"RichK" > wrote:

>I am trying to make sauerkraut for the first time, and all the recipes I
>have seen talk about skimming the scum every day. It has been sitting for 2
>weeks. After several days, I had a little scum, but nothing after that.
>Does this mean I have too much salt? I used 3T Kosher salt per 5 lbs of
>cabbage. I needed more brine to cover the cabbage and used 1.5T per quart
>of water. I don't think I screwed up the measurment, but it's always
>possible. I just expected more activity.

First of all, are you sure it's not fermenting? Kraut does not have a
very active/visible fermentation like beer or wine. Are you able to
see any small bubbles rising to the surface? This is where fermenting
in one gallon glass jars works great for beginning kraut makers.
Next, the accepted ratio of salt to cabbage for making kraut is 2.25%
to 2.5% by weight. This is much easier to show in metric:
5lb. of cabbage is 2,268 grams.
Kosher salt weighs 18 grams per Tablespoon
Therefore, 3T is 54 grams.
54/2268*100 = 2.38%.
Pretty well dead center of the accepted ratio so your salt additions
were dead on target and you can quit worrying about that part anyway.
However, many other factors affect sauerkraut production e.g.
Did you mix the salt and cabbage shreds well?
Did you then vigorously tamp the mix down so that the cabbage shreds
were bruised to release juice? Good kraut cabbage should release
enough juice that the addition of brine is unnecessary.
Are the cabbage shreds covered by at least an inch, (preferably more),
of brine?
What is the ambient temperature where you have the kraut fermenting?
Ideal is between 66ºF and 70ºF and at that temperature the kraut will
take approximately 6-8 weeks to finish.
Much lower than 55ºF and the kraut may not ferment at all and, if it
does, it will take considerably longer, up to 6 months or more to
finish.
Much higher than 80ºF and it will probably finish in less than two
weeks but, there is a possibility that it will go bad. If it turns
pink, throw it out. Even if it doesn't go bad, the flavour will suffer
since some of the main bacteria responsible for the production of
flavor-contributing esters are greatly inhibited at higher
temperatures .
Lack of scum that must be removed is not an indication of no
fermentation. I've been making kraut for at least 25 years and don't
recall ever having to remove any scum in all those years.

Hope this has been of some help.

Ross.