When I teach my workshops, I have people open their sauerkraut on day 7 and taste. If they like it, put it in the fridge. Then, with the next batch they make, ferment it for two weeks. Taste and evaluate. If it is too salty, there is not enough tang or if it is too crunchy, let it ferment longer and try it in another week. This is a great way to begin to taste the development in flavor over time.
Your taste buds will gradually notice subtle differences in flavor. The best quality sauerkraut is fermented for a minimum of 14 days with 21 being even better. This time span ensures good flavor development, proper acidity level, and complete consumption of all the sugars in the cabbage. Cabbage fermented between days has three times more beneficial bioactive compounds than cabbage fermented in less than 14 days. There are three variables you can play with that impact the taste, texture, and tang of your sauerkraut:.
I like to keep coming back to these factors when tasting my sauerkraut. Some like it salty, some like it soft, some like it crunchy. And, some want as many beneficial bacteria swarming around in their jar as possible. Salt is necessary for fermentation. It ensures that the beneficial bacteria grow and proliferate and that the pathogenic bacteria die off. Too little salt speeds up fermentation and might produce soft or slimy sauerkraut. Too much salt slows down fermentation and will inhibit the growth of the lactic acid bacteria, just the bacteria you need to safely preserve your sauerkraut.
To determine the correct amount of salt to add, you need to weigh your vegetables using a kitchen scale. It is advisable to also weigh your salt. Before I understood that one tablespoon of salt could weigh differently than another tablespoon of salt, I always measured my salt—by volume—as follows:.
I have two sets of measuring spoons in my kitchen that I use interchangeably. One measures out 16 grams of Himalayan pink salt; one 21 grams. So, to correctly determine your salt concentration, weigh your ingredients and salt. To do so, take the weight—in grams—of all the ingredients used for a particular batch of sauerkraut and multiply by 0. If you are fermenting at warmer household temperatures, use a salt concentration of 2.
If you are fermenting at cooler household temperatures, use a salt concentration of 1. Alternately, you may use commercially available weights and one-way valve covers. Place the jar on a tray to catch any juices that might bubble out during the fermentation process.
Check the jar two or three times per week and promptly remove any scum or mold. Fermentation at room temperature should take about three weeks. Small-batch-fermented sauerkraut may be stored for several months in the refrigerator, frozen, or water bath canned. If canning, follow the procedure described above using a clean jar.
Photo credit: Bigstock. Use a pickling variety cucumber such as Carolina or Bush Pickle. Pickling cucumbers are short and have thin skins. Slicing or table cucumbers are not suitable for fermenting pickles. Cucumbers should be fresh, firm, and free of rot or disease. Use appropriately sized cucumbers for fermenting. Use large or oddly shaped cucumbers for relish. Select 4-inch cucumbers for fermenting.
Use the following quantities for each gallon capacity of your container:. Caution: If the pickles become soft, slimy, or develop a disagreeable odor, discard them. Table 2. Recommended process times for fermented pickles in a boiling water or atmospheric steam canner at designated altitudes. Wash cucumbers. Rub each cucumber under running water to loosen and remove soil. The blossom end contains enzymes that can cause the cucumbers to soften during fermentation.
Place half of dill and spices on bottom of a clean, suitable container. Add cucumbers, remaining dill, and spices. Dissolve salt in vinegar and water and pour over cucumbers. Add suitable cover and weight. Fermenting pickles cure slowly. Check the container several times a week and promptly remove surface scum or mold. Fully fermented pickles may be stored in the original container for about four to six months, provided they are refrigerated and surface scum and molds are removed regularly.
Canning fully fermented pickles is a better way to store them. Pour the brine into a pan, heat slowly to a boil, and simmer 5 minutes. Filter brine through paper coffee filters to reduce cloudiness, if desired. The following method may be used to process fermented pickles. Then add hot water to a level 1 inch above jars. Prepared by Martha Zepp, extension project assistant; Andy Hirneisen, senior food safety educator; and Luke LaBorde, professor of food science.
Let's Stay Connected. By entering your email, you consent to receive communications from Penn State Extension. View our privacy policy. Thank you for your submission! Let's Preserve: Fermentation - Sauerkraut and Pickles. Fact sheet in the Let's Preserve series detailing how to safely can and preserve sauerkraut and fermented pickles.
Photo credit: Steve Williams, Penn State. Fermentation Fermenting is the process in which beneficial bacteria break down food components under controlled, anaerobic conditions to produce acids. Containers for Fermenting Stone crocks are the traditional fermentation container; however, other containers, such as glass or food-grade plastic containers, may be used. Covering To avoid surface mold growth, keep the cabbage or pickles submerged at all times. Quantity A pound bag of fresh cabbage makes 16 to 20 quarts of sauerkraut.
Quality To make good sauerkraut, use disease-free, firm, sweet, mature heads of cabbage from mid- and late season crops. Preparation Work with about 5 pounds of fresh cabbage at a time. Filling and Packing the Container Place 5 pounds of shredded cabbage in the fermentation container and thoroughly mix in 3 tablespoons of canning or pickling salt.
To Make a Hot Pack Bring sauerkraut and liquid slowly to a boil in a large kettle, stirring frequently.
After Processing After processing is complete, remove the canner from the heat and remove the canner lid. Either way, it still takes about two months for sauerkraut to fully develop into a probiotic-rich gold mine. If you are fermenting vegetables for health benefits, then give the fermentation process at least 60 days to get there. If you are making sauerkraut for health benefits, it is wise to let it go through all four phases. The first phase happens in the first 2 -3 days.
The aerobic microorganisms Pseudomonas, Flavobacterium, and Acinetobacter quickly consume oxygen. This is why it is essential to pack the cabbage tightly, to get all the extra air out of the vessel before sealing it off. Raw cabbage contains only a tiny percentage of LAB, like 0.
As the cabbage goes through the four phases, this tiny percentage grows and dominates as it progresses. The second phase occurs between days 3 — 6, depending upon the temperature. More bacteria start to grow and take over. When three things happen: the pH level lowers, causing an anaerobic environment, combined with the proper brine concentration. During the second phase, microorganisms produce lactic and acetic acids, which further drop the pH.
During this phase, the color of the cabbage changes and stabilizes the vitamin C. In the third phase , many carbohydrates are fermented into lactic acid due to other bacteria taking over called homofermentative lactobacilli.
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