Trying something new...

[Ron_L]

I've wanted to make my own sour kraut and fermented dill pickles for a long time. I decided that it was time to just do it. I also tried a couple of other ferments...

Left to right - Sour Kraut, Apple Cranberry Chutney, Curtido (El Salvadoran kraut), Kimchi, and dill pickles.

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5614/15808579012_5bbfb74cc1_c.jpg

The kraut is just green cabbage and salt, the curtido is green and red cabbage, onion, carrots, jalapeno, red pepper flakes and mexican oregano. The Kimchi is napa cabbage, carrots, green onions, Korean red pepper flakes, garlic and ginger. The chutney is cranberries, apples, orange zest, orange juice ginger and honey. The pickles are in a 3.5% brine with pickling spice and dill.

[Wickedcajun]

Where did you get the jars for the airlock? Those are gonna be tasty!

[Ron_L]

Where did you get the jars for the airlock? Those are gonna be tasty!

They are from http://www.probioticjar.com/

You may be able to find the jars locally (They are Fido brand and don't contain any lead) and order just the lids/airlocks, or thet sell kits with everything.

[bluetang]

Lookin quite good there! I am totally interested in this.

[robbq]

I am really interested to hear how this stuff turns out, so please post as it progresses.

Also, no vinegar or brine in anything other than the pickles? I am surprised, but I guess fermentation makes its own sour.

Very cool.

[Gnarlbecue]

Very interested in how the Kraut and the Kim Chi come out!

Thanks for the info on the jars, I've always wanted something like that but can't find anything like it locally.

[Titch]

Looks interesting.
Not pickling onions?

[Ron_L]

Looks interesting.
Not pickling onions?

They are on my list :-D I ran out of jars.

[Ron_L]

I am really interested to hear how this stuff turns out, so please post as it progresses.

Also, no vinegar or brine in anything other than the pickles? I am surprised, but I guess fermentation makes its own sour.

Very cool.

I will...

The chutney should be ready to eat is 3-5 days.

The pickles have no vinegar, just a 3.5% brine. They should be ready to try in a week or so, but better with longer ferment.

The Kimchi should be done fermenting in a week, but then will go to the fridge to age for a few weeks.

The kraut and curtido will probably be done fermenting in 4-6 weeks and then to the fridge to age.

No vinegar in any of it. At they ferment the lactic acid bacteria will create the sour flavor.

[deepsouth]

banGin

[Friedturkeyspam]

My grandmother used to make sourkraut in a crock with just salt and water and a brick to weigh the loose wooden lid down keeping the cabbage below the water line. Growing up I used to think she used a bunch of interesting spices and such to give it that wonderful flavor, much better than anything mom used to buy at the store. One time when I was in my twenties and she was getting on in years I asked her for her super secret recipe for that sourkraut. It was about five lines, take nine heads of cabbage, shread them, in a 5 gal crock put in about five layers of cabbage sprinkle salt on each layer til close to the top. put the wood lid ( smaller than the inside diameter of the crock) on top, put the brick on top of that, add water to cover the wood, put in your root cellar or basement, somewhere it was relatively cool, add water if necessary to keep the water level above the board for 6 weeks. She jarred it up into mason quart jars, that was it. It's been thirty years since then and she passed at 98 years old four years ago, so I'm a little sketchy on the details, maybe the cabbage made the water and only after a certain amount of time did she add the water, I can't remember but what I do remember was the simplicity of the ingredients
Thanks for sharing,
Mike

[Ron_L]

The salt draw the moisture out of the cabbage, Mike. For both krauts and the kimchi I didn't add any liquid, just the veggies salt and the spices in the case if the cordito and kimchi. After massaging the veggies with the salt, and then weighing it down with a plate and a gallon of water for 10 minutes I had plenty of liquid.

My grandmother used to make fermented pickles in a big crock. I remember sneaking them before they were done :-D

[landarc]

wait until the smell of the kimchi hits

[Ron_L]

wait until the smell of the kimchi hits

It smelled fantastic as I was packing it into the jar!

[16Adams]

Mix kimchi 50/50 or 25/75 with regular mayo slaw. Top a spicey bbq sandwich. Set back and listen to Gabrial blow his horn.

[landarc]

It smelled fantastic as I was packing it into the jar!
Give it time...did I mention I know how to completely disassemble and clean my refrigerator?

[dadsr4]

It smelled fantastic as I was packing it into the jar!
There is a reason why the Koreans bury it outside.
I can remember the large crocks full of sauerkraut on my grandmothers back porch.

[Gnarlbecue]

I love Kim Chi! I believe that most of the unholy smell that people associate with it comes from the fact that Koreans add fish to the mix. This adds a layer of serious funk and umami that regular ol' kraut doesn't have. They also add garlic and some kind of radish, which may add to the funk.

