By Derek Henry, Holistic Health Coach for Healing the Body
Sauerkraut is a fantastic way to add some flavour to your recipes, and is an important component to a healthy digestive system. The trick to a good sauerkraut is to make sure it is not pasteurized, so that all the beneficial enzymes and probiotics are largely intact. You make sure it is raw by making it yourself with this homemade sauerkraut recipe.
Purpose
The purpose of this homemade sauerkraut recipe is to teach you how to produce a nutrient dense food that can be enjoyed with any meal, that will last for months (even years).
Full of minerals, enzymes, and probiotics, making your own fermented vegetables could easily be the most important and cheapest thing you can do for your health.
Try it on salads, eggs, wraps, hamburgers, and even in salsa!
Equipment Required
- Food processor
- Knife
- 2 large bowls
Ingredients
- 3 heads green cabbage, shredded
- 1 bunch of kale, chopped
- 1 tbsp dill weed
Directions
- Combine all ingredients in a large bowl
- Remove a few cups and place in blender
- Add filtered water to make a brine which will be the consistency of a thick juice
- Blend well and add back into the first mixture and stir well
- Pack mixture down into a air tight container. Use a wooden spoon or other tool to pack down tightly
- Fill container near full, leaving a couple inches at the top for the veggies to expand
- Roll up cabbage leaves and place on top to fill the remaining space and close container tightly
- Let sit at room temperature (72F or higher) for at least 1 week. The longer you leave them, the better they taste and more probiotic rich they become!
Using a culture starter:
- To make a batch of sauerkraut, a starter is not absolutely necessary. The natural sugars in the veggies will help break it down and render a batch of probiotic goodness. However, if you want to ensure you get a vigorous fermentation, you can dissolve a package of starter culture (a probiotic capsule will also work) in 1/4 cup of warm water (90F). Add a small amount of sugar to feed the starter (ie. cane sugar, honey) and let it sit for 20 minutes or longer to activate. Add this to the brine.
Consumption
- Consume 1/4 to 1/2 cup at meals to aid in digestion, or on its own for more therapeutic benefits.
*Image of “sauerkraut” via Shutterstock
