Reprinted with permission from Preservation: The Art and Science of Canning, Fermentation and Dehydration by Christina Ward, copyright © 2017. Published by Process Media.
SAUERKRAUT
(Red Cabbage Sauerkraut, Sauerkraut with Apple and Juniper)
Total Preparation Time: 1 hour
Special Equipment: Fermenting crock, or 2- to 5-gallon food-safe pail; Sauerkraut pounder (Kraut Hammer)
How Long Before Use: 3 weeks for half-sours, 6 weeks for full-sours
Ferment time: 3 to 6 weeks
Yield: varies
Note: A sauerkraut recipe is less a recipe and more of a methodology. Sauerkraut, like the fermented cucumber pickles, relies on the correct ratio of salt and water to attract the beneficial bacteria that begin the lacto-fermentation process. As cabbage transforms into sauerkraut it loses about ¾ of its total mass. For example, 25 pounds of cabbage becomes about 5 pounds of sauerkraut.
When your kraut has reached ‘peak ferment,’ you have several choices to further preserve it. Placing the kraut in the refrigerator slows the fermentation down, extends its usability, and preserves the beneficial bacteria. You can also place it in freezer bags and freeze, or canning jars and hot-water bath process.** These methods extend the usability to 6 months and 1 year, respectively. Both freezing and hot-water bath processing kill any of the probiotic bacteria.
INGREDIENTS
- 25 pounds of white cabbage (about 5–6 heads of cabbage)
- 1 cup of 100% pure canning/pickling salt
- 2 cups warm, distilled water
- 2 Tablespoons 100% pure canning/pickling salt
Step One: Remove outer leaves of cabbage.
Step Two: Using large sharp knife, slice cabbage into long, thin shreds. (You can use a large mandoline or ‘kraut cutter.’) Place shreds into very large bowl.
Step Three: Sprinkle shreds with salt. Using hands, mix salt thoroughly with cabbage. Set aside for 15 minutes.
Step Four: Wash and sterilize fermenting vessel with hot soapy water.
Step Five: Transfer cabbage shreds, including liquid, to fermenting vessel.
Step Six: Place container on floor or other solid and stable surface. With sauerkraut stomper, begin pounding the cabbage. (Make an improvised sauerkraut stomper by wrapping a heavy-duty plastic freezer bag around the end of a baseball bat secured with a rubber band.)
Step Seven: Pound cabbage until enough liquid is released to completely cover the surface by about 1 to 2 inches. (Sometimes, a cabbage does not have enough moisture in it to cover, regardless of how much it’s pounded. In those cases, mix 2 cups of room-temperature distilled water with 2 Tablespoons of canning salt until salt is fully dissolved. Pour into fermenting vessel. Pound for a few minutes to fully integrate.)
Step Eight: Cover fermenting vessel with fitted wooden lid or water bag.*
Step Nine: Place fermenting vessel in a cool, dry location away from direct sunlight to ferment. (Ideal fermentation temperature is 68 to 72 degrees for the first week, then 55 to 65 degrees after that. Dry basements are ideal as they maintain a relatively consistent temperature.)
Step Ten: Check on your fermenting vessel daily. Check for any evidence of spoilage or rot. You may notice some bubbling; this is normal and can be skimmed. Your crock should have a vinegary scent; if it smells of mold or rot and any strands of cabbage are gray, soft, or otherwise discolored, your batch has been contaminated and must be discarded.
Step Eleven: Fermentation time is variable based on temperature. Taste your kraut at about 3 weeks. It can take anywhere from 3 to 6 weeks to achieve ‘peak ferment.'
*A water bag is an ideal cover for your fermenting vessel. Take a 1-quart, 1-gallon, or 2-gallon heavy-duty plastic freezer bag and fill halfway with room-temperature water. Add 1 Tablespoon of canning salt. Seal. Place that bag into another bag and seal. Rinse with warm water. Lay flat on top of fermenting vessel and adjust so that it fully covers the opening.
The water bag acts as a weight to keep the cucumbers submerged in the saltwater and a seal against vermin and pathogens while allowing fermenting gases to escape.
Variation: Substitute red cabbage and add a Tablespoon of sugar to the salt for a sweeter sauerkraut. You can also mix in caraway seeds to flavor your sauerkraut. A Bavarian version uses the addition of 1 apple and a half-teaspoon of dried juniper berries per 5 pounds of cabbage.
