My sauerkraut batch turned into weird slime after 3 days on the counter

I started a new batch of sauerkraut last Tuesday and checked it on Friday to find this gross slimy film on top instead of the usual brine. Turns out I didn't pack the cabbage tight enough and air got in, which let some bad bacteria take over. Had to toss the whole thing and scrub my jar with hot water and vinegar before starting over. Has anyone else had this slime problem and found a good trick to keep the cabbage fully submerged?

2 comments

2 Comments

andrew_wood721d ago

Oh man, that exact same thing happened to me on my third batch ever... I was so excited to try homemade kraut and then bam, slime city. I felt like I wasted a whole head of cabbage and it was super frustrating. What finally worked for me was using a smaller jar that fit the cabbage tighter, and then I put a ziplock bag filled with brine right on top to weigh it all down. That kept everything under the liquid and I haven't had the slime issue since... just gotta make sure no floaters are poking up.

viola1711d ago

Right? My first batch turned into something that looked like alien snot - I was convinced I'd accidentally created a science experiment instead of dinner. The zip bag trick is a lifesaver though, finally got a crunchy batch after that.