|
Post by paquebot on Aug 5, 2017 5:55:22 GMT
Now's the time to start thinking about what to do with all of the cabbage and kin that's needing something to do with besides slaw. My super kraut mix does take some advance planning but all could be available right now as it is in my gardens. The following makes enough to fill a 5-gallon pail to within 2 inches of the top.
24# green cabbage 8# red cabbage 6# rutabaga 4# kohlrabi 1# carrots 25 Tbs canning salt
Cabbage is shredded with a kraut cutter set at about 1/8th in thickness. Everything else prepared with a modified box grater. The holes on a normal grater are fine for slaw but not kraut since they are too small. Took an old one and a Phillips screwdriver which was almost ¼" and enlarged each hole. Result is perfect thickness for whatever is fermented.
Mix all vegetables thoroughly as one shreds and again after all is done. That amount will easily fill two 5-gallon pails when freshly shredded. Then I start weighing and adding salt. 2# mix, 1 Tbs salt. 2# mix and 1 Tbs salt. 1# mix and 1 Tbs salt. Mix and tamp after each 5#. By the time it's all in the pail and tamped, there's easily an inch of liquid. Then find a plate which just fits inside the pail and that's the lid to keep everything submerged. Old method would have been to put a stone on top of the plate and we used to use a brick wrapped in plastic. Easiest is a 2-liter bottle of soda.
It is not an easy job and it took well over 3 hours after everything was gathered but worth every minute in the end. Also always done outside so cleanup is minimal. This recipe also subject to modification but does need the carrots to take the usual "bite" out of the end product. When done fermenting, which is probably a month at late-summer temperatures, pack in wide-mouth jars and process 25 minutes in BWB.
Martin
|
|
|
Post by feather on Aug 5, 2017 15:52:10 GMT
|
|
|
Post by Weed on Aug 10, 2017 0:06:33 GMT
I've got the fall crop of cabbage in and it's looking real good! I aim to make a load of kraut (first timer) when it's ready and have been doing some homework & it seems a big key in good kraut is the way it's cut/shredded. paquebot ,: when using the screwdriver, were you making the holes larger or changing the angle of the holes in the shredder a bit for a slightly different cut? Lots of info out there - but what seemed to be the better sites I've looked at says to cut it thin like "thickness of a coin" or even slightly thinner...sound about right?
|
|
|
Post by Weed on Aug 10, 2017 0:08:07 GMT
Your recipe sounds awesome Martin. Are you sure that's gonna be enough 😬
|
|
|
Post by paquebot on Aug 10, 2017 1:41:07 GMT
Your recipe sounds awesome Martin. Are you sure that's gonna be enough 😬 Went through my white 5-gallon pails just yesterday to select the best one for the next batch. That means that there will be another big batch later. Second one will be very much like the first except that the only same variety will be the rutabaga. Everything else will be different. There are some recipes for small batches which say to cut the cabbage with a knife. That's fine if only doing a quart. For bigger batches, definitely need a cutter. Same design has been around forever but not often seen in stores. You want long thin strands. There's even a way to assure that with a cutter but perhaps hard to explain. Heads need to be between 8" and 10" wide. They are quartered down the center of the core. The quarter is laid flat on the cutter and proceed with shredding. Longest strands will then be 5" inches or so long and shortest maybe 2". That's your typical kraut. Kraut cutter will not work on solid things like kohlrabi or rutabaga. You'd just get slices! There you need a grater. Most are designed for slaw. If used for kraut, it's too fine. You should eat it with a fork, not a spoon. Over time, just for slaw, some holes in the old grater had partially collapsed. The moment I tried to repair those holes I had a better idea. That was to buy a new one for the kitchen and convert the old one for kraut grating. The cutting points are now much higher and it will produce 4" strips of kohlrabi or rutabaga if they are that wide. The carrots are grated at an angle so one that is 1" thick may produce a strip almost 2". I think that I mentioned filling a 5-gallon pail to 2" from the top. Do not try to get away with only 1½" unless you are prepared for a mess. After packing this latest batch and adding the plate and soda bottle weight, there was exactly 2". Lots of action going on under that plate and the liquid is now within ½" of running over. Martin
|
|
|
Post by Weed on Aug 10, 2017 3:02:40 GMT
paquebot, I'm planning on a 5 gallon batch of plain kraut for this first try so I guess I'm in the market for a kraut cutter (unless I can borrow one)! Curious, what do you use to tamp the cabbage? I have a few Louisville sluggers collecting dust that look like they'd do the job with a little sanding and modifying
|
|
|
Post by feather on Aug 10, 2017 3:29:37 GMT
Just as an added thought, You can buy food grade 5 gallon buckets at Lowes and Home Depot. That is what we use to store food and to make kraut and fermented pickles.
