Sauerkraut qusetions

the beer revolu

I have little enough experience of sauerkraut but I have had it in the past.
I bought a pouch of it from the fridge in a Polish shop but when I opened it, it stank really badly - it smelled of rotten food - a kind of bad land fill rubbish smell. Surely, this is not how sauerkraut should smell?
Despite the stink, I drained it, rinsed it and cooked it in water with a little white wine. It still stank when cooked - not really sour and not salty, just stinking. It went straight into the compost bin:mad:

Can you get the odd "off" packet of sauerkraut ?
Are jars better than packets pouches ?
Is there much difference between brands ?

This is the one I bought:

duploelabs

Sauerkraut is a fermented food, it's always going to have that smell we'd associate with garbage water, sometimes it can get a little too high for our tastes, much like you can get game that's hung for a bit too long

Shenshen

Despite being fermented, it can go off. It usually then becomes overly sour, hard to describe but immediately noticeable.

I've never before had sauerkraut from a pouch. Yes, it would smell, but it should really not be a bad smell. Not to the point where you'd feel you need to rinse it.

the beer revolu

Shenshen wrote: »

Despite being fermented, it can go off. It usually then becomes overly sour, hard to describe but immediately noticeable.

I've never before had sauerkraut from a pouch. Yes, it would smell, but it should really not be a bad smell. Not to the point where you'd feel you need to rinse it.

This wasn't sour or salty, just really stinky.
I'm pretty sure there was something wrong with it.

Do you have a preferred brand available here?

Shenshen

the beer revolu wrote: »

This wasn't sour or salty, just really stinky.
I'm pretty sure there was something wrong with it.

Do you have a preferred brand available here?

I don't know how widely available it is here, but one of our local Polish shops stocks Kühne, they are quite good.

Cheshire Cat

As a "Kraut" I would second Kühne. It's also sold in Dunnes, alongside the gherkins and pickled onions.

zzxx

I always found all sauerkraut rank and then I discovered these guys from Cork and it's a whole other story! https://www.facebook.com/theculturedfoodco/

I have tried a few flavours and they're all good but I love the chilli one. Give them a try!

Shenshen

zzxx wrote: »

I always found all sauerkraut rank and then I discovered these guys from Cork and it's a whole other story! https://www.facebook.com/theculturedfoodco/

I have tried a few flavours and they're all good but I love the chilli one. Give them a try!

Great! I've been looking for good kimchi for a while. Shame they don't say where they sell their products on their facebook page.

zzxx

Are you in Dublin? I've gotten it in Mortons and in Alchemy (upstairs in BT2) on Grafton Street. I've also seen it in The Punnet on Mount Street. Health food shops are probably the best bet, or drop them a line on FB.

strandroad

It can go off, yes, but perhaps you just don't like it when it's strong (Kuhne is quite mild in comparison). Polish shops usually have it in open barrels to buy any amount, so check if the smell is the same, if it's in the open barrel it's fresh for sure.

Shenshen

zzxx wrote: »

Are you in Dublin? I've gotten it in Mortons and in Alchemy (upstairs in BT2) on Grafton Street. I've also seen it in The Punnet on Mount Street. Health food shops are probably the best bet, or drop them a line on FB.

No, I'm in Cork. I'll just have to keep my eyes open, I suppose.

the beer revolu

I've discovered that my local Polish shop has a barrel always on the go. It's really tasty and so , so cheap. No stinkyness at all.

Last nights dinner: Pork sausages, baked baby roosters, fried apple and lots of sauerkraut!!:D