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A ‘sauer’ outlook: Tradition of fermenting cabbage is a long and stinky process

Courtesy photo A finished jar of sauerkraut.

The tedious process of making sauerkraut can stink up the house in the six or so weeks it takes to ferment the cabbage. But it’s a tradition that many central Pennsylvanians still enjoy this time of year.

Sarah Gonsman and her extended family around Hollidaysburg just started the fermentation process on 540 pounds of cabbage last weekend, a tradition they have been doing since 1980.

“We know what’s in it,” she said. “It tastes so much better.”

Gonsman bought her cabbage from Peach Hill Orchard near Martinsburg, cleaned it and removed the large leaves last week and started cutting it and processing it last Saturday. It took the dozen or so family members about four hours to get the fermenting started.

Gail Kaminski grew her own small crop of cabbage in her backyard in Newry and, while “the bugs got the best of them,” it was enough to satisfy her homestead­ing instincts left over from a childhood on a farm.

“It’s a lot of fun, but it’s hard work,” said Kaminski, who is currently in the process of fermenting about eight gallons of cabbage.

The commercial crop hasn’t been the greatest this year, either, because rain didn’t come at the right time, according to Cindy Benshoff of Benshoff Farms in New Germany. Still the cabbage crop will continue to come in until December, as long as there aren’t heavy snows or prolonged freezes, she said.

Benshoff noted that you can make sauerkraut any time of the year — and her crop started coming in in July — as long as the fermentation temperature is kept under control.

But the ideal time is in October and November because cabbage grown in cool weather produces more sugar, a necessary component of the fermentation process, according to the Penn State Cooperative Extension Service.

That, according to Brian Meiser, owner of Leighty’s Farm Market in Newry, is why customers start placing orders this time of year for hundreds of pounds of cabbage.

“For a lot of the older people, it’s what they did, and now younger people are carrying it on,” he said.

But not only is it a tradition in preserving food, sauerkraut has healthful digestive benefits.

“I think our ancestors had it right,” Kaminski said. “It’s a probiotic, and it’s real good for you.”

Kaminski has her one-crock batch fermenting in her garage.

“This would do better in the basement (because of the temperature), but I like to keep it in the garage for the smell,” she said.

Gonsman has her eight crocks fermenting in her basement.

How to ferment

Fermentation is the oldest and one of the least expensive ways to preserve food; today, it also is used to make soy sauce, pickles, yogurt, sourdough breads and more.

To make sauerkraut, you need the proper vessel, such as a stone crock or food-grade bucket, according to detailed instructions from the Extension Service. Do not use copper, iron or galvanized metal containers. A one-gallon container holds five pounds of shredded cabbage; a five-gallon crock holds 25 pounds. Kaminski has a large stone crock just for this purpose.

After discarding outer leaves, rinse, drain and cut into quarters. Remove cores and any bad spots and shred to a thickness of 1/16th to 1/8th of an inch. Place in the crock and pack it in. The Extension Service says to use clean hands; Kaminski also uses a special bat to help press the cabbage and squeeze out natural juices.

Add 3 tablespoons of salt to 5 pounds of shredded cabbage and work into the leaves. The Extension Service recommends using only canning or pickling salt, but Kaminski said she knows people who have successfully used table salt. The salt helps to draw the water and sugars from the cabbage to produce the brine.

Repeat in 5-pound increments, pressing down to release juices and eliminate air pockets. Cover it with a plate weighted down to keep the cabbage submerged in the brine at all times. That keeps out oxygen and prevents mold growth.

Kaminski uses a large jar filled with water to weigh down the plate; the Extension Service says another option is a large food-grade plastic bag filled with salt water made by mixing 6 tablespoons of salt per gallon of water. (Freezer bags sold for packaging turkey are the right size for 5 gallon containers).

If the juice does not cover the cabbage, add boiled and cooled brine prepared with

1 1/2 tablespoons of salt in a quart of water, according to the Extension Service.

Kaminski and Gonsman cover their crocks with clean kitchen towels to keep out airborne trash. That, Kaminski explained, allows it to be checked every few days to remove scum, as recommended by the Extension Service. If you use the brine-filled bags to weigh the cabbage, do not disturb the crock until fermentation is complete.

How long does that take? If the temperature is between 60 and 65 degrees Fahrenheit, it takes six weeks to make sauerkraut; at the ideal temperature of 70 to 75 degrees Fahrenheit, the process is three to four weeks. Above 80 degrees, the sauerkraut could become soft and spoil. Fermentation naturally stops when the sauerkraut reaches the proper acidity.

The Extension Service has step-by-step instructions on making sauerkraut at www.extension.psu.edu/

food/preservation/safe-methods/sauerkraut. It also explains the proper methods of storage, freezing and canning it, along with other tips.

Gonsman cans her and likely will end up with about 300 quarts.

“We share it,” she said, with a laugh. “We share a lot of it. We have sauerkraut very often. It is really good for you. We just like it with the pork, hot dogs and kielbasa. At our annual family reunion and Christmas, it’s one of the major dishes we have.”

While Kaminski freezes her sauerkraut — and shares with friends and family, too — she cans a lot of other foods such as sweet and dill pickles, jelly, vegetable juice and more.

“I’m not a doomsdayer,” she said. “I just love having the skills to fall back on or just to share with others.”

Mirror Staff Writer Cherie Hicks is at 949-7030.

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