Fermenting.

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by flgatorguy87

This thread inspired me to make my own vinegar. I poured in about 2 gallons of red wine in early January into a continuous fermentation crock that I borrowed from my parents who use it for Kombucha. I add about a cup of mother of vinegar and then just let it do its thing on the counter all covered and cozy. Now about 3 months later I have A LOT of red wine vinegar that is really good and tastes different than any other I have ever had. Its a much more complex flavor. I am looking forward to using it on summer vegetables.

I have several bottles of the stuff laying around doing something I have no idea what.

As for my jar of experimental sweet and sour red cabbage I did a taste test yesterday.
It tastes suspiciously like the German sweet and sour red cabbage I love so much.
One more week to go.

Worth

[Karrr_Luda]

just looked in the fridge and most of it is jars with some krauty things in them. What is going on here? this is a bit nuts. Probably have to force myself to stop.
New batch of “normal” [for me] kraut w. carrot & caraway in the crock and i didn’t even open it yet to peek inside, a day old now. The one on top of kale, red and white cabbage and carrot is ready and lives outside on the breezeway while it is still cold out. Little tomatoes are ready to eat, new small jar of leftover cabbage [that didn’t fit in the crock] with grated ginger parsley, turmeric & cayenne powders-wonder what its going to taste like. This batch of lemons is not very salty but ready to eat, just added a little bit more salt on top after tasting one, also lives outside for now caus there is one still unfinished in the fridge.
What i pulled out of the fridge, is quickly diminishing kimchi, tiny bit of kimchi cabbage kraut, some old red cabbage kraut that came out too salty and i don’t like it, feel bad throwing it out, not sure what to do with it-still crunchy though. Shiso leaves with some jalapenos from last summer, that are on the salty side but still good, yum on sandwiches. A bit of leftover batch of kraut that came out perfect and i can compare it with the new batches. Garlick scapes and something that smells so can’t eat it inside. I think it is the radish part. Who's gonna eat it all? My hubby eats the regular kraut, pickles and carrots, nothing else yet. I do share when i find someone who likes these sort of things. I never made hot sauce or vinegar, need to give it a try C941E9C1-2C6A-4620-8F24-800F9273BD6F.jpg


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[Salsacharley]

Holy Smokes! You are crankin out the ferments! I'm a bit shy of too much salt myself.

[Worth1]

Originally Posted by Salsacharley

Holy Smokes! You are crankin out the ferments! I'm a bit shy of too much salt myself.

I bet it you did the math it is less sodium than in many processed foods.
Worth

[salix]

K L - a suggestion for the salty red cabbage kraut - use it in a pot of soup. I often use up little bits like that in something like borscht. Just add some beets and sour cream; makes everything yummy!

[Worth1]

I have done some stuff that was too salty and even on the counter for months it just sat in salty limbo.
I would imagine this is what was put on board ship for long term preservation like limes.

[Karrr_Luda]

Originally Posted by salix

K L - a suggestion for the salty red cabbage kraut - use it in a pot of soup. I often use up little bits like that in something like borscht. Just add some beets and sour cream; makes everything yummy!

Great idea Salix! Thank you! When making Borscht i add tomato juice to make it sour, this is already salty/sour no need to add extra salt or tomato juice! Yay!

[Karrr_Luda]

Originally Posted by Worth1

I have done some stuff that was too salty and even on the counter for months it just sat in salty limbo.
I would imagine this is what was put on board ship for long term preservation like limes.

It is hard to believe it still has vitamins in it, especially when it turns grayish brownish, like the preserved sliced lemons from Trader Joes, and tastes like salt in the shape of a sliced lemon.

[imp]

I have no idea about fermenting, but could you take some of your too salty red cabbage and add it into a new batch to help "jump start" fermentation? Sort of like putting some old rye bread in the new rye bread dough?

[Karrr_Luda]

Originally Posted by imp

I have no idea about fermenting, but could you take some of your too salty red cabbage and add it into a new batch to help "jump start" fermentation? Sort of like putting some old rye bread in the new rye bread dough?

It is possible, to speed up the process, but not recommended or necessary. There is plenty of natural yeast in the air and on the veggies, so they jump start themselves pretty quickly.

[Worth1]

Here is what I read from research.
If you back slop a ferment you bypass the first bacteria and move on to the other later bacteria.
This greatly changes the lovely taste of the ferment in not such a good way.

Worth

[imp]

Originally Posted by Karrr_Luda

It is possible, to speed up the process, but not recommended or necessary. There is plenty of natural yeast in the air and on the veggies, so they jump start themselves pretty quickly.

I thought that might be the case, but a question worth asking. What works with yeast is not always good for bacteria.

[Worth1]

Took lid off small crock, it had a strange alien smell.
Then I remembered the caraway seeds and onions I put in it.
Tasted good and is sour, added salt water and put the lid back on not to my liking yet.
Apples crispy and crunchy.
Will come off next week.

[Karrr_Luda]

Originally Posted by Worth1

Took lid off small crock, it had a strange alien smell.
Then I remembered the caraway seeds and onions I put in it.
Tasted good and is sour, added salt water and put the lid back on not to my liking yet.
Apples crispy and crunchy.
Will come off next week.

sounds so yummy!! Did you chop the apples? cut them in slices? grate them? VAT DID U DO VIZ ZE EPPELS? I tasted my kale purple and white cabbage kraut too & liking it much better than my regular white kraut, the flavor is much more complex and not boring. i hid a quartered apple in each kale jar and the crock, put it at the bottom for a surprise (to myself). Everything is very bubbly now.

[Worth1]

I just chopped the apples up into bite sized chunks.
When the stuff is ready I will put it in zip lock freezer bags and into the refrigerator it will go.
You might consider the bags it works great.
Worth