I have just started another batch of sauerkraut. It's so easy to do and very tasty, although it's not for everyone. Cabbages are reasonably cheap at present so I thought I would share the method with folks on here. I am sure there are others out there who do it, I'm only really a novice.
Sauerkraut and other fermented vegetables rely on naturally occurring (good) bacteria on the veg to create, by fermentation, an acidic environment in which the vegetables are preserved. It's been about for hundreds of years and for example kept ships crews (reasonably) healthy in days gone by. Cook is alleged to have taken barrels of the stuff on his exploration trips.
The stuff you buy in shops is pasteurised, but if you do it like me, you will have the benefit of healthy bacteria which your digestive system will thank you for.
Wot you need ââ¬Â¦.
A Cabbage; compact cabbages are best, like red or white cabbages
Salt
Something to ferment and store. I use a kilner jar.
A large bowl.
Some scales
Wot I do (with clean hands to start)...
1. Prepare the cabbage. Don't wash it unless it's covered in soil, since you will wash off the bacteria you want to use, just remove any poor quality leaves. Cut out the heart. Weigh the cabbage. Slice the cabbage, aiming for slices about 3-4 mm wide.
2. Put sliced cabbage in a large glass bowl.
3. Sprinkle salt on cabbage at the rate of about 1 tsp for every 250g cabbage.
4. Knead or work the cabbage with your hands for about 5 mins aiming to extract as much liquid from the cabbage as possible. It will soften as it gives up its liquid.
5. Put cabbage and liquid into your jar, packing down tightly as you go.
6. When it's all in and packed down as much as you can, cover with brine made up with 1tsp salt in 250ml water. Aim to just cover cabbage don't drown it. If you have something to put on top of the cabbage to weigh it down, so much the better
7. Cover up and put in a warmish place. After a couple of days you will see bubbles forming, that's the bacteria, originally on the cabbage, working to create the acidic environment you want. Repack down the cabbage so that it stays under the liquid level as much as possible.
8. Depending on the fermentation temperature things should slow down after about two weeks or so.
9. Its ready to start eating after about a month but the taste will change with time. Some folks like it better young.
10. When no further sign of bubbles I put mine in the fridge. It should keep for months.
11. If it develops a white 'bloom' on top you can either ignore it and eat it, or skim it off.
That's just cabbage. Most veg are suitable for fermenting. I do cucumbers with chili flakes.
Loads of stuff on tinterweb about fermenting veg. Sandor Katz, apparently, is the 'main man'.
Sauerkraut and other fermented vegetables rely on naturally occurring (good) bacteria on the veg to create, by fermentation, an acidic environment in which the vegetables are preserved. It's been about for hundreds of years and for example kept ships crews (reasonably) healthy in days gone by. Cook is alleged to have taken barrels of the stuff on his exploration trips.
The stuff you buy in shops is pasteurised, but if you do it like me, you will have the benefit of healthy bacteria which your digestive system will thank you for.
Wot you need ââ¬Â¦.
A Cabbage; compact cabbages are best, like red or white cabbages
Salt
Something to ferment and store. I use a kilner jar.
A large bowl.
Some scales
Wot I do (with clean hands to start)...
1. Prepare the cabbage. Don't wash it unless it's covered in soil, since you will wash off the bacteria you want to use, just remove any poor quality leaves. Cut out the heart. Weigh the cabbage. Slice the cabbage, aiming for slices about 3-4 mm wide.
2. Put sliced cabbage in a large glass bowl.
3. Sprinkle salt on cabbage at the rate of about 1 tsp for every 250g cabbage.
4. Knead or work the cabbage with your hands for about 5 mins aiming to extract as much liquid from the cabbage as possible. It will soften as it gives up its liquid.
5. Put cabbage and liquid into your jar, packing down tightly as you go.
6. When it's all in and packed down as much as you can, cover with brine made up with 1tsp salt in 250ml water. Aim to just cover cabbage don't drown it. If you have something to put on top of the cabbage to weigh it down, so much the better
7. Cover up and put in a warmish place. After a couple of days you will see bubbles forming, that's the bacteria, originally on the cabbage, working to create the acidic environment you want. Repack down the cabbage so that it stays under the liquid level as much as possible.
8. Depending on the fermentation temperature things should slow down after about two weeks or so.
9. Its ready to start eating after about a month but the taste will change with time. Some folks like it better young.
10. When no further sign of bubbles I put mine in the fridge. It should keep for months.
11. If it develops a white 'bloom' on top you can either ignore it and eat it, or skim it off.
That's just cabbage. Most veg are suitable for fermenting. I do cucumbers with chili flakes.
Loads of stuff on tinterweb about fermenting veg. Sandor Katz, apparently, is the 'main man'.
