January 24, 2010

Fermented Foods - Sauerkraut

Smoked meats and wine are fermented foods. Another fermented food I make is sauerkraut. It is unbelievably easy to make with only salt (course salt, no iodine or additives) and cabbage as ingredients. I have read you can add other vegetables, fruits and herbs for a variety of flavors. It is made in a large plastic or glass container, not metal or Corelle.

Grate the cabbage, I use my food processor. Put a 1/2 inch layer of cabbage in the container and sprinkle with salt. Stir each layer into the next, stir well after last layer. The salt keeps wards off unwanted bacteria and draws out the moisture from the cabbage keeping it crunchy. To fill a gallon crock I use 3 tablespoons of salt to 5 pounds of cabbage. When full pack the cabbage firmly into the container. Add salt water if necessary so the brine is covering the cabbage.  Wipe the lip of the container, the edge above the cabbage, with a paper towel so it is clean.

Fill a ziplock bag with water and use this as a weighted lid. This lid is vital as the water bag fills the container and packs the cabbage so no air can spoil it. Store in a cool place, heat will only encourage unwanted bacteria. I never have had mold using this method. Turn the weighted lid, or bag, over onto a clean plate ever couple of days and give the cabbage a good stir. Remember to reclean the edges before putting the weighted lid back on. After 30 days I put the sauerkraut into sterile jars in the fridge.


It is so yummy you will soon be addicted to it just like me! Peace for all

12 comments:

  1. Terrific post! Me and another blog friend,Texan,have been talking back and forth about making kraut.Neither one of us have done it yet,but want to! She ordered herself a pickling crock to get started. You gave great instructions!

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  2. It does look yummy, I like the color. Next year we are going to make more sauerkraut with red cabbage. I have a question, how long do you think it will keep in the fridge?

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  3. there isn't too many things I don't like but you can have all the sauerkraut, take my share. :-)

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  4. Fermented foods are amazing. The domestication of friendly bacteria is one of the greatest advances in agricultural human history!

    Thanks for the comment over on our blog, haven't posted in a while, as we are busy getting ready to move back to BC. We will be touring on our bike, around BC this summer, and we're always looking for places to visit and new people to meet. Send us an email (it's posted up on our blog), if your interested.

    Be well. Freija

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  5. Mr. H I didn't know definitively, since mine does sit around long enough to worry. But I found a good link that you will like too Melodie.

    http://www.appropedia.org/Sauerkraut

    Are you going to use only cabbage John? Found a recipe for kimchi in my search.

    http://www.appropedia.org/Kim_chee

    Frejia I thought you were the woman who made sourdough with sauerkraut but I don't see that on your blog, am I mistaken. Happy for you to be moving back to paradise. Where are you moving too?

    Peace for all

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  6. We made sauerkraut this weekend at our house, too! Ours is the more standard green, but your pink kraut is beautiful.

    Amy, NW of Atlanta

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  7. Thank you for your kind words on my blog.
    I thought this was a great post. My dad would love this recipe and the ease of it. Thanks for posting.

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  8. Wow. Now I would like to make this. Did you use red cabbbage. CS loves red cabbage.

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  9. Thanks for the visit! I would be delighted if I inspired you to make this! Yes the red cabbage is awesome, this batch is 50/50 red and green. I am going to use onions and garlic next time. Peace

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  10. Im so glad to have found you Rural Rose!! My dad always made saurkraut and pickled beansetc and now I am in the process of trying to sell our older farmhouse and build a small solar home.We have chickens whom I just love -they are very spoiled and we have a freezer full of free range chickens that we raised. We are also endeavering to be good stuarts of our money and health-As soon as I find the old crock Im going to make Kraut thanks so much do you have other sites

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