My most recent ferment has "disappearing brine", however when I eat the kraut it's crispy, tastes wonderful (light acidy flavour) and I can tell where the brine went...it's inside the cabbage. Every bite releases it. Next up...red cabbage. Thank you!
Thank you so much. Your videos are so helpful. I have just started my fermentation journey before Christmas and eat sauerkraut (from red cabbage) or kimchi three times a day with my meals. It’s a powerful treatment for rheumatoid arthritis. I didn’t consider making fermented foods in the past. Sauerkraut from supermarkets have different taste and cause indigestion, even two teaspoons. Homemade sauerkraut is fantastic! I eat a lot and no problems for my digestive system. All the best to you!❤
I agree. There is something very different with store bought kraut (unless it is a fermented version). I would get very gassy from it. That doesn't happen when I eat fermented kraut, my own or some store bought fermented versions (look up "Kitchen Kettle Village" in PA. They sell a fermented version).
Another excellent video! I currently am about 8 days into a 5 liter batch. At the 10 day mark, I move my crock from the 68-70 degree environment of my kitchen down to the 66 degree basement for the remaining 11 days. The slightly cooler temps favor yet another lacto microbe giving the entire batch a more complex and delicious flavor. Since I use a ceramic crock with a sealed moat, I have to trust the process. I always anticipate that 21st day with real excitement. It reminds me of how I feel when I lift the lid on the first portion of my sourdough bread bake and see great oven spring! Thanks for another great video!
This happens to me all the time. It usually happens to me after I put it in the fridge. In the past, I would just added more brine and it seemed to be fine. Now I just make sure I have extra brine in the kraut when I start the fermentation (the cabbage is lower in the jar). The brine level goes down as usual when I put it in the fridge at the end, but the kraut is still submerged.
Great tips! Your videos are by far the most helpful of any I’ve found on fermenting. I’ve been fermenting for 15 years but I learn new things from you. Thank you!
Great information! I have had the disappearing brine problem for years. I’ve looked and never been able to find the answer to “is it safe?”. I’ve thrown out more than a few jars. Now I know! Thank you! I really appreciate all your videos.
Some videos are just good. This is one of them. No blasting music, no gimmicks, no bullsh*t. Great stuff. I learned a lot as newbie fermenter. 👍 Thanks. Best wishes from England.
Great video and very helpful! I'm making my first batch of saurkraut, and the brine of mine dissapeared so naturally I panicked and tried to "fix" it by what made sense at the time (no brine? add more) because I thought it'd just spoil without it. Thank god I had the sense to look up more information immediately afterwards when gripped by doubt and came across this channel! I'll be making sure to watch more and inform myself better for my next round.
Your videos are SO informative!! I have tried every ‘wrong’ way to save my ferments when the brine disappears. Now I will know what to do and just leave it along and make a cup of tea instead ❤
ANOTHER EXCELLENTLY EXPLAINED VIDEO!!! 💯👏💯 so helpful to know the “why” and the what to do’s in case we did something incorrectly. All other videos from other presenters neglect to address this important piece. Thank u!!!!✨♥️✨
Amazing!! This issue has baffled me since I started fermenting, and I couldn't find any information about why it was happening, consequently, in ended up chucking my dry ferments out! So thank you so much!!
I solved my disappearing brine problem by leaving at least 2" head space above sauerkraut allowing for two inches of brine above sauerkraut. If the brine level still drops too low I add leftover sauerkraut brine that I keep in the refrigerator . I never discard any brine that remains after Kraut is gone.
Thanks for advice. I just did thi s. I added salt brine. I did it to 3 batches. I taste tested one jar and realized it was so dry...so i didn't think of the harm of adding more salt water to make it wetter. Those 3 batches have been fermenting for 1 month. So it kind of sucks that I disturbed it. But at the same time I don't enjoy eating dry sauerkraut.
Hello from the New England ( Massachusetts) . I want to thank you for the great work you are doing consistently on RUclips . I am definitely a regular fan of your creations . I am doing my best to learn as much as I can from your teachings. I am resolute to go down the path of fermentation and sourdough baking . Rest assured that I will update you here as I start my adventures. One question that pops up on my mind is whether you plan to share with your subscribers what is usually called “what is in a day or in a week “? In either case , I thank you for all what you are doing.It’s invaluable and something I looked for all the time .
Whew! I knew this video was out there as it was the first thing I thought of when I saw the disappearing brine. It happened right after I checked the fermentation ( green cabbage) at the one week point for mould, and pH. I put the lids back on and gave them a few pumps to suck out the air. The next time I looked the brine was no longer above the weights, so a little panic set in. I did not add anything just pushed as hard as I could down on the sauerkraut and lids back on and pumped . I live in hot humid Houston so ALWAYS worry about mould everywhere. Today still no brine above weights, but this video has made me confident to know it will all work out. ( sorry Mel Robbins I forgot the mantra “ What if it all works out?” 😂)Thank you for this and all your videos! You are a breath of fresh air. Would love to come and stay at your farm and help out and breathe that air. 😂😂😂
Disappearing Brine happens to me a lot and mainly just with cabbage ferments. I've been topping them off with 2% brine I keep in fridge just for that purpose. What you are saying makes sense if I'm understanding you correctly. Even though the brine has disappeared the cabbage is still fermenting anyways and safe. I will try what you are saying. Maybe push the cabbage down with my tamper reseal with those new lids ( Easy Ferment) you showed in a previous video draw the air out and let the ferment do its thing. Still haven't gotten around to a ph tester but that's probably next. Just not crazy about calibration. Thanks for the video
Thanks for this vid, my disappearing brine only occurred when I put it in the fridge, and I must admit I have topped it up with brine that I have saved from previous ferments, but after your advice I will leave it alone, thanks again, love your channel.
