Sauerkraut Culture?

[Bribie G]

I've recently gone back to a "Primal" or "Paleolithic" based diet and keen to get some real sauerkraut happening to chow down on with a nice slab of pork belly and a big jug of cider.

Anybody know of where I can get the culture to ferment the stuff?

 

[sp0rk]

There was an article in BYO not long ago
I'll look through my copies and find it for you

 

[Dunkelbrau]

I can't remember what their username is on here, but someone ferments a lot of different foods and sauces.. They have a site called www.bentheurbanfarmer.com and I have seen sauerkraut on there!

 

[benno1973]

Thanks for the plug jurt!

I have a blog post on sauerkraut here. No need for starter cultures Bribie, the cabbage will have enough LAB cultures on there for it to ferment spontaneously, and given the salt levels and then the acidity created by the LAB cultures, nothing else gets a foothold. Keep temps low (18-20C) and the cabbage submerged below the brine and you'll be all good.

There's also a post of doing vegetable ferments in vacuum sealed bags if you're looking for another use for the vacuum sealer!

 

[AndrewQLD]

You can get a vegetable culture here if you don't want to use salt.

 

[Bribie G]

Thanks guys, I'll go the Culture from that Brisbane shop, ordering right now. Another reason I'm going primitive is because I'd love to reduce my blood pressure medications - if not get off them altogether - and salt is counter productive in that regard :lol:

OK, ordered and paid for.

Noob question of course but is there any danger of the lactobacillus getting out and interfering with my brewery fermentations? Might do the veggie fermenting in the laundry.

 

[Florian]

Hey Bribie,

I've ordered the culture from the same outlet recently, it's good stuff. While you're at it, culture some other veggies up as well, not just cabbage. It's great as a side dish to any meal.
They have instructions on the website, and if you get a chance to chat to the owner David it'll be well worth it, he's full of knowledge on the subject and spins some good yarns, too.
Got some yoghurt and probiotic cultures as well, together with heaps of other useful stuff.

If you were still up here I'd bring you some to the next BABBs meeting, but hey, you ran away so what can I do...

And yep, you're right about the brewing danger, am a bit paranoid about it myself.

As already pointed out, Kaiser Soze is the go to man here on the forum.

 

[benno1973]

Totally understand why you'd want to go salt free. There's a Sandor Katz book called Wild Fermentation where he talks about making salt free sauerkraut three different ways, although I've never tried it.

1. Add a cup of wine rather than the salt.
2. Substitute carraway, celery and dill for the salt.
3. Substitute seaweed for the salt.

Could be an interesting experiment if you ever don't have the commercial culture on hand. Having said that, I assume that you can (after creating your first batch of kraut) use the sauerkraut brine to innoculate the next batch?

Thanks guys, I'll go the Culture from that Brisbane shop, ordering right now. Another reason I'm going primitive is because I'd love to reduce my blood pressure medications - if not get off them altogether - and salt is counter productive in that regard :lol:

 

[Bribie G]

I'd bet you can reculture the stuff like you can reculture yeast cake - looking at the instructions on their site I'd guess you could take a cup of the sauerkraut and brine and whizz it up in the blender and use that to "inoculate" the next batch.

Mine is going to have some red and green chillies, garlic and ginger in it as well, naturally. :icon_drool2:

 

[benno1973]

Sounds a lot like kimchi! (There's a good thread on that here somewhere)

As far as cross-contamination is concerned: I've got a separate spot for fermenting vegies, but once I refrigerate, it's in my keg fridge or fermentation fridge, as it's in a sealed jar. Not a big risk IMO.

 

[Batz]

I'd bet you can reculture the stuff like you can reculture yeast cake - looking at the instructions on their site I'd guess you could take a cup of the sauerkraut and brine and whizz it up in the blender and use that to "inoculate" the next batch.

Mine is going to have some red and green chillies, garlic and ginger in it as well, naturally. :icon_drool2:

Sounds nice Mike, I've never thought much about making my own kraut.

We do eat quite a bit of it here, in the belief it is very good for the body. From what I have read if your farts stink you you need to eat kraut, it has a beneficial bacteria in there
.
Best if your sh&t doesn't stink hey? Like you and me.

 

[Bribie G]

Yup you've got to make your own - I think that the only canners who make the stuff nowadays are Edgell, and it's clearly the VB of sauerkraut
I expect you can track down gourmet or craft versions but this neck of the woods most of the population are meat and potatoes or, worse, Dominos and Maccas.

Edit: yes the gut flora definitely need a touch up, my current ones are the variety with the horns and forked tails in the "inner health" ad.

 

[Batz]

Yup you've got to make your own - I think that the only canners who make the stuff nowadays are Edgell, and it's clearly the VB of sauerkraut
I expect you can track down gourmet or craft versions but this neck of the woods most of the population are meat and potatoes or, worse, Dominos and Maccas.

Edit: yes the gut flora definitely need a touch up, my current ones are the variety with the horns and forked tails in the "inner health" ad.

No mate, Cooroy IGA has at least eight brands of sauerkraut.

 

[Bribie G]

That's what I used to find with IGA in QLD. They were bloody good for "weird" stuff. 15 varieties of "hamster in a jar" etc. However here in Colesworths territory they only stock one variety of kraut.
Tried to buy black pudding the other day. Blank looks all round.

Down down, choices are down.

Actually a Supa IGA has opened recently, might pop in there for a look see.And you'd think that Aldi of all people would be bursting with Sauerkraut to go with their excellent wurst range.

edit: hey order's on Fastway now, better get some veggies in.

 

[Florian]

And you'd think that Aldi of all people would be bursting with Sauerkraut to go with their excellent wurst range.

they do once a year, just gotta stock up. Made in Poland, though, not that that's necessarily a bad thing.



EDIT: Thanks for reminding me, just opened a glass of the red cabbage (Rotkohl), it's excellent! Will go perfectly with the steaks and roast potatoes tonight.

 

[Bribie G]

haha - when they were little my two boys lived with their Mum and her second husband who's from Hamburg - Xmas Eve they would have the traditional German feast with the red cabbage, then next day I'd pick them up and stuff them with Oz BBQ Xmas food, they would be comatose for days afterwards.

What time of the year does it appear?

 

[Batz]

they do once a year, just gotta stock up. Made in Poland, though, not that that's necessarily a bad thing.

DSC_3407.JPG

EDIT: Thanks for reminding me, just opened a glass of the red cabbage (Rotkohl), it's excellent! Will go perfectly with the steaks and roast potatoes tonight.

I have several jars of that red cabbage Florian, sort of stuck on this Sauerkraut

 

[Florian]

Good old Kühne, certainly the stand out brand in Germany as well. Shame it's so bloody expensive over here.

Bribie, think I picked it up around Oktoberfest from memory.

While we're on the subject, anyone tried Sauerkraut juice mixed with a dash of carrot juice (and just a hint of honey if you want to sweeten it up a bit more)?

 

[Batz]

Good old Kühne, certainly the stand out brand in Germany as well. Shame it's so bloody expensive over here.

796gm jar around $5.00, not too bad.

 

[Bribie G]

Absolutely amazing, the culture arrived 10 minutes ago on Fastway from Brisbane having been ordered less than 24 hours ago. Aus Post I'd be waiting till Monday.

Went into town this morning and bought a mandolin slicer / julienne thingo so I can get cracking this afternoon B)