Late Cabbage Begin the Journey to becoming Sauerkraut.

Today we started making our kraut.   A week or so ago I picked off the last of our late cabbage.   We only had a 4 heads.. so we had to suppliment the cabbage with a few other heads. 

We followed the process that my folks used for most of my life as well as some that I looked up on the internet. 

We did three layers of cabbage shredding about 7 cabbage.  You can see above my hands were flying on the cabbage shredder.

We mixed in about 3 tablespoons of sea salt per layer (4-5 lbs) of cabbage.  With each layer we packed it down.  Most people state to use a tool of some sort.  However,  more than one site said your fists do a fine job and in the end that proved easiest.

After tamping down the final layer, the brine began to form.  Within in just a few minutes there was enough water to cover the cabbage.  A clean fiestaware plate fit perfectly on top of the cabbage and then a baggie filled with saline/brine water we placed on top as a weight.

A website referenced using a baggie with brine water (salt water) so that if it breaks it will not delute the brine and is easier/cleaner than other types of weights.

So now we wait.   I will try to keep you posted.  Most people say it takes 3 to 4 weeks for the cabbage to ferment.  Once done we will can it to have it for the holidays.   Nothing like homemade sau3rkraut on a hot dog on New Years Day.

Wish us luck!!