Red Fermented Cabbage

Red_Cabbage — Finely shredded red cabbage

One red cabbage
2 tablespoons of salt (or salt to taste)
2 x 1 litre jar (or 1 big jar)

(We suggest halving this recipe when making for the first time :))

THE PROCESS

Remove any outer leaves that aren’t good. Remove and save an outer leaf (one for each jar – you’ll use these at the end).

Using a food processor, mandoline, grater or a knife shred the cabbage as finely as you can. Put the cabbage into a large bowl and sprinkle with salt.

Using your hands, massage the salt into the cabbage. Do this by grabbing handfuls of the cabbage and squeezing it. Continue to do this until the cabbage is moist and soft.

The juice in the bottom of the bowl dissolves the salt and in turn draws more juice out of the cabbage. Do not drain the juice off! This is the brine that will allow the cabbage to ferment without going ‘off’.

Get your clean jar and put in a few handfuls of cabbage. Add a bit of the brine to the top of the cabbage. Using your hand or a wooden spoon press the cabbage firmly down into the jar. You want to ensure any air pockets are released and that the cabbage is packed in as tightly as possible. Continue to pack the cabbage into the jar in this way, a few handfuls at a time until you nearly reach the top of the jar.

Use the outer cabbage leaf you saved at the beginning and fold it up so that it will just fit inside the mouth of the jar. You want to use it almost like a lid to keep the sliced cabbage pressed down underneath the brine. Repeat the process with the next jar.

Secure the lid on the jar and leave it out at room temperature for about 4 days. The fermentation time varies depending on the temperature and how fermented you like your sauerkraut. NOTE: Keep out of direct sunlight.

Each day remove the lid to release any built up gas created from the fermentation process.

Use a wooden spoon to press the cabbage down and release any gas bubbles that have formed. This helps the fermentation process and ensures that the cabbage is kept under the brine level. You can add a bit of water if the brine level drops too low.

After three or four days taste test. When the sauerkraut gets to the point that you like it, put it in the fridge to slow down the fermentation process. It can last up to about 2 months and it just keeps maturing and getting better.

OPTIONAL EXTRAS

Garlic
Ginger
Onion
Carrot
Green cabbage

(and so much more!!)