A few weeks back when I posted about Granny gifting The Deer Hunter a jar of Christmas Kraut someone asked how Granny makes Kraut.
Instead of using a crock like we do, Granny makes her Kraut right in the jars.
Granny sterilizes her jars and adds one teaspoon of sugar in each jar. Then she packs each jar with chopped cabbage. Granny doesn’t pack the cabbage too tight, cause she says it needs room to work off.
Once the cabbage is in the jar, she adds two teaspoons of salt, fills the jar with cold water, and adds the lid and ring. She tightens the lid pretty good instead of leaving it partially open like other fermenting recipes instruct.
Granny sits the jars out on the porch while the kraut is making. As the kraut makes it sometimes seeps out the top of the jar. It doesn’t make such a mess out on the porch.
Granny says it takes a least two or three weeks for the kraut to make, but she likes to leave hers on the porch till cold weather when she carries it to the basement.
One time I asked her “Does a jar ever explode?” Granny said “Why Lord no it may run out some but it won’t explode.” Granny is a worrier, so after a few minutes she said “Well if it ever did explode it wouldn’t hurt nothing outside no way.”
Tipper
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I had no idea how to make Sour Kraut. I know it is good for you as it is a fermented food and great for gut bacteria. However, Granny’s Kraut looks very tasty. Thanks for the post Tipper!
I enjoyed the kraut-making poem. Is the cream can referred to a Pet Milk can with the lid removed and sharpened?
Ernestine-it is 🙂
I didnt used to like kraut but my taste have changed. Been making it for a couple of years now. I chop the cabbage up fine, put it in a big glass flat bottom bowl which came from the door of a front loading washer. Add one and a half percent salt by weighing it. Two percent is too much and slows down the ferment. You can add lots of other things if you like, cauliflower, carrots, garlic, onions, ginger, peppers, hot or mild. I squeeze it all real good till water starts coming out of the cabbage then fill the quart jars about 3/4 full, fold a big cabbage leaf on top and set a little 4 ounce jar on that to keep it down. Put a plastic or stainless lid on a bit loose and cover with a coffee filter held with rubber band to keep the fruit flies out.Set it in a bowl in case it runs over. Its a bit tricky getting an even amount of brine in each jar.Best to keep submerged. I start tasting it in 10 to 15 days. When you think it is right tighten the lid and put in the fridge. I only make two – four jars at a time but it works every time.
Can you use store brought cabbage?
Bobby-yes you can. Thanks for visiting my blog 🙂
Do you heat the jar lids on the stove before putting them on the jars
Donna-granny does sterilize the lids in hot water.
Tipper how do you judge if a cushaw is ripe trying them for the first time after I read your pie recipe had never heard of them need to get out more I guess mine are getting large guessing between five and ten pound should I pick or wait for the vine to die?
Tom-I would wait for the vine to die back. The cushaw may grow even larger before then 🙂
Kraut Update. Hi Tipper..my first batch of kraut that I made didn’t turn out but I used tap water and table salt. I then made a new batch using canning salt and bottled spring water. Today I decided to taste test a jar and I just cranked open the lid and got sprayed with sauer kraut juice and almost dropped the jar..the kraut was DELICIOUS!…I must have done something right, it was quite bubbly ..next time I will remember to ease that lid open. I look forward to trying more of your recipes. kind regards-john t
My MIL taught me to make in jars and use 1 cup salt, 1cup vinegar to one gallon water. Seems like lately it started turning dark but really sour. Maybe water ir wrong salt. Going to try it your way.
john t- Im trying this in pint jars. Would I use half the amounts of salt and sugar? Really enjoy your blog!
John-yes use half the amounts and it should work out great 🙂
When you set it outside, is that in the sun or shade?
Linda-its not in direct sunlight. Granny’s porch stays shady for most of the day 🙂 You can also set it inside, just put it on a tray to catch any leakage that might happen.
That’s quart jars, right? I am going to give it a try. I love homemade kraut. I’ve tried the crock method with mixed results as in some of the best and some of the worst. “Nothing ventured, nothing gained!”
Ed-yes she uses quart jars, but you could certainly try to pints to test it out and see what you think 🙂
I remember making it with my mom. It wasn’t just the making of the kraut. It was spending time with my mom and making that memory. I miss her so much. We made alot of special memories.
Tipper, I make my kraut like this it stays white and pretty until you use it .I haven’t any down here in Texas .
Sounds good! Haven’t made it in a long time. My folks all made it in jars but cousin Jerry Byers of Habersham uses a crock….covers it and puts it under the house. I buy it from Sue at Sue’s Burgers in Blue Ridge. She makes it in jars too.
Look at that pretty balsam!
I used to make kraut in a crock but haven’t in years. I want to try your Granny’s method now. Seems like a lot less work. Those are quart jars? They look big in the picture.
Thank you for the joy of your blog.
Gina-they are quart jars. I think my photo perspective made them look bigger 🙂
Gina-yes they are quart jars 🙂
Is this something you can try year round [with store bought cabbage]?
Christy-yes you can use store bought cabbage and ferment anytime of the year. We do follow the signs for when during the month to ferment, but lots of people do not.
Hey there, Tipper 🙂 Could you make a post about planting/canning/fermenting by the signs. My papaw used to get a calendar from the hardware store every year and they’d know when to plant/ferment/can but I don’t know how to read it. Best book/advice?
Christy-each zodiac sign has a corresponding body part. We always ferment when the sign is in the head. One of our Aunts prefer to ferment in the heart 🙂 Almanac calendars sho the zodiac sign as well as the corresponding body part 🙂
Mom made kraut the same way Granny does and canned nearly as many quarts as she did green beans. Kraut was mostly served with fried taters and soup beans. I have never made kraut and don’t buy it very often. Mom and Granny’s recipe doesn’t use much salt, but it tasted like it had twice that much in it.
I tried making kraut in jars like this many years ago, but I don’t recall it turning into very good kraut…I wonder if it’s because I didn’t know about adding the sugar! Maybe I’ll try it this year, although I’d have to buy a cabbage. Or maybe I’ll try it with a different vegetable – fermenting vegetables seems to be a big thing lately, doesn’t it? I see little jars of “kimchi” (I think it’s called) at the grocery store, and it is very expensive – so I’ll have to make my own if I want to eat it!
My Wife and I never had one explode but my Brother did. Him and his Wife never use anything but canning jars, but we have used canning jars, jelly jars, pickle jars, etc. and never had one explode. I like kraut the best with some hot pepper added to it.
I used to love kraut but seem to have lost my taste for it in recent years. I guess that’s just as well since I’ve never been any good at making it. I tried several different ways to make it but it just doesn’t seem to sour for me. I’ve used a crock as well as the in jar recipes, but it just doesn’t to sour for me. I’ve also made sure to do the work in the right signs and nothing worked so I quit trying years ago. Thought it might be something in my body chemistry.
Miss Cindy. I’ve heard that about body chemistry and the signs. Also that a woman should never pickle anything during her cycle. My Mamaw always went by the signs and always had good kraut, corn, and beans.