Ah, kraut time. You knew it was in this book, right? You could smell it fermenting a mile away. Like kimchi and other naturally fermented vegetable dishes, sauerkraut can be pungent. In temperate climates throughout the world, beneficial lactobacteria seem to agree on one thing: cabbage is great stuff. If you feed them cabbage, they will turn it deliciously pungent.
What’s good for them is good for us. Sauerkraut contains fresh vegetables as well as live probiotics, nourishing our whole bodies with vitamins, minerals, enzymes, and antioxidants while building the health of our digestive systems. It’s no wonder so many people swear that sauerkraut has cured them of some imbalance or disease. Candida, cancer, vaginal yeast infections, diabetes, diverticulitis, eczema, and arthritis are a few ailments that many people claim can be treated effectively by consuming sauerkraut.
I will not go as far as to recommend sauerkraut as a treatment; you can discuss this with a qualified physician or natural health practitioner. But it seems pretty likely that restoring a healthy balance in your digestive system might directly help correct imbalances like indigestion, candida, and yeast infections. At the same time, a major influx of vitamins, minerals, enzymes, antioxidants, and probiotics should have a positive effect on your body’s health. If your body is stronger, hopefully your immune system can stave off most diseases on its own.
Just as yogurt and kefir may have had the same ancestor, sauerkraut and kimchi probably did as well. The process of pickling cabbage to preserve it apparently started in China or Central Asia. Initially, the cabbage was pickled in wine to preserve it before someone had the bright idea to try pickling it in salt brine. This allowed naturally present lactobacteria to flourish and create the fermentation.
Genghis Khan and his troops were known to use pickled cabbage, and they may even have been the ones who started using salt water instead of wine. Early on, it became clear that preserving vegetables helped store their nutrition, which could be taken on the road by the nomadic Mongols and their soldiers. If the Mongols were the first to use lactofermentation for sauerkraut/kimchi, they probably also discovered that the natural fermentation helped them digest meat, which made up much of their diet. However, lactofermented vegetables have been used in one form or another for many thousands of years in Europe, so it is possible that someone in Europe began to ferment sauerkraut without the use of wine.
Did you know that Hungarian and Korean are related languages? Look at a map and try to figure that one out. In fact, this language group has the same common thread as the sauerkraut of Central/Eastern Europe and the kimchi of Korea: the Mongols. Like their language, they spread their fermented foods across the Eurasian continent. Fermented cabbage developed a following on both ends of this huge landmass, eventually turning into European sauerkraut and Asian kimchi.
Basic sauerkraut consists of shredded cabbage, salt, and perhaps a little extra water. That’s it. You put the shredded cabbage in a jar, clay pot, or crock, add salt, and wait until this draws out the natural juices of the cabbage. This liquid should be enough to submerge the cabbage completely, but if not, you can add a little more water and salt. Then you let this sit while the lactobacteria do their work.
Speaking of lactobacteria, do you need to add any culture? Most kraut makers do not add any special culture, relying instead on naturally present bacteria to ferment the cabbage. If you prefer the greater speed and certainty of a culture, you can add your own. There are two simple sources for kefir culture. The first is kefir grains (or a few tablespoons of water kefir, even without the grains). The second is yogurt whey (liquid) from some good quality sour yogurt that contains active cultures. Both of these cultures make very effective sauerkraut starters and will speed up the natural fermentation by a day or two.
Sauerkraut fermentation usually takes about 4–10 days. The actual length of time can depend on the air temperature (it moves faster in warmer weather), the strength of the culture, and how sour you like it. You are welcome to steal a taste of your kraut every day or so with a clean spoon. Once the sauerkraut is ripe enough for your tastes, go ahead and refrigerate it. Refrigeration slows down the fermentation process to a crawl, so it will continue to ripen over time. Kept in a sealed container, such as a jar, kraut will last for months in the refrigerator while you eat it.
If, at any point, you see a mold-like white film on the surface of the sauerkraut, just wipe it off with a paper towel or skim off the top layer and throw it away. It probably is not mold but a yeast bloom, which is totally natural. The rest of your kraut should be just fine.
Today, sauerkraut remains a major food item in Germany, the Netherlands, Poland, and other countries in Central and Eastern Europe. In many of these locations, sauerkraut typically is eaten with meat, such as sausages and pork. From Russia to the border provinces of Alsace-Lorraine in France to Pennsylvania’s Dutch country, sauerkraut remains a beloved food. As modern evidence mounts that naturally fermented foods are healthy, there has been a renewed interest in sauerkraut. Today, people are rediscovering this food that their parents or grandparents fed them as kids, while members of younger generations are tasting sauerkraut for the first time.
