To sauerkraut experts

[abby]

For anyone interested this is a followup to an earlier recipe for sauerkraut that included vinegar, sugar, salt & water. The recipe says it will be ready in 2 weeks. I'm 2 weeks into the fermenting process & it still taste & looks like fresh raw cabbage. My question is: do you think it will ever ferment with the vinegar in it? Altho I've read everything I can find on fermenting vegetables I don't think I've read anything about using vinegar during the process. thanks!

 

[mcnerd]

Personally I've never heard of adding vinegar, sugar and such to make sauerkraut. All it needs is salt in proportion to the weight of the cabbage used. The squishing of the cabbage should create sufficient liquid to cover in most case. Then let nature do its thing and follow the steps to keep air and bad stuff out.

 

[Andy M.]

Making 'kraut does not involve vinegar, just salt and cabbage. Vinegar, sugar, salt and water will give you pickled cabbage, not sauerkraut.

 

[larry_stewart]

When i make sauerkraut, the only ingredients were salt and cabbage. I have seen a few recipes that through a green apple in there. Ive made it a few times. The room temperature has a lot to do with how long it takes. When I made it in the summer, and the house was warmer, it took 2 - 3 weeks. In the colder months, it took more like 4 + weeks. Need to do the old sniff and taste test because i know in the warmer months, if it is too warm, it can get kinda funky ( for lack of a better word). AS far as the vinegar goes, I make this once a month, shredd a cabbage, a little water, vinegar and garlic, and let it sit a few days which results in pickled cabbage. Definitely gets that pickled type flavor and not the sauerkraut. I remember i tasted the sauerkraut almost every day. And for the first week or two it has kind of a pickled cabbage like flavor, but all of a suddent, it jumps into that tangy sauerkraut taste.

Even with the vinegar, over time it will have a more pickled taste than in the beginning. Kind of like the difference between new pickles VS half sour VS sour.

If the room temp is too cool, the pickling/ fermentig process slows down and may even stop.

larry

 

[abby]

I have never made SK with vinegar b/4 either. I'm also wondering if there is still the beneficial bacteria when using vinegar??? Thanks for your replies!

 

[blissful]

I've only made sauerkraut with salt (or kimchi, w/ seasoning and salt). When I look up vinegar it mentions acetic acid--derived from the souring of wine/cider. When I look up sauerkraut/pickles/kimchi it mentions lactic acid-derived from the souring of cabbage/cucumbers/cabbage and veggies.
I can imagine that starting sauerkraut with salt and vinegar would begin the process with acetic acid and salt, keeping the acid level high enough to protect the cabbage from getting bad (mold maybe), then as time goes on the process could advance until the sauerkraut gives off enough lactic acid which overpowers the flavor of the acetic acid. I'm not sure, who knows this stuff? We want to hear from you. ~bliss (curious)

 

[abby]

Thanks blissful! I think I need to stop experimenting so much. At the moment I have 3 different batches of sauerkraut fermenting. I can't wait to see which I like the best.

 

[CharlieD]

I add salt and sugar. No vinegar, brrr yuk. But i do not think vinegar will ruin the process, it is just diferent somehow. Just like pickles you can make with or with out vinegar.

 

[Porthand]

6 tablespoons of kosher or pickling salt to 10# of shredded cabbage. Make sure it is thoroughly mixed. Then pressed into a sterile crock or food grade plastic container. A 5 gallon pale will easily hold 20#. Most recipes say to cover with a weighted plate <keep the cabbage submerged in brine> A 2 gallon ziplock 1/2 full of water does the trick as well.

 

[cassiegerald]

Is there any other way to make kraut other than soaking it for certain periods of time,,,I remember my dad making kraut when we were kids and he did it directly into canning jars,,,but I forget how he made it,,does anyone have a recipe for it like that,,,thank you for your kindness and time,,take care God bless you and your loved ones,,Cassie

 

[mcnerd]

Sauerkraut in a Jar (canning)

1 Head Cabbage
1 tsp salt, per quart

1. Cabbage 1 tsp. salt per quart of cabbage Shredded cabbage - very fine mix with salt. Mix and knead with hands to form brine. Put into jars, shaking down, but not packing tight. fill jars with boiling water, remove air bubbles, and seal. Process in boiling water bath for 30 minutes. Keep in warm place, will be ready in two weeks.

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Per Pint Jar:

Shredded Cabbage
1 tsp. pickling salt
1 tsp. sugar
1 tsp. white vinegar

Pack cabbage in jar, add salt, sugar and vinegar. Add distilled water and remove bubbles. Cap jars. Will be ready in about 3-4 weeks.

Source: Canning and Preserving - Index - Free Canning Recipes