Is my Sauerkraut ruined?

Doctor McNinja

Doctor McNinja

Doctor McNinja

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Last night I made a small batch of Sauerkraut. This morning I found that someone had put it in the fridge. I t was only in there for a couple of hours but will this have stopped and future fermentation? Now I removed it from the fridge and returned it to room temperature, will it start fermenting?
 
I would have thought it would slow it down rather than stop the fermentation completely. Bring it back to room temperature and then leave it for the remaining time and it should be fine.
 
I don't think the cold technically kills the yeast, I think it just slows it down. It should ferment again now it's back in the warm.
 
Jonny69 said:
I don't think the cold technically kills the yeast, I think it just slows it down. It should ferment again now it's back in the warm.
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This is correct. Freezing just renders the yeast dormant but won't actually kill it (raising the temperature too quickly however may damage the cells and could ultimately kill the yeast, though it is unlikely you need to worry about that).
High temperatures will kill off the yeast (breaks down cell walls and destroys the proteins).
Pop it on the counter/airing cupboard or somewhere like that and it should ferment away again.
 
Jonny69 said:
I don't think the cold technically kills the yeast, I think it just slows it down. It should ferment again now it's back in the warm.
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The recipe doesn't actually use yeast.

AcidHell2 said:
Care to post the recipe up
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The reason I've had a go at making Sauerkraut is how ridiculously easy it sounds... as you'll see for yourself.

What you'll need

White Cabbage
Sea Salt (table salt won't taste very nice)
Distilled water
Something to put it in.

Here's the recipe - http://stumblinghomestead.com/blog/2010/08/easy-sauerkraut/
 
Jonny69 said:
Awesome. Let us know how it goes. I made some a few weeks back and it was so delicious.
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Will do think, I'll wait till stage two before posting. It's got to brine for 10 days, then simply boil in flavoured water.

When I get my meat monthly box then going to try pastrami as well. But until then got a little 600grm brisket brining for salt beef.
Not sure where my 16kilos of wholemeal flour has gone though, it hasn't been shipped yet. But going to make fresh bread for it to go into for work.
 
Necro-bump

After recently falling in love with sauerkraut (but not the price of the unpasteurised stuff), I decided to try making my own.

Got a fermentation jar from Lakeland, and a variety of cabbages, and now have a big jar of the stuff sitting in brine getting its ferment on.

Will give it a test in a few weeks, and if it is as good as the bought stuff, I will be saving myself like 75% of price for like 30 minutes prep. :D
 
PlacidCasual said:
I'm no expert but isn't fermented veg preserved by lactic acid producing bacteria acidifying the brine so harmful botulinum can't grow. I don't think its yeast is it?
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That's right. Though it's not uncommon to get a little yeast in there too. Iirc, the bacteria doesn't survive fridge temperatures quite as well as yeast, which I guess is why the concern over it being ruined.

(I also think people covered some of this above)
 
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