My first kraut batch in 2018 was a total mess, but now it's my favorite thing to make

I started with a big old crock I found at a yard sale in Spokane, and I had no idea what I was doing. I just chopped a cabbage, salted it, and hoped for the best. After about a week, it got this weird slimy film and a funky smell, so I tossed the whole thing out. I gave up for almost a year, honestly. What changed was finding a local workshop where this guy named Frank showed us his simple method: using a specific weight, like a glass jar filled with water, to keep everything submerged under the brine. I tried it again with just one head of green cabbage, and after five days it was perfect, tangy and crisp. The difference was just knowing that one little trick about keeping air out. Has anyone else had a total failure turn into a success with one small fix?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_leo15d ago

I read this article from a farm in Vermont that said the slimy stuff is called kahm yeast. It's not dangerous but it ruins the texture. They said it happens when the salt ratio is off or the temperature swings too much. My friend had it happen with her beet kvass last summer because her kitchen was too warm. Keeping everything cool and weighed down under the brine is the real key to avoiding that mess.

jessicahill15d ago

That "weird slimy film" is the worst. I had the same thing happen with my first try at pickling green beans. They got all mushy and I was so mad. My grandma finally told me I was using the wrong kind of vinegar, the plain white stuff was too strong. She said to use apple cider vinegar instead, and it was a total game changer. Just that one swap and they came out perfect and snappy.