Sauerkraut question

[locolobo]

Y'all might have seen my recent posts here so I'll get right to the point. Anyone out there made sauerkraut before?

Tryin to make sauerkraut from cabbage from the garden, First time makin it. Figured I'd make a quart jar first. Just because i'd never done it before.. Packed the jar as full as possible, covered it with saranan and about 28 hrs. later it is half the mass as yesterday, Can I add more cabbage and spices and have it ferment good? It's only been a little over 24 hrs since I started it. And the space seems wasted. Should be another coupla weeks to even taste it. Have an occasional bubble now.

 

[roademier]

I've made a lot of kraut and I never had a batch that shrunk at all . After shredding the cabbage I add some salt and pack it down until the cabbage releases liquid. The shredded cabbage should be under this liquid and if it's not a brine solution of 1 tablespoon of canning salt to 1 quart of water should be added .
I'm guessing you didn't pack it down as well as you could have.
I guess you could add more cabbage . You will know soon enough if something goes wrong.
What recipe are you using?

 

[fnjay]

You certainly can add more. Doing so won’t mess anything up. Just be sure to add the appropriate amount salt and to tamp it down well releasing producing the brine.

 

[NickTheGreat]

I always make it in a big vessel, then can afterwards.


It does break down some, or shrink or whatever you want to call it. But not 50%. Maybe you didn't pack it enough? Did you actually pack it, with a wooden spoon? I do that with mine, and it shrinks considerably at that point. Which is kinda the purpose, I suppose.

 

[locolobo]

I layed it in, in layers, Sprinklin a little salt on each layer and packin each layer until it was up to the shoulder of the quart jar. Put probably 2 TBSP. salt on top, Didn't measure it. As far as recipes, I didn't use a recipe per se, but watched several Youtube videos. They were repetitive and didn't give any measurements, just "cover it with a layer of salt." I also added a little sugar to each layer as suggested by some of the vids. as the suggestion was made that it would feed the bacteria making it more active.

Maybe I didn't pack it tight enough.

It has made water up to the top of the cabbage. Thinkin maybe I'll just let it go and see what happens. It's already makin a few bubbles.
Thanks for the replies!

 

[pmad]

These make this much easier.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B089GR5X7C/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

You can use a plate and a can if your using a big enough crock for sauerkraut.

 

[IamMadMan]

I've never made sauerkraut in quart jars, but others have. Keep the fermenting cabbage in a dark cool place away from sunlight.


The glass weights listed above will keep the cabbage below the brine. The use of a fermentation lock will prevent you from removing scum from the top of the jar everyday.

I use these when I ferment peppers for hot sauce in mason jars.
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09Z7GMKB2/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1


Also a tutorial on making sauerkraut at home -