|
|
|
Post by paquebot on Aug 10, 2017 5:53:52 GMT
Since this was a mix, took a bit more manual handling to make certain that it was thoroughly blended. When 3 of the ingredients were about the same color, last thing added was the carrots. When there was some orange color throughout, it was mixed. Then the weighing and salting began. Tamping/packing was done after each 5#. In the past I've sometimes used the wooden pestle of a chinois sieve but found that my fist does the job just as well and with a wider surface.
By all means invest in a kraut cutter. Mine has 2 blades and I don't see it on Amazon. Most now have 3 which makes the job quicker. Invest in a one with a box if you plan to use it for slicing other fruit and vegetables. Lehman's has one at $59.99 which would be my choice if I had to buy new. They'll last forever, with mine around 50 years and still as good as when new.
All of my white pails came from a candy factory. At the time, they would set a pallet of them at the curb every Friday. Still had traces of whatever was in them be it chocolate or berry concentrate or whatever. By Monday, all gone.
Martin
|
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on Aug 10, 2017 18:07:07 GMT
We make lots of kraut with just a big sharp knife, cut head in 1/4, cut across the 1/4. Put in crock in layers 4" thick, add salt and tamp with the wooden pestle from the colander to bruise the cabbage well. Add a layer of cabbage leaves to use for cabbage rolls and add another layer. Old plate upside down and a flat rock on top to add weight. Skim after fermented, about 3 weeks in springhouse. We can grow cabbage year around so make about a gallon a month, year around. Freeze a little, not much anymore.
Cabbage rolls in a bowl
Cook garlic in oil, add grated ginger and shredded carrots, cook until carrots are tender, add drained kraut. Heat through. Fry soy sauce marinated hamburger and onions, drain on paper towels. Put in bowl, add sesame seeds and soy sauce to taste. Top with green onions. Can be made with shredded cabbage and carrots or a package of slaw mix....James
|
|
|
Post by shellymay on Aug 10, 2017 18:37:28 GMT
paquebot, I just bought two of these the other day at a auction....Paid $6.00 for the pair
|
|
|
Post by Weed on Aug 11, 2017 1:14:38 GMT
Food grade buckets aren't an issue here, I get them from the bakery/deli. Many of them already had dill pickles in them...the rest had toppings/icings etc... Had no idea until this thread started, that it would take THAT much cabbage for a 5 gallon batch! I only have 18 Savoy planted, guess I better plug a few more in the ground. paquebot , do you plant any particular variety, or is cabbage cabbage when it comes to kraut?
