Spring is a powerful force!
And so is inspiration, which sometimes strikes at odd times. I was sweeping my entire house at 7:30 this morning and elbow deep in sauerkraut by 10.
Homemade Raw Sauerkraut
Start with a couple pounds of green or red cabbage. Today I used about 3 pounds of green.
My KitchenAid food processor made quick and easy work of the shredding.
Salt it up. I used 1 tablespoon of high quality sea salt.
And dig in.
Squeeze, mix, and mash to break the cell walls of the cabbage and release the natural juices.
Work it.
At this point I threw in a pinch of ground coriander and celery seeds.
After about 4 minutes of muscling it I deemed it jar-ready. Pack, pack, pack it down with your hand.
I placed an upside-down jar full of water just inside the lid to ensure that the brine completely covers the cabbage.
Covered with a clean dish towel (to keep it clean) and set in the pantry to work it’s fermenting magic.
I’ll check the ‘kraut every few days and will put and lid on it, put it in the fridge, and start to eat off of it in about a week.
Raw sauerkraut is an awesome source of vitamin c and probiotics. You don’t have to worry about “bad” bacteria because the acidic environment is not conducive to those nasty buggers. Botulism can only form in an anaerobic environment, there is oxygen present in the jar because it just has a towel over it.
The whole process took 15 minutes and cost less than $2.
Have you experimented with fermented foods? I think it’s really fun and rewarding and I fully believe that including fermented foods in my diet this winter has helped keep me healthier than usual.
I love fermented kraut but have yet to make my own…maybe it’s time. I agree fermented foods seem to help keep me healthier; I have been slacking off lately & might just be paying the consequences.
Back on the fermented wagon, girl!
I’m not usually a sauerkraut fan but that looks like a far less processed version than stores have. Thanks for sharing!
It’s one of those things that I enjoy but don’t need to eat all of the time. Homemade is definitely more palatable than the store stuff, and MUCH better for you!
I love sauerkraut – and pretty much anything with a pickled/brined taste 🙂 This looks delicious and pretty easy to make – thanks for sharing your recipe and method!
I love sauerkraut but have never had homemade. I usually rinse the kind I buy to get off some of the salt but I have to wonder if it’s also getting rid of some of the flavor. Would love to try fresh.
Do you buy the raw stuff or the canned? The raw canned variety is high in vitamin c from the cabbage but it’s lacking the probiotics of the raw. It’s a tasty addition to a meal either way.
This actually looks less intimidating than I imagined raw kraut to be. I’m a tiny bit confused – what is the brine you used, or was it the liquid from the cabbage drawn out by the salt? Thanks! I feel like I might just be able to do this!
Sorry for the confusion! The “brine” is the natural cabbage juices drawn out by the salt and the squeezing. My cabbage was juicy and there was plenty to cover as I packed it in the jar but sometimes it takes longer or the cabbage is dry and you have to add salted water. If the brine doesn’t cover the top of the cabbage after 24 hours then add enough salty water to top it off. Have fun and let me know if you have more questions.
Thank you! That helps. I’m diving into kraut making, and will let you know how it goes! 🙂
🙂
This looks amazing and would love to try it but I do think there is a risk of botulism and “bad” bacteria because there isn’t any sort of acid like vinegar or citrus. I believe cabbage like most vegetables is neutral. Do you have any resources you could share or describe your glass sterilization process?
Wikipedia on sauerkraut and lacto-fermentation
“No special culture of lactic acid bacteria is needed because these bacteria already are present on raw cabbage. Yeasts also are present, and may yield soft sauerkraut of poor flavor when the fermentation temperature is too high. The fermentation process has three phases. In the first phase, anaerobic bacteria such as Klebsiella and Enterobacter lead the fermentation, and begin producing an acid environment that favours later bacteria. The second phase starts as the acid levels become too high for many bacteria, and Leuconostoc mesenteroides and other Leuconostoc spp. take dominance. In the third phase, various Lactobacillus species including L. brevis and L. plantarum ferment any remaining sugars, further lowering the pH.”
I clean everything with soap and hot water before starting and wash my hands every few minutes. Some sources recommend sanitizing everything in the dishwasher before starting but I haven’t had a problem.
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