Sauerkraut with dill
- Thread starter Shawn W
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Shawn W
TVWBB Emerald Member
We pounded in the 20, filled the 5 from the 20, then filled the 20, so no.
I suggested it to the crew though, I think it's a good idea for two reasons:
-less chance of damaging the crock: I'd be devastated if we broke that big 'ol crock
-uniform kraut: the stuff in first is pounded much much more than the last cabbage dump is.
Some mechanical pressure is applied (stomp) to bruise the cabbage, this helps release juices. Not tried but one could probably use a press instead.
You only need enough stomping to get enough juice to cover (no need to pound the bejeezus out of it).
I suggested it to the crew though, I think it's a good idea for two reasons:
-less chance of damaging the crock: I'd be devastated if we broke that big 'ol crock
-uniform kraut: the stuff in first is pounded much much more than the last cabbage dump is.
Some mechanical pressure is applied (stomp) to bruise the cabbage, this helps release juices. Not tried but one could probably use a press instead.
You only need enough stomping to get enough juice to cover (no need to pound the bejeezus out of it).
That's my worry as well since they are no where near flat on the bottom. My 3 really bow up in the center about an inch or so. I'm going to head out here in a bit and go to the farm to pick up some basketball sized heads of cabbage. Price went up this year to $0.75 a head. For the past 7-8 years they were only $0.50 I'm going to pound in a seperate bucket and fill the crocks from there.
EDIT: I returned with 12 heads. I'm going to stagger the batches since it's only me doing all the work. Last time I had all that kraut to can at once and it was alot of work. I'll fill the 6 gal first followed by the 3 gal. I'll wait closer to Thanksgiving to do the 10 gal. The farm usually has cabbage till the first week of Dec or the first hard freeze.
We are prepping to do 250lbs this weekend and comparing notes with mom we are having a hard time rationalizing 3TBSP/5lbs shredded cabbage. We use 1/3 of that amount. </div></BLOCKQUOTE>Originally posted by Shawn W:
<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-title">quote:</div><div class="ip-ubbcode-quote-content">Originally posted by Bryan S:
I did some searching for a salt baseline when making kraut. Every recipe i came across was the same. 3 Tbs of salt for every 5 lbs of cabbage. Just thought i would post this in case anybody wanted to know.Bryan
Shawn, I'm cutting back this year on the salt. But just for giggles, click on the first 4 links. Links to homemade kraut.
I cleaned all the dust off of the Globe today and tore it down. It's all greased up and ready to go. I'll post some more pics Monday night of the process.
Shawn W
TVWBB Emerald Member
Nice!! That globe ought to make pretty short work of the cabbage.
Great price on the cabbage and it sounds like you got some nice fresh stuff too. Read somewhere to strive to use cabbage within 48 hours of harvest because the fermentation bacteria starts to die off.
Lots of different ideas out there on the WWW eh? We cut the cores out but never have to add water as long as the cabbage is fresh.
About the salt thing, well, we're happy with how we do it. We've been making it this way for so long without any issue we see no reason to change just because the USDA recommends 3T/5lb ... But I understand, if the roles were reversed I'd do the same as you.*I did add some links with info about the process and salt levels to the first post in the thread.
Since you are staggering batches, perhaps you'd interested in adding some starter culture (juice from a batch in progress). I was reading about it in my searching, not tried it myself and not sure of the particulars though.
Dinner last night: Fresh kraut with 'Oktoberfest Sausage' peppery pork sausage, fully cooked (steamed?) ... I browned them up on the grill.
Hope yours turns out awesome this year Bryan, looking forward to your updates!
Great price on the cabbage and it sounds like you got some nice fresh stuff too. Read somewhere to strive to use cabbage within 48 hours of harvest because the fermentation bacteria starts to die off.
Lots of different ideas out there on the WWW eh? We cut the cores out but never have to add water as long as the cabbage is fresh.
About the salt thing, well, we're happy with how we do it. We've been making it this way for so long without any issue we see no reason to change just because the USDA recommends 3T/5lb ... But I understand, if the roles were reversed I'd do the same as you.*I did add some links with info about the process and salt levels to the first post in the thread.
Since you are staggering batches, perhaps you'd interested in adding some starter culture (juice from a batch in progress). I was reading about it in my searching, not tried it myself and not sure of the particulars though.
Dinner last night: Fresh kraut with 'Oktoberfest Sausage' peppery pork sausage, fully cooked (steamed?) ... I browned them up on the grill.
Hope yours turns out awesome this year Bryan, looking forward to your updates!
I'm done now. Started at 3:30 and just finished cleaning everything up including the slicer at 9:00. That also included firing up the WSM and cooking some Brats and remembering they were on there while making the kraut.
So I had a Brat break and did a beer run before they closed at 9, I'm thirsty.
Not too bad for a one person operation. I only sliced up 11 of the 12 heads and filled the 6g & 3g crocks. Used a little over an oz. of dill and used 2 TBS Diamond Crystal Kosher per 5 lbs. this year instead of the 3TBS per 5lb. that's on the net everywhere. Those 11 heads yieled me 62 lbs. of kraut. It was perfect timing to have a vacation day today.
Here's the link to some pics.
Thanks Bud, I made that pounder out of a big Ole branch off my apple tree out back. I gave it to a guy at work who removed the bark and semi turned it on his lathe for me. I got the handle at work that they were throwing out, it works well. Yeah Mom is going to be getting a big box sent to her this year.Originally posted by Shawn W:
Love that pounder! Awesome!! Looks great man, mountains of great looking cabbage around the globe!
Your Mom is gonna love you again!
The 6 gal crock is just about to over-flow it's banks. Don't feel like dealing with it tonight, it's late and I'm toasted.