|
|
|
Post by paquebot on Aug 14, 2017 5:06:32 GMT
Food grade buckets aren't an issue here, I get them from the bakery/deli. Many of them already had dill pickles in them...the rest had toppings/icings etc... Had no idea until this thread started, that it would take THAT much cabbage for a 5 gallon batch! I only have 18 Savoy planted, guess I better plug a few more in the ground. paquebot , do you plant any particular variety, or is cabbage cabbage when it comes to kraut? A 5-gallon pail of water weighs 40 pounds. Solid cabbages may have a specific gravity of 1,250+ which makes it heavier than water. The other ingredients in my mix are also heavier than water. Thus 40 pounds will not fill a pail that water would. The ideal kraut cabbage is one where the head is very solid. The green in my latest mix was Danish Ballhead and Earliana. The red was Ruby Perfection. We also have Dutch Flathead and Filderkraut. Filderkraut is supposed to be especially for kraut but I feel that it has too much water content to make a crisp kraut. However, it has turned out great for my garden partner when not mixed with anything else. My main gripe is that they are just too big to handle with a conventional kraut cutter. Never tried Savoy but kraut can be made from any cabbage and probably just about every member of the brassica family. Martin
|
|
|
Post by Weed on Aug 14, 2017 22:50:44 GMT
paquebot, It is what it a at this point but after reading your reply and a little nosing around on the www, it seems Savoy isn't recommended by several of the experienced kraut makers. Mainly for the rough, crinkled leaves but also because of the size from what I've gathered. Either way, I'm gonna give it a go...what's the worst that could happen. My only experience with lacto-fermenting was a gallon of green beans that I made about a month ago using fresh dill, garlic and a few spices. I just weighted them under the brine with a large folded horseradish leaf topped with a wide mouth pint jar filled with water and covered them with a towel. They were a hit with some but just as many thought they were terrible.
|
|
|
Post by paquebot on Aug 14, 2017 23:58:43 GMT
The main reason for late cabbage being best for kraut is that they grow slow and do not contain a lot of water. They are the ones that you rap with your knuckle and it's like hitting a rock. (Think of aptly-named Stonehead and Red Rock varieties.) When properly shredded and packed, the results are also solid and compact. Might not get the same with Savoy due to the crinkled leaves. Now wish that we hadn't given away the rest of our Savoy or I'd have tried a small batch.
I think that this first batch is on its way to finishing. Foaming around the edge of the plate has stopped and liquid retreated ½". Smells great and no mold on the liquid. Definitely going to be a winner.
Martin
|
|
|
Post by Weed on Aug 15, 2017 15:07:41 GMT
|
|
|
Post by paquebot on Aug 15, 2017 16:49:13 GMT
I think that we have 6 Kaitlin in the garden right now. We had it last year and I was given more to plant this year. Although they've been hit with alternaria, they are bouncing back and still as solid as a rock. As I recall last year, they never split and probably won't this year. That's a good sign that they are not filling up with water, which is why cabbage cracks.
Martin
|
|
|
Post by paquebot on Aug 16, 2017 5:21:09 GMT
Sounds good Martin. Looks like you started this batch on the 9th/10th, how much more time before its ready to jar up? Just had a close look at it and a bedtime snack. Most of the liquid has now been absorbed back into the product and no more bubbling or foaming around the edge. Also important is no spoilage on the small amount that is exposed to the air. It may be canned any time now. Texture and taste are excellent and even that will be improved with the next batch when the rutabagas are more mature and sweeter. I'll also up the carrots to 2#. Martin
|
|
|
Post by Weed on Aug 23, 2017 17:08:32 GMT
Received my new cutter this afternoon...I'm impressed! It's the compact model at just 7-1/2" x 22" but looks like it'll handle a good sized head once quartered. www.amazon.com/Keramik-Compact-Cabbage-Shredder-Germany/dp/B06XWHGKM2Got a good deal on it too @ $35.60 thru Amazon warehouse deals (damaged box). The cutter was inspected and arrived in perfect condition. It just needed a freshwater washdown...still had a fine coating of wood dust from the factory. Now I just need the cabbage to grow out & I'm ready! 👍
|
|
|
Post by paquebot on Aug 24, 2017 1:57:13 GMT
Oooh! Three blades instead of two! My old "Plain Jane" from 50 years ago may have been made for getting a lot done to fill 10-gallon crocks but it's been sufficient. A box limits the size of the chunk to whatever will fit. That also limits how long the strands will be. I can quarter a 15# Filderkraut and have strands a foot long.
