Easy Cabbage Kraut
Get probiotic rich kraut for a little time in the kitchen.Supporting your gut microbiome by eating probiotic rich foods like this kraut is a simple step to better health.
This recipe is just cabbage kraut, but you can add any other vegetables and herbs you’d like to make a variety of flavors.
Try a variety of vegetables and herbs and see if you have a favorite. I like this with dill and adding in cauliflower or bock choy. Onions add a depth of flavor and hot peppers add a kick.
Making your own kraut is much cheaper than buying the raw kraut in the produce department. You can get about half a gallon from a large cabbage, whereas the 16 oz jars can cost up to $15.
Set aside a little time to make this and you’ll be supporting your gut health and actually start to feel better!
Easy Raw Kraut
Equipment
- 2 quart canning jars
- 1 large mixing bowl
Materials
- 2 lbs. green or red cabbage 1 large head or 2 small
- 4 tsp. sea salt
Instructions
- Rinse cabbage and remove the outer leaves. Slice thinly, with either a knife or the shredding attachment of a food processor. You may slice it thin or thick, but the key is making it uniform in size.
- Place shredded cabbage in a large metal or glass bowl. Sprinkle with salt. Massage salt into the cabbage; it will start to release water. Continue massaging until you have quite a bit of water and cabbage starts to soften. This might take a few minutes, and it does require some arm and hand muscles!
- Using a large glass jar, press cabbage into the container. Do this slowly, with just a cup or two at a time so you can really press down. You want to compact the cabbage as much as possible to eliminate air bubbles and release more water.
- Once all of the cabbage is in the jar, place something heavy on top (like another jar filled with water) to weigh it down. Press down hard until water covers the cabbage. Ideally, you want at least 1 inch of water on top.
- Cover jar with a cloth and secure it with a rubber band.
- Place the jars on a plate or rimmed baking pan and allow jars to sit on the counter or in a cupboard, for a range of 2-6 weeks. The cabbage will start to bubble and may leak over the edges, this is normal.
- Check the cabbage every few days, push any floating cabbage back under the brine. After a week taste the cabbage. It should be tangy. If any of the cabbage has turned dark and begun rotting, you can scoop that out and make sure the remaining is under then brine. If some mold appears on the top, it is normal, just remove an inch of the cabbage and eat what is underneath.
- Once it reaches the tanginess you like, remove cloth and top with a lid and refrigerate. Enjoy small servings.