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Sauerkraut took me 4 tries before I got the salt ratio right

I was pretty skeptical about all the fuss with exact salt measurements in fermentation. First batch I just guessed and ended up with mushy, nasty stuff after 2 weeks. Second try I used too much salt and nothing fermented at all. Third batch I followed a recipe from a book but still got mold on top. Finally on batch four I weighed everything precisely at 2% salt by weight of cabbage and it came out perfect after 21 days. The crunch and tangy flavor really convinced me that the details matter. Has anyone else had to fail a few times before finding their sweet spot with salt ratios?
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shah.evan
shah.evan25d ago
Oh man, your story is almost exactly mine. First batch I used table salt and measured by volume instead of weight, total disaster. Second batch I added too much salt because I was scared of mold and nothing bubbled for two weeks. Took me a solid three tries before I got that 2% sweet spot with a kitchen scale. Now I never eyeball it, I always weigh my cabbage and salt together in a bowl before I even start packing the jar.
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emery_hall
emery_hall25d ago
Yep, third time was my charm but I almost gave up.
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