Pete's Food Blog

29. Aug, 2021

Sauerkraut

Ingredients:

4 large, peeled carrots

1½ tbl spoons (25g) of fine kosher/sea salt (not iodized table salt)

Optional 5 peeled garlic cloves

Method

Wash and sterilize your 1,9 litre Mason/Kilner jar. 140° C for 30 mins.

Hands, knife, cutting board, bowl and grater should be impeccably clean.

Reserve 2 outer leaves of the cabbage.

Cut the remining cabbage into quarters and shred with a large knife - 3-4mm thick. Place in a bowl.

Add the grated carrots (and optional garlic cloves).

Sprinkle with salt, stirring and sprinkling a little at a time.

Mix thoroughly, squeezing the mixture as hard as you can between clenched fists. You should do this for five minutes, let it rest for ten minutes and then continue squeezing for a further five minutes. By this time, liquid should be forming at the bottom of the bowl.

Transfer to the jar, packing it as tightly as you possible can.

Fold up at least one, if not both outside leaves and pack them into the top of the jar to help keep the shredded cabbage submerged in the liquid. Close the lid without using the rubber seal and leave for 7 - 10 days at room temperature, standing on a plate (the longer you leave it, the more sour it will become). If by the following morning the cabbage is not completely submerged in liquid, add a salt solution of 1 tsp (5ml) of salt to 237ml water.

After the allotted time, palce the rubber seal on the jar's lid and store in the fridge. Before using the sauerkraut, dispense with the top cabbage leaves. This will keep fine for months.