Sauerkraut
This is a really simple brining and fermentation method for cabbage, giving it a tangy, bright lift while maintaining its fresh texture. Sauerkraut can be eaten raw, but it also benefits from being braised in a light stock, which reduces the acidity levels but none of the flavour. Cooked like this, it goes particularly well with a smoked ham hock terrine. When brining vegetables, a 6% salt to liquid ratio is perfect. Sauerkraut is a really great probiotic food.
Cook 30mins Servs 10
Method
For the brine, put the water and salt in a cooking pot and bring to a simmer, stirring occasionally to encourage the salt to dissolve.
Allow to cool, then chill the brine in the fridge to about 5°C.
Put the shredded cabbage into a bowl or plastic container and pour in the chilled brine so that it covers the cabbage.
It is quite tricky to keep cabbage submerged in brine, but placing a sieve, the right way up, on top of the cabbage, works well.
Cover the bowl (with the sieve still on top) with a tea towel or cling film and leave in a cool place, such as a pantry, with an ambient temperature no higher than 23°C, for 2 weeks.
This will allow fermentation to begin without letting harmful bacteria multiply.
After 2 weeks, drain the brine from the cabbage.
Your sauerkraut is now ready to eat.
You can either serve it as it is, in a similar fashion to coleslaw, or place it in a pan, cover it with chicken stock and simmer it very gently for 30 minutes or so.
You can store the sauerkraut in a sealed Kilner jar or large jars in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.
Ingredients
- 1 red or green cabbage, about 1kg, thinly sliced or shredded
For the brine
- 1 litre water
- 60g PDV salt
Equipment
- Kilner jar or large preserving jar(s)
This recipe is taken from...
If you like this recipe, you might like the following course...
Curing and Smoking
Join us for the definitive approach to curing and smoking with our handbook author and tutor Steven Lamb, working with an exciting variety...
Full details