@davidjackson, it seems to me that adding reserved brine from another homemade sauerkraut ferment would be OK. It’s also a lacto ferment. I always save any left over brine to use in salad dressings or in home made mayo. Hate to waste a drop of that powerful stuff.
Thank you.. You are a great teacher...I was concerned about disappearing brine.. Just checked my sauerkraut and it is 3.7 @ 65.9 degrees. I'm at 12 days. Can't wait to taste it. It's probably time to start a second batch.
Yup Watched it. I wondered why some stuff in the fridge "keeps" for so long, even if the jars had been opened (which means there is oxygen in the jar). I'm going to try some green cabbage, ginger, and pineapple next. Thank you for doing such a great job of presenting and explaining.
I’ve got so much sauerkraut going right now that two of my jars are using rocks in bags to hold them under the brine. Trying to make enough for my house and my sister’s. I can’t hardly believe how fast my indigestion has gone down since I’ve started eating my homemade sauerkraut. Thank you for your videos. This disappearing brine happened to me on my last completed sauerkraut. I didn’t know what to do so I just kept adding a little water to the tops of my glass weights to try and keep them pressing down and keep the brine under them above my cabbage leaves. I used garlic for the first time and it tasted so different at the two week mark that at first I thought maybe I ruined it by adding the water. I decided to put it in the fridge and tried it again the next day. Wow! I really enjoyed the garlic. My sister loved it too. She said it reminded her of the pickles she loved as a child. She’s watching your fermentation of pickles video right now and following along. 😊 She hopes her daughter will like them. She has lots of issues with bloating.
Thank you for your clarity, detail, and especially the way you anticipate our questions. Thanks also, for the great suggestions about how to repair mistakes.
Long overdo. We noticed this phenomemom. I have also this varies with the season when I buy the cabbage. So sometimes it doesn't happen. Good to hear it's normal.
Thank you! I was really worried when I checked my sauerkraut and the brine was "gone". It taste and smell really good, but it's still a lil crunchy for my liking, need more fermenting time before long storage.
There obviously has to be a reason for this. Since this is such a simple process, the answer has to be how we process? Maybe the problem begins with too much salt or too much time waiting, causing too much water extraction, which might then force the cabbage to reabsorb at a greater level? Or, perhaps it's from packing the cabbage too loosely in the jar, allowing the cabbage to reabsorb at a greater level? I'm leaning toward too loosely, allowing too much space for re-absorption. It almost has to be one of these...
Great video....that answered my question...why did my brine go?..im glad i left it be and ate it first...thank you soo much..i saw your video on fermenting cauliflower...my new favorite veggie.
Thank you so much, once again! 🤗 My sauerkraut seems brineless all the time, but I didn’t worry too much about it, trusting my eyes, nose and tastebuds. Thanks to you! Despite the beautiful weather today I was in the kitchen, chopping vegetables, because I’m really, really sold on the fermented salsa. 😋😋
What happens if the cabbage doesn’t have a lot of brine during preparation? I used a store bought organic cabbage - and there just was not enough brine even after sitting for several hours. I salted, pounded, and let sit - but not much! Is this when you might add a salt water brine? Right at the beginning before starting the ferment? Thank you!
I am learning a ton from you, and enjoying the outcome, although dissregarding the subject of your videos your site is possibly the best organnized, thorough, in-depth ive seen. You might consider a side hustle advising other content creators, you are very good at it.
I agree with you about learning a ton from CFL, but I'd rather us all give her one or two (or five!) cups of tea instead of having extra advertisers. I like her videos just the way they are 🙂
Thank you, because my brain disappeared and I thought something was wrong with my sauerkraut and I’ve been trying to find out if it’s still safe to eat. Should I add anything to it more brine and I have not because I know you shouldn’t disrupt what you already started. Anyway, thanks I appreciate it now I can continue eating it cause honestly, I didn’t think anything was wrong with it but I wasn’t positive. You’re so knowledgeable I appreciate it. Thank you so much.
Even though I am a long term carnivore, I have actively fermented yogurt and sometimes sauerkraut. I have seen people benefit from fermented vegetables and if you think about it ruminant animals use fermentation to convert plants into meat.
Adrienna my sauerkraut brine got pushed out the one way valve lid by gas production. It is white cabbage and I added some onions and garlic. I added more water and a dash of salt. Gas production finally dissipated, but now, at day 22 its kind of bland, but no visible mold. I want more acidity/tartness, so, I will keep waiting and tasting. 2 qt. jar with Nourishing Essentials lid. Maybe white cabbage is more gassy than green cabbage? Great information. I was about add some ACV, but stopped short, based on this video.
