Monday, September 8, 2008

Stinky good stuff....

Sorry for such a long delay in posting my dear friends. I am truly trying to keep up and as soon as the first frost hits - life will slow down a bit. Then I can bore you daily with my little corner of the planet!

I am going to post about the Saur Kraut that I canned a couple of days ago. Before I go further, I must explain that this kraut had been 'potted' last fall. To make saur kraut at home you must have an old fashion 'crock' to put it in. This is the canning process after it has fermented - so in other words I am putting the cart before the horse as far as this is concerned. I had to can this kraut before I could 'pot' the kraut for this year. So anyone confused yet... almost as bad as - I dont know what it is as bad as.

When you can your kraut it has to be done all at once, no waiting a day. This is a picture of the kraut still in the crock. Please understand that this crock was FULL, about 6 inchs from the rim, with kraut last year. We ate most of it but I had to can the rest so that it doesnt go to waste - I hate to waste anything. When I pot the next bunch of kraut it will explain things a bit better. This is a 10 gallon Red Wing crock... and my dirty foot - please dont look at my dirty foot. I had been running in the mud with the boys that morning....and did not wash it - sorry...

This is the uncanned kraut in the crock...



Looks kinda snarky dont it...However, it must ferment to make good kraut. My granny and her mamma used to leave it in the crock all year, but she told me that they usually had eatin it all by the middle of the summer. When I pot the new batch I will go into detail about it. The old timers really knew what they were doing. Now days, we think that this is going to make us sick or that will make you sick... that thinking - makes me sick - sick I say!!!

The canning process is pretty darn easy. I sterilize my jars in boiling water, keep my lids hot and my rings dry. I usually do this outside on my deck with my King Cooker propane burner but this is what it looked like out the deck door the day I did it.

First you must pick off the stuff that is not good and throw it in the 'slop pail' - yes I have a slop pail that is taken out daily for the chickens now that the pigs are gone. Chickens eat anything too - just in case you were wondering. Especially Lispys rooster - Baserd.


I filled my jars till there was only about 1 1/2 inchs from the top. There is some juice left after the jars have been filled, so I divide that out between the jars evenly. Don't mind my ole coffee pot - its outlived the animals that it came over with on the Mayflower.


Then I put them in a hot water bath for about 15 min - no longer because the kraut does not need to be 'cooked', just sealed.
.



Then ya just let them cool. I got 15 quarts out of the little bit of kraut left in my crock.
This was distracting me the whole time - my mamery glands were kicking in overtime!
I am going to be doing more peaches today - I hope to post that a little later today or tommorow. Please dont leave me and not come back - I promise to post more when I have gotten the garden under control -or at least went into complete denial of how much I have to do and that I will get it all done!

27 comments:

Anonymous said...

I can't wait to see how to make kraut the real way!! (I do the ferment in a jar thing-which isn't bad...but...)

I could use a side of kraut with the yummy baby!! What a sweetie!

Have fun on your peaches-we did ours a few weeks back-did a post on them too--dressed up like 50's housewives and had a BALL!!

There's nothing to satisfy a mama's hoarding instincts than seeing those shiny full jars pile up is there?? Your family will be eating WELL this winter!

Unknown said...

I love kraut and would eat it all the time if my fam liked it more. I think a rueben would be in order for dinner to honor your hard work!!! Look at Mild Dud! He is getting so big!

Peggy said...

Wonder woman is what you are. You get so much done and with a newborn to boot!! give milkdud a hug for me

Mia said...

Ewwww.. all that sour! I'm doin'the sweet stuff over at my place *grin*

Far Side of Fifty said...

You make my mouth water! Not many people make the kraut the way my Mom and Grandmother used to do..cept maybe you. Beautiful kraut and even a more beautiful baby!:)

Karen Deborah said...

the baby looks yummy, smooch him big!!! I'm not a big fan of kraut but yours is probably awesome. Where do you think we would go? I'm hooked on Lispy, and the new baby is toooooooo cute.

Suzanne said...

As always, I'm going to be full of questions.

1. Where do you keep the crock?
2. What do you cover the crock with?
3. Are you saying that you can start eating the sauerkraut as soon as it
quits fermenting?
4. Do you rinse the kraut before you cook it?

