Come on, let's ferment some sauerkraut. It's mega easy and tastes so much better than store-bought pickled cabbage. I'll show you today how you can do it easily even as a beginner.
Making sour vegetables yourself is highly in vogue. Of course, I wanted to try that out, too. And guess what: fermenting sauerkraut isn't hard at all. It's even fun.
Oh, how my grandma would laugh now if she could see me. The kitchen looks like a battlefield.
I'm standing in the middle of a pile full of white cabbage, proudly holding my first jar of fermented cabbage in the air. After a stressful day at work, it really relaxed me. Finally, I could focus only on fermenting sauerkraut. Even then I thought to myself: Maybe I should do this more often.
After the first bite at the latest, it was clear: I will ferment sauerkraut regularly. It just tastes so much better than the supermarket version.
And it is mega healthy. Homemade sauerkraut counts namely to the probiotic foodswhich our intestinal bacteria particularly love.
Table of contents
By the way: If you are interested in fermenting, I can give you recommend the store of Fairment*. Here you will not only find jars, bacterial cultures and fermentation attachments, but also lots of helpful information.
By the way, when you buy a starter kit, you also get free access to the online academy, where you learn how to ferment and where your questions are answered. I like to hang out in this members' area and also came across this recipe for sauerkraut here.
What should I pay attention to when fermenting sauerkraut?
In theory, fermenting is quite simple. Of course, there are a few things you have to pay attention to.
Do not wash the cabbage
The lactic acid bacteria sit on the cabbage leaves. Therefore, it is best to use organic cabbage and NOT wash the cabbage. Remove only the outer leaves.
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Why the herb must be under "water
Once you have shaved the cabbage, it goes into a jar with brine. It is important that the cabbage is under water and not floating on the surface. If pieces float on the surface of the jar, then germs and mold can form. So you should avoid this at all costs.
For this you can either buy special weights or make it a little easier and take a small jar that you fill with water.
In terms of diameter, it should be about the same as the sauerkraut jar. Simply put it on top. Close the hanger and you're done.
Alternatively, do stones from the garden.
If pieces of cabbage float to the surface, remove them with a spoon. They endanger that sauerkraut can ferment and can lead in the worst case to the fact that you must throw away everything.
The salt
If you want to make your own sauerkraut, it is best to use rock salt, sea salt or special fementier salt. The salt should be free of additives such as iodine. It is worth taking a look at the packaging, most table salts are iodized.
The glasses
Use a jar with a swing stopper and rubber. The lids of screw jars start to rust. Place the jar on a plate. During fermentation, the brine may overflow a little.
You must necessarily leave a little space in the jar. This is called a fermentation chamber. The ferment needs this space to be able to work.
The right place
You need the right temperature and a dark place where your sauerkraut can ferment. The jar is placed in the kitchen at 20° to 22°. It must not get any sunlight. After 3 days you can put it in a cooler place. Then about 18 ° is sufficient.
Put the fermented jars in the refrigerator so that the fermentation process does not continue. The vegetables must remain in the brine.
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The right salt
It is best to use sea salt. It is very important that the salt is unrefined. Look for this indication on the packaging to be sure.
For every 1 kg of vegetables, there are 20 grams of salt.
Plan the cabbage very fine
The finer the cabbage is shaved, the more juice comes out. This is important so that sufficient brine can develop.
A cabbage slicer is particularly suitable for this. This way, the vegetables become nice and evenly thick.
How do I ferment sauerkraut properly?
Actually, only 3 steps are necessary for this: Cut cabbage, pickle and enjoy. That's it. But of course you can be a little more precise.
Well, let's get started right away. After all, the cabbage does not pickle itself :) Here comes the long tutorial for those who have never fermented vegetables. Step by step I explain to you exactly what is important.
If you've made sauerkraut recipes before and are just looking for new recipes, you'll find a recipe summary at the end of the post.
Ingredients
- 400 g white cabbage
- 50 g carrots
- 2 tsp diced ginger
- 1/2 apple
- 10 g sea salt
Also: knife, board, a large glass, a plate.
