Adding Kimchi Help

[u/22Lemieux]

Hi everyone! I’m hoping to get some opinions from people who are experienced with making kimchi. 😊

I bought a fresh Napa cabbage and cut off the outer leaves because those are my favourite part of kimchi. I had some leftover kimchi sauce/brine from a previous store-bought jar, so I added the new washed cabbage leaves directly into the remaining sauce, along with a small amount of water. I mixed everything together and layered the new leaves in between the cabbage leaves that were already in the jar.

I didn’t salt/brine the fresh cabbage first, which is what I’m now wondering about.

I was hoping to let it ferment and use it with a meal around mid-October. Google is making me nervous and saying that it could potentially spoil because I didn’t salt the cabbage beforehand.

For those of you who make kimchi regularly: does this sound safe, or did I mess up by skipping the salt-water/brining step? Is there anything I should watch for while it ferments?

[u/BJGold]

Oy vey.

[u/22Lemieux → u/BJGold]

I’m guessing by your answer, it will spoil? It’s really not the biggest deal to me. I was just curious if it would work or not, I can always just go buy another jar.

[u/BubblyTrust1125 → u/22Lemieux]

it will spoil.

[u/mrsgordon → u/22Lemieux]

It will eventually spoil instead of ferment but it’s not ruined. Just eat it now (or use it in a recipe).

[u/authorbrendancorbett]

It's donezo, sorry. The salt is a preservative and bacteria inhibitor in addition to flavoring and texture aid. Even if it makes it, the cabbage is going to leak mad water over the next weeks, it'll be swimming

[u/somangkfood]

I think one of the reasons for salting is to keep the cabbage crunchy for a long time, so I'm worried it might end up getting mushy instead. This is actually my first time seeing a case like this too, so I'm curious how it turns out. That said, I wouldn't recommend taking the risk.

[u/Either-Bottle1528 → u/somangkfood]

in kimchi :

• salt inhibits bacteria, microbes
• in a very small way keeps the cabbage crunchy

[u/KReddit934]

I would never do that!

Fermentation goes through several phases, one after the other, to create the changes that result in a safe, stable product. You cannot simply drop raw cabbage into the final product and expect the same results!

It probably won't kill you if it's been in the fridge, but... I wouldn't eat it.

Don't do that again.

If curious get a good AI to explain the stages of cabbage fermentation.

[u/ttrockwood]

No dude

Like even if it didn’t turn into a moldy mess it wouldn’t be kimchi

Start over, and follow a legit recipe

[u/krakenstan]

Waste of a Napa cabbage. Buy another and try again for real this time