One guy at a farmers market changed how I salt my kraut

Last Saturday in Portland, this old German dude watched me pack a jar and said my salt was way too shy, just sprinkled on top instead of massaged through. He grabbed a handful of my cabbage, worked it for 30 seconds, and the brine poured out like a faucet. Do you weigh your salt per pound of cabbage or just go by feel?

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corap6110d ago

That salt was way too shy" really hit home for me. My buddy Greg was the same way for years, always dusting his kraut like he was seasoning a steak. He'd get this watery, limp cabbage every single time and couldn't figure out why. Then he took a class at a co-op and the instructor made him squeeze the salt into the leaves until they felt wet and slippery. He called me that night, all excited, saying the brine came out before he even packed the jar. Now he weighs everything on a cheap kitchen scale, but the real trick was learning that feel. Once you see that shine on the cabbage, you know you did it right.