kapusta

after many weeks of waiting i thought it was time to check my cabbage ferment.

it has been sitting in this crock for almost 7 weeks now. seeing as the temperatures are starting to rise i thought i should see if i was successful.

 

i cleaned and sterilized a glass jar in anticipation.

the look in once removing the lid. it smelled nice. there was a tiny spec of white mold, a but concerning but not alarming

when i removed the weights the cabbage below looked good.

as i scooped it out of the ceramic container and into bowls my confidence grew. it looked, smelled and tasted like sauerkraut.

it is now in a jar in the fridge waiting to be consumed. 

i think i will have to wait until next winter to try a kimchi ferment, but i am happy with my sauerkraut attempt. as my cousin brain would say. its easy!

kapusta AKA sauerkraut

my birthday is in may. my mom sent me a fermenting crock pot for my birthday. it arrived a few weeks ago and it has been sitting on my sideboard table waiting for me to be ready to start my first attempt at making sauerkraut. i have polish/ukrainian heritage so the sauerkraut is a part of my being. most of the shop bought stuff is made using vinegar, or is heat treated which kills off the good bacteria, or if it is a real ferment it is so expensive.

my cousin makes his own sauerkraut and i wanted to give it a go. its pretty simple - get a cabbage, slice it up and get some good quality sea salt.

 

then you layer the cabbage and the salt in the crock and then using a timber rolling pin i stamped it in, releasing the juice from the cabbage.

 

i used a potato masher to press the whole lot down into the crock and into the juices.

 

then you places these weights on top of the cabbage to keep it submerged in the liquid. apparently that is the key in the liquid the cabbage will ferment , if exposed to the air it will rot.

if there is not enough liquid then add some salt brine to top it up.

 

then set the whole thing aside and place the lid on top.

 

this fermenting crock pot is good because the lid sits within a small well that you fill with water. this water keeps the seal of the sauerkraut inside from drying out.

next step it time. it can take anywhere from 3 - 8 weeks at around 20 degrees celcius for the sauerkraut to be ready. after three weeks you can taste it and then let it keep developing the flavour you like. at least that is the theory anyways, this is my first attempt so we will wait and see how i go.