Fermenting cabbage to make sauerkraut is a cultural and culinary tradition. This tangy side dish und sausage topping has plenty of health benefits due to fermentation, such as easier digestion for physical and mental wellness.
Sauerkraut is healthy. Cabbage contains vitamin B6, vitamin C, vitamin K, manganese and folate. It's often recommended as a source of fiber due to its 40% content of undigestible cellulose.
Fiber isn't always good. Too much can cause bloating, "bean farts", dehydration, abdominal pain and blockage. It can prevent vitamin and mineral absorption.
Fermenting foods like cabbage or beans breaks down cellulose and other fibrous compounds to move smoothly through the GI tract. Ease of digestion is linked to both physical and mental wellness.
Fermentation is a natural process. In lactic acid fermentation, common for vegetables, microbes like Lactobacillus mesenteroides, L. plantarum, and L. brevis bacteria convert food sugars to acids like lactic acid.
Lactic acid gives sauerkraut its distinctive sour taste and prevents growth of harmful bacteria. In digestion it can help promote healthy levels of stomach acid.
Making Sauerkraut: Ingredients and Supplies
Ingredients
Cabbage: Medium to large head of green or purple (red) cabbage.
Salt: Non-iodized salt like sea salt or kosher salt has better results in fermentation than iodized table salt. A general rule is 1.5 to 2% salt based on the weight of the cabbage.
Supplies
A large bowl
A clean, sanitized cutting board and knife, or a food processor
Jars: Mason jars or fermenting crocks and lids. With a crock, use cloth and rubber band. Boil jars 10 minutes to sterilize them.
A weight, like a smaller jar filled with water or stones, or a dedicated fermenting weight, to keep the kraut below the brine level.
Step-by-Step Guide to Making Sauerkraut
Step 1: Prepare the Cabbage
Clean and Cut: Remove any damaged outer leaves of the cabbage and set them aside. Rinse the cabbage under cold water. Cut the cabbage into quarters, remove the core, and slice it into thin strips.
Weigh the Cabbage: For an accurate salt measurement, weigh the shredded cabbage. 1 kg of cabbage needs 15-20 grams of salt.
Step 2: Salt the Cabbage
Mix with Salt: In a large bowl, sprinkle the salt over the cabbage and massage or knead the salt into the cabbage. This process helps release the cabbage's natural juices and tenderize fibers, catalyzing fermentation.
Continue kneading until cabbage is limp, about 10 minutes, and liquid is visible. This is the brine. Some makers add spices such as juniper or caraway. It's important to know the basics before adding the artisan flair.
Step 3: Packing the Cabbage
Pack the cabbage tightly into jars. Ensure the brine covers it completely. Leave about an inch of headspace at top of the jar.
Use weight to keep the cabbage submerged in the brine. Outer cabbage leaves can go on top before adding the weight to help keep it all under.
Step 4: Fermentation
Cover the Jar
If using a mason jar, seal it loosely, or cover jar with a clean cloth or fermentation lid to allow gases to escape. If using a crock, cover with a cloth secured with rubber band.
Let it Ferment
Store it in a dark place, at temperatures between 18°C (65°F) to 24°C (75°F). Bubbles should indicate the start of fermentation and may wait a week or two to appear. Cool fermentation takes longer than warm.
Let the sauerkraut ferment a minimum of one week. After a week, taste it. For tangier flavor, let it ferment longer. On average it takes 2 - 4 weeks.
Step 5: Storing Sauerkraut
Once the sauerkraut has reached the desired level of fermentation, seal it tightly and transfer it to root cellar, pantry or fridge. It lasts several months. The same fermentation techniques can be used for almost any vegetable.
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