Homemade Raw Sauerkraut
Ingredients
- 1 head of organic green cabbage (keep one large outer leaf if you don’t have a weight to use)
- 2 Tablespoons Himalayan or sea salt (not table salt)
- 1-2 garlic cloves, chopped
- 1-inch of ginger root, chopped
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper (use more or less for desired taste)
- 1 cup carrots, shredded or chopped
- 2 capsules of Organixx Turmeric 3D
Optional Equipment:
- Vegetable Pounder
- Weight (to keep cabbage below brine while fermenting)
- Water Airlock & Stopper
Instructions
- Chop up the cabbage into even small, thin pieces. You can do this with a knife, a food processor, or a mandolin. Shred the carrots using a food processor or carrot grater or you can slice them for larger pieces. Chop up the garlic and ginger.
- Put the shredded cabbage into a large mixing bowl and sprinkle with salt. Massage the cabbage mixture with hands (or use a vegetable pounder) for about 10 minutes until the cabbage begins to sweat and release water/brine and the cabbage becomes translucent. Add the other vegetables and spices and continue to mix and massage the vegetables. When you can squeeze the cabbage and lots of brine/water is dripping out, it is ready for the jar.
- Ensure the jar is very clean. (A rinse with boiling water is a good idea.) Tightly pack the cabbage mixture into the jar using your hands or the vegetable pounder. Press down and ensure there is at least 1 inch of liquid above the top of the cabbage mixture in the jar.
- Add a glass weight or the outer cabbage leaf to hold the shredded vegetables in place in the jar. It is important to get all of your cabbage mixture below the brine. You can also pour any excess cabbage juice from the bowl into the jar if need be.
- Cover with a lid and add the water airlock and stopper if using. If you are not using an airlock cover with the jar lid.* Place jar(s) on a plate or in a bowl to catch any drips and put in a cool dry cabinet away from sunlight for 1 to 4 weeks. *If using the lid method, you will want to check on your sauerkraut daily and loosen the lid just a bit to release any gases that have built up.
- Taste your sauerkraut periodically while it ferments until it reaches your desired crunch/texture/tang.
- Store in your refrigerator for up to one year. Enjoy!
Notes
Serves 10. Per Serving:
Calories: 28.6 |
Total Fat: 0.3 g |
Total Carbohydrate: 6.3 g |
Dietary Fiber: 2.5 g |
Protein: 1.5 g
Great video, clear instructions. My husband broke 3 ribs recently, is in a lot of pain and needs something to help his gut while his ribs are healing. I worry about bowel movements and stress on the ribcage of straining... I was looking for a probiotic natural healthy way to do this. Going to try this today. Wish me luck!
Hi Carole, thank you for your comment.
We're sorry to hear about your husband's current health condition and hope he feels better real soon.
Glad you enjoyed this recipe and are willing to recreate it for your husband as a natural healing alternative. Let us know how it turns out for you and how your husband likes it.
Thank you for being here with us. Wishing you and your husband all the very best.
After making the sauerkraut, can you can it in a water bath canner? If so, how long would you boil it?
Hi Tamara, thank you for your question.
Unfortunately, canning is not the best way to preserve fermented foods. Therefore, it is not recommended as too much of the "good stuff" or beneficial bacteria is lost under heat or pressure. If you would like to preserve fermented foods, we suggest moving them to cold storage, such as the fridge, a cold cellar, or a freezer.
We hope this helps. Thank you so much for being here with us. Wishing you a wonderful day!
I have been making sauerkraut for some time, i love fermented vegetables, they have done so much for my gut health! I have also tried julienne Japanese radishes along with carrots. it is so easy, I make 2-3 jars at a time and when they are almost gone, I ferment some more, we are never out of fermented cabbage and veggies! I also just put the clean leaves on top and weight it down with a jam jar filled with glass stones, then i cover it with a clean cotton towel and just leave it on my kitchen counter. if you have never tried it, go be adventuresome, it is so easy and so healthy!
That's awesome, Elsie. Thank you so much for sharing this with us.
Fermented veggies are simply the best. If you decide to recreate our recipe, let us know how it turns out for you.
We appreciate you being here with us. Wishing you all the best!!
Hi, thanks for a great recipe! Can we use fresh turmeric instead? I prefer that to the powder. Thanks again and have a great healthy day
You're most welcome, Dita. Glad you're loving the recipe.
Yes, you most certainly can use fresh turmeric instead, if you wish. Keep us posted if you decide to recreate the recipe. We'd love to hear how it turns out for you.
Thank you so much. Hope you have a happy and healthy day as well.
I know there are many ways people make sauerkraut and this sure was a new way for me. My family makes lots of sauerkraut every year and this is the first time I heard of storing it in the frig for so long. We only put it in the frig once we open the jar after it has fermented about 3 wks. We always wipe the glass rim after all the fermenting is done so it is cleaned before sealing it. It doesn't have to be in the frig until you open it. Thanks for showing a new way of making sauerkraut.
Absolutely, Beverly. We appreciate your feedback. We're happy to hear that you're open to new ways of making sauerkraut.
Let us know if you decide to recreate this recipe. We'd love to know how it turns out for you.
Thank you so much for being here with us. Wishing you a wonderful day ahead.