I knew I was stepping outside my comfort zone when I got the bright idea to make sauerkraut. Never having fermented anything before, everything about this project was new and different. I relied heavily on the advice and expertise of a great group of canning pros who have made kraut many times to get me started.
So, just about a week in and things are going......... well they are going. I had some gunk to scoop off the top and discard. Checked around the bag of brine that is weighing everything down and it seems to be doing ok. No gross smells or anything like that. It pretty much still looks like little more than a bucket of cabbage covered in liquid. I had some concerns about a few little moldy spots, but my expert friends tell me I have nothing to worry about as long as the cabbage is not moldy. I'll be watching it closely.
I do have some questions though. Like should I transfer it to a round bucket and skip the bag of brine as a weight and use a plate? Is it too late to move it to a new container? If you remember, I had to use a sort of oval-shaped bucket to start it in, but have since found a round bucket that would have been better.
For now, I'll let it continue doing it's thing for another week and see what happens. Stay tuned for the next update!
I use a round 2 gallon crock. Flip a plate upside down and weight it down with a full quart jar of food (can always wash the gunk off later) so all of the cabbage is immerged. I used to take the stuff off the top but then started leaving it until the end. I do not like sauerkraut but my hubby does. I remind him how much he owes me every time I make it. ;)
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