How to Make Sauerkraut

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How to Make Sauerkraut

By _Joanne Hay_ (http://nourishedmagazine.com.au/blog/articles/author/admin/)

 

 

Sauerkraut, sour cabbage, is a german lacto fermented cabbage dish. In the

18th Century Captain James Cook used sauerkraut to prevent the death of his

sailors from scurvy but Germany’s sauerkraut is actually a version of chinese

kraut, brought to Europe by the hoards of Gengis Khan.

Raw cabbage is implicated in depressed thyroid functioning, while fermented

cabbage and other vegetables provide many health benefits and should not be

under estimated for their healing powers. Sally Fallon in her book,

_Nourishing Traditions_

provides some excellent instructions

on the fermentation of vegetables and fruits, in addition to grains, nuts,

seeds, fish and meat.

Basic Recipe for Sauerkraut

* 1 litre glass jar with plastic lid or spring lid

* 1 Cabbage Medium sized (1kg)

* 1 tablespoon sea salt

* 4 tablespoons of _Kefir whey_

(you may use already fermented sauerkraut for an

innoculant or simply add another tablespoon of salt.)

* 1 tablespoon of carraway seeds or fresh chopped dill.

Germans have always sliced the cabbage with a specially made machine and

pounded them with a wooden mortar in a large crock to bruise the cell walls.

Grate cabbage with a hand grater or process in a food processor, then mix in

a large food grade plastic bucket (get them at a hardware store) with the

salt and Kefir whey. Pound with a meat mallot or wooden pounder of some kind.

I’

ve been known to use a pick handle, a clean one of course. Pound until the

juices cause suction when you pull the pounder out of the mix.

Press the mixture into a clean glass jar using a wooden spoon. Press firmly

until the juice rises to the top and covers the mixture, which it will do

when it is pounded enough. Leave at least one inch or more of space at the top

of the jar to allow for expansion.

Cover the kraut and store the jar in a cupboard for 3-5 days (depending on

the ambient temperature) before transferring to the refrigerator. The

sauerkraut may be consumed after a couple of weeks, though if you allow the

fermentation process to continue for a month or so in the refrigerator you will

be

well rewarded with a most delicious flavour. I love sauerkraut at 4 months old.

As with all fermenting, follow your nose. If it smells putrid or you have

any doubts about the quality, then discard the sauerkraut and start again.

Commonly Asked Questions Answered by Sally Fallon

Question: In Nourishing Traditions and Eat Fat Lose Fat, the sauerkraut

instruction is to place cabbage in a tightly closed jar, with expansion room.

However, in Wild Fermentation, the instruction is to add a weight (e.g., a

smaller jar filled with water) to keep cabbage below liquid line. This also is

the

instruction with my Harsch crock (custom weights) and the practice of

old-timers with board and plate (for weight). Is the cabbage (recipe with

closed

lid and no weights) safe from problems because of the closed lid? We noticed

the shredded cabbage did expand in closed lid process, which lifted kraut above

the liquid line during three days. No kahm yeast appeared, so we ate even

kraut above liquid line.

Answer: There are many ways to make sauerkraut, With my method, you push

down into the jar with a pounder and don’t really need weights.

Question: Young children aren’t fond of the caraway flavor. I understand

caraway is a fermentation aid. Can we just add extra salt or whey instead?

Answer: there are many ways to do sauerkraut–the caraway is not necessary.

Question: Is there increased nutritional/probiotic benefit from fermenting

kraut longer than three days? Does it continue to grow good properties in

refrigerator, or is the ‘fridge time’ only a flavor/texture enhancement?

Answer: Hard to say, more research is needed! It will definitely get more

sour if you leave it longer, so it is really a matter of taste.