Super Sauerkraut

Although a long time lover of sauerkraut, I am relatively new to fermenting my own, so making this red cabbage sauerkraut is extremely satisfying.  A bit of time and patience and then there is something in my fridge that is a beautiful, rich red colour and to top it off, is full of utter goodness.

Sauerkraut fermentation creates conditions that promote the growth of beneficial probiotics which are bacteria that provide powerful health benefits whilst making foods more digestible and increasing the gut’s ability to absorb the vitamins and minerals they contain.

Incredibly nutritious with plenty of fibre and a good amount of vitamin C, K2 and iron. However, unlike cabbage, sauerkraut can be high in sodium, so bear this I mind if you’re watching your salt intake.  Consuming sauerkraut may help you strengthen your immune system, improve your digestion and bone health, reduce stress and maintain brain health.

If you don’t have time to make your own, opt for non-pasteurised varieties that don’t contain added sugars or preservatives.

Ingredients

• 2 heads red cabbage (approximately 5 pounds)

• 2 1/2 tablespoons sea salt. Use 1 Tablespoon salt for each 2 pounds of cabbage)

• 1 1/2 tablespoons juniper berries

• 1 tablespoon caraway seeds

Instructions

Clean the cabbage - Begin by removing the outer leaves of the cabbage it they are looking a little sketchy. If they look fine, you should at least wash them off a little to remove potential contaminants.

1. Slice the cabbage into fat ribbons

2. In a large bowl, toss the sliced cabbage with the sea salt and let sit for 30 minutes or so until it starts to sweat. Add the juniper berries and caraway seeds as well at any time.

3. Place everything including any liquid at the bottom of the bowl into a mason jar.

4. Press down very hard using your fists and you’ll notice that you can squeeze out a little liquid which will pool at the bottom. The salt will help to leach liquid from the cabbage.

5. Over the next hour or two and try to get the liquid level up higher by compressing further. Your goal is to have the liquid cover the cabbage completely to provide an anaerobic environment within which the fermentation can take place.

6. Close the mason jar (airlock lid) and store in a warm dry place and let it rest for a minimum of 2-3 weeks. You can easily leave it for 6 weeks or even months if desired. It will simply become more tart over time.

7. Once it gets a slightly fizzy and pickled taste it should be ready. Put in the fridge and enjoy eating!

Happy fermenting!