How Long To Ferment Sauerkraut? Like a fine wine, sauerkraut does improve with age, not only in flavor but also in the population of the good bacteria. Good bacteria that multiple into the TRILLIONS as a jar of sauerkraut is fermenting! Some sources say 10 trillion bacteria in one serving size of fermented sauerkraut. To obtain the greatest health benefits from eating probiotic-rich sauerkraut, let’s make sure the population of bacteria in your jar meet their greatest potential. So, just how long should you ferment your sauerkraut? For starters, until you like the taste, texture and tang of your sauerkraut! That being said, the minimum length, that I recommend, to ferment sauerkraut in your jar on top of the counter is one week. The purists out there will tell you the minimum time to ferment is three weeks and that is what I aim for. Now let’s look more closely at the factors that impact fermentation. Salinity, Temperature, Time and Vegetable Quality Temperature – Ideal 65-72 Degrees Fahrenheit (18–22 Degrees Celsius)
What is the Best Salt to Use When Making Fermented Sauerkraut? Best Salt? How Much Salt? Enter your name and email address, then click DOWNLOAD to get all the scoop on salt for making sauerkraut.. Thank you for sharing your email address. Now check your email to download your Best salt and How Much Salt for Making Fermented Sauerkraut Guide. Select the best salt for sauerkraut and be ensured of success. Salt is used to create the brine in which the cabbage mixture ferments. This is an important job for our salt! BLOG POST BONUS: Click here to get access to The Best Salt and How Much Salt Sauerkraut Guide. Start Off Simple When you’re first starting to ferment, it’s okay to keep things simple and use the salt you have in your home (even though it may be a refined salt), as long as it just says “salt” or “sodium chloride” on the label. If it has additives such as iodide, sugar or anti-caking agents such as calcium silicate in it, don’t use it. Three Categories of Salt I’ve grouped salt choices into three categories: Processed Salts Mineral-Rich Dry Salts
The Science Behind Sauerkraut Fermentation I’ve been eyeball-deep in microbiology and ferments the past two weeks. I had just purchased some cabbage and was about to start my sauerkraut ferment when I first heard the theory mason jar ferments are less than ideal due to the lack of airtight seal. Like many of you, I was scared I would be harming my family’s health, yet unable to afford an expensive jar. I was confused that a familiar method was no longer safe. I was totally out of my comfort zone on this one – I admittedly didn’t have enough experience with microbiology to know if she was right. Some of it made sense, but surely she was wrong on other points. This post is born out of endless hours of research gained, sleep lost, and too many hours of my children parked in front of movies. What did traditional cultures use for ferments? One of the first things I wondered was, “What did traditional cultures use?” Traditional fermenting crocks were made of pottery or clay. Benefits of Ferments that Traditional Cultures Experienced pH
Fermentation Information and Supplies Needed The Science Behind Sauerkraut Fermentation Sauerkraut 101 eCourse (FREE!) My guest post on Food Renegade: 3 Biggest Fermenting Mistakes… Bustin’ the Myth of the 3-Day Kraut (p.s. don’t refrigerate it, either!) Sauerkraut Survivor: Related Posts: Recipes Recommended Reading & Further Education: Supplies & Tools
FAQ | Pickl-It Which Vegetables Are Best Fermented? All vegetables and many fruits are great candidates for becoming fermented goodies! The lactic acid bacteria, which are stored on the exterior, as well in the cell walls of the fruit or vegetable, are the power behind fruits and vegetables, turning them into a wide variety of naturally-nutritious foods and beverages, including: sauces (jalapeno, ketchup)winesliquors, juices and fruit sodajams and chutneysauerkraut, kimchi, half-sour pickles, and a wide variety of other vegetable “pickle” Vegetable pickles are a family favorite…. Fermentation Friday: Sauerkraut Troubleshooting - Pickle Me Too Out of all ferments, sauerkraut is high on my list of favorites that I always have on hand. It tastes great and is very versatile. I enjoy it at almost every meal. With my eggs for breakfast, on top of pizza for lunch and as an accompaniment to most any meat dish (mmm, bratwurst and sauerkraut, mmm). While it really is a simple ferment, just cabbage and salt, the following questions pop up and I also asked on Facebook what some of your questions about sauerkraut might be. Heaving, what is it, why it happens, what to do when it happens. This is the most common question I see about sauerkraut. The reason kraut does this (and most shredded vegetable ferments like carrots or zucchini) is because the gases created during fermentation need to push their way up and out. There is no way to really avoid this happening (that I’ve found) but there are things you can do to prevent a mess. Not sauerkraut but it is a good example of how full your jar should be. Sauerkraut with too low brine. Yes!
Sauerkraut Fermentation Sauerkraut fermentation requires almost no work on the part of the operator. Cabbage contains enough lactic acid bacteria in order to ferment and produce sauerkraut with salt alone. In order to obtain product of the highest quality all those bacteria strains must ferment in a certain sequence. This happens naturally as long as sauerkraut is fermented around 65° F (18° C). Leuconostoc mesenteroides - they are the smallest and start the fermentation first producing around 0.25 to 0.3% lactic acid. Sauerkraut fermentation. Any change to the above cycles of lactic acid production will alter the taste and quality of sauerkraut. Effect of Fermentation Temperature The best quality sauerkraut is produced at 65-72° F (18-22° C) temperatures. Below 45.5° F (7.5° C) fermentation time is up to 6 months. Bacteria Control Sauerkraut is made by lactic acid bacteria that break sugar into lactic acid, carbon dioxide (CO2, soda gas) and a little amount of alcohol. Washing. Washing. Salt. Absence of Oxygen.
Fermented Squash Chutney Recipe Even beginners can make their own fermented foods! Fermented Vegetables (Storey Publishing, 2014) includes in-depth instruction for making kimchi, sauerkraut, and pickles, and then offers more than 120 recipes, using those basic methods, for fermenting 64 different vegetables and herbs. The recipes are creative, delicious, and healthful, and many of them can be made in small batches…even just a single pint. You can buy this book from the MOTHER EARTH NEWS store: Fermented Vegetables. In one of my experimental moods I had this big idea that spaghetti squash would be great fermented. Squash Chutney Recipe Ingredients: • 1 1/2 pounds winter squash halved, seeded, and peeled • 1/2 cup shredded carrot (optional) • 1–2 teaspoons unrefined sea salt • 2 cloves garlic, grated • 1 tablespoon sweet curry powder • 1/2 cup chopped raisins Instructions: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. More from Fermented Vegetables • How to Ferment Sauerkraut in a Large Batch • Fermented Garlic Scape Paste Recipe
How Much Salt? Salt is an important ingredient in fermentation. Not only does it keep unwanted bacteria from propagating, it also helps to keep the vegetables crunchy and crisp, adds flavor, preserves vitamin content, and can slow the fermentation process to allow flavor to develop more fully. If you’ve been browsing fermented vegetable recipes, you may notice that each calls for a different amount of salt. Two Methods for Adding Salt to a Vegetable Ferment Add salt to shredded or chopped vegetables directly, such as cabbage for sauerkraut. Using either method, as long as the vegetables are completely covered in the salt solution, they are protected from mold and other bacteria that would cause decay. How Much Salt Do I Use? Our rule of thumb for salt in vegetable ferments is 1-3 tablespoons per quart of water. Depending on the coarseness of the salt, one tablespoon can equate to a different weight of salt, so a different level of saltiness in the finished batch.