[Ag-eq] Sauerkraut success

[Tracy Carcione]

Today, I uncovered the sauerkraut I was making and had some for lunch, and 
it was good!
I was a bit nervous about the project, but really it couldn't have been 
easier.  The hardest part was shredding the cabbage fairly evenly, and that 
wasn't even that hard.  It wasn't perfect, but it was obviously good enough. 
Then I mixed it up well with the salt, put it in the crock, packed it down 
as firmly as I could with the "pickle stomper", covered that with a couple 
whole cabbage leaves, and covered the lot with a food storage bag about half 
full of brine.  The bag weighed down the cabbage, so it stayed under the 
brine, and created a water-balloon seal to keep air out.  Then I covered the 
crock with a clean cloth, and set it on the counter for about 5 weeks.  I 
didn't do any of the scum removal people mentioned.  My instructions said to 
leave it alone, and so I did.  I guess the seal kept scum from forming, 
maybe.  The instructions said to wait until the kraut stopped bubbling, and 
then it would be done.  I was able to hear the little bubbles popping, and 
yesterday I didn't hear them anymore, so I uncovered the kraut and had a 
taste.  Good stuff!  And full of vitamins and such, too.
The kraut is supposed to keep for 3 or 4 months tightly covered in the 
fridge, so I found a big jar, filled it up, closed the lid, and stuck it in 
the fridge. I should be able to eat it up in a few months, if not before.
Oh, and the crock didn't smell bad at all.  It smelled like kraut, very 
close up, but not overpowering, and, thank Goodness, not the fate worse than 
death Jewel described. I think the water-balloon seal sealed in the smell, 
to a large degree.
Thanks to everyone for their advice and encouragement.
Tracy