Ferments Including Sauerkraut

 

Fermented Sauerkraut

 

Yesterday I transferred my sauerkraut to other jars to put in our garage fridge. This past garden cabbage was bagged and put in the bottom of that fridge all this time. I was lazy and just did not get to it till last month.

My favorite fermenting book is The Complete IDIOTS Guide to Fermenting Foods, by Wardeh Harmon. My book is from 2012 and I have so many notes and post-it notes in it. I have other books as well and often consult them, but it all gets put into this book.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Over the years I've tried a lot of ferments and have narrowed down to my favorites. That being sauerkraut from our garden, fermented pickles (which I like way better than vinegar made pickles), and then Cranberry-Orange-Apple Relish. Once cranberries hit the store my mouth waters for this ferment. I like Dilly Green Beans, but don't make them every year. Since I grow turnips and beets I'm going to try that recipe again. I also usually ferment my garlic scapes. And I occasionally make Beet Kvass.

Now that I'm looking at the book, I realize I also often make the fermented Mayonnaise as well as Ketchup and Dijon Mustard. Instead of the Veggie Tomato Juice, this year, I canned my own version of V8 Juice. And too, we occasionally want the Ginger Soda. Sometimes I've added turmeric root with the ginger root.  

I didn't make the sauerkraut earlier because I still had some in the fridge from the previous year. Usually I pressure can whatever is left from the year before. But now that I have a freeze dryer, I often freeze-dry my older sauerkraut on a low setting to keep it's probiotic nutrients - I've reconstituted it and it tastes fresh.

It's funny, cuz at first when I started writing this post, I thought I wasn't fermenting many things, but as I kept listing them ... I guess I do!