Sauerkraut

This recipe is from Sally Fallon Morell’s cookbook, Nourishing Traditions. You can find out more about her on www.westonaprice.org or on www.nourishingtraditions.com. I have tried making fermented vegetables so many times without success. I finally tried her recipe for sauerkraut and it was so easy and successful. Fermented vegetables provide organic acids that help with digestion and they help stop the bad bacteria in your gut from growing.

Sauerkraut

Ingredients

• 1 medium cabbage, cored and shredded
• 1 tablespoon caraway seeds
• 2 tablespoons course Celtic sea salt

Directions

Core and chop/shred the cabbage into small pieces.

Place cabbage, caraway seeds and salt in a large bowl and mix.

Using a potato masher, a mallet, or a wooden spoon, mash the cabbage mixture for about 10 minutes, or until a substantial amount of liquid is released form the cabbage and the cabbage shrinks in size. See picture.

Transfer the cabbage mixture and the liquid to a quart size ball jar, ensuring there is enough liquid to cover the cabbage. Press down with wooden spoon on the cabbage so the liquid rises to the top to cover the cabbage mixture. There should be about 1 inch of space in the top of the jar.

Place a glass place holder used for fermenting or a ziplock bag with a little water in it in the top of the jar to ensure the cabbage stays under the liquid so it doesn’t mold.

Cover with an airlock lid or an airtight lid. If using an airtight lid, be sure to burp (or open) the jar about once per day so too much gas doesn’t build up. Also, if using an airtight lid, place the jar on a small plate because the liquid may seep out of the jar.

Let sit on your counter for about 3 days.

Remove glass piece or baggie and cover with an airtight lid. Store in the fridge and enjoy!