My sauerkraut went from soggy to perfect after I switched my salt

I made a batch about three weeks ago using regular table salt. It came out mushy and just tasted off. This week, I tried again with pure sea salt, no additives. The difference is crazy. The cabbage stayed crisp and the flavor is way more clean and sour. I think the iodine in table salt messes with the good bacteria. Has anyone else had a batch fail because of the salt they picked?

3 comments

3 Comments

patricia_king232mo agoMost Upvoted

Three weeks is a long time for a mushy batch. Did you use iodized table salt, or was it the plain kind with anti-caking agents? I've heard both can cause problems.

seanperry2mo ago

Yeah, the anti-caking stuff in table salt can really mess with fermentation. Pure salt is the way to go for sure.

anthony88322d ago

Crap, thanks for saying that. I actually made that mistake once. Used a cheap box of iodized salt for a kraut batch. Took almost four weeks to get sour. The iodine kills the good bacteria, not just the bad ones. Same with anti-caking agents, they mess with the brine clarity too. Pure sea salt or kosher salt is the only thing I use now.