Hi there... I have just started making my own raw sauerkraut and i love it...
can someone talk to me about the goodness of Sauerkraut and can you eat too much...

love laugh and dream

how do you make it? I want to try

Funny you bring this up. I found an old jar of kraut I made at my parent's house in 2007 (around Thanksgiving) and opened it & it tasted & smelled great!!

haha! 2007

good story

take a juicer with the blank plate and crush cabbage, then cover with leaves and set aside for 3 days

I cut mine by hand...and then use a highly mineralized salt and massage it into the cabbage... using other veggies is nice to... i did carrots and broccoli once... cover it trying to create a nice seal around the sided with the extra cabbage leaves...best in an air tight container...or as air tight as you can get it... i let mine sit for 7 8 9 10 days... if there's mold don't worry just take off the top layer and enjoy...

love laugh and dream

I use a food processor sometimes with ginger and cabbage

Luvyuu,
I have been thinking of making my own sauerkraut, I actually want to try using dandelions or perhaps bittercress...gosh I realized today that they are coming up, and I have lots and lots of them.

What about having the wrong things growing in the ferment? Like botulism from having a sealed container? Its something that I have never done before, and I don't want to get sick or have problems. Thank you for taking the question, and being patient with my paranoia on such things, they probably are much too blown out..

yummy that sounds like it would be great i wish i had greens growing up around me...but alas i am sunk deep in snow... but i could probably find the ginger suvine suggested...

hmmm i hadn't thought about botulism... though i don't seal mine to perfect though the last batch i did better... no mold on top i have jars that don't have perfect fitting tops... and so i wrap them as tight as i can with plastic... everywhere i've read... has said not to worry about the mold on top... just scrape it away and enjoy... be sure to put your cabbage leaves on top and weight it down i think the juicer the better... atleast for my taste...

many blessing on your sauerkraut adventures...

luvyuu,
I am paranoid about such things as botulism, but I think I have heard that the salt keeps things the way that they should. I think the important thing to ask is have you had any problems? Has anyone had any problems? I think that perhaps my fear is unfounded, I don't think anyone would suggest a recipe that wasn't safe, I just sometimes worry that I have overlooked some important step or incredient.

I can't wait to try! I may do a cold ferment outside, as it is getting down into the 30's at night here, and maybe in the 40's during the day. It might take longer, but I have heard a longer, slower ferment time yields a 'brighter' taste.
thank you!

I think you are right about the salt... but be careful not to put too much... i did on my first batch... and it was SALTY... and i like salt... so when i say that you know it's too much... though i was able to eat it... my second and third batches i was a bit more careful... i would say if you are worried... do more research... i know you have to worry about botulism with canning... but there i'm not keeping mine around long enough to can... i gobble it up pretty quickly... so ...i haven't had any problems...

I haven't heard of the cold ferment... i thought you needed the warmth to form the friendly bacteria... i'll look into it... but it's too cold here for that anyway... it does taste better after the 7-10 days and a day in the fridge...

mmm i could eat it all day long... that's my wonder is if you can eat too much...

blessings

Luvyu,
After doing a little more research, most sites say that a sealed container is essential for the production of lactic acid. The cabbage must be submerged in brine.I was suprised to learn that the FDA requires commercial sauerkraut to be pasteurized.

I'm wrong about the temps, it wasn't as cool as I thought.

"Bacteria, proper temperature and time do the rest of the work. Lactic acid bacteria have definite temperature preferences. At 70 to 75 F, the kraut will be fermented in about three or four weeks. At 60 to 65 F, fermentation takes longer—about five or six weeks. If it gets much cooler, fermentation won't occur. Above 75 F, the kraut may become soft. "

I am wondering if other types of kraut would work, it sounds like there has to be a little bit of natural sugar in the leaf. Dandelion may not have enough.

I just posted a blog of h0ow to make sauerkraut

[suvine.com]


good luck