Making sauerkraut with fish sauce instead of salt?
Experimenting on an idea. So I can make the best Reuben.
Making sauerkraut for the first time. Using a basic recipe, 1 head of cabbage(3lbs.) To 1 1/2 Tbl. Salt. + Aromatics
Rid of surface bacteria, wash hands, julienne cabbage, massage salt in. Make sure submerged, cover with cheese cloth, room temp, 3-10 days, etc.
My question is a) does above sound correct and b) could I substitute nam pla (fish sauce) for the salt? And if so, what ratio would make sense?
Best Answer
Salt is needed to give the good bacteria an edge over bad bacteria that do not handle salt so well. The amount of salt necessary differs from maker to maker. While the salt does draw the moisture out of the cabbage, you can also make tasty sauerkraut in a typical fermented pickle manner - shred your cabbage, pack it in a jar, pour salty water over it and let it ferment. Initially the texture will be more "pickled cabbage" than traditional "sauerkraut", but if you leave it long enough it yields the softer texture. Now if you don't want to use the salt plus water try fish sauce plus water. A frequent concentration for pickling vegetables is one tablespoon of (kosher) salt in two cups of water. Make some up and taste it. Then see what mixture of the fish sauce and water has a similar salty taste level. Pour that mixture over the shredded cabbage. Let us know in a few weeks if you survive!
Pictures about "Making sauerkraut with fish sauce instead of salt?"
Do you have to add salt to make sauerkraut?
To make a quantity of sauerkraut that will fit in a 1-quart (liter) jar, you will need 1 tablespoon of salt for every 1\xbe pounds (800 grams) of vegetables. These are the quantities I use because this amount fits perfectly into a 1-quart jar\u2014the right size for the beginning fermenter.How do you ferment without salt?
Ferments with less salt may be more prone to surface molds. You can leave out the salt or use various mineral-rich substitutes such as celery juice (my favorite salt-free variation) or seaweed. Just be sure the vegetables are submerged in the liquid.How do you make Saltless sauerkraut?
Instructions:What can I add to sauerkraut for flavor?
Adding fruits and vegetables to your sauerkraut is a great way to enliven its flavor. Root vegetables like carrots, radishes and beets work particularly well since they stand up to fermentation nicely. Pomaceous fruits like apples and pears work nicely, too.The Complete Beginner's Guide to Fermenting Foods at Home
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Images: Alberto Capparelli, Pixabay, Isabella Mendes, Isabella Mendes