Do I jar and BWB like the NCHFP says?

That's what I do. Having canned kraut for use throughout the winter is my goal when making it.

Some just keep the fermenting jar in the fridge and eat from it as needed. That doesn't appeal to me for several reasons.

Never tried freezing it but given the effects of freezing on cabbage I'd think it would be mushy when thawed.

Dave

This question came up at our house also - mainly because I became so enthusiastic about my new found recipe, that I made more than could be consumed easily - because only two people in the family care for it that much.

Soooo - I decided to do a BWB on a few, freeze some and refrigerate some - just to see what the finished product would be.

Actually, in summary - if you only want to eat it in casseroles - the softness isn't as much a factor, as it will soften when cooked anyway.

As it is my understanding - small batch fermenting of kraut is now questioned (I still do it - because my cabbage yields are small and so far, I've not experienced any failure as a result of doing it that way).

In that case, if I wanted to have kraut fresh made, it probably could be fermented and refrigerated - much like you would a jar of dill pickles. Once opened, it could be treated as such - using in a similar length of time as other pickled or fermented products.

Since cabbage is available all year long - purchased from the market place, kraut could be made in short batches that way, and consumed shortly after fermentation - without the need for processing or freezing.

Just my 2 c's.

Bejay

It's ready huh. Time to go buy some buns, really good bratwurst and beers and have friends over.

PS I'll bring the mustard.

My frozen kraut stays pretty crispy.

For just a gallon of kraut, I personally wouldn't bother canning it if you have the refrigerator space to store it. I usually store it in our basement fridge and like it that way. It stays so crispy and fresh tasting! Some folks don't have the extra space though, and then canning would be a good option.

I've not found a downside to refrigerating it. It doesn't seem to keep fermenting at a detectable rate, it stays crispy, and I don't think there's much of a spoilage issue because of the fermentation.

If I ever decide to can it, I'll add calcium chloride to the jars to help keep it crisp.

Judi

After making a batch of kraut in a 5 gallon tub in the fall, we put it in quart jars and kept it in the fridge. It was spring and fresh salads were coming up when we finished that stuff, and it stayed great all winter. We included apple slices and a few onions, as well as caraway seeds, when we made it, and we used it in all sorts of things through the winter, from soups, to beans, to making an enhanced salad with some mayo, fresh onion, peas, etc., to including it in a potato salad, to frying it in with sauteed vegetables, and more. Just amazing stuff and nothing at all like the cr** you get from the store in a can!!

after 80 lbs of shredded cabbage which we ended up bringing home two 5 gal buckets home(we only wanted one bucket) because the others who helped shred didn't want to take any home. Used turkey roasting bags for the brine which didn't hold up. I checked the kraut after a week and both bags were flat. Good thing I used brine in the bags. But the 2 buckets expanded to another 3 gal bucket because of the added liquid in both. So if all turns out we'll be asking ...now what?