When Making Sauerkraut At Home, Take These Steps To Prevent Mold Growth

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For those with the time and inclination for home pickling, making your own sauerkraut can be a delightful culinary experiment — provided you take certain precautions. Tasting Table chatted with Tyler Fenton, chef and owner of BATA in Tucson, Arizona, to get his expertise about safe practices for pickling and fermentation. Fenton's most important tip was that, "In order to prevent mold, oxygen exposure needs to be eliminated."

Tasty homemade sauerkraut depends on choosing the absolute best cabbage variety. Consumable and mold-free sauerkraut, on the other hand, depends on the receptacle you put it in. "I recommend using the right container that has a lid that can be weighted down, which will keep all products submerged in brine and thus prevent mold from taking hold," said Fenton. Cleanliness is also key. "Insuring that all fermentation vessels (such as the e-jen kimchi containers) are properly sanitized before use is also extremely important, as well as proper handling while making," said Fenton.

Learning how to make sauerkraut doesn't have to be an intimidating experience, but it's worth remembering that safety should be a priority. Per Fenton, "I am a 'better safe than sorry' person. While it may be safe if you discard and remove anything that touched it, I don't believe it is worth it." He recommended that anyone who finds mold atop their homemade sauerkraut should immediately throw it away.

Now that you know how to safely prepare your own sauerkraut at home and prevent mold growth, there are many ways to use sauerkraut in your favorite dishes to make the most of its tangy taste and added nutritional value. For one thing, it's great by the forkful on its own. However, the process of fermentation gives the pickled cabbage a zingy and unforgettable flavor that makes it an excellent addition to many recipes, too. 

A few classic uses for sauerkreaut include as a topping on a Reuben sandwich, mixed into soup, and served alongside grilled sausages. You can even make a Reuben-inspired dip in your slow cooker using homemade sauerkraut, cream cheese, Swiss cheese, cooked corned beef, and Thousand Island dressing for a crowd-pleasing appetizer. Get creative and try it in a grilled cheese sandwich or swapped in place of pickle relish in your next batch of tuna salad. 

Much like adding kimchi to fried rice, you can also make your own sauerkraut-enhanced fried rice to vary the taste and texture of your meal. Serving it as a topping for mashed potatoes gives a unique twist to a traditional colcannon recipe as well. No matter how you choose to use your homemade sauerkraut, preparing it thoughtfully and safely will allow you to appreciate its delicious and nutritious benefits.