My mother-in-law (Polish) rinses the kraut, chops a up a bit, brown some onions in butter, add the kraut with some water and cooks for awhile. How do you cook yours?

Actually, she cooks sauerkraut so often that we are sick, sick, sick to death of it. But I think I would actually like real, homemade kraut.

- Suzanne, the Farmer's Wife

P.S. You are Superwoman Farm Wife

Karen Deborah said...

sweetie skip my current post, it's not a topic for you right now.

goatgirl said...

Not going anywhere. Have to have my baby fix....and wait for the next Lispy quote.

Train Wreck said...

Wow you are a busy chickadee! You need a nanny or a cook or maid or something! Poor little neglected Milk Dud,Does Auntie, Godmother. Trainwreck need to come hold you close!! he! he! I would love to come help you just to learn all that you are doing! Peaches! hmmm I can't wait!

Mrs. Mom said...

Oh Heidi!!! Milk Dud is so blasted cute!!!! What a beautiful little man.

I cant wait to read how to can peaches. Next year, I want to learn how to can a lot of stuff- peaches are right at the top of that list!!!

I wont leave you Sista, and cant see how anyone else would either. ;)

Much much loves to you and the fam!!! Write when you can! :)

Carla said...

Beautiful! Thank you for the pictures along with the how-to! Mr. Milkman Jr. is getting BIG fast!

Train Wreck said...

I want to hold him, and squeeze him, and pat him, and squeeze his little toes and...

Adventure girl said...

Wow! you are amazing!
Another Heidi

The Wades said...

My first time to check in with you--now my mouth is watering! Your kraut looks delish!! I haven't had any in a such a long time and none ever "made" at home! Will there be a recipe to follow? Is that too pushy for a new reader? ;) Very impressive and such a cute little baby. :)

J'Ollie Primitives said...

yum!

Yummy baby, yummy saurkraut.

Updated by Lila Huggins (grandmother) said...

Heidi,
Whew, I'm glad your back. I was worried about you.
I make homemade Kraut too. It's sooooooooooo easy.
Miss Lila in Atlanta

Train Wreck said...

Hey this looks like the same thing you posted on the other day!! he! he! Just checking on you! I hope you had a safe and blessed day!

Unknown said...

I'm in the middle of canning too! Hey quick question.... where do you think I should look for a pickling crock? I want to add pickeling lime to my pickles but don't have a crock and don't know where to look or what else would work.
-Jill

Take a Deep Breath said...

I love Kraut!

Greenmare said...

Wow, thanks for showing that!!! I remember my neighbor doing that when I was a kid. Man I was not too sure about that smell............ My mom did it once, but unbeknownst (is that a great word or what?) her crock had a crack in it, so the juice eventually ran across the not so level floor and ended up under the linoleum.......... I won't go into THAT any further! That baby is SWEET! next time get a picture of the sweet spot on the back of the neck!!!

Lynne's Somewhat Invented Life said...

I am 110% jealous. I LOVE homemade kraut but never have any luck with making it. I finally gave up. I had to swallow the saliva four times, reading this post!

Karen Deborah said...

Do you realize how much Milkdud has changed in 10 days? forget about it, just post pictures of Milkdud and write what Lispy says.
I'm sure we have mised out!

Whiterock said...

Hey! New to your blog... love it already!

When I read the alias "Milk Dud" for the first time, I really did LOL! And he's so cute it makes me want to snatch up Pickle and smell behind his ears to see there's any of that new baby smell left. You know that's the place it stays the longest. Pickle's 17 months old now but sometimes I still catch a whiff of it there.

Anyway, I wrote a novel instead of a comment so I better stop now.

WR

Whiterock said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Whiterock said...

Oh, and one more thing. I..... looked at your foot. I'm sorry! I'm sorry! But I wouldn't have even noticed it, if you hadn't mentioned it, and then I got all curious. I mean, "How dirty can it be", is what I'm thinkin', "that she would specifically ask us not to look".... so it's really your fault. :o)

Ok, I'm really leaving now.

WR

Farmchick said...

We made kraut just like that with my Grandparents only they used a bigger crock! I have not made kraut in years but my Mom does and gives some to us. I think I may grow some cabbage in my garden next year. Milk Dud is sweet....makes me want another baby! NO! No more children!!! ha ha Have a great evening!