The Dead of Winter is the perfect time to finish my series on Sauerkraut. Find the first three posts of this series under the tag Loving Sauerkraut!
Finally, we introduce the Queen of Sauerkraut: traditional German Kraut. You can make it with or without caraway seeds, and if you choose a purple cabbage (which I totally recommend) you get a regal purple condiment to add to your favorite meat and potatoes meal.
Traditional German Sauerkraut Recipe
- 1 medium cabbage, cored and shredded
- 1 tablespoon caraway seeds (optional)
- 1 tablespoon sea salt
- 4 tablespoons whey
In a bowl, mix cabbage and with (optional) caraway seeds, sea salt, and whey. Pound with a wooden pounder or a meat hammer for about 10 minutes to release juices. Place in a quart-sized, wide-mouth mason jar and press down firmly with a pounder or meat hammer until juices come to the top of the cabbage. The top of the cabbage should be at least 1 ince below the top of the jar. Cover tightly and keep at room temperature for about 3 days before transferring to cold storage. The sauerkraut may be eaten immediately,m but it improves with age.
Recipe from Nourishing Traditions
Into every meal some sauerkraut should fall. It is a digestive aid and a few teaspoons is all you need to bring your favorite hearty winter meal up to cuisine fit for a king. I find traditional German sauerkraut to be perfect for meat and potatoes, beef stew, and any savory winter meal.
Now, I believe that even if you’re not Dutch or German, you can learn to enjoy sauerkraut with your meat and potatoes. My husband feels differently and gives me funny looks whenever I turn my potatoes pink with a spoonful of this pretty stuff. I’ll admit that I’m not always in the mood for the extra flavor (or the trouble of fetching a condiment out of the fridge when I’m the only one going to touch it), but it remains a simple, cheap way to boost the nutritional value of a meal. Don’t knock it till you’ve tried it!
Don’t miss:
- Cordito…Mexican sauerkraut to add authentic flavor to tacos and more!
- Kimchi…I like to pair this Korean sauerkraut with chicken or rice dishes
- Gingered Carrots…tangy and almost sweet, this one’s great to toss in salads!
Have you tried sauerkraut yet? I know some of you have and I’m sooo proud of you. Thanks for keeping me company on this weird and wonderful whole foods journey!
Make sure what you buy is fermented, not pickled sauerkraut. So much of the commercial stuff has not actually gone through the fermentation process, which is what provides the health benefits.
How long does the jar last?
Gwyn, before I was consuming as much kraut as I do now, I had a jar last over a year in my fridge!
I make sauerkraut by juicing the cabbage , placing half of the pulp in each of two mason jars, then covering each jar with half the juice. From there I use my juicer plunger to press the juice through the pulp for a few minutes, then cover the jars with an outer cabbage leaf. I let it age for a week, then cap and refrigerate.
I really don’t care for the taste, but if I mix in a tablespoon or two of tahini I find I really like the tangy taste of the mixture. The bitterness of each item seems to cancel each other out leaving a delicious, nutritious tangy delight.
I don’t have time to make it right now, but is the store bought version still good for you even a bit? Or is it lacking more than it’s worth eating?
Mandy, you’re correct in assuming that most store bought sauerkraut are canned, thus don’t contain the enzymes and goodness of homemade. There is one brand that is raw, but I don’t remember what it is called…anyone else know of a raw sauerkraut Mandy can buy at the store ?
Caldwell & Bubbies are both raw.