Subject: My Kraut Recipe

From: [email-masked] (Joe Lowe)
Date: 13 Sep 1994 02:25:02 GMT

Several people have requested kraut recipes, so I will offer mine.

   The secret to good kraut is the proper amount of salt. The right amount
is 2.5% by weight. You really need an accurate scale to weigh the cabbage
and the salt. A usual batch will use less than 50 grams of salt.

   Start by chopping the cabbage to the consistancy you like. The coarse cuts
always seem to win at the county fair. Weigh the cabbage. Calculate the
amount of salt you will need. Use only finely ground, PURE salt. Table salt
will not do.

   Wash the chopped cabbage in plain water. this reduces the number of
spoilage organisms, and increases the number of good ones.

   The container I use is a 5 gallon plastic bucket. The ones from an
ice-cream plant are ideal. The cabbage mixture should be packed "square" in
the bucket, not too deep, in other words.

   I then use a "turkey size" oven broiling bag filled with several inches
of water to form an air tight floating cover. Use two bags, one inside
another, in case of leakage. This helps the bacteria to do their job, and
excludes spoilage organisms.

   Temprature is important! about 50 deg. F is the ideal. Lower temps take a
long time, and above 60 you will have mushy kraut.

   If all goes well, in about two weeks you will have some of the best kraut
you have ever tasted. I like to start tasting after about a week, and let it
"work off" until I judge it to be right.

   The kraut will be saltier near the bottom of the bucket so if you are
going to can it, it is a good idea to mix it up first. We can ours by
packing it into pint jars, and processing it in 180 deg. water bath for 15
min. DO NOT USE BOILING WATER. This is the process in the USDA canning book.

   Good luck, and good eating....

Joe