Homemade Sauerkraut
Source of Recipe
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Recipe Introduction
Sour and richly complex, sauerkraut is a vibrant fermented food with deep flavor. While making sauerkraut at home can seem complicated, it's actually marvelously easy. And you only need two ingredients: cabbage and salt.
List of Ingredients
For the Sauerkraut
2 pounds cabbage (from 1 head)
4 teaspoons finely ground real salt
Special Equipment
Jar
Glass Weights
AirlockRecipe
1 Remove any bruised or damaged exterior leaves from your cabbage, and then slice it in half cross-wise. Remove the cabbage's core, and then slice the cabbage into strips no wider than â…›-inch thick.
2 Toss cabbage and salt together in a large mixing bowl and let it rest about 20 minutes, or until the cabbage begins to soften and release a little juice. Then squeeze the cabbage with your hands to to soften it even further, and help it to release more juice.
3 When the cabbage has become limp and has released ample juice, transfer it to your jar. Pack the sauerkraut tightly into your jar, using a kraut pounder or a wooden spoon, so that the cabbage continues to release its liquid and no air bubbles remain.
4 Continue packing the cabbage into the container until the cabbage is completely submerged by its liquid. Place weights over the cabbage, and then seal the jar with your airlock.
5 Allow the cabbage to ferment at room temperature and away from direct sunlight at least 1 month, or until done to your liking. When the sauerkaut is sour enough for your liking, transfer it to the fridge where it will keep at least 6 months and up to 1 year.
Notes
To use a traditional stoneware crock, consider quadrupling this recipe. Most crocks ferment a minimum of 4 liters of sauerkraut. Use 8 pounds of cabbage and ¼ cup fine sea salt, prepare the cabbage and salt exactly as described above, but pack it into a stoneware crock. Cover the cabbage with stoneware weights, seal the crock and fill its well with water to complete the airlock.
**Variations**
Basic sauerkraut contains only cabbage and salt, but once you have the hang of making it, it's worth trying a few variations. You can add all sorts of different herbs, spices, and vegetables to flavor your kraut.
Use red cabbage instead of white. Red cabbage gives the kraut a deep purple color, and a mix of both red and white yield a bright pink kraut.
Add jalapenos and garlic, as in this hot pink jalapeno garlic kraut. They have a lively flavor.
Caraway and dill are a nice addition too.
Juniper and sliced apples work well too, and it's a popular blend in central Europe.
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