Several people at the Harvest forum have written about canning sauer kraut. They could probably answer your question.

Jim

You don't have to refrigerate Kimchee, but it sours faster if its not refrigerated and is not as crisp. Before they had refrigerators in Korea they would patially bury the Kimchee jars outside during the winter.

"Is it possible to can KimChee like I do with my kraut?"

How do you do your kraut? Is is processed in a boiling water bath?

I keep kimchee, whether purchased or homemade, in the refrigerator. Neither is processed. I use it within about four weeks I guess. It's probably usable longer than that, but it loses its crispness and I prefer it at the younger, fresher stage.

Jim

Hi! I'm married to a Korean and have learned to make alot of garden kimchee over the years. According to The Kimchee Cookbook (which I highly recommend, by the way), a hot water bath would (i.e., canning) destroy the microbes that cause acidification (souring) and allow the kimchee to be stored at room temperature for quite some time. However, " it is vital that kimchees have the texture of a fresh vegetable when chewed, and boiling alters the texture of the food." (p.38) The editors recommend storing kimchee in the refrigerator (if a huge earthenware pot buried in the ground and covered with straw is not convenient ;).

So really, I think it's up to you. I find if we keep kimchee in the kitchen refrigerator, everything (milk, etc.) tends to start tasting like kimchee after a while. We have a separate fridge delegated for it. If you're ok with a different texture, canning it should be fine.

After all, according to Korean philosophy, vegetables for kimchee aren't even supposed to be sliced with a metal knife (only bamboo knives) to avoid angering God. If I stuck to that (and all other rules surrounding the making of kimchee), I'd have never gotten beyond my first batch!

Mogzilla,

I think I would not like to can it and I have never seen canned kimchee being sold, which tells me something. I think it would become mushy. It goes in that direction when stored for a long time in the fridge.

What is the maximum length of time you prefer to store it in the fridge?

Jim

Hi! I must admit, I have never made cabbage kimchee (we don't grow cabbage), but we keep the commercial cabbage kimchee around about a month after opening.

I've made cucumber, eggplant, radish and swiss chard kimchee. They are all considered summer kimchees and are made to be fermented just 2-3 days and consumed quickly thereafter. When my in-laws come to visit, the homemade kimchee barely lasts a week.

There are a couple of versions of cabbage kimchee that are supposed to be fermented for a few weeks before eating, so add that to the month or so after opening, and you could conceivably have cabbage kimchee around for a couple of months.

The problem is, I just don't think it was ever meant as a long-term preservation (like sauerkraut or pickles). Korean tradition was to eat very seasonally, so no recipes I can find will last more than a couple of months from preparation to spoilage.

Thanks. That is all very clear and helpful information.

Swiss chard kimchee. Hmm. That sounds like a good one.

Jim

Hi all...I just need to add my two cents. There is canned kimchee--I've seen it but only on base. My dad once brought home canned kimchee from a Korean ship that was docked at Pearl harbor. It was sour and tasted okay. Other than that, I can atest to the delicious flavor of kimchee made from pakchoy, from chives, and chives with raw crab!
Lee ;)