The Great Fermentation Experiment: SAUERKRAUT

The Great Fermentation Experiment

SAUERKRAUT

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I love any type of fermented or pickled food. Being of polish heritage this means I grew up eating sauerkraut. This year I decided to make my own. I was a little worried. Oddly I have been making Kimchi for years. It is Kraut's spicy Asian cousin but I found sauerkraut intimidating. Could I do it? Was it hard? How many ingredients did it take?  Questions galore ran through my head.

Not being one to do anything half way, I made 15 liters of it. I was very surprised at how easy it was. 2 ingredients, 2 crocks, a knife and a potato masher are all you need. I watched all sorts of How To videos and read instructions and it seems some people overcomplicated the process. Any way you start the basics are the same.

I had 2 batches a 5 ltr. starting batch that I let ferment exactly as the instructions said and a 10 ltr batch that I let ferment an extra 3 weeks. They were both yummy, but for that little extra punch, the added time was needed.  Turns out I had no need to be wary. It was easy and very few ingredients. Not to mention economic. I bought 4 large (we are talking basketball sized) heads of cabbage for $5.00 at the local farm market and spent $1.00 on a box of salt. So all total I spent $6.00 and I made 15 liters. This is about 20 jars packed full. You have to figure a bag of Sauerkraut at the store runs a minimum of $3.50 (and that is on the low side, the large can at Weis is about 4.00) so....20 jars x $3.50 = $70.00  So I saved about 64.00 total making it myself.

So how do you make it? 

3-4 Large (mine were like soccer balls) heads of cabbage

1 box kosher salt (I used the kind that is slightly bigger grain than table salt)

Fermentation crocks or buckets with lids 

potato masher

knife

cutting board

I sliced my cabbages in roughly 1cm slices (I need to get a cabbage slicer for next year). Put it into the crock a bit at a time and tamp it down really well with the masher. After each 2" layer of cabbage, Sprinkle some salt and build layers of mashed cabbage and salt. It will produce it's own liquid in time. Keep doing this until your crocks are full. Put the weights on top, cover and leave in a cool dry place for 9 weeks. 

NOTE: fermentation crocks are designed to let escaping gasses out. Buckets are not. If you are using plastic buckets you will have to lift the lid every few days or else you are not making

sauerkraut, you are making a KRAUT BOMB. and you don't want that to go off.......

After the Kraut is fermented it is ready to eat (do not be alarmed if there is a bit of mold on the top layer...scrape that off. I did not have any mold, but I took the top layer off anyway. I found it to be a bit mushier than what was underneath. At this point you can cook it with pork, can it for later use or freeze it.  Easy, healthy, no added nonsense. Note: once canned or frozen the fermentation process stops.

I canned most of mine in Pint Jars (you will be surprised at how much sauerkraut fits into a pint jar.) It is enough for a meal for four people in my house.

Asian Style Braised Pork....bits

Asian Style Braised Pork....bits

What is not to love about pork. In particular, pork belly. It may sound unappealing, but essentially it is just bacon that has not reached maturity.  Pork tongue on the other hand may be off-putting for some. Many people have issue with it. After all, it is the only food that can taste you back, but it isn't that scary. Really, its not! I swear! You can trust me.  It's a muscle, like any other cut of meat. Cooked right it is tender, delicious and you cannot tell it apart from other cuts. If you are still not going for it....a small pork roast will work in it's stead. 

This is a weekend fix it and forget  it meal. It takes a lot of time and very little effort. If you want to make a dish that looks like you have slaved all day, tastes like a fancy restaurant made it and took you a total of 10 minutes to prep and get on the stove. Then this is the dish for you.

Even serving this is simple. This is a great dish for making lettuce wraps with. I serve it with a bit of homemade kimchi (see recipe here) and rice.Wrap it in a lettuce leaf and off you go.

Ingredients:

Mirin, 1c

Sake ½ c

Shoyu (Soy Sauce) ½ c

Garlic 2tbs pureed

Ginger 1 tbs pureed

Honey 1 tbs

Gochujang 1.5 tbs (optional spice element. This is a Korean Fermented Chili Paste)

Raw sugar 2 tbs

Water ½ cup

Pork belly (replace with pork roast if preferable but I am telling you, its nothing but un-cured bacon!)

Pork Tongue (replace with pork roast if preferable)

Directions:

Place all ingredients except the meat in a medium pot, whisk together. Add meat, cover and cook on low for 2-3 hours. Check and baste whenever you think about it. You might need to add a bit of water now and then to keep the liquid level up. Remove from heat and let rest 10 min. in cooking liquid.  Slice thin and serve. Simple huh?