Homemade Sauerkraut

Cabbage fermenting in my glass crock

I must admit that I'm not a huge fan of yogurt, so getting regular amounts of yogurt's wonderful, beneficial probiotics isn't always tasty to me.

Fortunately, I recently discovered that other fermented foods have many...sometimes more...of the probiotics and other health benefits of yogurt.  And, I LOVE good sauerkraut.

So I decided to see how hard it was to make my own.  I think modern people are often afraid of trying the preservation techniques used for centuries out of ignorance and/or fear that we will accidentally poison ourselves.

Homemade sauerkraut is a great way to start exploring making your own tasty, healthful fermented foods because it is one of the easiest things to make.




Homemade Sauerkraut

• 1 head of green cabbage
• 1 tablespoon salt
• OPTION:  2 tablespoons juniper berries
• OPTION:  1 tablespoon caraway seeds

1. Wash and then shred the cabbage into long, string-like pieces EXCEPT FOR 1-3 outer leaves.

2. Put the shredded cabbage in a crock or glass/ceramic pot.

3. Add the tablespoon of salt and any optional berries/seeds.

4. Squeeze and press down on the cabbage to get it to release its juices.  Keep doing this every 15 minutes or so for an hour or two.  Eventually the cabbage should release enough juice to cover the pressed cabbage.  If it doesn't, mix 1 cup of water with 1 tablespoon salt and add to the crock.

5. Place the clean outer leaves on top of the shredded pieces to hold them under the juice.  Place a plastic lid, plate, or other clean item over the cabbage.  Then place a plastic bag full of water and a tablespoon of salt (in case it should break) on top of the lid to weigh the cabbage down and keep below the water line.

6. Place the crock in a pantry or other area of 4-6 weeks to ferment.  

The cabbage contains natural bacteria that will digest the sugars in the cabbage and cause it to ferment.  The kraut will kind of begin to be ready in 3 days to a week but reaches its best at 4-6 weeks.  Some bubbles are normal in the ferment process -as with wine.  Also, occasionally some mold may form on any pieces of the kraut extending out of the water.  Remove and do not worry about this.  If you ever have made pickles, you will be familiar with similar phenomena.

When the sauerkraut is ready, place in your refrigerator and eat cold or heated.

DIETS:
Diabetic:  yes
Gluten Free:  yes
Mediterranean:  yes
Nightshade Family Free:  yes
Paleo:  yes
SugarBusters:  yes
Sugar Free:  yes
Vegan:  yes
Vegetarian:  yes
Wheat Free:  yes
200 Calories or Under:  yes

Notice:  Be sure to check with your doctor and nutritionist about the safety of any eating plan for you.  Also, check ingredients as different brands and products may have different ingredients or have changed them since this post.  Some calories are estimates based on packaging.  

Southern and Country Cookin'

Map courtesy of Wikipedia

After some posts about yummy Indian food, I'm going to switch gears and talk some about Southern and country cooking.  First, let's talk a bit about some of the historical influences on American regional cuisines.

As the map of the dominant ancestry in each US county in 2000 shows, more Americans trace their ancestry to Germany than any other country.  So why are there not more German restaurants in the US?



Well, I argue that German cooking merged with other influences to become Southern and "country cookin'".
I joke that the largest German restaurant chain in the US is "Das Cracker Barrel".  I believe delicious German schnitzel became country fried steak.  And the mysterious word cole slaw makes sense once you know that the word for cabbage in German is Kohl.  From mashed potatoes and gravy to good ol' American apple pie, these foods all have equivalents originating in Germany.

Of course, Americans and their food are a mish-mash of all the tasty food traditions domesticated by Native Americans or imported from Europe, Africa, and Asia.  The cooking technique of frying food for instance is much more common in west African cooking originally than in European.  So, it is not surprising that the South with its strong African American roots loves its fried chicken, fried this and fried that.  On the other hand, more common western European colonial cooking techniques such as roasting still dominate traditional menus for European-introduced holidays like Christmas, Easter, and Thanksgiving.  And for that hot sauce on tables from Taos to Tuscaloosa, we have Native Americans to thank for domesticating and introducing various hot peppers to the American table.  So the next time you put a bit of hot sauce on your fried chicken sandwich, you can relish your lunch knowing the Asian-domesticated chicken fried in an African technique with European-invented mayonnaise and Native American hot sauce is as thoroughly American and global as our country.