If I had known how easy it is to make sauerkraut, I would have started making it a long time ago! My sister and I were inspired by the West Ladies in The Art of Canning DVD. With their encouragement and my mistake on our Azure order (wanted two heads of cabbage . . . got two boxes with 32 heads!), we were blessed to try something new and I’m so glad we did. Besides being easy to make, our children love to help with the sauerkraut as well, making it a fun family project.
So here is how easy it really is . . .
Ingredients:
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cabbage
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salt
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whey (see update note)
How to make:
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Wash and grate cabbage (or cut up into fine strips).
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Put cut cabbage into large bowl(s).
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Sprinkle with about 1 tsp. sea salt per head of cabbage.
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Let your children play . . . knead, squish, sqeeze, and grab the cabbage until the water starts to come out of the cabbage, making a puddle in the bottom of the bowl.
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Press softened cabbage into jars and add a little of the “cabbage juice” to each jar leaving about an inch of space between cabbage and lid.
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Put lids loosely onto jars.
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Store in a cool dark place for about 3 weeks.
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Then, enjoy and keep opened jars in refrigerator.
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That’s it!
Update (9/2/11): I have found that adding 4 T. of homemade liquid whey per quart of saurkraut makes the saurkraut even better. Mix it in just before putting saurkraut into jars. Be sure to transfer saurkraut with whey to the refrigerator after 3-7 days.
Homemade jars of sauerkraut last one to two years unopened. If you don’t care for sauerkraut, but would like to get the health benefits, try adding it to things like sausage, beans, soups, salads, or omlettes.
Blessings,
Carrie
1000's of roots 