Thank you so much for such important information, New subscriber here my daughter started the fermentation journey and i saw the sauerkraut had disappear brine but it was so tasty when i ate it and i was tempted weather to add more brine or let it like that. Likely i didn't add more i jus keep eating it every day like that. Thank you now i know what to do when it happens again🙏
Lately i've been wondering if acv used in salads could kill the benificial bacteria pressent on the vegetables and even maybe in the gut, it crossed my mind since acv is often used as a base cleaner by many. What you mentioned regarding the acv and sauerkraut makes sense.
This really helped calm my anxieties so thatnk you but I need a little more insight: About three days ago, my wife and I started the sauerkraut, and topped it off a little with the salt and rap water brine. It shot out a little water and bubbled like mad the first day, my wife scooped out water from the top figuring we needed to leave an inch of air space in the jar to ensure it wont volcano like that again. The second day was fine but I noticed water on the top and on the bottom but not much in between (some air gaps or bubbles idk). Now its day four and no bubbling really. Still brine but i hve to push and there little brine saturating in the middle. Did we mess up somewhere?
Thank you! But my situation is a tiny bit different….My cabbage didn’t make enough of its own brine to cover itself (using dry salt lacto method) I let it sit for a day in a jar, smushing it down with pestle every couple hours, and still not enough brine. So I added well water + salt before the fermentation even really started. Is this still not the right thing to do?
I don't even have to watch the video... but I'm going to. However I have been using the principle for several years now. The veggie matter gets all the juice driven out of it by the bacteria putting off carbon dioxide. The matter becomes lighter and will float so you need to keep it weighted to keep it under the brine. Sometimes I have to remove brine to keep the jar from overflowing. I save it in a clean jar to be added later when the fermenting slows down. Burping the jars is in affect driving out oxygen and the gap is pretty much CO2. When fermenting stops, the empty veggie matter reabsorbs liquid so brine level goes down. When you see this happening add back some of that brine. Reabsorbing the liquid also creates a vacuum and if you have a canning lid on the jar, it will seal. AND it won't have oxygen. Anything above the brine level will still be good. You will be amazed how strong a seal is on that lid.
When I set my cabbage on the bench with the lids loose to start the fermentation process the bubbles fermented so much that the liquid poured out over the top of the jars before they were sealed within one to 2 days. Is it still okay to eat? what did I do wrong?
Thank you for this useful video Adrienne, my question is: What if the brine overflows too much during the first couple days? The cabbage isn't acidic yet. Last time I made sauerkraut I left the leftover cabbage brine on a separate jar so I could top it back up, which I did and I now learn was not good to do. Does that change at all if it's within the first 2-3 days? Thank you!
Great video as always. Does it matter if all of the brine has disappeared or some of it? I recently prepared sauerkraut and after the third week, the brine completely disappeared. Is it safe? Thank you
Thank you for your insightful videos. Disappearing brine is not a worry to me but I do have another problem. What do I do if my sauerkraut does not produce enough brine to cover the top of the cabbage. My last batch was 1 inch shy of covering all the cabbage. Is it okay to add salt water brine in this case since the top inch was not exposed to the fermentation process. I typically put my sauerkraut ferment in the refrigerator on the 5th day. The ferment has been in the refrigerator for about five days now. The brine has been reabsorbed so that only half of the cabbage is covered. There is no indication of mold at this point.
Will unflavored kombucha act the same as vinegar when used to top off a diminishing brine level. I add an ounce of unflavored kombucha to ferments to jump start the fermentation process. I'm wondering if that's a good idea?
@@CleanFoodLiving oh no! I have been eating it thinking it is ok! I even added some vinegar to it :} I learned from you today neither vinegar nor extra brine should be added. Thanks a lot for all these great videos and information you share 🙏
Great video. What if we add a extra little brine right in the beginning? Afterall we do carry out fermentation of other substances such as carrots, cucumber and beat by adding brine. So why cabbage is an exception?
Yes that happens to me as well. I thought it was evaporating. I haven’t bought a phone meter as so expensive but maybe it would be a good birthday present 😉🇬🇧
My 1st few days while fermenting there is quite a bit of bubbles develope. Should you push it down each day or just let them raise to the top naturally? My brine always dissappears but I make and eat rather than store. Still us crunchy even if the brine has reobsorbed.
can I use the same process of making Sauerkraut but with oranges and lemons? The only videos I can find for lemons and oranges use a ton of salt and then wash it all off afterward including the juice. I want to keep everything, the peel, pulp, juice, and probiotics. I would be so thankful if you did a video on this or a way of doing it. Can I also do it by adding lemons and oranges to your honey probiotic drink - using honey, a probiotic capsule, and water? The reason I am so interested in this is that the peels are so nutritious. they have 4x the nutrition of the pulp. If I can find a way of doing this, I can add it to blends for vitamin C, and all the bioflavonoids, plus all the other goodies. I think if you did a video on this it would be very popular. I have not found a video other than tons of salt or tons of sugar.
I wonder. If you had two jars of cabbage fermenting, and one was losing brine and one was not, what if you added some brine from the more full jar to the jar that was losing brine? That way it wouldn't affect the pH so much, and would perhaps have the similar microbial environment. I am just getting started on this fermentation thing, so I have no idea. But I wonder if CFL has ever done such a thing?