1. prepare the herb
Important: Do not wash the herb! Remove the outer leaves that are dirty or wilted.
Now you need to cut it into small strips. For small quantities, a sharp knife is sufficient. For large quantities, I use a vegetable slicer or a food processor with a grater attachment.
If you decide to use a knife, cut the leaves in half or quarters, depending on their size. It's easier to eat later if you don't have forever-long strands of cabbage. Mine are a maximum of 5 cm long.
2. prepare apple and carrot
I like to have more than just cabbage in the finished sauerkraut. The carrot hardly makes a difference in terms of taste. But visually it looks quite nice when there are a few orange pieces in the jar.
The apple brings a slightly sweet note to the glass in terms of taste - depending on the variety and amount you use.
Peel the carrot. If you want, you can also peel the apple - I leave the peel on apples from the garden or from the organic market. For apples from the supermarket, I recommend peeling the skin off. Store-bought apples are coated with wax to make them last longer - how this affects fermenting I can't estimate.
When the apple and carrot are washed and peeled, grate them finely. I use the same starch as for the cabbage. When the apple is very juicy, drain the grated juice briefly. You can drink the juice now - do not add it to the sauerkraut.
3. prepare ginger
You can add ginger to sauerkraut. But you don't have to, of course. If you don't have any on hand, just leave it out. I like to use it because it adds a slight spiciness to the cabbage and complements the apples well.
Peel the ginger and dice it as small as you can. Use an extra sharp knife so you don't crush it and the essential oils end up in the board instead of the glass.
4. mix cabbage and other ingredients
Now put the cabbage, carrots, apple and ginger in a bowl. Mix them well and pour the salt over them.
Knead the salt into the ingredients. Now let the mix rest for 20 minutes. A salt brine is formed.
5. fill the sauerkraut into the gas
Spoon the vegetables into the jar. Press firmly after each spoonful so that the liquid rises to the top. Finally, pour the brine into the jar. The liquid now covers the cabbage as a whole.
If not: let the cabbage stand for another 20 minutes. It will release a lot of water if you have salted it properly. Then press the layers down firmly again.
6. weigh down the sauerkraut
So that it does not begin to mold, the sauerkraut must remain in the liquid. For this we now take a weight. There are special weights to weigh it down. Or you can fill a glass jar with a screw cap with water.
If you decide to use a jar, make sure that it is large enough to cover the surface of the large jar. Important: Wash the small jar very thoroughly beforehand and sterilize it. How to do this, you can read here: "How to sterilize jars properly„.
Alternative: Press the cabbage down with a pestle every day. It must always be covered with liquid - if you do not have a weight to weigh it down.
Pull a layer of cling film over the opening of the jar. Fix the foil with a rubber band. The jar does not need a lid yet.
Why the cling film? This prevents germs from getting into the sauerkraut. If you use screw caps right away, you can run into problems. Many screw caps start to rust or oxidize when they come into contact with the cabbage.
Once you have the plastic wrap on the jar, seal it with a lid.
7. ferment the sauerkraut
The cabbage will do the rest by itself, if you provide the right conditions. For two days, the jar is now at 20-22 ° in the kitchen. It is best to store it in a cupboard.
It should not get sunlight and loves a dark place. Place a plate under the jar. During fermentation it can happen that it overflows. The sauerkraut ferments quickly - the warmer, the faster.
After three days, the herb calms down. You can now taste for the first time.
From the third or fourth day, put the jars in a colder place. Remove the weight to weigh them down.
Now 15 to 18 degrees are optimal. But you can also put it in the refrigerator. Your herb will last about a year.
After about 21 days you can taste the sauerkraut - it is now perfect in taste and also does not change the flavor.
How long does sauerkraut need to ferment?
Lactic acid fermentation is a process that takes between 10 and 20 days. Sauerkraut, however, takes longer. You need to allow 4-6 weeks for it. Then your cabbage should be ready. It is important that your white cabbage is always at the right temperature during this period.
