Homemade Sauerkraut

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   Stone crocks are excellent containers for making sauerkraut.

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   If you are buying one second hand, examine the inside carefully for cracks and other blemishes.

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   If it has a permanent whitish stain, it has been used to store eggs in waterglass, and this makes the container unsuitable for making sauerkraut as the waterglass residue inhibits fermentation.

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   There are recipes for making sauerkraut in jars or other large containers.

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   You can purchase specially made fermentation pots: which can relieve you of some of the work involved in keeping the air out of the fermenting cabbage.

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   All cabbages will make sauerkraut, but each has slightly different properties.

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   Cabbages are roughly divided into types according to the number of growing days from transplantation to maturity.

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   Early cabbages take from 56 to 70 days: mid-season from 70 to 76 days; and late cabbages from 76 to 99 days.

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   Red cabbage is not generally used to make sauerkraut, neither are the savoy types.

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    Choose firm heads of cabbage.

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    Chose firm, unblemished heads, but split heads, or those too deformed for sale or storage may also be used as long as they are firm and can be trimmed clean.

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    Do not wash the heads, but trim off the outer leaves until the head is clean.

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    EARLY CABBAGE: Early cabbage is the most tender, and the heads are the best to cure for use in making cabbage rolls.

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    This cabbage also makes the most tender sauerkraut, but one that does not keep long in storage.

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    Unfortunately, early cabbage matures so early that you may not be able to make use of it.

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    Other disadvantages are the heads split very quickly in the garden, often beyond redemption, and they do not keep well in storage.

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    MID-SEASON CABBAGE: This is still a tender cabbage.

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    It matures later than the early cabbage, but is a couple of weeks earlier than the late.

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    It does not split readily in the garden and it will store for a fairly long time.

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    It makes good sauerkraut.

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    LATE CABBAGE: The heads of late cabbage keep well in storage for most of the winter, but they make the least tender sauerkraut, and they require more cooking.

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    In spite of this, late cabbage is often made into sauerkraut because it is ready about the time that the garden work is slowing down.

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    It is the least desirable method for curing whole heads, but it does tenderize them somewhat.

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    SOME ESSENTIAL EQUIPMENT: Some sturdy, sharp knives for splitting the cabbage.

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    A shredder is a boon if you are making a larger quantity of sauerkraut.

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    Although shredders are not easily available these days, they might be found in country hardware stores, especially around harvest time.

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    If you are making a small quantity, any utensil that will help you shred the cabbage quickly and easily would be useful.

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    A stamper or pounder is essential.

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    It is most important to pound or mash the cabbage as this will make the differences between success or failure.

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    If you are making sauerkraut in a barrel you could use an oak staff about 36 inches long and 4 inches in diameter, which allows you to pound a barrel full of cabbage.

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    A stout wooden mallet would serve the same purpose.

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    If you are making your sauerkraut in jars, use a potato masher.

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    Make sure that the containers, the utensils and your hands are as clean as you can make them.

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    Cleanliness is essential for successful fermentation.

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    A clean cloth big enough to fit over the shredded cabbage and the container.

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    A plate or board that will fit snugly inside the container.

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    A heavy weight to place on top of the plate or board.

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    This makes sure that the brine rises above the plate or board.

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    .

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    You may use a large stone which has been scrubbed clean and used year after year.

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    Choose mature, firm heads of cabbage.

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    Remember that the heist concentration of vitamin C is in the green leaves.

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    Remove only the soiled outer leaves, and do not wash the cabbage as the wild yeast on the unwashed leaves helps with fermentation.

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    Set aside some of the clean outer leaves to top the shredded cabbage in your crock, then cut the heads in quarters and remove the cores.

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    Shred the cabbage on a shredder or with a strong, sharp knife or other utensil.

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    Lately, I have discovered that my meat clever works beautifully.

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    The shredded cabbage should be as fine as coleslaw or the thickness of a dime.

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    FAVORITE SAUERKRAUT: The cabbage should be quite salty, but pleasantly so.

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    REMEMBER TO USE ONLY PICKLING SALT OR SEA SALT.

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    Here are some measurements to use.

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    2 TSP.

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    PICKLING SALT TO 1 LB.

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    CABBAGE OR 10 mL salt to 500 g cabbage.

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    1 POUND PICKLING SALT TO 40 LBS.

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    CABBAGE OR 500 mL salt to 20 kg cabbage 1 1/2 CUPS PICKLING SALT TO 40 LBS CABBAGE 3 TABLESPOONS SALT to 5 QUARTS CABBAGE or 45 mL salt to 5 L cabbage Pack from 2 to 4 inches of shredded cabbage in your container, sprinkle the cabbage with salt, and mix the cabbage and salt thoroughly.

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    Pound the cabbage/salt mixture with a mallet until you hear squishy sounds.

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    Add more cabbage, and repeat the salting, mixing, and pounding until you have the desired amount of cabbage in the container.

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    You will find that all your pounding efforts will have created a briny liquid which has come to the surface of the cabbage.

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    Cover the shredded cabbage with some of the whole cabbage leaves, and spread a clean cloth over the top of the leaves.

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    Place the plate or board over the cloth to keep air from the mixture, and weight the cover with a heavy stone.

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    You should see the brine creep over the cloth onto the plate or board.

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    The stone crock or container should be placed in a warm spottemperature between 68 F. and 72 F. (20 C and 21 C) is about right for good fermentationand left there for between 2 to 6 weeks.

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    At lower temperatures the cabbage will take longer to ferment; at higher temperatures, the process will be faster, but the finished sauerkraut will be of inferior quality.

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    During fermentation, a scrum will form on the surface, the cloth, and the board, and this scum should be removed daily.

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    Skim the scum off the surface, and wash the cloth and board in hot water before replacing them.

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    When bubbles stop rising to the surface of the cabbage and brine mixture, active fermentation has stopped.

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    However, slow fermentation will continue, and the sauerkraut will become much stronger in flavor over a period of time.

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    To stop this action, the sauerkraut must be frozen or canned in glass jars, following the manufacturer's directions.

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    VARIATIONS: Not everybody makes their sauerkraut plain without additions, although this is my favorite way.

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    Many other vegetables may be included or prepared separately, and very tasty they are too.

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    Each country has its own favorite additions; for instance, the French like to include juniper berries.

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    Some like to mix in a quantity of pickling spice; others like the tang of peppercorns.

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    Any single whole spice can be added to your liking, or you can mix them in any combination.

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    If you are in the mood to experiment, add a few pieces of ginger root and lemons.

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    HERE IS A PARTIAL LIST OF WHAT YOU CAN ADD: Pumpkin Any of the root vegetables Celery Carrots Onions Horseradish Radish Most garden vegetables may be preserved by lactic acid fermentation, either separately or in combination.

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    Unlike the cabbage which can be preserved saltless, all other vegetables must be salted.

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    Use all vegetables raw, with the exception of green or yellow wax beans, which must be cooked for at least 5 minutes before being pickled.

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    Dill is a favorite herb to use, although others may be used also.

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    Whole apples, unpeeled, and often included in a batch of sauerkraut.

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    They are excellent to serve with pork.

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    Discovering Sauerkraut

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