Regardless, just make sure those jars don't explode in your fridge!

[Ron_L]

If they are going to explode, it will be during the active fermentation phase, which will be on the counter :shock: The airlock should stop that, but I'll be watching.

I left the fish sauce or fish out of the kimchi since my wife can't eat any fish. So, it may not really be authentic, but i'm sure it will taste good :-D

The radish is daikon radish.

[IamMadMan]

There is a reason why the Koreans bury it outside.
I can remember the large crocks full of sauerkraut on my grandmothers back porch.

Consistent temperature in the ground (temperature in the first 5 days does reflect in flavor) as well as lack of oxygen. Oxygen will produce a moldy scum, by burring it, the carbon dioxide can escape when pressure builds, but oxygen cannot enter the fermenting pot.

But most of all the smell, even a dog wouldn't dig it up.... LOL. But it tastes so great...

[IamMadMan]

Awesome looking products Ron....

[Ron_L]

Just a quick update...

It's been anywhere from 22 - 24 hours since I packed the jars and the fermentation is starting. The two krauts and the kimchi are all showing signs of bubbling...

The regular kraut...

https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5611/15194212764_280b38c43a_c.jpg

The curtido...

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7560/15194734923_727e7c5b4a_c.jpg

and the kimchi...

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8607/15194735173_efab5b9018_c.jpg

[THoey1963]

Wife makes Kimchi all the time. She'll start with it on the counter, and then after a certain amount of time she put's it in our LG Kimchi Fridge (Yes, we have a separate fridge for Kimchi and other Korean *stuff*). When fresh it doesn't stink at all. After it starts to ferment or pickle, it starts to have a smell. Pretty bad stuff if you aren't used to it. After a while, it kinda grows on you...

There is a blog here (http://chezshinae.blogspot.com/2013/12/how-to-make-kimchi.html) with a couple different Kimchi recipes.

[Ron_L]

Wife makes Kimchi all the time. She'll start with it on the counter, and then after a certain amount of time she put's it in our LG Kimchi Fridge (Yes, we have a separate fridge for Kimchi and other Korean *stuff*). When fresh it doesn't stink at all. After it starts to ferment or pickle, it starts to have a smell. Pretty bad stuff if you aren't used to it. After a while, it kinda grows on you...

There is a blog here (http://chezshinae.blogspot.com/2013/12/how-to-make-kimchi.html) with a couple different Kimchi recipes.

I have a meat fridge, so why not a kimchi fridge :-D

The recipe I used says to let it ferment on the counter for 3-5 days and then move it to cold storage, so that's my plan. Once I have more experience I'll try other recipes, etc.

Thanks for the link! I bookmarked it.

[IamMadMan]

Ron,

Can't find a recipe for the cordito with Google ... is it misspelled??

Care to enlighten me???? or share the recipe????

[legendaryhog]

Mix kimchi 50/50 or 25/75 with regular mayo slaw. Top a spicey bbq sandwich. Set back and listen to Gabrial blow his horn.

I do this from time to time with pulled pork, but I don't mix. Just straight up kimchi on the sando, it is a nice change from slaw. I am definitely from the camp that requires slaw or something crunch on my bbq samies. I never really thought to mix them together. Will have to try next time, sounds good.

[16Adams]

Brother I'm still beggin. Mix some regular slaw with your home made kimchi place in a toasted buttered bun with spicey sweet sauced pulled pork. Heaven.

[Ron_L]

Ron,

Can't find a recipe for the cordito with Google ... is it misspelled??

Care to enlighten me???? or share the recipe????

Dadgummit! Yes, and I repeated it a few times for good measure...

It is curtido!

Here is the recipe that I used...

http://www.southbeachprimal.com/fermented-curtido-salvadorian-sauerkraut/

I used 1/2 green and 1/2 red cabbage and used himalayan pink salt at 2% of the weight of the veggies instead of the volume in the recipe.

[pigville porkers]

Oh man I gotta get me one of these.. home made krout.. Yes Please!!!

[Smokeat]

All look great RonL, but those jars are embarrassingly small! I would finish the contents in one sitting!

I pickle a lot with vinegar, but I think that fermented pickles etc have a more complex flavor. I must try it. I also need to make my own wine vinegar.

[Ron_L]

All look great RonL, but those jars are embarrassingly small! I would finish the contents in one sitting!

I pickle a lot with vinegar, but I think that fermented pickles etc have a more complex flavor. I must try it. I also need to make my own wine vinegar.

I agree, but I wanted to start small in case I'm the only one who will eat the stuff :-D