Science of Cooking

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We're focused on cooking and the science behind how it changes our food. Some chemistry, a little biology, whatever it takes to explore a critical aspect of everyday life.

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Sauerkraut cannot be cooked or frozen if you want the probiotics it offers (mander.xyz)

submitted 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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Since sauerkraut is fermented it contains probiotics to add to your beneficial gut bacteria (#microflora). I grew up eating the stuff, but never got that benefit because it was always cooked at high temps in an oven. That classic pork roast in sauerkraut is a typical New Year’s dish.

Cooked sauerkraut is prebiotic (with an E), which feeds the microflora.

So what I am tempted to conclude is that the pork roast should cook in some sauerkraut (for flavor and for the prebiotics. But before serving some cold or room temp uncooked sauerkraut should be mixed in to increase gut bacteria.

Do folks agree or disagree with this?

Unlike kimchi, sauerkraut is much better cooked because uncooked is strong and acidic. So I’m trying to get the best of both worlds. There must be a temp at which sauerkraut can brought to without compromising the microflora. What temp is it, though?

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[–] [email protected] 0 points 3 weeks ago (1 children)

You need a cool area (around 10°C) to store the sauerkraut, so if you don't have that, putting it in the fridge is also a possibility. And 99% of the time the container is sealed with a water ring, or mold could start growing. Therefore the smell (what I think you mean is the problem with shared apartment) isn't there all the time, only when you cook it and open the container.... which are the same times as when you use bought sauerkraut.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 3 weeks ago

While I think that the lid can help a little by limiting air exchange, the purpose of these water barriers in fermentation is more to filter out larger objects and they don't hermetically seal. Exclusion of insects and airborne microbes help prevent undesired flavors. While they do create a slight bit of back-pressure, if the fermentation produces a significant amount of gas they need to let it pass through as stonewear cannot hold much pressure before it would break.

Some people have rigged up carbon filters on the output of various fermentation vessels, so if spouses or apartment neighbors would object to the aroma that approach may be worth investigating. Nobody should let smells stop them without attempting solutions!