In both his written material and videos, Katz is vague about the things like the amount of salt and how much time should pass until the kraut is "ready." I suspect this is because there are so many variables involved, from the rates of fermentation (partially driven by temperature) to the fact that "ready" is a subjective concept here. I intend to wait a week before the first taste test. It's going to be a long week, because the aroma (which is so far closer to kimchi than traditional sauerkraut) is driving me crazy.
That's right, it's not a "smell"... it's aroma. I'll let you know how it turns out.
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Article comments
1 - Lisa McKay
If it's good, it really does deserve some homemade kielbasa to go with. You know I'm right.
2 - Mark Saleski
it does...but i am not worthy.
3 - Lisa McKay
I still think that with a decent recipe, it can't be that hard to do.
4 - Mat Brewster
I applaud your efforts in the homemaking department, but frown at the kraut. Yuck.
5 - Mark Saleski
no saurkraut in the midwest mat?
6 - Joanne Huspek
I love it. I want to know how the fermentation process goes. Maybe I'll try it too.
7 - Hangi
I use mustard seeds and a touch of tumeric to add some color. Really good sauerkraut served with a couple of bratwurts and a side of speck is to die for!
8 - Elizabeth Campbell
It's supposed to be fermented in a crock, have a much heavier weight on it, a close to airtight seal, and it takes close to a month to ferment. What you're making is a rotting mess. Katz's take is very poor advice and a sloppily researched.
Nice thought to try, but good food can't always be easy as Katz would have had you believe.
9 - Mark Saleski
and yet katz has been making (and eating!) "rotting mess" for years.
right.
10 - Jordan Richardson
It's some sort of kraut konspiracy, I know it.
11 - El Bicho
You tell 'em, Elizabeth. Katz is a con man and is obviously doing it wrong, which explains why he's gone underground. I mean he claims "The mother of all condiments is the fish sauce". What a laugh.
Katz's put one over on Saleski, a nice fella, but the man doesn't know metal, doesn't know technology, and certainly doesn't know fermenting. Viva la crock!
12 - Dr Dreadful
The dark brown hue is rather troubling. Doesn't bode well for the eventual outcome of what is normally a rather anaemic-looking foodstuff.
13 - Mark Saleski
dd: i would normally agree with you but it's not just white cabbage, but also purple and grated carrots. the photo isn't a great one. the color is closer to a very pale rust.
14 - Mat Brewster
I'm late with my reply and for that you have my apologies. We have kraut, I just refuse to eat it. The wife convinced me to retry when we were in Strasbourg which is right on the German border so they know a few things about the dish, and it wasn't terrible, but I can't ever really get past the look of the stuff.
Again I say yuck.
15 - Mark Saleski
i say the same thing about lutefisk although, in truth, i have never been in the same room with the stuff. not even sure if i'd try it and i'm pretty open-minded.
16 - Mat Brewster
If we ever make it up that way we'll have to have a lukefish and sauerkraut dinner together.
With lots of good wine.
17 - le
crocks are best, but you certainly can also make kraut in mason jars, and it has a good taste.