Sauerkraut
Recipe Categories : | Cabbage
| All Pickles/Chutney/Relish
| MAIN INDEX |
Cooking Time : As per table below Makes
: about 9 quarts
Ingredients :
- 25 lb cabbage
- ¾ cup canning or pickling salt
Preparation and Cooking Instructions :
- Quality: For the best sauerkraut, use firm heads of fresh cabbage.
Shred cabbage and start kraut between 24 and 48 hours after harvest.
- Work with about 5 pounds of cabbage at a time. Discard outer leaves.
Rinse heads under cold running water and drain. Cut heads in quarters
and remove cores. Shred or slice to a thickness of a quarter.
- Put cabbage in a suitable fermentation container and add 3 tablespoons
of salt. Mix thoroughly, using clean hands. Pack firmly until salt draws
juices from cabbage. Repeat shredding, salting, and packing until all
cabbage is in the container. Be sure it is deep enough so that its rim
is at least 4 or 5 inches above the cabbage. If juice does not cover
cabbage, add boiled and cooled brine (1½ tbsp salt per quart
of water). Add plate and weights; cover container with a clean bath
towel. Store at 70 - 75ºF while fermenting.
At temperatures between 70 - 75ºF, kraut will be fully fermented
in about 3 to 4 weeks; at 60 - 65ºF, fermentation may take 5 to
6 weeks. At temperatures lower than 60ºF, kraut may not ferment.
Above 75ºF, kraut may become soft.
- If you weigh the cabbage down with a brine-filled bag, do not disturb
the crock until normal fermentation is completed (when bubbling ceases).
If you use jars as weight, you will have to check the kraut 2 to 3 times
each week and remove scum if it forms.
- Fully fermented kraut may be kept tightly covered in the refrigerator
for several months or it may be canned as follows:
Hot pack -- Bring kraut and liquid slowly to a boil in
a large kettle, stirring frequently. Remove from heat and fill jars
rather firmly with kraut and juices, leaving 1/2-inch headspace.
Raw pack -- Fill jars firmly with kraut and cover with
juices, leaving ½" headspace.
Adjust lids and process according to the recommendations
in Table 1.
Table 1. Recommended process time for Sauerkraut
in a boiling-water canner.
Style of Pack: Hot. Jar Size: Pints.
Process Time at Altitudes of 0 - 1,000 ft: 10 min.
1,001 - 3,000 ft: 15 min.
3,001 - 6,000 ft: 15 min.
Above 6,000 ft: 20 min.
Style of Pack: Hot. Jar Size: Quarts.
Process Time at Altitudes of 0 - 1,000 ft: 20 min.
1,001 - 3,000 ft: 25 min.
3,001 - 6,000 ft: 30 min.
Above 6,000 ft: 35 min.
Style of Pack: Raw. Jar Size: Pints.
Process Time at Altitudes of 0 - 1,000 ft: 20 min.
1,001 - 3,000 ft: 25 min.
3,001 - 6,000 ft: 30 min.
Above 6,000 ft: 35 min.
Style of Pack: Raw. Jar Size: Quarts.
Process Time at Altitudes of 0 - 1,000 ft: 25 min.
1,001 - 3,000 ft: 30 min.
3,001 - 6,000 ft: 35 min.
Above 6,000 ft: 40 min.
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