Ferment help

[DevaMajka]

I have a few ferment questions for the experts. I'm mainly making sauerkraut and pickled cucumbers, and started a couple months ago.

What is the best method? I'm currently doing the NT recipes, which uses whey. It also involves pounding the sauerkraut- is there an easier way than this?

My last batch of pickles were mushy. Why is that, and were they safe to eat? (I tossed them) I used the same recipe I've used before, and they've always been fine before.

Last night I tried my sauerkraut and it wasn't "done" even though it had been 3 days, which is what NT says, and what I've always done. Can I leave it out for a few more days? Or do I have to start over again?

'

Anyone else who has questions, feel free to add them!

[Lovemy3girls]

I'm not an "expert" but I've made sauerkraut using salt, and it was quite good. My toddler can't eat enough of the stuff! I have read that using whey can be problematic. I know pounding the stuff is labor intensive, especially with a large batch - maybe adding water would help?

Here's a thought: Make a batch at the new moon and harvest it at the full moon or the next full moon cycle.

[redvlagrl]

I use the Joy of Cooking recipe for Sauerkraut and there is no pounding (just salt and cabbage). I find that if I use a very fresh, organic local cabbage it produces enough liquid without pounding. There ferment can take much longer though and depends on the weather. Up to 2 or 3 weeks.

[Magelet]

NT is really quite terrible WRT the ferment recipes.

For sourkraut, I salt it and then I let it sit for a bit, and then pound it (The salt helps bring the juices out and makes the pounding easier. You probably could let it sit for an hour or two and barely pound it at all).  No whey, just salt. I use enough salt so it tastes a good bit saltier than I would want it if I were eating it plain, but not so salting it is inedible.  Then I let it ferment usually for a month, though I know people who do a week or two. In three days, you won't get any fermentation. Maybe if it's really hot.....

Soft pickles are fine. Crunchy lacto-fermented pickles are the holy grail of lacto-fermenting and about as elusive in my expierience. Try adding grape leaves if you can get them.

[bonjourmama]

I have not had any luck with NT's fermenting. Nothing ever "ferments". The last batch of pickles after weeks only tasted salty. Maybe it was something I did, but how hard could it be?

[DevaMajka]

I found a sauerkraut recipe where you just shred it, salt it, and put a weight on top for a day to get the water out, so I'm trying that one. No whey this time, so we'll see how it goes! So it could takes weeks, right? Wish me luck!

 

Originally Posted by Magelet 

Soft pickles are fine. Crunchy lacto-fermented pickles are the holy grail of lacto-fermenting and about as elusive in my expierience. Try adding grape leaves if you can get them.

Really? I've made about 10 batches, and only that one batch (2 jars) was mushy. The rest have been crunchy and yummy. Hmmm...I did them all with whey. But they do have a bit of salt, and I read that salt can help keep them crunchy.

For all the other stuff I've done (maybe 5 batches of sauerkraut and then the pickles) everything ferments in 3 days, except for the one batch of sauerkraut. But I assume that's because of the whey that it went faster?

[Magelet]

yeah, the whey might jump start it. Maybe that's why she recommends only 3 days. With a salt only ferment, the salt keeps dangerous bacteria out until lactobacteria from the air and produce start to proliferate in the food, and reduce the acidity.  Takes a while for the bacteria to build up, I guess with whey that happens quickly.

Hmm. My experience with pickles they weren't total mush, but they were soft and not crispy. I'm pretty much ready to resort to vinegar pickles, though I would prefer lactofermented. (Or possibly importing them from katz....)

[DevaMajka]

Another question- My sauerkraut smells funny (not bad, just not what I've come to expect from sauerkraut), but tastes just fine. Is it ok? I'm assuming it's ok, because everything I've read says that when fermented stuff is bad, there's no way you'd want to eat it. Plus I'm pg, so my nose is REALLY sensitive.

I did the sauerkraut method I posted above that didn't involve pounding, but I did use whey. I left it out a couple days longer than 3, because at 3 days it wasn't quite sour enough (though was soft and mildly fermented- the kids actually liked it- I should have kept it at that!)