Recipe: Classic Sauerkraut
This recipe was sent to me by Scott from Zukay. I can’t wait to try this out myself! Also – don’t forget to enter to the giveaway for the Zukay salad dressings!
CLASSIC SAUERKRAUT
FOOD:
1 large head of cabbage
2 tsp caraway seed
2 tsp sea salt (I prefer Celtic Sea Salt)
Non-chlorinated water
EQUIPMENT:
1 Quart mason/ball jar
Large metal bowl
Potato masher
Peel off any older, discolored cabbage leaves. Cut cabbage into quarters, and thinly slice into ¼ in thin, long strips. Place all cabbage into large metal bowl, add salt and caraway seeds, and wait 5 minutes. Mash with potato masher until cabbage starts to expel water and becomes flat and soft (about 5 minutes of mashing). Once this is done, put cabbage into quart jar. Push down hard onto cabbage, until cabbage juice covers sauerkraut. If there is not enough liquid from the cabbage itself, add non-chlorinated water until cabbage is fully covered. Close lid tightly and allow to sit at room temperature for at least 1 week, and up to 6 weeks for full flavor.
Note: Give at least one inch of space at top of jar to allow for expansion from gassing from fermentation.
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About donielle
Donielle is an amateur herbalist and natural momma to two littles (with another babe in heaven) after struggling with infertility. She has a passion for nourishing nutrition, natural living, and spreading the word on how food truly affects our health. Her blog Naturally Knocked Up focuses on fertility and reproductive health and her book on natural fertility will be available in June 2012. She also runs a local blog (Grand Rapids Natural Living) and is active the local community in order to provide the area with resources and information for natural families.
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When doing it for up to 6 weeks, are there any tips for preventing mold?
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I tried this last year but unfortunately the recipe had a typo that said 2 Tablespoons instead of 2 teaspoons of salt and I missed the correction that was in the comment section until after I had waited a month to try it. Needless to say, it was a bit too salty! A few months later I was at a German festival and they had samples of it, made using the same recipe you posted. It was delicious and I had been wanting to try again every since. Thanks for the reminder and be sure to let us know how it goes.
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Is it possible to do this in a plastic jar? I have a hard time finding glass down here!
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donielle Reply:
March 1st, 2010 at 10:33 am
@Gourmet Mama, I would think so. Just make sure you have a tight fitting lid!
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Thanks so much for this recipe. I will have to try sauerkraut again! My Nourishing Traditions cookbook says 2 Tablespoons if you don’t have whey and it turned out way too salty.
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Hi Paula –
If you use a mason jar, mold shouldn’t be an issue. If you use a crock with a weight on top, it may be, if the air is in constant contact with the cabbage, especially in the early stages before it gets very acidic. It could also happen in a mason jar if the cabbage isn’t covered in liquid through the early stages (after fermentation has taken place, it doesn’t appear to matter – or at least, I’ve never gotten mold). If you do get mold, I would skim off the top half inch to 1 inch and toss that. What’s underneath should be fine, assuming fermentation has taken place.
If you start getting mold after 6 weeks, my guess is that something went wrong. Well-fermented sauerkraut is hard to get moldy.
Hope that helps!
Scott from Zukay
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If it gets moldy after the 6 weeks, should it be thrown out or will it be ok? This is my first try.
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Donielle @ Naturally Knocked Up Reply:
January 7th, 2011 at 10:08 pm
@Rita, Rita, I think as long as you scrap off the top 1/2 – 1 inch, you should be fine to eat what is underneath as long as it’s not moldy as well.
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