Recipe For Sauerkraut

This recipe for sauerkraut is ridiculously easy and an economical way to add healthy fermented foods to your daily diet. We’ve found it so indispensable in our home, that I try to keep a jar or two in our refrigerator at all times.

Mind you, this isn’t the bland, all-white stuff you get from the store. This is vital, tasty, nutrient-laded sauerkraut that you’ll want to add to your plate every day.

Is Sauerkraut Good For You?

What are the health benefits of sauerkraut? According to Natural News, making and enjoying this recipe for sauerkraut will supply you with cruciferous vegetables (cabbage), tons of healthy probiotics, phytonutrient antioxidants and a nutritional arsenal to fight cancer. It’s simply the best health food around.

That’s why cabbage is an essential in your survival garden. If you have a root cellar or other place to keep it cool, you can store sauerkraut for up to six months. Plus homemade sauerkraut will provide you with vitamins A and C, especially valuable in an emergency. This is a great way to avoid scurvy and other illnesses through a healthier diet.

Plus, when cabbage is pickled into sauerkraut, lactic acid bacteria is produced, which protects your digestive system from harmful parasites and yeasts that could lead to candida.

But you won’t get any of those marvelous benefits by consuming commercially made sauerkraut. The canned version usually loses those beneficial organisms by the time those jars reach the supermarket shelves. That’s why it’s so crucial to have this recipe for sauerkraut and make it at home.

What is Sauerkraut Made Of?

The ingredients couldn’t be simpler. You will need:
•    One large head of cabbage
•    One tablespoon of canning salt
•    Two quart-sized jars

And that’s it.

What is the Recipe for Sauerkraut?

Rinse your cabbage well and remove the outer leaves.  Cut away the core and then slice the cabbage into thin strips.  Place the thinly-sliced cabbage in a large bowl and add one tablespoon of salt.

How Do You Make Sauerkraut?

Knead the cabbage with your hands for five minutes or until the leaves wilt and you can see cabbage juice in the bottom of the bowl.  The salt helps the cabbage release its juice.

Pack the kneaded cabbage into the two jars. Divide the juice from the bottom of your kneading bowl between the two jars. Cover the quart jars with a lid and band and leave them on your counter for anywhere from three days to a week.

As the cabbage begins fermenting, it starts to produce gas.  Since the last thing you want is an explosion of sauerkraut in your kitchen, open the jars for a few seconds every day to release any gas build up.  

You can keep the sauerkraut on your kitchen counter at room temperature for up to two weeks, but keep in mind that the longer you keep it at room temperature, the more your cabbage will ferment and the stronger the taste. If you like a mild sauerkraut, put it in the refrigerator after three days.  Keep it out a few days longer for a tangier sauerkraut.

How Long Does Sauerkraut Last?

If kept in the fridge, sauerkraut will last up to six months, but honesty, why wait that long? The traditional way to eat sauerkraut is with brats, but my husband and I enjoy adding to our salads or eating it as a side dish. It’s delicious topped with creamy Italian dressing.

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