Off Season Kraut Substitue

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Off Season Kraut Substitue

Postby Sketch on Sun Sep 17, 2017 9:50 am

Hi all,

I've been fermenting green cabbage kraut for a little over a year now and it has been wonderful for my gut health and overall mood and health. The problem I'm having is that in the warm months my kraut is dead. I don't get the same nice cloudy bubbly ferments. There is consistently sediment on the bottom but from halfway up to the top it is clear. The ferment is pretty much cabbage water.
Image

https://1drv.ms/i/s!Ahw-gdS3zXYXirdUR8UAadVSjvblHw
My guess is that the cabbage in the Summer months bake in the sun and kill the probiotic microorgs. Some details about my ferments:

Glass Jar w/air lock.
I keep them in a fridge that maintains the temp at 66F.
I don't use a starter culture.
I shred my cabbage with a mandolin use a little kosher salt and basically hand wring it in a large stainless mixing bowl.
3 week ferment time.


Is there anyone here that has a warm season substitute for green cabbage with similar gut benefits? Should I maybe use a starter culture for Summer month ferments?

Thanks,
Sketch
Sketch
 
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Re: Off Season Kraut Substitue

Postby Sketch on Sun Sep 17, 2017 7:54 pm

I'm trying out a Beet Kvass now. I sliced and racked a bunch of really good looking beets tonight and put the jar in the cooler at 66.. Sandor and others say this ferments really quickly which is good because my gut is not happy. I'll post results as I have them.

-Sketch
Sketch
 
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Re: Off Season Kraut Substitue

Postby Christopher Weeks on Mon Sep 18, 2017 8:56 am

Maybe try culturing each new batch with a scoop of backslop from the previous one. So Even if the heads aren't coming to you with the right microbiota, you'll probably get some of the stuff you need into the jar. It might take longer, but still get done.
Christopher Weeks
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Re: Off Season Kraut Substitue

Postby Sketch on Mon Sep 18, 2017 9:11 am

Thanks Christopher, that's what I was thinking. I noticed the change around May and I'm hearing that Kraut isn't really 'in season' until after the first frost which for me is around the end of October. I think I'm going to either do what you're saying, starting in April, or just make enough batches to last the 6 month stretch. If Beet Kvass is as good as I'm reading I may just make it and the kraut seasonally.

Thanks :)

Sketch
Sketch
 
Posts: 5
Joined: Thu Aug 31, 2017 7:47 pm

Re: Off Season Kraut Substitue

Postby Sketch on Thu Sep 28, 2017 10:29 am

Follow up:

The Beet Kvass is great. It ferments really quickly too. It's not a perfect replacement for kraut, but it's good.

I think next Summer I'll just start each batch of kraut with a starter from the previous one.

-Sketch
Sketch
 
Posts: 5
Joined: Thu Aug 31, 2017 7:47 pm


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