This post is going to be about my sauerkraut and how to make your own.
Back to the sauerkraut! This is a pink sauerkraut, well, more like a purpley-fusia, but we'll settle on pink.
What you'll need:
-1/2 medium green cabbage
-1/2 medium red cabbage
-1-2 Tbs Salt
-Some sort of glass container at least a quart in size, such as a large mason jar or ceramic jar that seals shut to keep your sauerkraut in and ferment in.
-A knife to slice up the cabbage
-some sort of weight to keep it weighed down, such as a small glass shot glass, clean stones, a small weight, etc.
-A large sized bowl to let the cabbage
Directions:
1.Take the first coupe of leaves off of each cabbage head and set aside. Refrain from washing, as this could decrease the fermentation. Instead, just dust off anything you see you feel should be taken off, such as dirt, any bugs (this is rare to find, in my experience).
2. Slice the cabbage heads in half, take one of each halves and put in the fridge, as you won't be using it for this (I'll give you an idea to use the remaining cabbage at the end, which is slicing it and baking it..its delicious).
3. Then slice up the cabbage into thin slices, or use a shredding blade in a food processor.
4. Add the sliced up cabbages together into the bowl.
5. Toss with 1-2 tbs salt.
6. Let sit for about an hour to wilt.
7. After the hour, massage the cabbage for about 5-10 minutes until the liquid brine is evident. Once you can push the cabbage down and the brine liquid covers it, it's ready for the next step. Sometimes it takes a little longer than 10 minutes by a couple minutes, it just depends on how thin you sliced the cabbage up, the amount of salt, numerous things. Just be patient, as it will happen.
After I cut it up and was waiting, before massaging.
8. Take the mason jar (or fermenting jar, etc.) and start stuffing the cabbage into the jar, making sure to pack it down good, but make sure 1-2 inches are remaining from the top of the jar.
Being packed after massaging.
9. Take one of the leaves you took off in the beginning and place it on top of the cabbage that you packed into the jar, followed by the small shot glass or whatever you are using to add weight. This is important, as it will help keep the brine down, as if it goes above the cabbage it can mold (you still want the brine in with the cabbage, just not above the cabbage).
10. Cover with the lid and you can put it in a warm place (keep it upright no matter where it goes) which will ferment it quicker (about 3 days or so), while a cooler place, such as on the counter top or in a cupboard will take a bit longer.
11. Check your sauerkraut daily to make sure the brine hasn't risen past the cabbage (if so open and poor out excess brine then push down, put leaf back on top along with weight). You will start to notice the two colors of the cabbages mixing into one color, some bubbling perhaps at the top, and/or a sour smell (you may smell this without having to open it if it's in a warm place, typically in cooler places I have not experienced a sour smell while it was shut).
After a couple days of fermenting. Still a couple days to go.
12. After a few days, taste it each day until it is to your liking. Once it is ready, take the weight and leaf off and keep it in the fridge. The first time I made sauerkraut, I needed it for a dinner the evening of day 3, so I kept it in a warm place to try and speed up the fermenting. It was good, but about 2 days later it was much better (it kept fermenting a bit in the fridge after I opened it and the taste really improved by day 5) and everyone who tried it on both days agreed.
Opened and ready to be eaten! This one fermented for five days.
Enjoy! It will last quite a long time (probably months) like most fermented foods, but it usually does not last past a week in my home!
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