My sauerkraut went from soggy to perfect after I changed one thing

For months my batches in my kitchen were always too soft, even after three weeks. I started weighing down the cabbage with a small glass jar filled with water instead of the plastic bag of brine I was using. In just five days, the texture was totally crisp and the flavor was way sharper. Has anyone else found that the weight makes that big a difference?

3 comments

3 Comments

taylor.reese10d ago

Always thought the weight was just to keep it under the brine, didn't realize it affected the texture that much. I was using a ceramic disc for ages and my kraut was always kind of limp. Switched to a proper heavy glass weight last year and the crunch is totally different, like night and day. Guess the extra pressure really does pull out more moisture.

tarabell10d ago

Yeah the weight totally changes the whole process. A heavy one forces out way more liquid early on, so you get a stronger brine faster. That extra salt water protects the crunch while it ferments. My last batch with a light weight turned to mush, never going back.

ruby_jones10d ago

Wait, ceramic discs are too light?