Traditional heat canning sauerkraut kills the beneficial enzymes and bacteria which is what I am after (besides the taste). A cold pack canning method was mentioned but I am not familiar with that. I refrigerate in pint and quart jars and try to get an early and late batch though it lasts fairly well for a year. I move a few jars from the garage refrigerator to the kitchen refrigerator as they get used up.
Here we go again... We only cold pack, never hot pack just for that reason and why I don't like store bought apple cider either....lol No pressure canner needed.
To cold pack:
You'll need a cold pack pot and wire rack (Walmart has them).
For cold pack times refer to any good cookbook in the canning section. Immersion times vary with what you cold pack and the volume of the material, quarts take longer than pints for instance.
Wash your canning jars rings and lids (my wife puts them in boiling water and then lets them air dry). it imperative that the sealing lids (where the red rubber ring is) are absolutely clean
Take the rings and lids and put them on a clean paper towel. Turn the washed jars upside down on a clean towel.
Take each jar with Kraut (or whatever you are canning) and fill the canning jar but not to the top. You have to leave 'headspace' at the top of the jar. You can buy 'canning kits' at Walmart or any places that sells canning supplies. They come with filling funnels that set the headspace as you fill the jar (read the instructions with the kit). We usually leave about 1/2" of headspace as a rule.
While all this is going on you should have the canning pot 3/4 full of water on the stove heating up.
When you get the jars full (with proper headspace), carefully wipe the top edge of the jar with a clean paper towel to make sure the edge is clean so the lid will seal. Put on the lids and rings but don't tighten the rings tight, just snug them up.
Put the wire rack in the boiling water and set the jars in the rack and immerse them in the water, you might have to add additional water to insure the jars are completely covered.
Time in the bath is again determined by the jar size and whatever you are canning, again refer to a good cookbook. Those times will be listed.
You 'time' how long the jars stay in the boiling water only when the water bath come so a boil.
Once the time interval has expired, pull the wire rack and jars from the water bath and hook the rack on the edge of the pot ( all the racks have a bend in them so you can do that.
Carefully take the jars and set them on a flat counter (I use an oven mitt so I don't burn myself).
Let them sit until the lids 'pop'. As the jars cool, they will create a vacuum inside and pull down the lids, they will 'pop'. Once they pop, tighten the rings down (again, I use an oven mitt because the jars will still be quite warm). Label the tops with the canning date and contents and let them completely cool and store them. We put puts on shelves in the root cellar. 'Cold packing' is good for at least a couple years (if the stuff don't get consumed before that). Remember, only use canning jars. Regular glass jars will shatter and they don't have the top edhe flat that is necessary for the lids to seal on.
I know I sound like a cook woman. I'm not. I just help my wife and we have been doing this stuff for years.
Pressure canning (with a pressure canner) is what boils the contents of the jars and kills the beneficial bacteria, especially in Kraut. it also decreases the flavor.
You cannot cold pack everything but Kraut, pickles and other vegetables can be cold packed. Jams, preserves and jellies have to be hot (pressure) packed.
How it's done. Again, any comprehensive cook book will explain it and have immersion times for various vegetables.
We do Kraut, pickles and relish maybe once every other year because my wife and I can enough to last multiple years. This year is a no can year. next year will be a 'can' year.
