Recipes

[HappyDaze]

Does anyone have a tried and true homemade sauerkraut recipe they can share with me? TIA!

[Desertdi]

Do you mean you want to ferment the cabbage yourself?   

[Tabbycat]

It takes several weeks to make home made sauerkraut. I made it only one time maybe 25 years ago. I have a large stone crock that belonged to my mother. I followed the Ball Bluebook recipe and then canned it when it stopped bubbling or fermenting. It turned out very good, but it takes a lot of time and patience.

I Googled it for you:

Homemade Sauerkraut Makes about 6 (32 oz) quarts

You Will Need:

• 25 lbs white cabbage, outer leaves discarded, cored and quartered (about 5 large heads)
• 1 cup pickling salt
• 6  1 quart jars with lids and bands 

Directions:

STAGE 1:

1. CUT cabbage into thin shreds, about 1/16 inch thick, in a food processor fitted with a slicing attachment, working in batches as necessary. This can also be done with a sharp knife or mandoline. Remove any large pieces and discard.
2. WORKING in 5-lb batches, combine shredded cabbage and 3 Tbsp pickling salt in a large stone crock or glass or food-grade plastic container. Mix thoroughly. Let stand for 15 minutes or until juices start to flow and cabbage wilts slightly. Using a wooden spoon or your hands, press down firmly on the cabbage until the juice comes to the surface. Repeat four times, until all the cabbage is used up, leaving at least 4 inches of space between cabbage and rim of container. Sprinkle remaining pickling salt on top. If not enough juice has been produced to cover cabbage, add brine*.
3. PLACE a large clean inverted plate over the cabbage mixture and weigh down with two or three quart jars filled with water and capped. (Keep cabbage under brine by 1 to 2 inches throughout fermentation.) Cover with a clean heavy towel. Let stand in a cool place. Every day, remove and discard any scum that has formed. During fermentation, gas bubbles will form. When bubbling ceases, fermentation is complete. Fermentation may take up to 6 weeks, depending on atmoshpheric conditions and variations in the cabbage itself.

*To make brine, combine 4-1/2 tsp pickling or preserving salt and 4 cups water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve salt. Let cool to room temperature, then ladle over sauerkraut to cover.
STAGE 2: Raw-Pack Method:

1. PREPARE boiling water canner. Heat jars in simmering water until ready for use. Do not boil.  Wash lids in warm soapy water and set bands aside.
2. PACK sauerkraut, with brine, into hot jars, leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if necessary, by adding brine. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Apply band until fit is fingertip tight.
3. PROCESS quart jars in a boiling water canner for 25 minutes and pints 20 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Remove jars and cool. Check lids for seal after 24 hours. Lid should not flex up and down when center is pressed.

Hot-Pack Method:

1. PREPARE boiling water canner. Heat jars in simmering water until ready for use. Do not boil.  Wash lids in warm soapy water and set bands aside.
2. BRING sauerkraut, with brine, to a simmer over medium-high heat in a large stainless steel saucepan. Do not boil. Pack hot sauerkraut and brine into hot jars leaving 1/2 inch headspace. Remove air bubbles and adjust headspace, if necessary, by adding more brine. Wipe rim. Center lid on jar. Apply band until fit is fingertip tight.
3. PROCESS quart jars in a boiling water canner for 15 minutes and pint jars for 10 minutes, adjusting for altitude. Remove jars and cool. Check lids for seal after 24 hours. Lid should not flex up and down when center is pressed.

