If you've known me for any amount of time you've probably heard of my homemade sauerkraut. This is followed by an awkward explanation of how I make it and my funky fermenting contraptions... well for those who have been waiting, here's the digs.
I've also included a close-up to show you in better detail the bubbles from a live active, gas-producing fermentation. I don't really ferment this stuff outside, that's just where the good light was. the pint glass and duct tape are there to press the kraut under the brine so it ferments properly instead of rotting. These photos were shot around day 3.. in about a week the bubbles will go away and it will be sufficiently tart but very crunchy still. For more tender raw kraut I'll leave it in the jar till the color turns a dark gold, it mellows a bit and gets more sour and tender as it ages. That's the best stuff but I don't often wait that long.
to make it, shred a head of cabbage and begin to pack it into a big jar. I've found that 2- 2.5 tsp of salt per head of cabbage is enough to get a good ferment and protect the product from rotting without it being overly salty. This head was much larger than the average store bough cabbage so i increased the salt according to the size of the container i was filling but a normal head of cabbage fills a 24 oz jar, roughly. you need to pack the cabbage into the jar as tightly as possible and work the salt in as you go. at the end, place the full glass on top and tape it in place. water will sweat out of the cabbage and make the brine and as it begins to ferment it will shrink down on its own under the weight of the water. let it go until the bubbles stop, or longer if you can keep it clean. good luck :)
No comments:
Post a Comment