Making sauerkraut

i don't think it's ever overkill really. i admit, i've never made sauerkraut but I've made yogurt and kombucha tea and both have been pretty easy. I would bet sauerkraut is similar.

I looked up on sauerkraut making utensils and those ceramic containers you need are $100 up on Amazon. I don't know if you can make it in steel containers (I would avoid aluminium/non-stick/plastic for the acidity in the product), but I am looking into it too.

I have heard about Bubbies, but I did not find it in local stores and I don't want to pay the amount it costs including shipping from their website.

I was surprised to find Bubbies in the health food section of my local grocery store! Also surprised by the sticker-shock! I think the pickles were $8 and the kraut about the same? Maybe more... like $10-11.

Its a lot of $ to try something that you might not like/might not be beneficial.

http://www.thekitchn.com/how-to-make-easy-homemade-sauerkraut-in-a-mason-jar-cooking-lessons-from-the-kitchn-193124

And I like it fermented longer, but you can start eating it after three or four days.

Wifeofmars, it's similar but so much better than store bought. Some of the store bought these days just tastes like salty cabbage to me.

To those who make sauerkraut at home (or has a knowledge of it), do you keep it in dark or covered if you are using transparent container. Apologies if this sounds stupid, but I have no idea and did not find anyone mentioning it (in either of the recipes mentioned above). I plan to use regular mason jar.

Mason jars are perfect. I use the wide mouth ones and the white plastic tops. I use a sandwich bag partially filled with water to keep the kraut below the brine.

i've made sauerkraut in a big glass bowl with another bowl (weighted down) on top. i didn't like it as much as store bought. i couldn't get the pieces shredded nice and skinny. i love the rejuvenative brands but they are so much- like $12 a jar but bubbies is much cheaper near me- like $6 a jar.

i've been fermenting lots of berries lately and those taste nice. next up is fermented orange juice. i heard it's pretty good.

i haven't used store bought probiotics in a while. just no point since it does nothing for my UC.

hey sean! i just use a big mason jar (not even sure what size haha) and fill it up with about 3.5-4 cups of raspberries. in a separate, little bowl, mix together 1 tsp of yogurt starter (yogourmet) with 2 tbsp of honey, pinch of salt, and 3-4 tbsp of water. it will create a slurry. pour that into the jar with the berries and mash it all together. add in some filtered water on top so the berries are covered. close jar and ferment for 48 hours. if you want it alcoholic, you can ferment longer. after all, it is fruit so it will start tasting like wine.

there will be a little gloopy, moldy layer on top but i just peal that off and then put the jar in the fridge.

Another stupid question,
What will happen if I don't press it down, and give it a swirl once a day instead? I will make sure to pack to jar REALLY tightly with all cabbage. The goal is to keep cabbage submerged in that 'juice' right? So in theory, if I swirl is once a day in an attempt to mix it, it should work it out. Although Sean's idea of partially filled sandwich bag is great, I am not too sure how I can work that out in practice.