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What is Sauerkraut?

Raw Sauerkraut is a convenient, economical and fun way to ensure your health and enjoyment in life. An ounce or two will help ensure that your body and brain function better than before. Our Ultimate guide on how to make sauerkraut will show you how I make mine. Here is an authentic sauerkraut recipe that I got from my mother and father, way back during the Second World War.

The beauty in this fermented cabbage is that it can be eaten with any meal or just by itself. It is a low-salt health food that is made through a process of pickling called lactic acid fermentation. This process not only extends the shelf life of your cabbages, but it also kills the harmful bacteria that are present on your vegetables. Do yourself a favor and eat Raw sauerkraut. I assure you that you will not regret it!

Benefits of Sauerkraut!

Raw sauerkraut is loaded with the nutrients and probiotics that your body wants for health, vitality, and longevity. Furthermore, it has been used for thousands of years to keep the ancient world healthy and to reproduce. This great food will be your friend.

Sauerkraut offers the health benefits of spinach, broccoli, kale and cauliflower and an array of other vegetables. As a matter of fact, instead of looking for a salad, go to the refrigerator and grab a handful of this important stuff. Sauerkraut is easy to digest and nonfattening.

Additionally, raw sauerkraut helps your body to build its all-important iron supply.

Sauerkraut supplies vitamin C, vitamin K, lactic acid and the march, goes on and on.

Raw sauerkraut may contain about 400 types of probiotics as compared to commercial health food products that might have ONE.

Why make homemade sauerkraut?

Store-bought kraut is often pasteurized. The pasteurization process involves heat less than 100C to eliminate the pathogens that are present and extend shelf life. Heating, however, kills the good probiotics in sauerkraut.

Making sauerkraut in the comforts of your own home will prove to be more beneficial. Since you will still have access to the probiotics that will help keep you healthy and full of vitality as well as getting a tastier and more delicious Sauerkraut. Not only that, Making it at home costs pennies a day–the cheapest health insurance you can buy.

The makings of raw sauerkraut

Cabbages - Look for sweet new cabbage, recently picked—a day or two out of the patch. Big heads are ok, but two or three-pounders are more delightful to work with. Look for heads that are solid and ready to crack open. Older cabbage may be dried out, and you might end up adding some water. If you are concerned about insecticides or other contaminants, wash the cabbage in a mild solution of vinegar water or hydrogen peroxide. Washing will remove or neutralize most of “whatever” might have been used to get the fresh vegetable to your home. I use the cabbage as it comes—with a little caution.

Salt - I use the salt that is readily available at home. I like to keep my ingredients as simple and close to authentic sauerkraut recipes. Sea salt or pickling salt is good. But if you were to choose between rock salt and iodized salt, go with rock salt.

Water - As much as possible, I stay away from treated water. Certain chemicals are added to the water to make it safe to drink like chlorine, chloramine, and fluoride. If you are near a spring, you can try to use it for fermenting. If not, distilled water should be enough. You won't need much anyway.

Essential equipment when making sauerkraut

Chopping board - I like using my trusty old wood chopping board. You don't have to be picky. Any good board should do the job. Knife - A sharp knife for finely slicing the cabbages that we will use on our raw sauerkraut Wooden Vegetable Masher - I like using this when I ferment my cabbages. I use it to pound the vegetables and get the water out. Mashing Container - you place your finely sliced cabbages inside. Just make sure that it is sturdy enough to withstand the mashing of the vegetables. A thin, clean cloth used as a cover when we are fermenting our vegetables Weights to keep the cabbage from floating - I like to use a plastic bag with water in it. You can use whatever you have in your home.

How to Make Sauerkraut?

1. Cut the cabbages into quarters. Use the core too—it adds flavor. Now slice it into thin slices. I like mine about as thick as a quarter and nice long pieces—it looks pretty that way. You can place it into a vegetable chopper, but that is too much work.

2. After finely chopping the cabbages. Put it inside the container that you will be using. Any crock, jar or stainless steel pot will do. Wal-Mart sells a nice stainless steel pot that will hold about 2 gallon—they are cheap too. Any stainless steel cooking pan will serve for this task. Don’t use aluminum.

3. Mix the salt with the cabbage. This is low-salt sauerkraut: use about one teaspoon for each medium head of cabbage. A medium head of cabbage will weigh about two or three pounds. Use a tablespoon of salt for every 5 pounds—you do not want to pickle the “kraut.” You want it to ferment—don’t use too much salt.

Mix each layer of cabbage with salt. Start by placing a minimal amount of water and a pinch of salt in the bottom. This will help assure you that there is salt in the first layer. Now add a couple of inches of shredded cabbage, mix the amount of salt that you think that layer should have and tamp it down. Add a couple more inches of cabbage and mix in the salt. Again, tamp it down firmly. Pack it in layers that are about 2 inches thick, mixing some salt before tamping it down.

Soon you will see the liquid come through. Don’t fill it all the way to the top. Allow a few inches so it won’t bubble over.

4. Hold the cabbage under the brine. Cover the chopped cabbage with a thin cloth. The sauerkraut likes to float and must be held under the brine. My favorite “weight” is a plastic bag with some water in it. If you use this method, put some salt in the water—just in case it leaks.

Another method is to find a dish that fits into the vessel—turn it upside down and weight it down with a jar of water or any heavy item. Now cover the victim with a clean cloth to keep unwanted things out.

5. Now you can let it ferment. Some people ask where the best place to ferment sauerkraut is? As for me, this can remain on the table at room temperature or just set it in the corner. Don’t refrigerate until after it is all done fermenting. It will keep all summer in the refrigerator.

How long to ferment sauerkraut?

The fermentation takes about 28 days and goes through three fermentation stages. Each one takes nearly a week. You will notice a ceasing of bubbles before each phase changes.

The fun is watching it ferment. That is why a transparent glass or good clear plastic container is the most fun to watch. When the cute little bubbles stop floating up the task is done.

Can you freeze sauerkraut and how long can you keep it?

Yes, You can freeze it in freezer bags, jars or whatever containers you like. And if packed correctly, you can keep it for a year. You can also put it in the refrigerator where it will keep for several months. Homemade sauerkraut makes good food for camping trips as it will travel well at desert temperatures.

Homemade sauerkraut is a health food that doesn’t need cooked, seasoned or adulterated in any manner. Of course, you can do all kinds of nice things to this humble food. Have fun and Bigos add your personal touch. Use your imagination. Only remember that the microwave or cooking will kill the 400-plus types of probiotics that are important to your health.

In conclusion

Eat as much homemade sauerkraut as you want when checking the progress. Also, keep it handy for low-calorie easy-t0-digest snacks. Our modern foods have lost a lot of the vitality that is important to us. Additionally, raw sauerkraut can replace many of these—and will aid digestion.

A serving of raw sauerkraut can give your body as much of a health boost as the expensive health drinks and probiotics sold today. And always remembers the Old Guru's words, “Have fun and good health to you.��