Wednesday, September 29, 2010

I think it's about to Rueben

This weeks CSA share had a pretty big head of cabbage. We had it before this summer and I've made cole slaw. I like cole slaw, but there is only so much of it I am willing to eat. I remembered reading some various posts about homemade sauerkraut. A quick search and I was here, rereading Chef Bob Del Grosso's version of sauerkraut.

I used 3/4 of a head. I probably should have used it all, but it looked like more until I pressed it down. Anyhow, I had about 1000 grams of cabbage. 1059 grams if you are keeping score at home. Multiply that by 0.02 and you get close enough 22 grams of kosher salt. Stirred it all up and pressed it down.



And there it sits, perched upon a foosball table in the basement.


Hopefully it comes out good. If it does, there will be Ruebens.

5 comments:

  1. Prepare for the smell of fermenting cabbage to permeate your house and everything you own. But oh, the deliciousness you get at the end.

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  2. The basement is getting kind of ripe. I've already moved the jar once. I have kind of a homemade dehumidifier in the basement that sucks air outside. I think the next step is to move the sauerkraut a little close.

    On a positive not, it does at least smell like sauerkraut. I guess that is progress in the right direction.

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  3. I am waiting with bated breath on this one (not b/c of the smell).

    I tried to make it home one time after getting cocky with my pickle making skeelz, but ended up with a funky crock of moldy no.

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  4. Just so you know, it's fairly normal to get a layer of mold on top of the sauerkraut. Mine did. It also ended up in the utility room next to the air intake, it's a good idea.

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  5. I skimmed a layer of mold of on Friday. I stopped the bringing process a little early on Saturday. I had time and all the windows were open because it was such a nice day. It smells exactly how you would expect sauerkraut to smell. Tastes OK - not overly tangy. Texturally, it is a lot like a slaw. I plan to heat it up before it goes onto a sandwich or hotdog. Hopefully that improves the texture.

    I am out of town next week. I'll have to find my way to a Rueben and a post later this week.

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