- Prep Time: 1h 30 min
- Serving: For Family
How To Make Sauerkraut?
Fermented foods have a long history in many cultures, with sauerkraut being one of the most well-known instances of traditional fermented moist cabbage side dishes. Sauerkraut is made by a process of pickling called lactic acid fermentation. Sauerkraut translates as 'sour cabbage' in German. Sauerkraut took root mostly in Eastern European and Germanic cuisines, but also in other countries including the Netherlands (zuurkool) and France (choucroute). The names in Slavic and other East European languages are not cognate with German sauerkraut, but have similar meanings: "fermented cabbage" (Belarusian: квашаная капуста, Czech: kysané zelí, Polish: kwaszona kapusta, Lithuanian: rauginti kopūstai, Russian: квашеная капуста, Ukrainian: квашена капуста, Bulgarian: кисело зеле, Hungarian: savanyúkáposzta, Latvian: skābēti kāposti, Romanian: varză murată, Serbian: kiseli kupus, Slovak: kyslá kapusta, Estonian: hapukapsas).
Unpasteurized and uncooked sauerkraut contains live lactobacilli and beneficial microbes and is rich in enzymes. The fiber and supply of probiotics improve digestion and promote the growth of healthy bowel flora, protecting against many diseases of the digestive tract. It is a source of vitamins B, C, and K. The fermentation process increases the bioavailability of nutrients rendering sauerkraut even more nutritious than the original cabbage. It is also low in calories and high in calcium and magnesium, and it is a very good source of dietary fiber, folate, iron, potassium, copper and manganese.
This is something I’ve wanted to try for a very long time. I love sauerkraut but the stuff in the shops is very ordinary. I wanted to do differnt taste sauerkraut than traditional. Something that will remind sauerkraut made by my father in law... with carrots, caraway seeds and juniper berries.
100% home-made and health-boosting.
Ingredients
- white cabbage - 1 medium
- carrots - 2 (peeled)
- salt - 20g per 1kg of cabbage
- caraway seeds - 1 tablespoon
- juniper berries - 6
Instructions
- Cut the cabbage in a half and remove core. Slice into thin strips.
- In a large bowl combine the cabbage strips and salt and mix well to distribute the salt evenly.
- With your hands massage the cabbage, massing and kneading it until starts flowing the juices.
- Grate carrots on a shredder (large holes) and add to cabbage.
- Add caraway seeds and juniper berries. Mix well.
- Transfer the mixture to the sterilized preserving jar and press down with a wooden spoon until the cabbage sots below the surface of the liquid.
- Place a small jar upside down on top of cabbage and press down firmly.
- Daily press the cabbage with a wooden spoon and penetrate to the bottom of the jar with a long stick (just to degas).
- Set aside in a room-temperature location for at least one week.
- Once the sauerkraut is finished, put a tight lid on the jar and move to cold storage. The sauerkraut's flavour will continue to develop as it ages.
Bláthach Tips
In fermentation time cabbage cannot have contact with metal.
Cabbage have to be submerged in liquid.
Sauerkraut can be aged for months and even years.
