Traditionally made from lolly and a brine brine , sauerkraut is ferment for several hebdomad . Homemade sauerkraut is amazing and does n’t resemble store bought at all , plus it ’s easy and garish to make and filled with probiotic microflora . Let ’s make homemade sour sauerkraut !
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What is Sauerkraut?
I do n’t bang about you , but I hated sauerkraut when I was a kid . The clobber that amount off the market store ledge smelled funny and was mushy and weird tasting .
I was even one of those kids that care uncanny tasting things , but I just could n’t wrap my head around sauerkraut . What on earth was it ?
Turns out , sauerkraut is one of the original ferment of its time !
Traditionally made from cabbage and a saltwater seawater , it is fermented for several weeks ( or months , even ! ) before it is eaten .
Lactic loony toons bacteria , which is present by nature on all plants , does all the work for you and turn the cabbage into something awesome to put on your sandwich or live hound .
Homemade sauerkraut is amazing and does n’t resemble store bought at all , plus it ’s super easy and tatty to make . Here ’s how to do it !
Wild Fermentation Book
get me start by recommending these Word of God by Sandor Ellix Katz , Wild FermentationandThe Art of Fermentation .
These books are awesome and I have learned so much from them , admit how to make this sauerkraut . Sandor Katz is my wedge !
They would make agreat gift for someone who enjoys fermentingor is concerned in get word more !
Related:12 Best Books on Fermenting and Homebrewing
Homemade Sauerkraut Recipe
This homemade fermented sauerkraut recipe is so easy to make ! It is the pure formula for tyro ’s to work .
Sauerkraut Ingredients and Equipment
All you really need to make sauerkraut is cultivated cabbage and salt . I like to add some spiciness too , but it ’s not necessary at all .
Any type of cabbage will work to make sauerkraut . I choose to use just regular green lucre , but purple , savoy cabbage , or napa all work every bit well .
you could also add together other shredded veggies to the mix like carrots , beetroot , onions , garlic , ginger , or Curcuma domestica .
For the spiciness I advert apply anything you care , but whole spiciness work best .
In this recipe I give way classic and used about a tablespoonful each of dill seed , Carum carvi seed , and mustard seed . Juniper berriesare another common addition .
It ’s helpful to have a fermentation weight of some kind and an air lock , but they are n’t required .
This recipe make about one quart of sauerkraut . If you want more you may double the formula and work it in a half gal mason jar .
If you want even more sauerkraut you might want to place in aceramic lampblack .
I ’ve made all kinds of vegetable ferments in many different vessels in the past , namelylarge wide mouth jars(which are also corking for makingkombucha ) .
you could also apply something you already have , just ensure it ’s glass or ceramic . Avoid using alloy as it can react with the zymosis process or plastic because it can leach toxic chemicals .
Shred, Salt & Mash the Cabbage
Start with a two pound clams per quart of sauerkraut . Peel away the outermost leaf from the lettuce and set it aside to use later .
Shred up the rest of the cabbage as delicately as possible . A cheese grater works well for this , but you’re able to also slice it thinly with a tongue .
Put the rip up cabbage into a heavy wide bowl .
Sprinkle the salt all over the chou and stir it around to thoroughly coat everything .
Then add the spices to the cabbage .
Then comes the fun part , crunch it all around ! Really mash it good to bruise the cabbage and break down the mobile phone wall which will release juice .
I utilise a murphy masher , but anything big and heavy will operate . There is even such thing as afermentation tamperif you require to give that a effort !
you’re able to also squeeze the dinero with your hands .
liquidness should start forming in the bottom of the bowl , that ’s dear !
After mashing the kale for a while it will be much more juicy and will have lost quite a second of its volume .
Pack the Cabbage into a Fermentation Jar
When it pay back to this stage it ’s time to pack the loot into a quart shock .
Use a wooden spoonful ( or a zymosis tamper if you have one ) to carry it into the jar . It should be full of liquid and when you constrict down on it you should see liquid rise up over the kale .
Once you pack all of the cabbage into the jar you should have a brine that covers the cabbage .
If for some reason your moolah did n’t release enough liquid ( this can happen with not so fresh wampum ) you may make some special seawater .
Make a proportion of 1 tbsp cosher salt to 1 loving cup water and add it to the jar until the cabbage covered .
Then put the reserved sugar leafage on top of the shredded pelf which will serve to keep all of the little cabbage pieces under the brine .
Then sum up a fermenting weight of some variety on top of the cabbage leaf . This will keep everything under the brine during the fermentation process .
I love using aceramic zymolysis weightbut theseglass weightsare nice too .
you may also get creative and practice a smaller jounce full of water or a sportsmanlike river gemstone as a weight unit .
Ferment the Sauerkraut
overlay the jarful with afermenting airlocksystem , or you’re able to just cover the whole thing with a cloth or towel .
Put the jar in a restrained corner of your kitchen to fermentation .
agitate down on the weight a few times for the first mean solar day whenever you think of it , and check that the saltwater is entirely cover the gelt .
It may not be for the first 24 hours and that ’s o.k. , but if it ’s still not after that you require to add more brine .
Taste the kraut as you go along , and when it ’s to your liking that mean it ’s done . This could take 2 - 3 week or even longer .
Do n’t occupy if white scum forms on the top of the sauerkraut , it ’s harmlesskahm barm . This is more common if an air lock is not used . Just scratch it off as best you’re able to before you eat your kraut .
Once it has finished fermenting , store the sauerkraut in a covered jar in the refrigerator . It will last for many months or even longer .
How to Use Sauerkraut
This traditionally fermented sauerkraut is so honorable ! It ’s complete on ahomemade Reuben sandwich .
Sauerkraut pairs perfectly with my no kneadsourdough rye breadand is the stark accompaniment to mynitrate - free corned beef .
Sauerkraut is also wonderful when total to a hot dog ! It gives anything an additional probiotic boost .
Even my slight one loves my homemade sauerkraut ! I plausibly would have lie with this version when I was a kid too .
More Fermented Vegetable Recipes
Here are more scrumptious recipe for fermented vegetable !
Sauerkraut
Equipment
Ingredients
Instructions
Notes
Nutrition
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