I never liked sauerkraut. Not until I made it myself. I find that store-bought sauerkraut is either too salty or bathed in so much vinegar that it is too sour to consume. Call it a coincidence. I was exploring some Ukrainian recipes and I was intrigued by the sauerkraut soup. Will it be like a Ukrainian version of Chinese Hot & Sour Soup? I thought to myself.
That's how my journey of homemade sauerkraut began. I planted my feet on Joshua Weissman's recipe because it does not use a huge amount of salt and vinegar. Although it does require some patience, time and effort for the cabbage to be fermented, it is 100& worth it. I mean, that's how sauerkraut and other fermented food suppose to be right?
The period of fermentation is down to your preference for tanginess. I stopped fermenting on the 2nd week. And I love to serve my sauerkraut on some buttered toast with vegemite. I even tried it out with red cabbage. It tastes as good as it looks. In case you are wondering, sauerkraut is a German word but this fermented cabbage is originated from China. You can wiki about it.
Ingredients:
Inspired by Joshua Weissman
(Make 1 medium jar)
Cabbage White or Red, 1 Large
Himalayan Salt, For Fermentation
Equipment:
Sterilized Airtight Jars
Directions:
Slice the cabbage into quarter wedges.
Remove the core.
Thinly slice the cabbage.
Transfer onto a large bowl and weigh.
The amount of salt used is 2% of the cabbage weight.
To simply put, the total weight of sliced cabbage multiply by 0.02.
Mix the salt with the cabbage until well combined.
Set aside for 30 mins.
The cabbage should wilt a little.
Squeeze a handful of cabbage to draw out some moisture and liquid.
Transfer into the sterilized jar.
Use the handle portion of a spatula to further pack the cabbage inside the jar.
Repeat the steps until all the cabbage is packed tightly into the jar.
Transfer any leftover liquid into the jar as well.
Cover with a lid and set aside in a cool and dark place.
The cabbage will bloat after 24 hrs.
Uncover and use the handle portion of a spatula to pack the cabbage down.
When you are doing so, water bubbles will appear and that is a good sign.
Cover and set aside.
Repeat the cycle every 24 hrs for at least 2 weeks.
Once the sauerkraut reaches the tang that your palate is looking for, store it in the fridge.
I like to serve my sauerkraut over some buttered toast with some vegemite.
I will be using my sauerkraut to make Ukrainian soup.
I have fallen in love with vegemite and sauerkraut...
Once you made your own sauerkraut, you will never look at any store-bought ones again...