You could, but there would be zero benefit. Typically, the version that is absorbing it's brine will keep doing so like an endless funnel so in a matter of days, the "new brine" added from the other jar will be re-absorbed too and no gain was had.. and now the kraut that had plenty, has less.😊 Leave it alone, it will be fine. Human intervention isn't always best👍
My last batch has a very strong acetone smell to it. Is it a bad sign? Am I going to poison myself if I keep eating it since it is a pretty big batch. Should I just throw it away?
Question. So what if i put black tea in my fermented pickles. Does the tea ferment like kombucha and make acetoc acid and kill the probiotics of the lacto ferment
Thank you for this explanation. I would like to ask: my sauerkraut has a strong vinegar taste (it's 12 days old). It never happened to me and I was wondering if it's safe... or better not to eat it. Thank you ❤
Hi, thank you so much for your Disappearing sauerkraut brine video. I made a mistake and added 4oz of salt to my very first batch of cabbage. I realized this a few hours later so, I rinsed the cabbage and then put it back in the jar with clean spring water. It has been in the jar for 8 days now and I noticed that the whole leaf of cabbage that I put on top of the shredded cabbage is molding and creating holes in the leaf. Q: do you think I should throw away the cabbage/sauerkraut or just throw the leaf away and keep fermenting? thanks
@sbubb9155, I seriously doubt that any store bought sauerkraut could come close to the nuanced flavor of sauerkraut made at home, but you want RAW, unpasteurized, preferably organic sauerkraut. I recently saw that Costco is selling an excellent version. Do not buy canned sauerkraut. Both canning and pasteurization destroy the beneficial probiotics. Even with your home fermented kraut, cooking it destroys those probiotics.
Another great video, thanks. Can anyone answer my question about vinegar destroying good bacteria? I don't like the taste of fermented foods like sauerkraut but need to eat them for my gut health. What if I added vinegar to my sauerkraut/ kimchi etc on the plate just before eating? Will the good bacteria still be killed off before it reaches the gut? Really hope to get a definitive answer to this question from someone. Adrienna?
They may take a small hit, but if it's right before eating it's not an all is lost situation. it's when they sit in the vinegar for hours to days that will do the most knocking off...👍😊
Thank you so much for this video and your channel. You've just explained why my last ferments failed and tastes like dull salt water with no acidic kick. Do you perhaps have some guidance on the following. I make a ferment of peppadews every year which I then turn into a lovely sauce. Because the peppadews are not all ripe at the same time, I've been adding them to the same bottle over time. This ferment stays submerged and in room temperature for about 8 months of which I'm then adding fruit as I go for the first 3. Every time I added fruit, I sprinkle a little bit of salt on top (There was enough liquid). I can only think it still worked because the light sprinkle of salt was small compared to the volume of the bottle which is just over 3 quarts. Do you have a suggestion to add to a ferment over time without spoiling it?
I have a 5 gal bucket of cabbage fermenting. The brine keeps disappearing. (into the cabbage, as you say) Do I just keep fermenting & then throw the top layer away when it's finished?
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Anyone can teach, but great teachers are few and far between. You are a great teacher.
One of the very best!
I been following her to learn how to ferment. So far the only thing I have done is kombucha and kimchi.
My most recent ferment has "disappearing brine", however when I eat the kraut it's crispy, tastes wonderful (light acidy flavour) and I can tell where the brine went...it's inside the cabbage. Every bite releases it. Next up...red cabbage. Thank you!
Thank you so much. Your videos are so helpful. I have just started my fermentation journey before Christmas and eat sauerkraut (from red cabbage) or kimchi three times a day with my meals. It’s a powerful treatment for rheumatoid arthritis. I didn’t consider making fermented foods in the past. Sauerkraut from supermarkets have different taste and cause indigestion, even two teaspoons. Homemade sauerkraut is fantastic! I eat a lot and no problems for my digestive system. All the best to you!❤
I agree. There is something very different with store bought kraut (unless it is a fermented version). I would get very gassy from it. That doesn't happen when I eat fermented kraut, my own or some store bought fermented versions (look up "Kitchen Kettle Village" in PA. They sell a fermented version).
Best of luck to you too. Consider reading Super Gut by Drm Wm Davis. Omitting all grains and sugar has eliminated all my joint pain.
Homemade food is love. Glad to hear it helps you
Another excellent video! I currently am about 8 days into a 5 liter batch. At the 10 day mark, I move my crock from the 68-70 degree environment of my kitchen down to the 66 degree basement for the remaining 11 days. The slightly cooler temps favor yet another lacto microbe giving the entire batch a more complex and delicious flavor. Since I use a ceramic crock with a sealed moat, I have to trust the process. I always anticipate that 21st day with real excitement. It reminds me of how I feel when I lift the lid on the first portion of my sourdough bread bake and see great oven spring! Thanks for another great video!
This is great, thank you. I have recently had this happen, it still tastes fantastic and I wasn't worried, but sure is nice to know this is normal.
This happens to me all the time. It usually happens to me after I put it in the fridge. In the past, I would just added more brine and it seemed to be fine. Now I just make sure I have extra brine in the kraut when I start the fermentation (the cabbage is lower in the jar). The brine level goes down as usual when I put it in the fridge at the end, but the kraut is still submerged.
Great tips! Your videos are by far the most helpful of any I’ve found on fermenting. I’ve been fermenting for 15 years but I learn new things from you. Thank you!
