Anyone make their own? We do every year. This year will have done 4 five gallon pails. I did 2 pails earlier in August. I’ll be packaging and freezing our last 2 pails we just did. Very good taste and really good crunch too it. We freeze it in quart size freezer bags. Seems to work out good and doesn’t lose it’s crunch when froze and thawed.
Just for reference a 5 gallon pail will hold 30# of shredded cabbage.
20181018_203259.jpg
oh man !! I use to work for a full fledged Bohemian in Chelsea Iowa,he and his folks made homemade sauerkraut,out of this world stuff I tell ya !!
the best part was the cabbage hearts,and he usually had two gallons of those left over.
between those and what he called a bohemi martini( a blue smoothy,a dill pickle,and mater juice in a tall glass with a dash of pepper ) we could of bottled the after effects up and powered a railroad clean across the USA !!
homemade kraut also made the best haystack sandwiches around !!
a half pound of freshly ground beef burger medium rare,kraut on the grill,mozzarella cheese slowly melting on the grill off to the side,and a toasted bun.
put mustard on the bun halves,the grilled beef burger,kraut piled high,and the cheese,thats all ya needed !!
lets see ya top that one glenn57!!
Shawn,you have too much talent !!
Among the many things my daughter is producing on her farm is sauerkraut. Just delicious!
S.R.
kraut.jpg
Among the many things my daughter is producing on her farm is sauerkraut. Just delicious!
S.R.
That’s awesome. And I just give mine away. Might need to change up my thoughts.
Among the many things my daughter is producing on her farm is sauerkraut. Just delicious!
S.R.
Steve,
Is she selling at Farmers markets or where…if she is?
Perhaps I could just ask Sharon herself?
Andy, I have been blessed with two daughters. Sharon’s sister is the farmer. Her place is south-west of Mankato. I’m not sure how to get some to you; I’ll be down there tomorrow so I’ll ask her.
S.R.
Andy, I have been blessed with two daughters. Sharon’s sister is the farmer. Her place is south-west of Mankato. I’m not sure how to get some to you; I’ll be down there tomorrow so I’ll ask her.
S.R.
Thank you Steve!
I too have been blessed with two daughters. My youngest still living in Wisconsin has befriended some fisherman at her work who offer fresh and smoked salmon from Lake Michigan. Sometimes she’ll bring some when visiting me here in MN.
I’m a fan though of sauerkraut and used to find homemade at Farmers Markets in Minneapolis. Not anymore since I moved out to Coon Rapids.
Not of German descendants though I still enjoy kraut in smaller quantities. Reuben’s and Milwaukee style brats.
Fun post Shawn…you have a lot of kraut to get through. 
reuben.png
brat.jpg
I screwed up the link
I sure miss my grandparents Kraut! Grandpa was German and Grandma was Bohemian (from Iowa). I used to help make it when I was very young, Grandpa warned me to be careful of the mandolin as it was very sharp. He then proceeded to cut himself on it. They would have countless quart jars on the shelf and the year it was made was written on the lid. We wouldn’t open a jar until it was a few years old and had some good bite to it!!!
I can’t seem to find any decent commercially made Kraut. I would happily pay top dollar for some GREAT homemade kraut.
River runs, that looks great! It’s something I have been wanting to try. Would you share a recipe/process?
I’ve also been looking into the process. Has anyone looked into the fermenting process with a water sealed crock?
River runs, that looks great! It’s something I have been wanting to try. Would you share a recipe/process?
Here you go.
I use a clean and washed 5 gallon pail for my crock. No need for a fancy crock. the pail will hold up too 30#’s of shredded cabbage.
We use our kitchen aid too shed the cabbage. Use the bigger attachment meant for shredding. However you shred it that’s fine. Weigh out 5# of shredded cabbage and dump into 5 gallon pail, add 3 tablespoons of canning-pickling salt. mix and stomp this real good. You will start to create a juice. just keep repeating this process. I typically do 25# in a 5 gallon pail. Gives a little more room at the top.
After the pail is finished you should have enough liquid that will cover the cabbage. At this point I take clean outside leaves I have saved off the heads of cabbage. Use enough to cover the shredded cabbage. I then use a plastic cover off a 3 gallon pail and place on the top of this. Using a weight I will then weigh this down so the plastic cover is immersed under the liquid.
