My 5-gallon sauerkraut batch in a ceramic crock turned to slime last Thursday

I followed the same process I've used for years, but the cabbage never got crisp. I think the popular advice to just 'let it be' for weeks is wrong if your ambient temp is off. My kitchen in Austin hit 78 degrees, and that was the killer. What's a reliable way to monitor and control temperature for a big ferment?

3 comments

3 Comments

parkera2213d ago

Man, that's a huge bummer about your crock. I read a blog post a while back that said temperature is the biggest thing people mess up. For a batch that big, have you looked into those seedling heat mats? You can get one with a simple plug in thermostat to keep it at like 68 degrees, even if your kitchen swings hot. I mean, 78 is just asking for the bad bugs to win fast. Maybe try a cooler spot like a basement or closet next time if you have one?

derek65613d ago

Yeah, temperature control is one of those hidden skills. It pops up everywhere, from keeping sourdough happy to just getting a good night's sleep. We're always fighting our own environments to make things work right.

grace50811d ago

Ugh, that is SO frustrating to lose a whole crock like that. Total gut punch after all that work. Parker's right, 78 degrees is basically a welcome sign for the wrong kind of microbes. That "let it be" advice only works if your spot is consistently cool, which is just not true for a lot of homes. A closet floor or basement corner is a great first try for a cooler spot. If that's not an option, those seedling mats with a thermostat are a solid fix for keeping a steady temp.