[momtochloe]

My family is originally from Czechoslovakia and my mom would make something called zeli.  Unfortunately I do not have her recipes but this is very close to what she would make:

INGREDIENTS

• 1 tablespoon bacon fat or butter or olive oil
• 1 finely chopped large onion
• 4 slices bacon, chopped 1/4 inch
• 1 (3-pound) head white or green cabbage, cored and shredded
• 1 teaspoon caraway seeds, or more to taste
• 1/4 cup white vinegar
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon salt, or more to taste
• 1 teaspoon sugar, or more to taste
• Freshly ground black pepper

• Prep Time: 20 minutes
• Cook Time: 60 minutes

• Total Time: 80 minutes

PREPARATION

1. In large skillet or Dutch oven, heat bacon fat and saute onions 8-10 minutes or until lightly colored. Stir in bacon and cook about 5 minutes or until lightly browned (please note at this point my mom would add a little flour to create a roux and add some depth to the recipe). Add cabbage and caraway seeds, mixing well.
   
   
2. Cover and cook 5 minutes over medium heat. Add vinegar, water, salt, sugar and pepper. Bring to a boil, cover tightly and cook 45 minutes to 1 hour over low heat, stirring occasionally, until cabbage is done to your liking. Add water if necessary.

[Desertdi]

@momtochloe  Some of my family was from Luxembourg.....and made the same cabbage dish (!)

[IamMrsG]

@Desertdi @momtochloe  This recipe caused a flashback for me.  My deceased mother-in-law did this, or something very similar.  The difference that I can tell is she poured the hot vinegar mixture over shredded green cabbage, served it immediately and called it "Hot Slaw."  I remember thinking it was fabulous.

I never got the actual recipe from her, but wish I had.  This surely seems close.  Does anyone know if I'm on the right track?  

[HappyDaze]

@momtochloe @Tabbycat thank you so much! Sounds like alot of work but I am up for the challenge.

@momtochloe my family was from Czechoslovakia too, from an area which is now known as the Czech Republic.  My cardiologist just happens to be from Czechoslovakia as well and he knows alot about the areas and I've learned alot about my family from him, oddly enough, lol.

[HappyDaze]

---

@IamMrsG wrote:

@Desertdi @momtochloe  This recipe caused a flashback for me.  My deceased mother-in-law did this, or something very similar.  The difference that I can tell is she poured the hot vinegar mixture over shredded green cabbage, served it immediately and called it "Hot Slaw."  I remember thinking it was fabulous.

I never got the actual recipe from her, but wish I had.  This surely seems close.  Does anyone know if I'm on the right track?  

---

@IamMrsGThat sounds interesting, actually! I think I'd like it better than traditional sauerkraut!

[momtochloe]

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@IamMrsG wrote:

@Desertdi @momtochloe  This recipe caused a flashback for me.  My deceased mother-in-law did this, or something very similar.  The difference that I can tell is she poured the hot vinegar mixture over shredded green cabbage, served it immediately and called it "Hot Slaw."  I remember thinking it was fabulous.

I never got the actual recipe from her, but wish I had.  This surely seems close.  Does anyone know if I'm on the right track?  

---

@IamMrsG I'm not sure of the results of this but I would think it would most definitely work as a hot slaw as long as the vinegar mixture cooked long enough to come together . . . actually I think that's a fabulous idea (minus my mom's addition of the flour for the roux) . . . delicious!

[Toppers]

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@IamMrsG wrote:

@Desertdi @momtochloe  This recipe caused a flashback for me.  My deceased mother-in-law did this, or something very similar.  The difference that I can tell is she poured the hot vinegar mixture over shredded green cabbage, served it immediately and called it "Hot Slaw."  I remember thinking it was fabulous.

I never got the actual recipe from her, but wish I had.  This surely seems close.  Does anyone know if I'm on the right track?  

---

Seems like it to me. 

My family was German on my Mom's side.

My maternal Gramma would make it in a very similar way. She would chop it in bite-sized pieces, and make it similar to the way your MIL would make it. She called it "sweet and sour cabbage." It was really good. She and I were the only ones who would eat it, so she would make it for the two of us, as just a meal by itself. I loved eating it.

She didn't write any of her recipes down, either. I should have asked her when I had the chance, but I honestly think that she believed that no one was that interested in them. 

The only thing that I can do anymore is try and look on the internet to find the closest fascimile now.