Back in September I posted pictures of my first ever sauerkraut fail. Rotten buggy mess that was. Good thing it was just small one gallon batch. At that time I was starting another batch of kraut. I usually jar my kraut at around 7-8 weeks. Well with deer hunting and cutting deer other projects. I just let this batch sit. Last week my son messaged said he had a crock pot full of chilli could we can it for him. So he came over and we jar up his chilli got that done. Figured as long as had the canner out and messing with jars. Bring the bucket of kraut up and get that done. Here is how that turned out at 11 weeks brewing. Might be the best batch I have made.

My son's chili being single guy, wide mouth pints work perfectly for him to pop in microwave at work. Eat it right from the jar.



This is the kraut in the bucket with top skimmed off.


Get it in a bowl then in jars.



3 gallons of kraut all in pints and half pints. I don't do only certain things in quarts anymore with just wife and I here now.. If I need more I open two pints.


Mac

Looks awesome! I only have a couple quarts of home canned kraut left. Might have to go to store bought cabbage and do a small “emergency” batch. lol

Looks really good. My wife’s grandma used to make it with turnips instead of cabbage. They also spoke more German than English.

Love chili

I usually start late Sept/ mid Oct and run till Christmas making sure there is about 2"liquid over the plate holding it down.We use a gallon jug of water to hold the plate down and only kosher salt.
skim top and bag and freeze.

That's interesting never thought about turnips? I believe kimchi is just a different type of cabbage? Maybe has peppers added??
I've done small batches with garlic added and my wife likes some with little sugar and caraway seed. I have kind of decided I like to add things after opening jar. Then I don't end up with jars of odd flavors not getting used. Even though I have had jars of plain kraut sit 4-5 years no problem. I have even kept some back just to see. Kinda like wine let it have the vintage label..

Didn't know my grandmother real well she died when I was 12. I never knew it until I was older but she couldn't read English very well only read German. I know she would say certain words in German. But I didn't even know any difference it was just how she spoke. Never knew until years later it was German that she plugged in the conversation.


Mac

Very nice. My wife makes hers and my grandmother’s crockpot..p

Both my Grandma and Grandpa slipped German in occasionally
If they didn't want us boys to know what they were saying they'd go straight German.

Grandma canned everything she could. Big garden. Mac, I have a picture of their house from the 30s on 17th Street with the bluffs in the background. All prairie in between.

She was quite the chess player. I never won til she had a stroke and that was the last game she played. My brother never did either but stalemated her once.

Iv made it before but always come out crunchy. Store bought I like is not. Dont now how to make non crunchy.

I like mine with a little crunch. I freeze mine as I find canning it softens it somewhat.

To make non crunchy kraut, leave it ferment for another month longer than you do. That will help. I usually age mine two months. You may want to do it 3 or 4 months

Frank's makes a bavarian style I like very much. It's less sour than some. Makes great rubens which is about I ever do with it other than an occasional brat or a little on a canadian bacon pizza. I don't think I could justify making it, but I'm sure its good. I'm probably better off not knowing what I'm missing. lol