im making saurekraut but what is this scum?

[edenfield]

is it necessary to remove it? i tried to, but it just dumped into the rest of kraut

[shelley]

what kind of scum exactly? Do you mean it bubbled a bit, or are you seeing something solid?

There shouldn't be totally solid stuff forming, which means not enough salt or lactic acid to prevent the baddies from growing. That's why the juices have to be at the same level, or preferably above, the cabbage. The salt inhibits the baddies but supports the friendlies.

A bit of bubbling is okay, that's fermentation. And I've seen what looks like dust escape when I first open the jar.

[Troy McClure]

Shelley is right. I never saw any scum but most of the guides mention the possibility of it. Remove what you can, and igonore the rest. Its really nothing to worry about.

[harmony]

I agree with the others.
I've been experimenting with fermentation for only a few weeks now,(since Troy posted a while back on the kraut). I've also read a lot of info on it since then too.
The compression of the cabbage and keeping it below the water level seems really important.
The town I live in has a huge german community. I have spoken to a few older people about making the Saurkraut and they are amused with me and the details. To them it is so simple. Chop chop chop, salt, pound pack it down, shelf it, done. They also vacuum bag it and freeze it.

If there is a solid mold /fungus batch on the cabbage I would probally be tempted to toss this batch and go again. More for peace of mind than a danger. After all it's just a cabbage.
I have a couple jars of red on the counter right now. Very pretty.

[edenfield]

not really scum, it just looks like....brine but thicker? maybe it just collected at the top of the plate

[edenfield]

i also mixed in some kefir water to help the process along as well

[harmony]

I haven't try using tkefir water yet.
But from your additional discription I think it sounds normal and would just wipe away the bit of scum and continue on.