Simple Sauerkraut For Everyone
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Including fermented foods in your diet is a great way to support your health! Through the process of fermentation our body is more easily able to digest foods, support our absorption of essential vitamins and building up our immune system! This process supports our immunity by feeding the healthy gut bacteria which take up residency in our gut. These healthy bacteria leave no vacancy for the bad bacteria and encourage good digestion and a happy gut!
Often times we think of bacteria as the gross stuff present in our day to day life, but bacteria are absolutely essential for our thriving and surviving! When we consume fermented foods, we consume probiotics which are the most beneficial types of bacteria! Other types of fermented foods include yogurt, kimchi, miso and so much more!
By fermenting our food we are also extending the shelf life and preserving food that would otherwise rot! Fermentation is an incredible process of bacterial digestion and is essential to include in our day to day diet!
Simple Sauerkraut
What You Need:
1 jar
2-3 Tbsp Kosher Salt
1 medium cabbage (either red or green)
Peel the outer leaf from the cabbage, you will use this once you have packed all the cabbage into your jar.
Chop cabbage in half, then in quarters and cut out the tough core. Chop each quarter horizontally in fairly thin slices (or thicker if you like it crunchy).
Place all cabbage into a large bowl and add about 1-2 tbsp of salt for a medium sized cabbage.
Massage roughly all the cabbage until you see several tbsp’s of liquid forming in the bottom and your leaves are soft!
Once there is enough liquid pack your cabbage into your jar. I find it handy to have a wide mouth jar so you can fit your whole hand in and really punch it down, to press out the liquid.
Once the cabbage is packed to the top and the liquid is completely covering the cabbage, place the extra leaf on the top. This is to help the cabbage stay submerged! Place this in a dark place and for the first day or two, do not tighten the lid and leave the jar in a bowl or plate as it will leak.
At this point you can tighten the lid and let sit for about 2 weeks. This resting time completely depends on how crunchy you like your sauerkraut. The longer you leave it the softer it will get, and the more ‘sour’ the taste will be as it continues to ferment!
Serve this on the side of your meal, with eggs, in a salad or simply enjoy as a nourishing snack. Sauerkraut is a fermented food and so great to begin a meal with to get your digestion ready for your meal as well as feed all that healthy gut bacteria!