My neighbor said his sauerkraut was 'done' after 3 days on the counter

I was helping him move a couch and he offered me some from a jar he'd just opened, saying it was perfectly fermented. It tasted like salty cabbage water with zero tang, and now I'm wondering if people are just scared of real fermentation times. What's the shortest ferment you've done that actually developed a good sour flavor?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_jennifer24d ago

Yeah three days is barely even started, that's just brined cabbage at that point. I've had quick ferments turn out okay in maybe five days during a heatwave, but even that was pretty mild. Good sour flavor needs at least a week, usually two, depending on how warm your kitchen is. Your neighbor might just prefer the taste of fresh cabbage, which is fine, but calling that 'done' sauerkraut is a stretch.

nancy50024d ago

My grandma in Wisconsin always said the real test is the bubbles. If you don't see a steady stream of tiny bubbles rising after day three, your salt ratio or pack is off. Three-day kraut can work if you shred it super fine and keep it at 80 degrees, but it's still just a salty salad. The neighbor probably used iodized salt, which can slow everything down to a crawl.

emmas1918d ago

Totally agree, it's just salty cabbage.