in communist east germany kraut sauers you!

I love fermenting foods. The cultures are like having a million microscopic pets that need to be fed, kept warm and looked after. Sauerkraut is one of the first fermentations I took on and one of the easiest to do. This is my adaptation of a traditional german kraut. Please read my notes on the end of this fermentation does have a dark dangerous side of bad microbes. With proper precautions these are easy to avoid.

5 pounds cabbage cut into ribbons
aprx. 3 tbls of sea salt
1-2 granny smith apple cored and sliced into 1/4 inch pieces
1/2 tbls whole peppercorn (optional)
1 head of garlic

Equipment:
Large mixing bowl
1 gallon wide mouth container (glass or ceramic)
Cheese cloth
Coffee filter
String or rubber band
A plate or some sort of lid to hold the kraut under the brine

Start by cutting your cabbage into 1/8 to 1/4 inch ribbons (depending on how crunchy you like your kraut) and place in a large mixing bowl. Once you get a good layer of cabbage in the bowl sprinkle some salt and toss. Repeat until all the cabbage is chopped and salted.

Now take your incredibly clean and sterile vessel (glass or ceramic jar) and start packing the cabbage in 2 inch layers. Punch down tight, air is the enemy of proper fermentation. Between the layers throw in some apple slices, a few peeled garlic cloves and some peppercorns. Repeat the layering until everything is in the jar and punch down tight!

Find something about the width of your jar and put it on the cabbage, this keeps the cabbage under the brine that is soon to form. If your cover isn't heavy enough place either a mason jar or ziplock bag full of brine on top of the cover. On top of your jar place first the coffee filter (or paper towel if the filter doesn't fit). Then a few layers of cheese cloth on top. Secure both layers with a tight string or rubber bands. This keeps out dust and bugs but still allows air and your good bacteria in and out. Without this breathing you get a rotten jar of cabbage instead of millions of living friends and delicious sauerkraut. Store your ferment in a dark cool place (65-75 degrees is best) the good bacteria hate uv rays, also it should get decent airflow. Let sit over night, by the magic of osmosis your cabbage should be under a good layer of brine. The salt pulls all of the water from the cabbage preserving in and making a home for the bacteria to do their work. If the brine is not covering the cabbage yet add water and salt at a 1cup to 1 tbls ratio until submerged by at least a half inch.

Let your kraut sit in this dark space for about two weeks. Everyday check your new pet. Push down a little on your cover everyday. Once the bacteria (lacto bacilli) get to work they start burping carbon dioxide gas which leaves air pockets in the kraut. Remember air pockets are bad. Little bubbles here and there are a good sign of a healthy culture. They should appear around the second or third day. If a white scum forms on top of the brine don't be scared that's just your bacterial friends colonizing. Just do your best to skim it of then rinse your weight and lid. (If black, brown or green mold forms discard your ferment a try again, you probably didn't use enough salt)

After your ferment starts to bubble start smelling and tasting the cabbage every day. It should smell like cabbage in vinegar, just slightly at first and more everyday. If it smells right give it a taste everyday. Notice the speed at which it is souring, aim for about 2 weeks. If it starts tasting too close to sauerkraut you had before too fast move it to a cooler location. Once you get close to the flavor you want put a full cover on it and move it to the fridge. It will continue to ferment but at a much slower rate. This will keep for weeks if kept refrigerated and closed.

Notes:

Most traditional pickling techniques (this is another form of pickling) use grape leaves to hold crispness in the vegetable. This is do to the high amount of tannins in the leaves. The skin of the apples contains some on these same tannins so this keeps your kraut crunchy.

I refer to brine a lot here, brine is a mixture of water, salt and seasonings used to preserve or tenderize meat or vegetables.

Now for the scary parts of fermentation. You are messing with food kept at room temperature for a long period of time! There are serious consequences to not paying attention. Do not attempt to make ferments of foods you are not familiar with the taste and smell of. These plus sight are your defences against bad bacteria moving in. If your sauerkraut doesn't smell like sauerkraut don't eat it. The brine should be cloudy and whitish scum will occur, but mold colonies are hairy, sit on top of the surface or are a different color than the brine. If it smells right and doesn't have mold taste it. No matter what it will either taste like cabbage or sauerkraut. If it tastes bad or funky discard and don't worry, I have had bad kraut and not gotten sick. An adult human with a functioning immune system can deal with one taste of bad food, most times you just get gassy. In the very rare chance you develop fever or nausea go to your doctor. If you just take care of your culture the chances of getting sick are about the same as getting sick from your dog (unlikely).

Now for the good news. The bacteria in your properly fermented foods is already in your body, and yogurt, and kim chi, and pickles. Its lacto bacilli and it pretty much does the same thing inside your body as it does outside. It breaks down food making nutrients readily available for your body to take. It lives everywhere and is a long time friend of humans. People used this microbe to preserve food since the founding of agriculture. Ferments of the bracea family (broccoli, cabbage, cauliflower...) have been shown to have especially high concentrations of nutrients and anti oxidants made available by the bacteria.

The best part is if you successfully make sauerkraut once all you have to do it reserve and refrigerate some of the brine from your good batch and add it to your next. This colonizes your new batch with that right bacteria. The best thing about bacteria is its very territorial once it takes foot hold in an evironment it keeps out all other invading bacteria. One good batch of kraut guaranties future good batches. Just don't let your reserve brine sit for too long or else your little pets die and you start from stage one. (By the way, kraut spiked with reserve brine will ferment much faster so don't let that throw you off).

Please feel free to email me on any of my recipes but I especially like questions on fermentation.

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