I know it seems like a random and slightly odd food to take the time to show you how to make, but the making of saurkraut is a dying art and it is a super powered food so bring it back in to your diet! And adding it to your hot dog from the street-meat vendors is not the way that I am implying.
Saurkraut is finely shredded cabbage that has been fermented by various lactic acid bacteria. No special culture of lactic acid bacteria is needed because these bacteria already are present on raw cabbage.
Saurkraut is a great condiment to add to a meal. It is a great addition for salads, sandwiches or just as a side and of course, has great health benefits. The first is that, being made of cabbage (a proven cancer fighter), saurkraut is rich in vitamin C, fiber, manganese, vitamin B6 and folate.
The added benefit of the fermentation process provides us with the good bacteria, or probiotics, which we are often low in due to antibiotic use and high sugar and refined flour consumption. These probiotics help to produce beneficial enzymes, aid digestion and promote healthy flora (bacteria) in the digestive tract.
Not all saurkraut is created equal. Most that you will find in your supermarket have been pasteurized which means all of the good bacertia have been killed. We want the bacteria! So prepare it yourself and make sure you are getting the best. The recipe is simple.
Sauerkraut-licious
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: None – 3 days fermenting
Keywords: mix side condiment dairy-free gluten-free soy-free sugar-free vegan vegetarian nut-free cabbage whole food
Ingredients (2 cups)
- 1 medium cabbage
- 1 Tbs caraway seeds
- 1 Tbs sea salt
- 2-3 Tbs chopped or grated ginger (optional)
- 2/3 cup grated carrot (optional)
Instructions
Remove large outer leaves from cabbage and set aside.
Core and shred cabbage.
In a bowl, mix cabbage with caraway seeds, sea salt and optional ginger and carrots.
Massage with your hands (or pound with a wooden mallet should you have one and feel so inclined) for about ten minutes. Juices will be released.
Place into a wide mouth mason jar and pound down until juices come up and cover the cabbage, leave about 2 inches of space at the top.
Carefully place whole cabbage leaves overtop (inside the jar) to ensure airtight. Seal jar firmly.
Keep at room temperature for about 3 days and then transfer to your fridge.
It may be eaten right away but will improve with time. Yummy!
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[...] first collected Added 05 Nov 08 from meghantelpnerblog.com Flag as inappropriate or [...]
[...] peppers, broccoli, Brussels sprouts, tomatoes, asparagus, parsley, dark leafy greens, cabbage, and sauerkraut are all good [...]
Never made it that way. We just put the shredded cabbage in an old pillowcase, put in a large crock, folded the case over, put on a wooden lid & a rock on top. When you could smell it upstairs, it was done….
Oooh I am so going to try this. I Only ever tried Saurkraut one time, in Germany. And it just tasted of vinergar. It was disgusting!
Ive always been suspicious of the priceyness of good quality storebought SK vs the cheapness of crap-filled storebought SK, and suspicious of the simplicity of homemade. I finally got over myself and made some! No caraway though so I used mustard& cumin seeds, purple cabbage, ginger&carrot. Yay! now to wait for th Kraut to Saur. My Ukrainian ancestors would be so proud!
I made this yesterday, today there feels like there is alot of pressure pushing up at the lid of the mason jar. Just wondering if I should open the lid to let some of the pressure off?
I am afraid it’s going to explode???
Nah- she’ll be alright… let her ferment.
I followed your awesome instructions and put it in a cupboard…three days later and man does it smell saur!:), so shoukd i let it keep going on the counter or refidergerate, ive seen other sites say a week to two?
Thanks I love your new site!
up to you. just make sure its not fizzy!
[...] Nope, no bottle of BBQ sauce and ketchup. My fridge is full of my homemade condiments like saurkraut and horseradish. And I put horseradish on just about [...]
[...] the dairy case and the bulk section. Now, dairy and I don’t get along but lucky for me, the sauerkraut was kept in this area as well. No one else seemed to care for the kraut except for lucky me – [...]
as am i!