I then cover the 5 gallon pail with a clean flour towel and rubber band it too the pail. This keeps the bugs out and lets the gases escape. I let it ferment about 10 days and then sample it. I usually don’t go longer than 14 days but I’m sure that’s a preference thing on taste. When you are fermenting the cabbage room temp should be between 66 and 74 degrees to keep the fermenting going. Too cold and it won’t ferment, too warm and you’ll get mold.
I pack it in quart size freezer bags, lay flat and freeze. Stores nice this way in the freezer and stays real crunchy.
Pretty simple process.
Not of German descendants though I still enjoy kraut in smaller quantities. Reuben’s and Milwaukee style brats.
Andy, the only requisites to enjoying sauerkraut is the lack of taste buds and a stuffed nose. lol
I love the stuff. I’ll buy two pound bags and toss a couple rings of my venison ring bologna in there and simmer for three hours on a real low heat. Just before the skins split on the rings I take the bologna out and slice it thick and pull the casing and put the meat back in and continue heating for another half hour…..then pig out. This makes enough for about three days of left-overs which I warm up for my lunches and probably enjoy as dinner once or twice more whichever is my fancy.
Saurkraut is the only good cabbage meal there is unless the cabbage is chopped into a decent slaw.
Thanks a bunch – i appreciate that.
I never realized that it was that simple.
“clean flour towel” Are you referring to a tea towel like is used to dry the dishes?
“clean flour towel” Are you referring to a tea towel like is used to dry the dishes?
4-5 layers of cheese cloth should do.
My wife’s side is 100% German, I remember the family reunions where some (now passed) Aunt brought a crockpot of home-made kraut. This stuff had little chunks of sausage and almost a creamy sauce in there too, wish I had that recipe now.
If one likes a bit of caraway seeds, when would be the proper time to add? Front end of fermentation, or add to jars when processing?
“clean flour towel” Are you referring to a tea towel like is used to dry the dishes?
Yes. I think FF calls them flour towels. Same as your mentioning I believe. We also use the same thing for drying dishes.
Flour sacks is what I’ve heard them called.
Just so the cloth breaths but is small enough of a weave to keep very small little bugs and spiders out.
It is not necessary to keep the cloth moist then?
Just so the cloth breaths but is small enough of a weave to keep very small little bugs and spiders out.
It is not necessary to keep the cloth moist then?
Yes. that is correct.
Thanks!! I’m into other things as of right ow. This will be added to my list before next spring, Thanks my friend!
Among the many things my daughter is producing on her farm is sauerkraut. Just delicious!
S.R.
Just delicious is right @rootski !
Finally got around to breaking open a jar for reubens tonight and it was outstanding. Thanks again for getting them. 
Next is to try it with ring bologna like Tom does. Used to do that years ago and forgot all about it. Thanks for the reminder Tom.
reuben.jpg
kraut.jpg
Glad you liked it Andy, I’ll pass that along to my daughter 
S.R.
2 quart sized bags taken out tonight from the freezer. No need to can it. Maybe if you sell It? That I don’t know.
These will be thawed and warmed in a small crock pot the day of thanksgiving. Juices mostly drained, a little butter and a little thickened and boy is this stuff good on the side.
Pickles not included with the kraut.
15427675718471441710992.jpg
I’ve made my own before using the quart jar method. Now I buy this, much easier. Wildbrine 50oz. $7.99 at Costco
C4D504C2-C65B-4C28-83D5-548A5F19320D.jpeg
Ok, now that cabbage is @ .19 cents per pound I’m going to make some. I’m just unsure to how much depending on how I may preserve it and for how long.
I’m concerned with long term storage, If I use my vacuum machine to suck down in quart jars, is this effective enough? Is the freezer better or should they be done in the “processed” hot water method or under pressure, and if so what is that recipe?
I just have finished 2 quarts of Wienke”s Market sauerkraut that I purchased from just south of Door Co last Oct. That has been the best I’ve had to date.
My concerns are long term storage / quality of product.
i’d be interested in hearing others methods too. i shred the cabbage, stuff in qt jars, add a tsp of salt then pour hot water in the jar, screw lid on tight and let it set. it eventually seals, most of the time. if it doesnt i put it in the beer frig.
denny, i heard someone tell me after i hot bathed it one time by doing that it stops some process the cabbage goes through fermenting. i never noticed the difference in flavor though.????? in my biased opinion they way i make mine turns out just like the green can of FRANKS kraut.
i forgot to mention the way i do mine we need to let it cook/simmer about 45 minutes!!!!
You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
