If you’re interested in how to make sauerkraut then you already know how delicious the fermented foods are and that they’re great for our immune system!
But fermenting vegetables may sound intimidating and difficult to make, continue reading and let us destroy these myths 🙂
Before going directly into the recipe, let me remind you the benefits of the fermented foods:
- easy, healthy & most economic way to get probiotics
- improve digestion
- increase immunity
- reduce the risk of cancer
- help reduce inflammation
- prevent obesity and diabetes
- rich on vitamin C (this vitamin is the only one that our body cannot synthesise from others, therefore must always be introduced with food)
- rich on rare vitamin K2 (more about the benefits of this vitamin here)
- best way to conserve the vegetables of the season
- more info here
Ingredients for 2 jars each 2 liters size
- cabbage – 2 heads medium size
- sea salt – 4 tablespoons
How to make sauerkraut, step by step, with photos & video at the end:
- Start by pulling off a few leaves and save them for the last steps
- Cut the cabbage into small-medium pieces and throw the “cores”
- Cut each piece into shreds (if you want to use the food processor is fine, I didn’t 🙂 )
- Transfer the shredded cabbage into a bowl and add the salt
- Massage the salt into the cabbage using your hands (like in the video below the photos), until the cabbage gets softer and a liquid forms (approx. 5 minutes)
- Transfer the cabbage and the juice into the jars
- Gently punch it down so that it stays beneath the juice formed
- Fold up the cabbage leaves from the first step and place on top of the shredded cabbage so that again everything stays beneath the brine and avoid mold
- Place a weight on top of the folded cabbage and press it down, the reason again is to make sure that everything is submerged in the brine
- Let it ferment on the counter from 1 to 3 weeks, taste it and when is good enough for you, transfer it in the fridge
Tips for a great sauerkraut experience:
– use sea salt, not iodium one, very important!
– use organic vegetables and don’t wash the cabbage, on the leaves there are bacterias that will activate the natural fermentation
– the fermentation weights are very important because you have to always make sure that the cabbage stays beneath the brine to avoid mold. You can find specific weights on the market, link, or you can make your owns, be creative! 🙂
– the jars shouldn’t be well closed, as we have to let air to enter in and create the good bacteria (at the same time make sure that no flies or dust can get in)
– you want to place the jars on a container on the counter, because when they start to ferment (already from the 3rd day) water may spill out
– you also want to check daily that the cabbage stays below the brine, if not, add more water
– after it is sour enough for your taste, remove the fermentation weights and the leaves on top and conserve it in the fridge, it will last for months
– serve it daily with everything really 🙂 we love it with steaks, as a side to our meals, as an ingredient in salads or just eat it directly from the jar like Antonio below 🙂
That’s it folks! Easy & satisfying to make.
The fermented cabbage will taste 100 times better than the one you may find on the market.
Include it in your daily menu and stay healthy using natural antique remedies!
How to make sauerkraut
Ingredients for 2 jars (2 liters size):
– cabbage – 2 heads medium size
– sea salt – 4 tablespoons
Difficulty level: easy
Time to prepare: 20 minutes
Time to ferment: 1-3 weeks