My name is Victoria, and I’m a fermentaholic. Seriously, I’m obsessed in a where-has-this-been-all-my-life, type of way! I started about 6 months ago brewing my own Kombucha and have been experimenting since. It’s such a fun easy way to make your own food and the health benefits of fermented foods are tremendous.
My most recent experiment was Sauerkraut. It was very easy, with the hardest part being patient and waiting for the food to naturally do it’s thing! I always get a little nervous when I ferment. We have all been conditioned to believe that pasteurization is necessary and to be fearful of all bacteria. The truth is that fermented foods have lots of health benefits, and can increase vitality and wellbeing. This post is to share with you how easy it is to make your own sauerkraut!
Homemade Sauerkraut:
- Head of green cabbage
- Sea Salt
- Filtered water
- Jar
- Cover- Paper towel, tea towel, coffee filter, cheese cloth, etc.
- Rubberband
- Something to weigh down the cabbage to stay submerged (right now I use a plastic baggie filled with water but am still searching for a better alternative that is nonplastic)
Shred the cabbage and place into a bowl and cover with salt. Massage and knead the salt into the cabbage to bruise and help to release the juices needed to help ferment. Pour the cabbage/salt combo into the container and fill with water enough to submerge the cabbage. Place the weight on to help hold the cabbage under the water. I cover my container with a paper towel and use a couple of rubber bands to keep it safe and clean from bugs, dust, etc.
Let your batch sit for 7-14 days and it will be ready to bottle. Now beware! This is a stinky, smelly process. My fermentation station is setup in the garage because, although I’ve grown to love that smell, I don’t want it in my house. I check on my brews every couple of days, testing and trying until it matches my taste. That is the beauty of fermenting. You can extend the process if you want it more sour and tart, or shorten if you want it more sweet tasting.
Now chances are there will be some sort of whitish scum on the top of the batch- Don’t despair! This is “The Mother” a sign of healthy bacterias infusing our food creating your own homemade probiotics! Amazing isn’t it! You can just scoop off and discard a bit of the top layer and below should be beautiful, yummy sauerkraut! When bottling leave just a little room for air at the top and the batches will continue to ferment until placed in the fridge. They can be stored in a pantry almost indefinitely!
Fermentation is one of the safest and healthiest ways to preserve food. Many people fear bacteria in their food but good bacteria, lactic acid producing bacteria, can be used to extend the life of your food. Warning signs to look for when fermenting are: pink cabbage, mold, slime, and a yeasty odor. If you see a white film on top- Smile! You are fermenting! You want to allow your food to ferment for at least two weeks when its warm out and even longer when the weather gets cooler. Allowing it to fully have time to ferment increases the Lactic Acid Bacteria lowering the PH and preventing spoilage.
Im hooked and so excited for all the possibilities that lacto-fermenting has to offer. I can’t wait for all the future experiments such as making my own yogurt, adding veggies and other ingredients to future sauerkrauts, fermenting salsas and chutney’s! Who knows, maybe even trying to brew my own beer and wine!
Have you tried fermenting? We would love to hear all about it!!
Homemade Sauerkraut:
I have a freind who swears by fermenting. She gave me a starter for kombucha, but I have such serious weird hangups about food (and a low gross-out factor) that I couldn't bring myself to keep it around for long. I do love sauerkraut, though – go figure. 🙂
Good luck in your adventures!
Thanks for stopping by my blog today. I am now happily following along with you as well!
julee @ diylouisville.blogspot.com
It definitely takes some getting used to. And would be hard if you have a low gross-out tolerance. I still can't get my hubby to eat my experiments. HAHA! The kids love it though! The Sauerkraut was delicious and taste great in grilled sandwiches, quesadilla, sauerkraut pancakes. Yummmm!
Hi I found you on the Blog hop. Please stop by and say hi when you get a minute. have a great week. 🙂