I think this is the beginnings of an economy based on perpetual growth and fossil fuel energy running headlong into geological energy constraints. Basically I see an undulatory downward path for the rest of my life. From here out, I think any rallies in our economic condition are going to be met with spiking commodity prices that knock us right back down.
Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2008 9:13 pm Post subject: Sauerkraut / kim chee containers?
I'm itching to make some sauerkraut. I'm wondering if an old butter churn I have would work. Anyone tried this? It's basically a clay pot (maybe enough to old one shredded head of cabbage) with a wooden plunger and a ceramic top. But it'll be difficult to apply weight to the plunger, and the top fits on a lip, so it can't sit on the cabbage and be weighted down. Guess I could press on the plunger once a day, and jerry rig some sort of cap that can be weighted down.....
What else could I use to make sauerkraut? Can't afford to buy a specialized container, need it to be cheap and readily available.
How about kim chee? Anyone made this? Can you make it with regular cabbage (Brassica oleracea), or do you need Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa)? What kind of container did you use?
My butter churn looks something like this, only a bit smaller:
_________________ "A little stored food and Bob's your uncle." --TT
Posted: Tue Oct 07, 2008 11:05 pm Post subject: Re: Sauerkraut / kim chee containers?
Loki, your container is PERFECT for the way I make sauerkraut. I have to say that this sauerkraut is as good as that my Mother made when I was growing up and I thought it was the best in the world. That stuff you buy in the store - yuck!!
For the last 3 years, I've made sauerkraut using the instructions that were on the Walton Feed site. You can still access those files using the Way Back Machine but I'll post the instructions here.
Quote:
The Recipe...
By Mabel Mertz
of Southern Alberta
5 lbs shredded cabbage (About 6 quarts, pressed)
2 oz salt (3 tablespoons)
Shred cabbage finely, put it in a large pan. Mix cabbage and salt with your hands. Pack gently with hands or potato masher. Repeat until crock (Al uses a 6 gal plastic bucket) is nearly full...
Now here is where there is a specialized recipe:
Quote:
The following was submitted by Kevin Cramer
I read Mabel Mertz's recipe for homemade kraut and think I might have something to improve the process. Although it's not a 100 year old method, it was taught to me by Bill Scmuck (himself in his 80's). We use 2 trash bags, double bagged and filled with about 10 inches of water as a fermentation lock on our sauerkraut. We've fermented at least 2500 gallons using this method over the last 12 years. The only failures have been attributed to "peeking". DO NOT peek until the fermentation has ceased 7-8 weeks at 65º F, and then bag or can it immediately.
Clean your crock (or in our case Rubbermaid trash cans) with bleach water and rinse well. Slice, stomp, salt, and pack your cabbage into the trash can leaving at least 12" of space at the top. Wipe any cabbage from the sides before inserting the bags (this stuff turns hard and is nearly impossible to scrape out later).
Carry this beast to your basement, put 2 bags (one inside the other) into the top of the can and fill it with 10 inches of water from a garden hose. Loosely tie the inner bag into a knot (to slow down any evaporation). Make sure that there are NO gaps along the sides. Check your water level every 2 weeks or so and top off if necessary. Then remove the bags of water CAREFULLY... so as not to rupture them and flood your work. You could siphon or dip this water out if you really wanted to.
We make 1000-1500 pounds of sauerkraut every October and then bag it into 1 quart freezer bags in late December. We let the bags freeze outside, on a tarp (cover the bags or the kraut will bleach in the sunlight). We then move them into our chest freezers and give them out for Christmas presents. In Central Pennsylvania it is a tradition to eat sauerkraut every New Year's day. Most of the older family members really appreciate the taste of good, un-rinsed kraut.
If you don't want to freeze or can it, you can take it from the crock and quickly cover it back up with the fermentation lock. I would use 5 gallon buckets for this method so that you don't destroy more than a few gallons if you contaminate a batch. Friends of ours have had success with this method... they also consider burying their venison as a winter storage option.
We bury the cabbage "butts" or "hearts" in the kraut and ferment them along with the kraut. They taste like pickles and can be eaten raw. This year we are going to try a batch with peeled horseradish roots inserted into the cabbage as it ferments. A Slovak friend tells us that it adds flavor but little heat.
Posted: Wed Oct 08, 2008 8:29 am Post subject: Re: Sauerkraut / kim chee containers?
Thanks Tucker. Do you have to keep constant weight on the cabbage as it ferments, or can you just press it down when you first put it in and maybe when you're removing scum, etc. while it's fermenting?
Not sure I'm ready to try making it in garbage cans (I like sauerkraut, but not THAT much), but I may try it in 5-gallon buckets next year. Hopefully I'll grow my own cabbage next season. _________________ "A little stored food and Bob's your uncle." --TT
Joined: Jan 03, 2005 Posts: 1206 Location: western Wisconsin
Posted: Wed Oct 08, 2008 11:00 am Post subject: Re: Sauerkraut / kim chee containers?
I would hesitate to use a plastic garbage can for any food related uses, as the plastic used is not food grade. I use a 8 gallon or larger crock, or do small batches directly in quart jars using zinc lids with rubber rings (instructions in Rodale's "Stocking Up" I think).
Posted: Tue Oct 14, 2008 12:30 am Post subject: Re: Sauerkraut / kim chee containers?
I don't use a plastic garbage can either. I use a large crock or a food grade plastic bucket which I purchased at a restaurant supply store. I have several sizes depending upon how much cabbage I have.
Loki, there isn't any scum to be removed! There is absolutely no maintenance with this method. When you seal up the container, the cabbage just ferments under the weight of the water.
When you put the bags on the cabbage, you want to be sure you have about a foot of water above the cabbage level. I wrap the plastic bag closest to the cabbage over the edge of the container and seal it with duct tape to insure that no air gets to the fermenting cabbage. You want to be sure the water doesn't leak into the cabbage so have at least 2 layers between them.
Oh, whatever bag you use, be sure to test it for leaks first. I didn't last year and ruined an entire batch of sauerkraut. Every so often, check to be sure you still have enough water over the cabbage, adding some if necessary.
I give away some of my canning products to my friends. Even those who never like kraut before love the results of this method. It's well fermented, tender, and almost sweet. Yummy!
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Every so often, check to be sure you still have enough water over the cabbage, adding some if necessary.
