Tried a $15 heating mat from Amazon for my kraut and thought it was snake oil

Been making sauerkraut for 3 years in my cold basement and it always took 6 weeks to get tangy. Grabbed a cheap seedling mat last month and hit that same sour level in 11 days flat. Anyone else have a fermentation tool they ignored for way too long?

3 comments

3 Comments

lisaf382mo ago

Actually same here, I thought heating mats were a gimmick till I tried one on my hot sauce ferment and it cut the time in half lol.

kelly_west742mo ago

I'm actually going to push back on this a little. I've been making kraut for over a decade and I think rushing it with heat is missing the whole point. The slow cold ferment gives you way more complex flavors and better texture, you can't get that in 11 days no matter what mat you use. Plus I've read that keeping it too warm can mess with the good bacteria balance and let some sketchy stuff grow faster too. I'd rather wait 6 weeks and know I'm getting something that tastes like real sauerkraut instead of a quick sour shortcut.

daniel_lane301mo agoTop Commenter

I read a study from some food science lab that said the ideal temp for lactofermentation is actually around 65-68F, anything above 75F and you start getting a lot more of the wrong bacteria. That's why I'm super careful with my basement setup, it stays right at 62F all winter. But I also know people in warmer climates who use heating mats just to keep their ferments from stalling out completely in their drafty kitchens. Are you finding a big difference in the taste between your 6 week batches and the 3 week ones?