# Home sauerkraut



## rob (Sep 13, 2012)

*Home made sauerkraut*

Just started my home made kraut, I have not made it for a few years but mom taught me how to make it several years ago. I have the crock that she used and we like to layer the kraut about 2 inches thick and put a layer of small cucumbers in there, they make the best pickles. Should be done in about 5 weeks. Oh the joys of fermentation


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## Julie (Sep 14, 2012)

Boy I haven't made homemade sauerkraut in years. Never did the cucumber thing. Do you can your sauerkraut or do you freeze it?


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## rob (Sep 14, 2012)

Julie,

I have never done either one, Mom tried to can it but didn't have much luck. I didn't know you could freeze it


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## Julie (Sep 14, 2012)

Yes, freezing is a whole lot easier.


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## bob1 (Sep 14, 2012)

I also do this every year I like carrots in mine with a bit of celery seed. I really like that idea. I need to add a cucumber or 2 also. Will give me something else to munch on when transferring to jars. When it comes to pickling do your own brisket. You will feel robbed every time you buy corned beef afterwards.


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## Rocky (Sep 14, 2012)

Rob, Julie, Bob:

How about a few recipes? I do eat anything that does not eat me first but I really love kielbasa & sauerkraut (always put away a bunch on New Years Day) and corned beef (favorite sandwich is a Reuben)!

BTW, a long while back (late 1970's) I conducted a one man search for the best Reuben sandwich I could find. The best one for my money was a little eatery in Columbus, Indiana. I cannot remember the name of the place but the Reuben was to die for! Anyone one the forum from around Columbus, IN and know the place?


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## rob (Sep 14, 2012)

Rocky,

I start out with 3 heads of cabbage, take the core out and shred it. Next take about half of one head and put just a pinch of canning salt with it. Start squeezing it until the juices start to flow out of it, the more the better. Do this to all of the cabbage and be really careful not to use to much salt. Start layering it in a crock and every 1 inch put a layer of 2 inch cucumbers, when you have all of it neatly packed in take a dinner plate and lay on top, now weight the plate down with a gallon jug of water, cover with a towel. Ever 3 or so days you will find some scum growing on top, remove that. In about 5 weeks you will be done


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## bob1 (Sep 14, 2012)

I did the same thing as before but now I follow on of the internet recipes as you can overdo it. I weigh the cabbage and simply mix 2.5% of salt by weigh. Works well I slice one head at a time weigh it stir in salt and drop in fermenter. When done press down with all my weight and cover with a water bladder. Problem nowadays is trying to find a fermenting crock big enough. I grow 1 row of cabbage 50' long just for sourkraught. I dont think many people know what it is like fresh out the crock. I love pork braised in it but always pull some off before its cooked to enjoy. 

the beef I took 

2 cup kosher salt
1/2 cup sugar I used 1/4 brown 1/4 cane
1 whole garlic
4 tblsp McCormick pickling spice

Combine 2 tblsp spices , garlic, sugar and salt and bring to simmer for 5 min. Put in ref and allow to cool. Pour over brisket and place a plate on top to hold brisket under brine. Let set for 5 days. Rinse well. Then soak in fresh water in ref. for 30 min. Brisket in pot and cover with water and add 2 tblsp pickling spice and cook. 

Mine set for 7 days no problem. had to wait till I could cook it.


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## Julie (Sep 14, 2012)

measuring the salt per pounds of cabbage is a good idea, normally what we did was a couple of inches of cabbage sprinkle a little salt on top, another layer of cabbage and sprinkle more salt and so on until I reach the top of the crock. And if the kraut came out too salty I would just rinse it off. 

I don't put this in when I am canning but when I make kraut and keilbasa I add some caraway seeds. Oooooh is this good.

Rocky, have you ever made a Rueban casserole? If not, I have a recipe I'll share with you. And I make an Irish eggroll, if you want to know about that you are gonna have to come and visit me!


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## Rocky (Sep 14, 2012)

Julie, never tried a Rueben casserole but it sounds delicious! I would appreciate the recipe.

Rob and Bob, thanks for the recipes. I have a 3 gallon crock and I can't wait to try it. I assume it is beef brisket that you use for the corned beef, right?


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## bob1 (Sep 16, 2012)

yep the tip


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## rob (Sep 16, 2012)

Bob,

How long do you let it set before you dip into it?


