Hi all, has anyone heard of making sauerkraut using the whole cabbage? I
recently heard of someone having cabbage rolls where the cabbage in question
was actually a sauerkrauted whole cabbage, I thought this would cut out the
tedious business off having to pre-cook a great heap of fresh leaves.
Thanks any feedback.

whiteMemphis wrote:
> Hi all, has anyone heard of making sauerkraut using the whole
> cabbage?

I haven't.

> I recently heard of someone having cabbage rolls where the
> cabbage in question was actually a sauerkrauted whole cabbage,

Huh, might be an interesting experiment to see if that would work with
Brussels sprouts.

> I thought this would cut out the tedious business off having to
> pre-cook a great heap of fresh leaves. Thanks any feedback.

???? What do you mean "pre-cook?" You don't "pre-cook" sauerkraut, much
less whole leaves.... are you sure you're talking about sauerkraut or
just stuffed cabbage (praakes/galubsti/holopsi)? It would be difficult
to make cabbage rolls from a whole cabbage (although I have heard of a
whole one that's been stuffed).

B/

"Brian Mailman" > wrote in message
...
> whiteMemphis wrote:
>> Hi all, has anyone heard of making sauerkraut using the whole
>> cabbage?
>
>.
>
>> I thought this would cut out the tedious business off having to
>> pre-cook a great heap of fresh leaves. Thanks any feedback.
>
> ???? What do you mean "pre-cook?" You don't "pre-cook" sauerkraut, much
> less whole leaves.... are you sure you're talking about sauerkraut or just
> stuffed cabbage (praakes/galubsti/holopsi)? It would be difficult to make
> cabbage rolls from a whole cabbage (although I have heard of a whole one
> that's been stuffed).
>
> When I make cabbage rolls I have always used fresh cabbage, I remove
> as many leaves as I need, put them in boiling water til they soften so
> they can be easily folded around the meat, otherwise, the leaves would
> just break, the point of using whole sauerkrauted leaves instead of fresh
> cabbage would be to not have to do this step as the sauerkraut would be
> soft enough to fold around the meat as it is. I haven't tried it myself
> as I don't know any source of whole sauerkraut (i.e. where the whole
> cabbage has been fermented and not shredded so that whole leaves can be
> removed) that is available to the public, but it sounds like a good idea.

whiteMemphis wrote:
> "Brian Mailman" > wrote in message
> ...
>> whiteMemphis wrote:
>>> Hi all, has anyone heard of making sauerkraut using the whole
>>> cabbage?
>>
>>.
>>
>>> I thought this would cut out the tedious business off having to
>>> pre-cook a great heap of fresh leaves. Thanks any feedback.
>>
>> ???? What do you mean "pre-cook?" You don't "pre-cook" sauerkraut, much
>> less whole leaves.... are you sure you're talking about sauerkraut or just
>> stuffed cabbage (praakes/galubsti/holopsi)? It would be difficult to make
>> cabbage rolls from a whole cabbage (although I have heard of a whole one
>> that's been stuffed).
>>
>> When I make cabbage rolls I have always used fresh cabbage, I remove
>> as many leaves as I need, put them in boiling water til they soften so
>> they can be easily folded around the meat, otherwise, the leaves would
>> just break,

Now it's more clear what you want.

You might try freezing the cabbage. When it thaws, you can peel off the
softened leaves.

> the point of using whole sauerkrauted leaves instead of fresh
>> cabbage would be to not have to do this step as the sauerkraut would be
>> soft enough to fold around the meat as it is. I haven't tried it myself
>> as I don't know any source of whole sauerkraut (i.e. where the whole
>> cabbage has been fermented and not shredded so that whole leaves can be
>> removed) that is available to the public, but it sounds like a good idea.

I think with a whole cabbage, you'd have to take off the leaves and
brine them separately; it may take forever to brine an entire head (or
risk the centers rotting before they acidify).

I'm not familiar with such a thing. Which doesn't mean it doesn't
exist, but if it was something commonly done it would be available in
any of the Central/Eastern European cuisines or any other that does
"root cellar" preseving--or I'd've seen "reflections" of it in other
recipes using a product like that.