Martin
|
|
|
Post by ceresone on Aug 28, 2017 17:11:31 GMT
i love my old fashioned crocks for krautmaking--saw a farm sale the other day that had a 50 gallon crock--with lid at auction. dont want to sell my farm to buy a crock--so i didnt go. i have 3 size 10, and sizes on down.. that said--i think next time, i will use gallon jars, and refrigerate instead of canning, to me it seems too soft after i can it
|
|
|
Post by Skandi on Aug 28, 2017 19:41:35 GMT
Hmm I have everything in that recipe in the garden, though the red cabbages are not ready. I may have a go on a MUCH smaller batch, no idea if we will eat it! What do you eat it with/on?
|
|
|
Post by feather on Aug 28, 2017 21:54:17 GMT
Skandi, off the top of my head. 1. Reuben sandwich--dark rye or pumpernickel with mustard, corned beef thinly sliced, swiss cheese of some type, sauerkraut, thousand island dressing (ketchup, pickle relish, mayo), grilled or baked. 2. Baked with pork chops which give off fat browning some of the kraut, potatoes, onions, carrots. 3. Perogies--filled with kraut or kraut and polish sausage. 4. As a topping on hotdogs with kraut, onions, mustard, or on top of sausage in a bun, same way. 5. Heated up as a side dish to a meal, or heated with a little sour cream added to make it a little creamy. 6. As an appetizer, the Reuben casserole, drained and chopped kraut, chopped corned beef, chopped or shredded swiss cheese in a thousand island dressing, baked, then served on small crackers and rye bread.
|
|
|
Post by 1shotwade on Aug 29, 2017 0:42:28 GMT
Did you really have to list all that and make me this hungry?LOL! BTW, you forgot my favorite, corned beef and kraut.And about a dozen I can't seem to think of at the moment. Wade
|
|
|
Post by paquebot on Aug 29, 2017 1:55:22 GMT
Skandi, red cabbage in my recipe is not mandatory. I have made kraut with just red cabbage and somehow it never turned out right. Never a problem when mixed with green. Last year's kraut, in fact, had no red. It started as two batches with one being only Filderkraut cabbage and the other a mix of carrots and kohlrabi. Both were small 2-gallon batches and ended up combining them.
As for how to use kraut, there's also no rule against just making a pile on the side of your plate and eating it like a vegetable. There are even stories of farm families on the Plains who survived the 1930s drought solely on kraut. One of our favorite ways is with pork ribs. Being in Wisconsin where bratwursts rule, that's another way that we use it. I can't say that I've had it in Denmark had some really nice kraut with fennel in Germany.
Martin
|
|
|
Post by Skandi on Aug 29, 2017 8:54:05 GMT
Yeah neither Danes nor Brits do kraut at all, infact neither do any lactofermenting (yes yes posh reastaurants do and it is in fashion now, but you won't find it as a staple) We also don't do corned beef, and if I tried to serve hotdogs with anything other than agurksalat and ristede løg oh there would be a mutiny! That's pickled sliced cucumbers and crispy deepfried onions.
|
|
|
Post by paquebot on Aug 29, 2017 18:22:11 GMT
I think that the reason the Brits and Danes aren't into kraut is political. During the two world wars, there were campaigns here to change any German names to something else. For example, sauerkraut would become liberty cabbage. I can imagine that it was the same in the UK. In Denmark, I had a friend who would not think of growing or eating a kohlrabi. His father was a farmer who raised vegetables and potatoes but the Germans made him grow kohlrabi. He swore that he never wanted to see another for the rest of his life!
Martin
|
|
|
Post by 1shotwade on Aug 29, 2017 18:27:33 GMT
I love Kohlrabi! I just pulled 4 this morning! Wade
|
|
|
Post by paquebot on Aug 29, 2017 20:41:50 GMT
Kohlrabi by itself can also be made into kraut. I have 9 which are either Konan or Kongo. Whichever they are, they are huge and will not get woody. I'll be making a 2-gallon batch of that.
Martin
|
|
|
Post by 1shotwade on Aug 29, 2017 20:59:13 GMT
Love them raw or in a stir-fry or a stew! Wade
|
|
|
Post by Skandi on Aug 29, 2017 22:11:51 GMT
I only like kholrabi raw, it tastes way too much like cabbage once cooked. I grow one called Modrava it's a purple type and also gets huge without being woody.
|
|