Fermented foods are a must-have addition to your regular daily diet. The instructions here are detailed and seem complicated, but it’s actually quite a simple process. Once you make this recipe, repeating it with your own twist will be a cinch! You’ll need two, 32 ounce glass mason jars for the finished product.
PREP TIME
30 minutes
FERMENTING TIME
2-3 weeks
YIELD
Approximately
2, 32 ounce jars
1 large head of green cabbage, sliced into thin strips
(set large outer leaves aside)
1-2 tablespoons of sea salt
2 large carrots, shredded
2-4 cloves of garlic, finely sliced
(2 if large, 4 if smaller)
1-2 jalapeño peppers, roasted
Black pepper to taste
CHANGE IT UP
Change the flavors by adding ginger or leave out the garlic and jalapeño and make a simple version with the addition of just 1 tablespoon of caraway seeds.
NIGHTSHADE FREE?
Make this recipe without the jalapeño pepper.
FODMAP FREE?
Make this recipe using shredded carrots only instead of the cabbage.
NUTS
EGGS
NIGHTSHADES
FODMAPS
Place 1/3 of your sliced cabbage into your large bowl and sprinkle 1 tablespoon of the salt over it. Using your hands, squeeze the cabbage until water begins to come out of it.Repeat this process, adding the remaining cabbage and salt 1/3 at a time to the bowl. This will take time and elbow-grease, so be ready to get your hands involved.Add the shredded carrots, garlic, jalapeños, and black pepper to the mixture and combine with your hands.Fill two 32-ounce mason jars evenly, pressing the mixture down so that water releases and raises above the line of the vegetables with 2 inches of air-space remaining at the top.Wedge the large outer leaves you had set aside into the top of the jars so that the mixture is pressed below and the water level raises above the leaf. A shot glass or ceramic or glass pinch-bowl serves nicely as additional weight to keep the mixture held securely down.Set the filled jars aside in flat pan or dish with an edge so that if there is any spillover you keep it contained.Store the jars in a secure, cool, dark-ish place where they will not be disturbed.Check on your raw sauerkraut every day or two to make sure that the water level has remained above the vegetables and that no vegetables are coming into contact with air. The fermentation process happens under water, so if you see anything touching the surface, use a clean spoon to remove it. You may also see some growth or mold form around the top of the liquid—this is normal, but it’s best to remove it when you see it. If you need to add liquid to the jars, add some fresh water to make sure that everything is below the water line. The weights should help a lot with this.Allow the sauerkraut to sit for at least 2 weeks and taste it periodically.Once the sauerkraut tastes as you like it, place the lid on the jar and store it in the refrigerator. It will last for several months while refrigerated and will not continue to ferment further.
