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EASYKRAUT




Source of Recipe


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EASYKRAUT

You can make any amount you want but I find ten pounds, convenient. It fits into 5 gallon bucket and makes about all I can eat in a year (about 20 pints). I lose about 25% of my cabbage to triming so you must allow for that if you are buying it.

Shred it any way you like... food processor, knife, etc. We have an official Krauthobel my wife picked up in Germany that works very well, sitting on top of the bucket as in the picture. Weigh the shreded cabbage and add 2 tsp (12 gr) of pickling salt per pound. Mix this well and regularly. Initially, you have to get in there with your hands but as the water starts drawing out, it gets easier with a long spoon.

After 24 hours, prepare pint mason jars by washing thoroughly in hot soapy water. Mix the kraut again and begin filling the jars with a ladle, paying attention to the liquid/kraut balance. Stir before each jar to make sure that each jar gets its share of brine. After all the jars are filled to the usual 1" head space, top them off with remaining brine or tap water. Beware of chlorine here if you have to add a lot, it should be boiled first or use distilled water.

When the jars are filled and topped off, screw on the lids and place them in pans or trays to collect any over flow and store at room temp for 6 weeks. I turn them upside down a few times during the period just to mix things up but put them back the right way after a few turns. I get very little (if any) overflow. The fermentation process produces CO2 so there is some bubbling and leakage out the top but the jars are designed to deal with this and there is no danger of bursting.

When 6 weeks is over, open a jar and simmer it in a sauce pan for 5 minutes or so and taste it. If you like it (I always do), then you can process them for long term keeping. Before processing, you need to rinse the jars; then remove the lids and wipe both the jar top and seal of the lid with clean wet fingers to remove any gunk that would prevent a seal. Then process them in boiling water or a pressure cooker. I process mine for 10 minutes a 10 lbs.

That's all there is too it. You will never buy store stuff aga