Great information! I have had the disappearing brine problem for years. I’ve looked and never been able to find the answer to “is it safe?”. I’ve thrown out more than a few jars. Now I know! Thank you! I really appreciate all your videos.
Some videos are just good. This is one of them. No blasting music, no gimmicks, no bullsh*t. Great stuff. I learned a lot as newbie fermenter. 👍 Thanks. Best wishes from England.
Really good video, useful information. Thank you my sauerkraut overflowed and then the brine disappeared. Now I know what happened.
Great video and very helpful! I'm making my first batch of saurkraut, and the brine of mine dissapeared so naturally I panicked and tried to "fix" it by what made sense at the time (no brine? add more) because I thought it'd just spoil without it. Thank god I had the sense to look up more information immediately afterwards when gripped by doubt and came across this channel! I'll be making sure to watch more and inform myself better for my next round.
Helpful distinction about keeping food below the brine and the exception of disappearing brine.
Your videos are SO informative!!
I have tried every ‘wrong’ way to save my ferments when the brine disappears. Now I will know what to do and just leave it along and make a cup of tea instead ❤
Very useful video. The advice you give makes complete sense, but I don't know if it would have occurred to me on my own.
Very good points. This is what happens to my dry prep fast Kimchi. Love the channel!!
yes, this keeps happening to mine after I refrigerate it. It’s still delicious, though!
Thank you for your clear explanation of this issue.
ANOTHER EXCELLENTLY EXPLAINED VIDEO!!! 💯👏💯 so helpful to know the “why” and the what to do’s in case we did something incorrectly. All other videos from other presenters neglect to address this important piece. Thank u!!!!✨♥️✨
You are my ferment guru! Thank you so much!!
Amazing!! This issue has baffled me since I started fermenting, and I couldn't find any information about why it was happening, consequently, in ended up chucking my dry ferments out! So thank you so much!!
I needed this! This just happened to me and I thought I couldn’t eat it. I threw it away. Thank you !
I solved my disappearing brine problem by leaving at least 2" head space above sauerkraut allowing for two inches of brine above sauerkraut. If the brine level still drops too low I add leftover sauerkraut brine that I keep in the refrigerator . I never discard any brine that remains after Kraut is gone.
You are so "unobtrusively" funny. Makes the presentation enjoyable without detracting from the content. Keep it up.
Thanks for advice. I just did thi s. I added salt brine. I did it to 3 batches. I taste tested one jar and realized it was so dry...so i didn't think of the harm of adding more salt water to make it wetter.
Those 3 batches have been fermenting for 1 month. So it kind of sucks that I disturbed it. But at the same time I don't enjoy eating dry sauerkraut.
Yes, my brine disappeared! I didn't add anything and it still eat it. Thank you for this video!
Hello from the New England ( Massachusetts) . I want to thank you for the great work you are doing consistently on RUclips . I am definitely a regular fan of your creations . I am doing my best to learn as much as I can from your teachings. I am resolute to go down the path of fermentation and sourdough baking . Rest assured that I will update you here as I start my adventures.
One question that pops up on my mind is whether you plan to share with your subscribers what is usually called “what is in a day or in a week “?
In either case , I thank you for all what you are doing.It’s invaluable and something I looked for all the time .
Whew! I knew this video was out there as it was the first thing I thought of when I saw the disappearing brine. It happened right after I checked the fermentation ( green cabbage) at the one week point for mould, and pH. I put the lids back on and gave them a few pumps to suck out the air. The next time I looked the brine was no longer above the weights, so a little panic set in. I did not add anything just pushed as hard as I could down on the sauerkraut and lids back on and pumped . I live in hot humid Houston so ALWAYS worry about mould everywhere. Today still no brine above weights, but this video has made me confident to know it will all work out. ( sorry Mel Robbins I forgot the mantra “ What if it all works out?” 😂)Thank you for this and all your videos! You are a breath of fresh air. Would love to come and stay at your farm and help out and breathe that air. 😂😂😂
Disappearing Brine happens to me a lot and mainly just with cabbage ferments. I've been topping them off with 2% brine I keep in fridge just for that purpose. What you are saying makes sense if I'm understanding you correctly. Even though the brine has disappeared the cabbage is still fermenting anyways and safe. I will try what you are saying. Maybe push the cabbage down with my tamper reseal with those new lids ( Easy Ferment) you showed in a previous video draw the air out and let the ferment do its thing. Still haven't gotten around to a ph tester but that's probably next. Just not crazy about calibration. Thanks for the video
4:37 😮 how did you know I was wondering about vinegar? You are indeed a ferment master.
I love this channel, I’ve learned so much. Thank you for the amazing videos!
Thanks for this vid, my disappearing brine only occurred when I put it in the fridge, and I must admit I have topped it up with brine that I have saved from previous ferments, but after your advice I will leave it alone, thanks again, love your channel.
@davidjackson, it seems to me that adding reserved brine from another homemade sauerkraut ferment would be OK. It’s also a lacto ferment. I always save any left over brine to use in salad dressings or in home made mayo. Hate to waste a drop of that powerful stuff.
Thank you.. You are a great teacher...I was concerned about disappearing brine.. Just checked my sauerkraut and it is 3.7 @ 65.9 degrees. I'm at 12 days. Can't wait to taste it. It's probably time to start a second batch.
Thank you so much. Now, I will watch ALL your videos!!
