Comments on: Fomenting Fermentation Fun: Purple Sauerkraut

By: Barbara

Barbara — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 18:56:50 +0000

Like I said, my next batch is going to be just salt, relying on the wild lactobacillus that is on the leaves of the cabbages and floating about in the air instead of using the culture. Though, I still have some packets of the culture of any of my in-town friends want to give it a shot.

By: Mac

Mac — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 12:04:19 +0000

I did a batch last year with just salt — and after a long time (couple weeks… maybe three) in a cool dark corner, it started getting nicely sour, yet stayed crunchy. Think I used the Sandor Katz book for moral support. You’re putting me in mind of doing it again… but this time with red cabbage.

By: debby

debby — Wed, 22 Aug 2012 06:54:44 +0000

I prefer making sauerkraut with at least some red cabbage in it; for some reason, the red batches always taste better to me.

By: Barbara

Barbara — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 20:14:21 +0000

Jan–when you work with salt alone, and you do a long ferment–Grandma and Grandpa’s kraut stayed in the crock for at least three weeks, often a month–be sure to keep it in a cool room. Warmth speeds up the ferment and can cause extra mold bloom on the top which is not harmful, but not great, either. And it might ick you out about making kraut again, so cool temps help.

My next batch is going to be completely salt-based, just like my kimchi.

By: Jan's Sushi Bar

Jan's Sushi Bar — Tue, 21 Aug 2012 13:26:59 +0000

I’m going to be starting a kraut soon (since my experiment with kimchi turned out so well), and never thought of using a purple cabbage – you’re right, it is pretty!

Some folks who are very much into fermenting vegetables and fruits (most of them are Weston A. Price advocates) say that you should leave a ferment on the counter no less than 10 days; in some cases even longer – much longer. That makes me nervous, frankly, but I’m going to give it a whirl. I won’t be using a commercial ferment “starter” as they almost all contain whey; it’s straight salt for me.