Making Sauerkraut

Sauerkraut = the original probiotic superfood
Sauerkraut provides a high-density source of a wide range of beneficial live lactic acid bacteria which assist in the digestive process, produce a variety of vitamins and other nutrients, and keep harmful micro-organisms at bay. A single serving of genuine raw sauerkraut gives your body a bigger health boost than any of the expensive probiotic drinks and supplements you can buy.

Not the same as shop-bought sauerkraut
Most sauerkraut sold in supermarkets and shops is pasteurised. The beneficial bacteria and other organisms have been destroyed so that it has a long shelf life, and there is no risk of the jar exploding from pressure build-up. To gain the benefits from sauerkraut, it MUST be made the traditional way and consumed raw - best to learn how to make your own.

Things you need
I've been making sauerkraut using a brewer’s airlock as it just gives a more foolproof way of preventing any oxygen getting to the cabbage (which results in mouldy cabbage rather than sauerkraut). It’s very quick and easy, doesn't involve dealing with “white scum” (a feature of more traditional methods), and all you need is a couple of inexpensive bits of kit and someone with some basic DIY skills (and a drill).

Ingredients

• 1 large cabbage (red or white) – a cabbage of about 1kg will fit a 1 litre jar
• 2 tablespoons salt (preferably unrefined sea salt)

Equipment to buy

• 1 Litre Kilner Preserve Jar with 2-part metal screw on lid (don't get the ones with glass lids & metal clips) http://www.amazon.co.uk/Ravenhead-Litre-Kilner-Preserve-Sleeve/dp/B005FDW52I/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1355506557&sr=8-1 -  £8 for 3 jars on Amazon

• Brewer’s airlock & bung http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Youngs-Brew-Bubbler-Airlock-1-Gallon-Rubber-Bung-/370669946143 - less than £3 on eBay.

DIY

The airlock needs to be fitted into the lid. To do this, you’ll need to drill a hole in the inner part of the lid, about 28mm diameter (exact dimensions will depend on the bung you have but they're usually a standard size).

Optional extras

• Spare lids. The Kilner jar will come with a lid, but you can also buy spare inner lids (the bit that you drill) – useful when storing the kraut once it’s fully fermented as you can swap the one with a hole in & the airlock fitted with a normal one http://www.ebay.co.uk/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=m570.l2736&_nkw=12+Replacement+Inner+Sealing+Lids+for+Kilner+Screw-Top+Preserve+Jars+70mm - about £6 for 12 lids on eBay.

• Mandolin. Not essential as you can just slice the cabbage with a sharp knife. A mandolin will just save time and make it easier to shred the cabbage a bit more finely. You can also use a food processor to shred it - although given the choice I find a mandolin easier & quicker.

How to make

• Shred the cabbage – fairly finely, but it depends on personal preference. A few larger lumps will be fine. As you shred it, add it to a large bowl, and sprinkle on a little of the salt and mix it in. You need just enough salt to make the cabbage start to lose water – 2 tablespoons for a large cabbage is usually more than enough. You might find white cabbage needs a bit less salt than red cabbage.

• Put the cabbage in the jar. As you do this, pack it down tightly. By the time the jar is full, you should find the cabbage is watery enough to give a layer of liquid at the top – you don’t need to add any water. As the cabbage ferments, it will give off carbon dioxide, which will increase the volume in the jar and push the water level up. For this reason, leave an inch or so at the top of the jar – ideally when you put the airlock on, the liquid level will be about a couple of cm below the airlock tube. If needed, take out some cabbage or pour out some liquid – leave enough liquid to cover the cabbage though.

• Screw on the lid with the airlock fitted.
• Pour in just enough water that the U-bend of the airlock is full. Put the cap on the airlock (optional). Leave the jar at room temperature; wise to sand it in a saucer or bowl in case of any leaks – liquid may rise up through the airlock and out the top.

 

• Leave to ferment for 2-3 weeks. It can be left indefinitely in this state without spoiling, as long as you leave the airlock in place so no oxygen can get to it. You can tell it’s done because there will be no more gas bubbling out (you can see bubbles passing through the airlock during fermentation, and the level of the water in the U-bend will be uneven). You may find that liquid from the jar gets pushed up through the airlock, and that some liquid even comes out of the top of the airlock in the first few days – this is fine, just leave it be & don’t open the jar.
• When it’s done, you can either leave the airlock on it, or replace the airlock with a spare lid, or decant to another jar. It keeps fine out of the fridge as long as we're not in a heat wave.

The same method can be used to ferment loads of different foods. You can add flavourings to the cabbage such as apples, cloves & juniper berries, or try fermenting a range of other veggies.

Some other fermented food recipes here: http://nourishedkitchen.com/recipe-index/ferments-cultured-food/