Yup Watched it. I wondered why some stuff in the fridge "keeps" for so long, even if the jars had been opened (which means there is oxygen in the jar). I'm going to try some green cabbage, ginger, and pineapple next. Thank you for doing such a great job of presenting and explaining.
The best explanation I have found.
Thank you.. You just answered my question , the last sauerkraut I made is dry😅
I’ve got so much sauerkraut going right now that two of my jars are using rocks in bags to hold them under the brine. Trying to make enough for my house and my sister’s. I can’t hardly believe how fast my indigestion has gone down since I’ve started eating my homemade sauerkraut. Thank you for your videos. This disappearing brine happened to me on my last completed sauerkraut. I didn’t know what to do so I just kept adding a little water to the tops of my glass weights to try and keep them pressing down and keep the brine under them above my cabbage leaves. I used garlic for the first time and it tasted so different at the two week mark that at first I thought maybe I ruined it by adding the water. I decided to put it in the fridge and tried it again the next day. Wow! I really enjoyed the garlic. My sister loved it too. She said it reminded her of the pickles she loved as a child. She’s watching your fermentation of pickles video right now and following along. 😊 She hopes her daughter will like them. She has lots of issues with bloating.
Wonderful!😊
Thank you for your clarity, detail, and especially the way you anticipate our questions. Thanks also, for the great suggestions about how to repair mistakes.
Just in the nick of time... thank you for valuable information.
Long overdo. We noticed this phenomemom. I have also this varies with the season when I buy the cabbage. So sometimes it doesn't happen. Good to hear it's normal.
I absolutely love your videos. I have learned a great deal from them and you present things in such an interesting and understandable manner. Thanks!
Thank you! I was really worried when I checked my sauerkraut and the brine was "gone". It taste and smell really good, but it's still a lil crunchy for my liking, need more fermenting time before long storage.
There obviously has to be a reason for this. Since this is such a simple process, the answer has to be how we process? Maybe the problem begins with too much salt or too much time waiting, causing too much water extraction, which might then force the cabbage to reabsorb at a greater level? Or, perhaps it's from packing the cabbage too loosely in the jar, allowing the cabbage to reabsorb at a greater level? I'm leaning toward too loosely, allowing too much space for re-absorption. It almost has to be one of these...
Very informative video and explained well for us newbies
Great tutorial. 👍👍👍👍👍 Five out of five. Thanks!
Great video....that answered my question...why did my brine go?..im glad i left it be and ate it first...thank you soo much..i saw your video on fermenting cauliflower...my new favorite veggie.
Excellent video thanks for sharing.
This video is so helpful! Many thanks from Burundi!
Thank you so much, once again! 🤗
My sauerkraut seems brineless all the time, but I didn’t worry too much about it, trusting my eyes, nose and tastebuds. Thanks to you!
Despite the beautiful weather today I was in the kitchen, chopping vegetables, because I’m really, really sold on the fermented salsa. 😋😋
you poor little thing.. boo hoo
@@rickyelvis3215 That is the last thing someone who knows me would say to me!
😂🤣
What happens if the cabbage doesn’t have a lot of brine during preparation? I used a store bought organic cabbage - and there just was not enough brine even after sitting for several hours. I salted, pounded, and let sit - but not much! Is this when you might add a salt water brine? Right at the beginning before starting the ferment? Thank you!
Always informative.
I am learning a ton from you, and enjoying the outcome, although dissregarding the subject of your videos your site is possibly the best organnized, thorough, in-depth ive seen. You might consider a side hustle advising other content creators, you are very good at it.
I agree with you about learning a ton from CFL, but I'd rather us all give her one or two (or five!) cups of tea instead of having extra advertisers. I like her videos just the way they are 🙂
Thank you, because my brain disappeared and I thought something was wrong with my sauerkraut and I’ve been trying to find out if it’s still safe to eat. Should I add anything to it more brine and I have not because I know you shouldn’t disrupt what you already started. Anyway, thanks I appreciate it now I can continue eating it cause honestly, I didn’t think anything was wrong with it but I wasn’t positive. You’re so knowledgeable I appreciate it. Thank you so much.
Even though I am a long term carnivore, I have actively fermented yogurt and sometimes sauerkraut. I have seen people benefit from fermented vegetables and if you think about it ruminant animals use fermentation to convert plants into meat.
Adrienna my sauerkraut brine got pushed out the one way valve lid by gas production. It is white cabbage and I added some onions and garlic. I added more water and a dash of salt. Gas production finally dissipated, but now, at day 22 its kind of bland, but no visible mold. I want more acidity/tartness, so, I will keep waiting and tasting. 2 qt. jar with Nourishing Essentials lid. Maybe white cabbage is more gassy than green cabbage? Great information. I was about add some ACV, but stopped short, based on this video.
Thank you so much for such important information, New subscriber here my daughter started the fermentation journey and i saw the sauerkraut had disappear brine but it was so tasty when i ate it and i was tempted weather to add more brine or let it like that. Likely i didn't add more i jus keep eating it every day like that. Thank you now i know what to do when it happens again🙏
Thanks!
Thank you!
Mine disappeared. But it tasted good. I prefer to have some brine. How do I make sure I will have some brine left? More salt?
Excellent as usual. Thanks!
I love the brine. I use it as a salad dressing which makes me have less brine. How do I have mostly brine ?
