Homemade Sauerkraut

Making sauerkraut is easy and it is a great way to add some probiotics into your diet. If you are wanting to add more lacto-fermented veggies in your diet I think cabbage is the easiest one to start with to make at home. Fermenting the cabbage not only makes it more digestible but it also adds in more nutrients and probiotics. This sauerkraut tastes like pickles and my boys will all eat it, which is a win for me!  This recipe is from the Nourishing Traditions cookbook by Sally Fallon Morrel.

Here is what you are going to need:

- 1 head of cabbage

- 2 tablespoons of salt ( a little less if you have sauerkraut juice)
- 2 tablespoons of caraway seeds (optional)

-  4 tablespoons of sauerkraut juice from a previous batch (if you have it)

- glass jars

1. Shred the cabbage and put half of the cabbage in a Tupperware or a glass pyrex baking dish and sprinkle in half the salt and let sit for like 10 minutes.  If you have some cabbage juice from a previous batch you can use less salt, probably about 1 tablespoon of salt.

2. Once the cabbage has sat for about 10 minutes pound out the cabbage to release the juices.

3. Once you have pounded the cabbage, then pack it in a jar. Do the same thing with the other half of the cabbage and pack it in a jar leaving an inch or two at the top because it could expand as it ferments. If you have sauerkraut juice left from a previous batch you can add it in the jars. Pack down the sauerkraut as much as you can and if the liquid does not fill the jar up all the way then add some filtered water and push the sauerkraut down so it is submerged in liquid. Put the lid on and let it sit out on the counter for 3-5 days.

4. Day 1: make sure all the sauerkraut is submerged in liquid if it is not then take the lid off and push the cabbage down.

5. Day 2: do the same thing as day one, make sure the cabbage is submerged in the liquid.

6. Day 3: do just like the previous 2 days check to see if the cabbage is submerged.

7. You can let your cabbage keep going for a couple more days if you like.  If you let it keep going then make sure you are checking to see if the cabbage is always submerged. If it is not submerged in liquid then mold could start to form. I put mine in the fridge on day 4.  The sauerkraut will keep fermenting slowly in the fridge and will taste better over time. Start off slowly having small bites of the sauerkraut since this food is packed with probiotics and could loosen up your bowels a little too much!  As you eat it, save the juice an you can add it to your next batch of sauerkraut or add it to soups or take sips of it to add in extra probiotics into your day!