You might try a less formal "unstuffed cabbage" with either shredded
cabbage or sauerkraut or a combination thereof. I've got recipes on my
site (non-commercial, it's the recipe archive of my Yahoogroup)

http://www.jewishfood-list.com/recip...age_index.html
or
http://tinyurl.com/yxo452

Brian Mailman wrote:
> whiteMemphis wrote:
>
>> "Brian Mailman" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>
>>> whiteMemphis wrote:
>>>
>>>> Hi all, has anyone heard of making sauerkraut using the whole
>>>> cabbage?
>>>
>>>
>>> .
>>>
>>>> I thought this would cut out the tedious business off having to
>>>> pre-cook a great heap of fresh leaves. Thanks any feedback.
>>>
>>>
>>> ???? What do you mean "pre-cook?" You don't "pre-cook" sauerkraut,
>>> much less whole leaves.... are you sure you're talking about
>>> sauerkraut or just stuffed cabbage (praakes/galubsti/holopsi)? It
>>> would be difficult to make cabbage rolls from a whole cabbage
>>> (although I have heard of a whole one that's been stuffed).
>>>
>>> When I make cabbage rolls I have always used fresh cabbage, I
>>> remove as many leaves as I need, put them in boiling water til they
>>> soften so they can be easily folded around the meat, otherwise, the
>>> leaves would just break,
>
>
> Now it's more clear what you want.
>
> You might try freezing the cabbage. When it thaws, you can peel off the
> softened leaves.
>
> > the point of using whole sauerkrauted leaves instead of fresh
>
>>> cabbage would be to not have to do this step as the sauerkraut would
>>> be soft enough to fold around the meat as it is. I haven't tried it
>>> myself as I don't know any source of whole sauerkraut (i.e. where the
>>> whole cabbage has been fermented and not shredded so that whole
>>> leaves can be removed) that is available to the public, but it sounds
>>> like a good idea.
>
>
> I think with a whole cabbage, you'd have to take off the leaves and
> brine them separately; it may take forever to brine an entire head (or
> risk the centers rotting before they acidify).
>
> I'm not familiar with such a thing. Which doesn't mean it doesn't
> exist, but if it was something commonly done it would be available in
> any of the Central/Eastern European cuisines or any other that does
> "root cellar" preseving--or I'd've seen "reflections" of it in other
> recipes using a product like that.
>
> You might try a less formal "unstuffed cabbage" with either shredded
> cabbage or sauerkraut or a combination thereof. I've got recipes on my
> site (non-commercial, it's the recipe archive of my Yahoogroup)
>
> http://www.jewishfood-list.com/recip...age_index.html
>
> or
> http://tinyurl.com/yxo452
the fermented heads of cabbage here in Vancouver are whole heads, not
separated leaves.
Ellen

here in Vancouver
> Ellen


Ellen - how are you and yours fairing in this record breaking Vancouver
weather?

Kathi,
enjoying a cold front in Ontario, however unstable....

ellen wickberg wrote:
> Brian Mailman wrote:

>> I think with a whole cabbage, you'd have to take off the leaves and
>> brine them separately; it may take forever to brine an entire head (or
>> risk the centers rotting before they acidify).
>>
>> I'm not familiar with such a thing. Which doesn't mean it doesn't
>> exist, but if it was something commonly done it would be available in
>> any of the Central/Eastern European cuisines or any other that does
>> "root cellar" preseving--or I'd've seen "reflections" of it in other
>> recipes using a product like that.
>>
>> You might try a less formal "unstuffed cabbage" with either shredded
>> cabbage or sauerkraut or a combination thereof. I've got recipes on my
>> site (non-commercial, it's the recipe archive of my Yahoogroup)
>>
>> http://www.jewishfood-list.com/recip...age_index.html
>>
>> or
>> http://tinyurl.com/yxo452

> the fermented heads of cabbage here in Vancouver are whole heads, not
> separated leaves.

Huh. Is this a Vancouver speciality or what culture does this and
apparently I've been living *under* the turnip truck for some time.

B/

"ellen wickberg" > wrote in message
news:Y7Sli.111285$1i1.13945@pd7urf3no...
> Brian Mailman wrote:
>> whiteMemphis wrote:
>>
>>> "Brian Mailman" > wrote in message
>>> ...
>>>
>>>> whiteMemphis wrote:
>>>>
>>>>> Hi all, has anyone heard of making sauerkraut using the whole
>>>>> cabbage?

