Sauerkrat help...

[CoBabyMaker]

This is my first attempt at making a fermented food so forgive me if this is a silly question...I am making sauerkraut as per wild fermentation (cabbage, salt).  How do I know when it's done?  It's been about, hmmm, 5 days.  It smells "krauty"  but the cabbage doesn't look very broken down.  (Some recipes seem to recommend mashing it but I just packed it down.)  Do I just taste it and stick it in the fridge when it's to my liking?  I am so excited that it seems to be working and I don't want to mess it up!

On a related note:  I know that Bubbies pickles are fermented and we just finished a jar.  What can I do with leftover "juice"?

[BabyFireFly]

Basically it's done when it fits your taste and has the texture you desire....anywhere from 1-3 weeks usually (depending on the temperature it is being stored at).

As for the pickle juice - there are so many things that you can "recycle" your leftover juice in. Pickled eggs - just place hard cooked eggs in the jar and give it a week or two. I aslo like to blanch asparagus, stick it in the jar for a few days and then serve with dinner. A very popular thing to do is to make homemade bread with it (you dont taste it in the bread, but the make up of the brine suits breadmaking) - there are many recipes for this online. You can also add it to salads (think cucumber), marinades and mayo based salads like potato, chicken, egg, etc.

[littlest birds]

It can be eaten any time and yes you can consider it ready whenever you like the flavor, but the flavor actually continues to get better over time even after the ferment is done enough.  I go ahead and put mine in the fridge after about a week, but we eat only a little right away because it gets tastier after it's been in the fridge 1-2 weeks as well.

[CoBabyMaker]

Oh thank you!  I tasted it and I think I will check it again in 3-4 days since the flavor is still pretty weak. I'm just so excited that it's working! 

Would adding some of the liquid from this batch help the next one along?  I can't use whey.