Oh my, you poor things! Kraut is very easy. All you need is cabbage and un-iodized salt. And trust in the Lord!! lol Just rinse the outside of the cabbage; do not wash the cut up cabbage. Also, don't use bleach on your jar. Just soap and water is fine, to clean the jar. Shred a couple heads of cabbage pretty thin, place in wide mouth gallon jar (some folks use plastic, but I use a glass jar) Smash the cabbage down and add about a tablespoon and a half of salt per head of cabbage. Make sure the salt is fairly well distributed. I have a dowel rod to use as a smashing tool. Works great when you are angry.
You don't need a starter. There is appropriate bacteria on the cabbage (even store-bought cabbage) to start the process.
You may need to add some salty water to get enough liquid to cover the cabbage. About the same salinity of seawater, I have read. I think I used about a teaspoon in a cup of water. I also use a couple of whole cabbage leaves on top, to hold all the little shreds under water. I put a sealed gallon-sized baggie, with about a pint of water in it, on the top of the cabbage, making sure all the air is pressed out of the mixture. You don't want air pockets in the kraut. Put the lid on, medium tight, and place in a coolish place, like basement. The cooler it is, the slower the fermentation. If the inside of the lid is metal, I usually put some plastic wrap over the top, to prevent the metal from coming in contact with the cabbage or liquid.
Put the jar in a pan or bowl, to catch the overflow. Stick a note on top saying how much cabbage, salt, water you used, and the date.
In about 3 days, your basement may smell like the septic system has backed up. (at least that's what my DH thought) That shows the fermentation has begun. This smell will go away soon.
If done with only salt, it will probably take about a month for the kraut to lose most of its saltiness, and taste only sour. If it is too salty, but still good and sour, you can rinse it. Won't hurt anything. If too salty and not very sour, put the bag back and allow to sit another week or so.
If it smells like that Thing you dragged out of the back of the fridge, toss it. If it turns pink, toss it. If it is really slimy, toss it.
Even done correctly, it may not smell quite like kraut from a can. More complex aroma, haha. Be brave. It won't hurt you. From what I have read, the things that could happen to kraut that would be harmful to eat, are quite noticeable to see or smell. If it loses some of the green color, sort of dulls down and gets opaque, you are doing fine.
I do not heat process mine. We eat it for the health benefits, and I have been told the high heat used in canning will destroy the good bacteria. I make a gallon every couple of months, and keep most of it in the spare fridge. It will last for months just in the fridge.
There are several posts on this forum, and also on Sufficient Self about making kraut. Just don't eat a whole pint at one setting, cause it will clean you out.
It happens.
.