Avoid exposure to light if you want your herb to become edible. After a few days you will notice a slightly sour smell - a good sign! This tells you that the contents of the jar are working and your sauerkraut is fermenting.
With what can I refine the cabbage?
You want to add more spices to the jar and wonder what is allowed and especially what really tastes good? Here comes a list with delicious ingredients that do well with sauerkraut:
- Juniper berries
- Caraway
- Bay leaves
- Caraway
- Chili
- Ginger
- Garlic
Apple sauerkraut is especially delicious. For this, you take the ready-made sauerkraut and fry it with pieces of onion, apples, salt, pepper and Cinnamon* to.
Why fermenting sauerkraut is worthwhile
Our grannies knew exactly how to ferment sauerkraut. They made sure that cabbage would keep for a long time. And they knew about the positive effect on our digestion.
Longer time fermenting sauerkraut has fallen into oblivion. You can buy it in the supermarket anyway. So why the work? I'll tell you why!
The taste
First and foremost is the taste. Self-pickled cabbage is much crunchier and more intense in flavor than the store-bought variety from the supermarket.
It tastes more sour, I think at least. And has a better consistency.
Self fermented sauerkraut is healthy
There is also a good reason for the consistency. Because our homemade sour cabbage is not heated to high temperatures. Purchased cabbage is heated so that it can be kept for a long time.
The problem with this is that the lactic acid bacteria are cooked to death.
During wild fermentation of vegetables, lactic acid bacteria convert carbohydrates into lactic acid. The lactic acid preserves the cabbage. The liquid produced during fermentation of sauerkraut is food for the microorganisms. Fermentation begins.
Besides the excellent taste, fermented vegetables provide lots of natural enzymes and lactic acid bacteria. They ensure the strengthening of our defenses and a healthy intestinal flora.
Whether you choose to ferment sauerkraut or reach for carrots, cucumbers or other vegetables, one thing remains the same: fermented foods contain very high levels of vitamins and phytochemicals.
Pickling the cabbage preserves many important nutrients and bacteria. When you buy sauerkraut, there is nothing left of it.
Important for the cold season: in self-fermented cabbage is quite a lot of vitamin C.
Pasteurized herb from the supermarket loses its healthy properties.
Which recipes do sauerkraut go best with?
Most people know sauerkraut from the very greasy and hearty winter cuisine. It is served with bratwurst, roast pork and co. The cabbage can be so healthy, but it is not at all a healthy lunch. Homemade sauerkraut goes well with fried potatoes, roasted vegetables and even fish.
It can also be used in salads, casseroles or burgers.
And here, as promised, the short version of the recipe for those who ferment regularly:
Ferment sauerkraut
Ingredients
- 400 g shaved white cabbage
- 50 g Carrots
- 1/2 Apple
- 2 TL diced ginger
- 10 g Sea salt
Equipment
- Large jar with screw cap
- Knife
- Board
- Vegetable slicer
Anleitung
- Rasp the carrots and the apple.50 g carrots, 1/2 apple
- Cut the ginger into small pieces.2 tsp diced ginger
- Put all the ingredients in a bowl. Pour the salt over it and knead it into the vegetables.400 g of shaved white cabbage, 50 g carrots, 2 tsp. diced ginger, 10 g sea salt, 1/2 apple
- Put it aside for 20 minutes. Now a brine is formed.
- Pour the vegetables into the jar in layers. Press each layer firmly. The liquid will now rise to the top.
- Pour the remaining brine into the jar. The liquid must completely cover the cabbage.
- Complaint the sauerkraut with a weight.
- Place the jar at room temperature (20-22°) in the kitchen. Attention: It should be dark and you should put a plate under it.
- From the third day, cool the jar. Now 15 to 18 ° are optimal for fermentation.
Nährwerte
Our conclusion
Fermenting sauerkraut is really easy. The only thing you need is a little patience. But then it tastes all the better for it :)
Take special care that the herb is really in the brine. And that you choose the right place for fermentation.
Good luck!
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