I wheeled the dolly that the crocks are on, overtop of the floor drain in the grudge (garage). I'll let gravity take care of it and keep on drinking.
You know, looking at the color of the brine there, I used quite the Dill this time, NO?
Shawn W
TVWBB Emerald Member
It's beautiful man <sniff>
. That's like the color ours was this year. It's great to see it's alive and well!!
Hey, spoke to mom she said she wipes the stomper down with canola oil every year to help keep the wood.
Read a tip online ... DO NOT let your kraut juice contaminate your home beer or wine brewing equipment, the kraut bacteria eats the other stuff for breakfast!!
If it gets more than a few degrees below freezing or is gonna stay that way for a time just throw a couple quilts over the crocks at night.
Btw, where is the saran wrap and water filled ziplock .... not using it this year?
Hey, spoke to mom she said she wipes the stomper down with canola oil every year to help keep the wood.
Read a tip online ... DO NOT let your kraut juice contaminate your home beer or wine brewing equipment, the kraut bacteria eats the other stuff for breakfast!!
If it gets more than a few degrees below freezing or is gonna stay that way for a time just throw a couple quilts over the crocks at night.
Btw, where is the saran wrap and water filled ziplock .... not using it this year?
Cool! Nope, going Old School this year, just like my Northern friend/s.Originally posted by Shawn W:
It's beautiful man <sniff>. That's like the color ours was this year.
Btw, where is the saran wrap and water filled ziplock .... not using it this year?
Yeah to the mineral oil, I use my Boos boards mineral oil on the pounder. We got overflow today on the 6 gal crock. Looks like the 3 will go tomorrow. Very active fermentaion this year. I suspect a combo of 2 things. Using the cabbage before the 48 hrs after cutting off the stalks, and using the Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt this year which is the least salty of the salts, plus the reduced TBS+ of salt per 5 lbs. Looks like I found the right combo this year. Shawn, Thanks much for all your help and notes you have given me over the years. Much appreciated Bud.
P.S. I dug the 10 gal crock out yesterday.
Trying to round up some peeps at work to help with that one. They all want some when it's finished, but don't want to help me make it.
P.S. I dug the 10 gal crock out yesterday.
Shawn W
TVWBB Emerald Member
The pleasure has been all mine, I'll pass it on to my Mom as well who has really been the source of the info I've provided. I've helped make it off and on over the years but your interest inspired me to get more involved and learn so I can carry on the tradition.Originally posted by Bryan S:
Yeah to the mineral oil, I use my Boos boards mineral oil on the pounder. We got overflow today on the 6 gal crock. Looks like the 3 will go tomorrow. Very active fermentaion this year. I suspect a combo of 2 things. Using the cabbage before the 48 hrs after cutting off the stalks, and using the Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt this year which is the least salty of the salts, plus the reduced TBS+ of salt per 5 lbs. Looks like I found the right combo this year. Shawn, Thanks much for all your help and notes you have given me over the years. Much appreciated Bud.
P.S. I dug the 10 gal crock out yesterday.Trying to round up some peeps at work to help with that one. They all want some when it's finished, but don't want to help me make it.
The most practical reason I can think of to use the least amount of required salt is that the juice is good! Why throw it out and have to rinse the kraut because it's too salty? Mom drinks the kraut juice right out of the crock! She started doing that as a kid from her grandpa's kraut barrels.
'Nobody want's to help' ain't that how it goes? There's a reason we do 250lbs of cabbage.
A quick note for all, the "pounding" stage is really unnecessary.
The chemical/physical breakdown of the cabbage will take the process all the way to pure liquid cabbage in time, so pounding on it won't do anything for you, except maybe speed it up a little. But why put out the energy, and why risk breaking your container? You don't need to.
Simply shred the cabbage, sprinkle on desired amount of salt at each layer and then at the end, add enough liquid to get the level up to about 7/8 of your cabbage height. If ou have really juicy cabbage you won't need to add much water, if it's really dry, add as necessary.
Check the next day to see if the water is at or slightly above the level of the cabbage. If low, add some water, if high, take some out with a spoon or cup. Nature will take the flavor and texture to where ever you desire, regardless of how much you beat on it. Maybe granny used to get her frustrations out on it or something!
I also like to stir it every few days and flip the layers over, as the bottom layers will tend to go soft faster, and I like a uniform "kraut".
We've been doing this for a couple years, and have relatives that have done it for over one hundred years or more, none of us smash the cabbage. It just bruises it, and you may get a better texture at first as well.
It makes no difference in the fermentation process.
Do try it though - it is an entirely different product that store-bought - so much better that we have avowed sauerkraut haters in the neighborhood gobbling it up.
Enjoy.
The chemical/physical breakdown of the cabbage will take the process all the way to pure liquid cabbage in time, so pounding on it won't do anything for you, except maybe speed it up a little. But why put out the energy, and why risk breaking your container? You don't need to.
Simply shred the cabbage, sprinkle on desired amount of salt at each layer and then at the end, add enough liquid to get the level up to about 7/8 of your cabbage height. If ou have really juicy cabbage you won't need to add much water, if it's really dry, add as necessary.
Check the next day to see if the water is at or slightly above the level of the cabbage. If low, add some water, if high, take some out with a spoon or cup. Nature will take the flavor and texture to where ever you desire, regardless of how much you beat on it. Maybe granny used to get her frustrations out on it or something!
I also like to stir it every few days and flip the layers over, as the bottom layers will tend to go soft faster, and I like a uniform "kraut".
We've been doing this for a couple years, and have relatives that have done it for over one hundred years or more, none of us smash the cabbage. It just bruises it, and you may get a better texture at first as well.
It makes no difference in the fermentation process.
Do try it though - it is an entirely different product that store-bought - so much better that we have avowed sauerkraut haters in the neighborhood gobbling it up.
Enjoy.