Sauerkraut
Makes 3–4 cups
Begin with a head of cabbage, either the light green or the purple kind. In addition to a crock or jar for fermenting, you will need something with which to weigh down the cabbage. If you are using a jar (which usually has a narrower opening than a crock), then you can use a mixing bowl (preferably nonmetallic) for the first part and weigh down the cabbage with a smaller bowl that has something heavy inside of it. If you are using a crock, then use something that fits inside of it as a weight. Basically, you just need to make sure the shredded cabbage stays under the water level for the first 24 hours, and after that the kraut can handle itself.
• 1 head of cabbage
• 1–2 tablespoons sea salt
• Water, if needed
• Optional: grated or thinly sliced carrots, caraway seeds
• 2 tablespoons liquid culture, such as yogurt whey, sauerkraut or natural pickle juice, or water kefir
Wash the head of cabbage and shred it. You can shred cabbage just by slicing it thinly on a cutting board. Otherwise, you can use a food processor or mandolin grater.
Place the shredded cabbage in the mixing bowl. Cover the cabbage with 1–2 tablespoons of salt, plus the culture ingredient (if you wish to use one), and use your clean hands to mix these in very well.
Using your hands, push down the cabbage shreds in the bowl or crock. Try to squeeze out a bit of the liquid from the leaves, which the salt will draw out.
Use your weight to weigh down the cabbage as much as possible to continue squeezing out the fluid. In the first 24 hours, put your washed hands in three to four times to squeeze down the cabbage. The fluid should reach the top of the cabbage after a while, but if it doesn’t, you can add a little nonchlorinated water and another pinch or two of sea salt.
After 24 hours, if you have used a bowl, then you can move the cabbage to your jar. Make sure to pour the fluid from the bowl over it also. Whether you use a jar or crock, the cabbage shreds should all be sitting at or under the fluid level now. Any cabbage sticking above the fluid will invite mold.
Put your kraut in a quiet place, cover it loosely, and let it ferment. Check it every day. After 3 days, your kraut may be ready. Taste and see if you like it this fresh. If not, let it go a little longer. Four to ten days is a typical time window, after which you can move the sauerkraut to your refrigerator, where it will last for months.
Salvadoran Curtido (Central American Sauerkraut)
Makes 5–6 cups
This Latin American fermented dish is a nice spicy alternative to the plainer sour-salty taste of regular sauerkraut. Basically, it is a sauerkraut recipe with the additions of garlic, onions, jalapeno peppers, and herbs such as oregano or cilantro. For a milder version, replace the jalapenos with sweet bell pepper instead. Nowadays, many people make this dish with vinegar, but as with sauerkraut, pickles, and many other dishes, natural lactofermentation is the healthier method.
• 2 heads cabbage, shredded
• 2 large carrots, grated or shredded
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 large onion, thinly sliced, or 4–6 scallions, chopped
• 2–3 tablespoons jalapeno peppers (2–3 medium peppers), diced (spicy version), or ¼ cup red bell pepper, chopped (mild version)
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano, or 1 bunch fresh cilantro, chopped
• 3–4 tablespoons sea salt
• 2 tablespoons liquid culture, such as yogurt whey, sauerkraut or natural pickle juice, or water kefir
• Optional: ½ cup fresh pineapple, chopped
In a large bowl or crock, mix together shredded cabbage with the other ingredients. Then follow directions for making sauerkraut, above.
Sauerkraut Wrap
Makes 1 wrap sandwich
Here is one easy way to use sauerkraut in a healthy wrap sandwich.
• 1 large whole-grain tortilla
• 1 handful of lettuce, baby leaves or chopped
• 1–3 tablespoons sauerkraut
• ¼–½ cup hummus or meat of your choice
• ¼ cup chopped tomatoes or sliced cucumbers
• Spread/sauce of your choice: mayonnaise, mustard, pasta sauce, salsa, ketchup, salad dressing, etc.
• Optional: cheese, sliced avocado, sliced mushrooms, sprouts, sliced olives or pickles, chopped parsley, cilantro, or mint
Place all ingredients in a line down the middle of your tortilla. Wrap up sides into a burrito shape and enjoy.
Broccoli Krautslaw
Makes 3–4 cups of slaw
• 2 heads of broccoli
• 2 large carrots
• ½ bell pepper
• ¼ cup chives (or ½ red onion or ¼ cup scallions), finely chopped
• 1 cup sauerkraut, or curtido
• Your favorite salad dressing, to taste (see the separate salad dressing recipes in this book)
• Optional: ¼ cup natural pickles or olives, finely chopped
• Optional: raisins, chopped walnuts, almonds, or other nuts
Chop or grate all ingredients by hand or using a food processor. Toss in a covered container with your favorite dressing. Let this ferment/marinate at room temperature for a few hours, then transfer it to the refrigerator. It will be delicious right away, but even better the next day.