>>>>> >> You might try freezing the cabbage. When it thaws, you can peel
>>>>> >> off the
>> softened leaves.

thanks for the tip B, sounds workable, (my understanding from a tele
cooking show is that it's a Hungarian thing)
>> >
the fermented heads of cabbage here in Vancouver are whole heads, not
> separated leaves.
> Ellen

Interesting, a bit far for me downunder in little ole' Melbourne
town however,

1. Using Drumhead Cabbages, remove all green loose leaves and remove
the core.

2. Depending on the size of cabbage, use a 20, 40 or 60 litre food
grade plastic barrel with a neck and plastic scew on lid. A neck helps
keep the cabbage down.

3. Place 2 handfulls of cooking/preserving salt into the cone left by
removal of the core.

4. Place cabbages into barrel keeping the cone with the salt
uppermost.

5. Fill barrel with cold water ensuring cabbage is well covered.

6. For first 3-5 days check water level twice a day ensuring that
they remain covered, it should need topping up with water, 'not
brine'. Takes 3-8 weeks depending on ambient temperature.

7. By using the screw lid you minimize problems with oxygen, to use
it properly screw on until 'firm' but not 'tight', this allows the
carbon dioxide to escape. You can use an airlock as in making wine or
beer.

http://rawlaw.org/

--
Posted via a free Usenet account from http://www.teranews.com

Brian Mailman wrote:
> whiteMemphis wrote:
>> "Brian Mailman" > wrote in message
>> ...
>>> whiteMemphis wrote:
>>>> Hi all, has anyone heard of making sauerkraut using the whole
>>>> cabbage?
>>>
>>> .
>>>
>>>> I thought this would cut out the tedious business off having to
>>>> pre-cook a great heap of fresh leaves. Thanks any feedback.
>>>
>>> ???? What do you mean "pre-cook?" You don't "pre-cook" sauerkraut,
>>> much less whole leaves.... are you sure you're talking about
>>> sauerkraut or just stuffed cabbage (praakes/galubsti/holopsi)? It
>>> would be difficult to make cabbage rolls from a whole cabbage
>>> (although I have heard of a whole one that's been stuffed).
>>>
>>> When I make cabbage rolls I have always used fresh cabbage, I
>>> remove as many leaves as I need, put them in boiling water til they
>>> soften so they can be easily folded around the meat, otherwise, the
>>> leaves would just break,
>
> Now it's more clear what you want.
>
> You might try freezing the cabbage. When it thaws, you can peel off the
> softened leaves.
>
> > the point of using whole sauerkrauted leaves instead of fresh
>>> cabbage would be to not have to do this step as the sauerkraut would
>>> be soft enough to fold around the meat as it is. I haven't tried it
>>> myself as I don't know any source of whole sauerkraut (i.e. where the
>>> whole cabbage has been fermented and not shredded so that whole
>>> leaves can be removed) that is available to the public, but it sounds
>>> like a good idea.
>
> I think with a whole cabbage, you'd have to take off the leaves and
> brine them separately; it may take forever to brine an entire head (or
> risk the centers rotting before they acidify).
>
> I'm not familiar with such a thing. Which doesn't mean it doesn't
> exist, but if it was something commonly done it would be available in
> any of the Central/Eastern European cuisines or any other that does
> "root cellar" preseving--or I'd've seen "reflections" of it in other
> recipes using a product like that.
>
> You might try a less formal "unstuffed cabbage" with either shredded
> cabbage or sauerkraut or a combination thereof. I've got recipes on my
> site (non-commercial, it's the recipe archive of my Yahoogroup)
>
> http://www.jewishfood-list.com/recip...age_index.html
>
> or
> http://tinyurl.com/yxo452

First, hello everyone! This is my first post to the group.

Re whole cabbage saurkraut—
This is just an idea:

Remember this hasn't yet been tried:

Core a whole cabbage from the bottom-center, removing the thick inner
portion.

Put the cored cabbage in a pot as close to the cabbage size as possible,
yet which will allow you to completely submerge it, and then seal the
pot airtight.

Add whey and salt. Some water's probably OK, and added vinegar is sure
to be fine. Herbs may also be added, if you want.

Seal it and let it sit until it's saurkraut.

The potential problem (and potential solution): I don't know how
necessary this is, but I usually pound the shredded cabbage before
preserving, to get the juices to come out. Obviously, this would be
difficult to do with a whole cabbage. One additional idea is to freeze
the whole cored head. As noted above, this will soften it (I think
freezing makes molecules explode), causing the juices to come out when
you thaw it.

If anyone tries this, send a note. If I do, I will.