother who has her own Home

Based Internet Business Center at http://www.envirodocs.com and is

Editor of " Natural Environmental Health & Business Facts " newsletter.