Have you ever wondered how to make Sauerkraut?
Sauerkraut is not only delicious, but it is full of healthy probiotics resulting from the fermenting process!
Items needed:
A crock pot (Crock pots from Polmedia may be found here)
Weights (Stoneware weights can be found by clicking on this link)
5 pounds of cabbage for every 1-gallon that your pot measures (for example, a 2-gallon crock pot would support 10 pounds of cabbage)
How to Make Sauerkraut: (this recipe can be found in the Farmer’s Almanac)
- Core and shred your cabbage. Measure out 3 tablespoons of pickling (or kosher or dairy) salt.
- Alternate layers of cabbage with a sprinkling of salt, tapping each layer with a wooden spoon or potato masher. The top layer should be salt. This will not seem like it’s enough salt, but it will give you a 2 1/2 percent solution, the perfect strength for fermentation.
- Boil an old dish towel or piece of sheeting for 5 minutes and cover the crock with it. Weight this down with a flat plate the size of the inside of the crock.
- If you used fresh and tender cabbage, by the next day you should have enough brine to cover the cabbage. If you don’t, make more brine by adding 1 1/2 teaspoons to a cup of water and add enough to cover.
- In 2 or 3 days, white scum will form on the top. Skim this off, replace the cloth with a newly boiled one, wash the weight, and replace it all. Repeat this skimming (a 5-minute job) each day until the bubbles stop rising, or for about 2 weeks. Then your sauerkraut is done!
- At this point, simply keep the cabbage below the brine with the weight, cover the crock tightly, and store at 40°F to 50°F. If your space isn’t that cool, heat the sauerkraut just to simmering, pack in canning jars, seal, and process in a water bath 20 minutes for quarts, 15 minutes for pints.
Now that you know how to make your own Sauerkraut, you can click on this link to see a delicious recipe for Slow Cooker Pork and Sauerkraut.