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## bob1 (Sep 17, 2012)

sourkraut starts to get good in about 60 days. I let mine go till it starts tasting good then put in jars and store in a fridge. My mother used to can hers but cooking will soften it. Mine will not be around for a whole year I always run out before next years cabbage is ready.


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## bstnh1 (May 8, 2019)

bob1 said:


> I did the same thing as before but now I follow on of the internet recipes as you can overdo it. I weigh the cabbage and simply mix 2.5% of salt by weigh. Works well I slice one head at a time weigh it stir in salt and drop in fermenter. When done press down with all my weight and cover with a water bladder. Problem nowadays is trying to find a fermenting crock big enough. I grow 1 row of cabbage 50' long just for sourkraught. I dont think many people know what it is like fresh out the crock. I love pork braised in it but always pull some off before its cooked to enjoy.
> 
> the beef I took
> 
> ...


The sodium content of salt varies by the type and brand. It can be twice as high in some brands.


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## sour_grapes (May 8, 2019)

bstnh1 said:


> The sodium content of salt varies by the type and brand. It can be twice as high in some brands.



By _weight? _ I would doubt that. (And, yes, I realize I am responding to a response from a 7-yr-old post.)


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## Johnd (May 8, 2019)

sour_grapes said:


> By _weight? _ I would doubt that. (And, yes, I realize I am responding to a response from a 7-yr-old post.)



I suspect that you are right, below is a little clip I found comparing different types of salt, they're quite close in sodium content, and I'd suspect that all of the "table" type salt brands are even closer...........


*The table below shows a comparison between table salt, Maldon salt (a typical sea salt), Himalayan salt and Celtic salt:*

* Calcium Potassium Magnesium Iron Sodium *
*Table salt 0.03% 0.09% <0.01% <0.01% 39.1% *
*Maldon salt 0.16% 0.08% 0.05% <0.01% 38.3% *
*Himalayan salt 0.16% 0.28% 0.1% 0.0004% 36.8% *
*Celtic salt 0.17% 0.16% 0.3% 0.014% 33.8% *
*

As you can see, Celtic salt has the least amount of sodium and the highest amount of calcium and magnesium. Himalayan salt contains a bit of potassium.

However, keep in mind that these are trace amounts. For example, the 0.3% content of magnesium for Celtic salt implies that you would need to eat 100 grams of salt to reach the RDI.

For this reason, the mineral content of the various salts is far from a compelling reason to choose one salt over another. These levels are negligible compared to what you obtain from food.

Salt contains only trace amounts of minerals. As a result, choosing one type of salt over another is unlikely to significantly affect your health
additives and anti-caking agents that are often found in regular table salt.

At the end of the day, salt is salt — its main purpose is to add flavor, but it’s not a health remedy.

SUMMARY
There are no studies comparing the health benefits of different types of salts. However, less processed salts usually do not contain additives.
Salt is perhaps the most widely used seasoning in the world.

Some people believe that salt is bad for you, but the reality is not that simple.

Though refined table salt is the most common type in the West, a number of other varieties exist. These include Celtic, Himalayan, kosher and sea salt.

However, there are few nutritional differences between these various types. While unrefined salts contain fewer additives, the main distinctions involve texture, grain size and flavor.

Feel free to experiment and choose the salt that’s right for you.*


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## Boatboy24 (May 8, 2019)

I probably have a half dozen different salts in the house right now. They all have their uses, but I don't choose one over the other for their nutritional value (as John's post mentioned, it's more about texture, flavor and grain size) . And know that a TBS of one kind of salt can give you much more sodium or 'saltiness' than a TBS of another kind. But that pretty much has to do with the size of the grain size and how much airspace there is in a given measure. Another reason to go metric and use weights.


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## bstnh1 (May 9, 2019)

sour_grapes said:


> By _weight? _ I would doubt that. (And, yes, I realize I am responding to a response from a 7-yr-old post.)



Sorry about that! I was thinking salt by volume, which is what a lot of recipes state. Measuring it by weight is the way to go. I use both Morton and Diamond Crystal Kosher salt and the Morton has about twice the sodium as the Diamond Crystal. Of course, you usually have no idea what brand of salt was used in the original recipe.


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## Dennis Griffith (May 9, 2019)

I use 2 types for my kraut. When I'm 'kneading' the shredded cabbage in a large bowl, I use Morton's Non-iodized salt because of the small granule size. But if I'm making up brine to top off the vessel, I use Morton's Pickling/Canning salt.


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