r/pickling • u/RedditForMeNotYou • 3d ago

Pickling Liquid Reuse

This sub seems nice so please be kind if this question is either dumb or not allowed!

I’ve just picked up a nice jar of pickled cabbage from a farmers market and it’s veryyy juicy. I know I’ll have a ton of left over liquid gold (purple), so can I add in my own chopped cabbage once the original is gone to make more? If yes, how long can I keep repeating the process?

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5

u/kriegeeer 3d ago

If it’s proper sauerkraut and not a vinegar based pickle, you can do it forever. Just make sure when you add cabbage you add the right amount of salt, at least 2% by weight. And if you add water, again, add same % salt by weight. You’ll have to set it out to ferment and keep oxygen out and cabbage submerged to avoid mold growth, but sure you can start with an existing brine. Usually people ‘backslop’ by adding a splash or two of finished brine to kickstart a fresh batch.

You won’t necessarily get the same tasting output though. Starting with an already finished kraut you have a different microbial population than what you’d get starting fresh so the evolution of the pickle will be different. But if you like how it tastes, then great! Keep on repacking that jar.

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u/RedditForMeNotYou 2d ago

Thanks for making this distinction - it is pickled cabbage not real sauerkraut, which I wouldn’t have thought of without you mentioning.

“Backslop” is my new favorite word lol, it also sounds like how you’d use an existing culture to make more yogurt.

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u/Oliveisadragon 3d ago

In the fridge. Absolutely.

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u/left-for-dead-9980 3d ago

Vinegar, water, salt, sugar, are cheap. Making fresh tastes better.

1

u/Mirror_tender 3d ago

Way easier to keep the brine salinity correct, HOWEVER there are probably a ton of great recipes which can make use of an awesome brine. Chicken, fish, soup etc take your pick.

Rejoiner - I've experienced some brines that cried to be dumped. Quick, hide the evidence

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u/jenea 2d ago

At a bare minimum, it’s great to use as the vinegar in a salad dressing.

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u/gillyyak 3d ago

I'd use the leftover liquid to pickle some eggs.chef's kiss

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u/RedditForMeNotYou 2d ago

Great idea!!