With all my endeavors, I can’t seem to start without investigating it on the internet, specifically youtube. I’m not sure what people actually did before youtube, wikipedia, or even the internet. One of the biggest faults that critics have is about the inaccuracy of the internet, but come on, your alternative would be word of mouth. In my experience asking someone a direct question gives you awkward looks, “I know more than you attitudes”, or completely wrong answers. Have you ever been told something that you know is downright incorrect, but being polite you smile and agree with everything? That happens to me a lot.
Youtube has some real gems on making sauerkraut. First off Vanessa and Dean have shared such a lovely step-by-step how-to video. Be sure to watch part 2. I imagine that they are filming from somewhere in the midwest and are going to Polka night at the nearest ballroom as soon as they clean up.
The website chow.com makes the best “obsessive” videos, and of course there is one on making fermented sauerkraut. I am not too sure about how economical it is to have a store that sells only fermented food.
This guy is my favorite. He has AIDS and contributes his survival to the nutritional and pro-biotic aspects of fermented foods. He makes me want both of his books, Wild Fermentation, The Revolution Will not be Microwaved, and a large ceramic crock (preferably a handmade one from etsy.com)
Personally, I am not a fan of sauerkraut. Despite my German heritage, eight plus years of German language classes, and cabbage/sauerkraut being served at many family gatherings throughout the years I never fell it love with the tangy flavor and crunchy texture of the kraut. I figured that if I grew the cabbage in my garden and make the sauerkraut myself then I would like it… Fortunately Michael will eat anything under the sun (correction: Mike will not eat okra, liver, palmetto cheese, black-eyed peas, corn flakes, Vienna sausages, pork feet, spam, bologna, greasy potato chips, or caviar)
Step One: Pick the cabbage and carrots from the garden
Step Two: Rinse carrots and chop off the bad parts. Peel of gross layers on the cabbage. Save a few of the nice leaves.
Step Three: Shred everything. Shred the cabbage, shred the carrots. We used an electric grater/shredder but I think chopping it by hand was just as fast (and less messy)
Step Four: Add about one table-spoon of kosher or rocksalt or pickling salt (no iodine) per head of cabbage. Then mix it all together in a large bowl. I think I was a little to generous with the salt. Next time I will measure the salt more accurately and try to use less.
Step Five: Pack tightly into jar and don’t leave any air. I made sure their was a good bit of brine around the top. I also used the saved cabbage leaves on top of shredded cabbage as a barrier and weighed it down with a smaller jar filled with water.
Step Six: Wait. Leave the jars somewhere out-of-the-way. Ours are on a screen porch, so the temp was just a little lower than the outside temp probably in the high eighties. We waited one week before trying the kraut.
Our cabbage heads are not as tight and I would like. Perhaps if we left them growing a little longer they would become more firm.
We used smaller jars filled with water to weigh-down the kraut. Another thing I would like to try to boiling small stones to weigh it down.
Of course we used carrots in the cabbage and slices to decorate the sides
For me, that does not look appetizing. I admit I do need to give it a fair chance.
Mike offered to pose for the camera. I got rave reviews such as "Umm, that's good" and "I like it!"