I wonder if how thinly and finely sliced the cabbage is wether that impacts how well it reabsorbs the brine
Lately i've been wondering if acv used in salads could kill the benificial bacteria pressent on the vegetables and even maybe in the gut, it crossed my mind since acv is often used as a base cleaner by many.
What you mentioned regarding the acv and sauerkraut makes sense.
This really helped calm my anxieties so thatnk you but I need a little more insight:
About three days ago, my wife and I started the sauerkraut, and topped it off a little with the salt and rap water brine.
It shot out a little water and bubbled like mad the first day, my wife scooped out water from the top figuring we needed to leave an inch of air space in the jar to ensure it wont volcano like that again.
The second day was fine but I noticed water on the top and on the bottom but not much in between (some air gaps or bubbles idk). Now its day four and no bubbling really. Still brine but i hve to push and there little brine saturating in the middle.
Did we mess up somewhere?
I always learn so much from you! Thank you ❤
Bedankt
Thank you!😊
Thank you! But my situation is a tiny bit different….My cabbage didn’t make enough of its own brine to cover itself (using dry salt lacto method) I let it sit for a day in a jar, smushing it down with pestle every couple hours, and still not enough brine. So I added well water + salt before the fermentation even really started. Is this still not the right thing to do?
Could you add strained whey from yogurt?
So even if the kraut goes above the brine during the fermentation process, due tue disappearing brine, is it still safe to continue the fermentation?
I remember seeing a video mentioning equal parts lime juice and water. Is that a good solution?
I don't even have to watch the video... but I'm going to. However I have been using the principle for several years now. The veggie matter gets all the juice driven out of it by the bacteria putting off carbon dioxide. The matter becomes lighter and will float so you need to keep it weighted to keep it under the brine. Sometimes I have to remove brine to keep the jar from overflowing. I save it in a clean jar to be added later when the fermenting slows down. Burping the jars is in affect driving out oxygen and the gap is pretty much CO2. When fermenting stops, the empty veggie matter reabsorbs liquid so brine level goes down. When you see this happening add back some of that brine. Reabsorbing the liquid also creates a vacuum and if you have a canning lid on the jar, it will seal. AND it won't have oxygen. Anything above the brine level will still be good. You will be amazed how strong a seal is on that lid.
When I set my cabbage on the bench with the lids loose to start the fermentation process the bubbles fermented so much that the liquid poured out over the top of the jars before they were sealed within one to 2 days. Is it still okay to eat? what did I do wrong?
Thank you, Lovely Lady!
Thank you for this useful video Adrienne, my question is: What if the brine overflows too much during the first couple days? The cabbage isn't acidic yet. Last time I made sauerkraut I left the leftover cabbage brine on a separate jar so I could top it back up, which I did and I now learn was not good to do. Does that change at all if it's within the first 2-3 days? Thank you!
Great video as always. Does it matter if all of the brine has disappeared or some of it? I recently prepared sauerkraut and after the third week, the brine completely disappeared. Is it safe? Thank you
Thank you for your insightful videos. Disappearing brine is not a worry to me but I do have another problem. What do I do if my sauerkraut does not produce enough brine to cover the top of the cabbage. My last batch was 1 inch shy of covering all the cabbage. Is it okay to add salt water brine in this case since the top inch was not exposed to the fermentation process. I typically put my sauerkraut ferment in the refrigerator on the 5th day. The ferment has been in the refrigerator for about five days now. The brine has been reabsorbed so that only half of the cabbage is covered. There is no indication of mold at this point.
Will unflavored kombucha act the same as vinegar when used to top off a diminishing brine level. I add an ounce of unflavored kombucha to ferments to jump start the fermentation process. I'm wondering if that's a good idea?
Thank you for doing these videos.
Clear and concise, thank you.
If I have a foul smell in the refrigerated product, does it mean it went bad??
Yes it does... bad pathogens = foul odor
@@CleanFoodLiving oh no! I have been eating it thinking it is ok! I even added some vinegar to it :} I learned from you today neither vinegar nor extra brine should be added. Thanks a lot for all these great videos and information you share 🙏
Great video. What if we add a extra little brine right in the beginning? Afterall we do carry out fermentation of other substances such as carrots, cucumber and beat by adding brine. So why cabbage is an exception?
Yes you can do extra brine, you could even do 1/2 a jar of brine and 1/2 cabbage! .... just so long as it's at the beginning and not added later.👍😊
@@CleanFoodLiving Thank you.
@@CleanFoodLiving Thank you.
Yes that happens to me as well. I thought it was evaporating. I haven’t bought a phone meter as so expensive but maybe it would be a good birthday present 😉🇬🇧
My 1st few days while fermenting there is quite a bit of bubbles develope. Should you push it down each day or just let them raise to the top naturally? My brine always dissappears but I make and eat rather than store. Still us crunchy even if the brine has reobsorbed.
THANK YOU for this video.
Mam my brime dry when I put in freez in winter then what to do white mold aare coming
Your videos are very clear and informative. Question: if I don't have a glass weight, can I use a cabbage leaf to keep my carrots below the brine?
It will help, but shouldn't be a complete substitute. Watch my video on DIY weight ideas to help: ruclips.net/video/tsS1w1s-QiE/видео.html
can I use the same process of making Sauerkraut but with oranges and lemons?
The only videos I can find for lemons and oranges use a ton of salt and then wash it all off afterward including the juice.
I want to keep everything, the peel, pulp, juice, and probiotics.
I would be so thankful if you did a video on this or a way of doing it.
Can I also do it by adding lemons and oranges to your honey probiotic drink - using honey, a probiotic capsule, and water?
The reason I am so interested in this is that the peels are so nutritious. they have 4x the nutrition of the pulp.
If I can find a way of doing this, I can add it to blends for vitamin C, and all the bioflavonoids, plus all the other goodies.
I think if you did a video on this it would be very popular. I have not found a video other than tons of salt or tons of sugar.
I wonder. If you had two jars of cabbage fermenting, and one was losing brine and one was not, what if you added some brine from the more full jar to the jar that was losing brine? That way it wouldn't affect the pH so much, and would perhaps have the similar microbial environment. I am just getting started on this fermentation thing, so I have no idea. But I wonder if CFL has ever done such a thing?
You could, but there would be zero benefit. Typically, the version that is absorbing it's brine will keep doing so like an endless funnel so in a matter of days, the "new brine" added from the other jar will be re-absorbed too and no gain was had.. and now the kraut that had plenty, has less.😊 Leave it alone, it will be fine. Human intervention isn't always best👍
@@CleanFoodLiving as always, I appreciate your advice!
Excellent presentation of the facts. In your opinion how long should properly fermented sauerkraut last in the refrigerator?
It can last 18+ months. I've done it👍🙂
My last batch has a very strong acetone smell to it.
Is it a bad sign?
Am I going to poison myself if I keep eating it since it is a pretty big batch.
Should I just throw it away?
Loving your vids, can you or anyone help me with something? Is just plain water ok to top up brine that has absorbed? Thanks
As stated in the video: DO NOT DO ANYTHING to 'help' it.😊
Question. So what if i put black tea in my fermented pickles. Does the tea ferment like kombucha and make acetoc acid and kill the probiotics of the lacto ferment
No, black tea will not ferment like kombucha and will not hinder a vegetable, lacto-fermentation👍
I would like to ask about adding applecider vinegar? I thought something went wrong ... have not eaten
Thank you 🙏🏼
Thank you for this explanation. I would like to ask: my sauerkraut has a strong vinegar taste (it's 12 days old). It never happened to me and I was wondering if it's safe... or better not to eat it. Thank you ❤
Extra acidity does not imply danger.👍
Hi, thank you so much for your Disappearing sauerkraut brine video. I made a mistake and added 4oz of salt to my very first batch of cabbage. I realized this a few hours later so, I rinsed the cabbage and then put it back in the jar with clean spring water. It has been in the jar for 8 days now and I noticed that the whole leaf of cabbage that I put on top of the shredded cabbage is molding and creating holes in the leaf. Q: do you think I should throw away the cabbage/sauerkraut or just throw the leaf away and keep fermenting? thanks
Definitely remove the leaf and throw it away. So long as the mold has not grown on the kraut below it should be okay 👍
@ great.. I’ll do that.
2nd day on fermation and my pH is 5 🤷 I've had disappearing brine also
What do we look for when buying good sauerkraut ?
@sbubb9155, I seriously doubt that any store bought sauerkraut could come close to the nuanced flavor of sauerkraut made at home, but you want RAW, unpasteurized, preferably organic sauerkraut. I recently saw that Costco is selling an excellent version. Do not buy canned sauerkraut. Both canning and pasteurization destroy the beneficial probiotics. Even with your home fermented kraut, cooking it destroys those probiotics.
how about a kombucha remedy sitting on my table for 12 months.. still any good.. the scoby is about 3 inches thick.. will it kill me ?
Another great video, thanks. Can anyone answer my question about vinegar destroying good bacteria? I don't like the taste of fermented foods like sauerkraut but need to eat them for my gut health. What if I added vinegar to my sauerkraut/ kimchi etc on the plate just before eating? Will the good bacteria still be killed off before it reaches the gut? Really hope to get a definitive answer to this question from someone. Adrienna?
They may take a small hit, but if it's right before eating it's not an all is lost situation. it's when they sit in the vinegar for hours to days that will do the most knocking off...👍😊
@@CleanFoodLiving Thank you so much for that. And I can't wait for the fermented peppers video!! :)
Thank you so much for this video and your channel. You've just explained why my last ferments failed and tastes like dull salt water with no acidic kick. Do you perhaps have some guidance on the following. I make a ferment of peppadews every year which I then turn into a lovely sauce. Because the peppadews are not all ripe at the same time, I've been adding them to the same bottle over time. This ferment stays submerged and in room temperature for about 8 months of which I'm then adding fruit as I go for the first 3. Every time I added fruit, I sprinkle a little bit of salt on top (There was enough liquid). I can only think it still worked because the light sprinkle of salt was small compared to the volume of the bottle which is just over 3 quarts. Do you have a suggestion to add to a ferment over time without spoiling it?
Actually, I never add "new" to an ongoing fermentation so if what you're doing is working for you, stick with it.
I have a 5 gal bucket of cabbage fermenting. The brine keeps disappearing. (into the cabbage, as you say) Do I just keep fermenting & then throw the top layer away when it's finished?
yep👍
So helpful! Thank you 😊