Easy and Healthy Homemade Sauerkraut Recipe
Sauerkraut is a fantastic source of essential nutrients that do the body a lot of good. This easy to prepare food is loaded with probiotics that are important for digestive health, iron that improves circulation, manganese for bone health and fiber that assists in waste removal. It is also very easy to make, keeps for a long time in storage and can supplement some dietary deficiencies that often occur when access to good foods may be limited. Sauerkraut is also purported to have anti-cancer properties as well. However, the maximum health benefits are found in fermented sauerkraut, and other methods can weaken or destroy much of its nutritional value.
Basic Ingredients
A great recipe for sauerkraut includes a head of white and read cabbage, between eight and a dozen carrots and some sea salt. You can also add garlic as well as any seasonings that you prefer depending on your tastes. You will also need a shredder or grater, a couple of mason jars, a food processor if available and a few large bowls or containers.
Getting Started
Prepare the sauerkraut is ridiculously simple. Start by shredding the white head into thin strips and setting them aside. Shred the red head and put in a food processor to make the pieces smaller while also releasing moisture. Shred the carrots and set aside as well. Place the shredded white cabbage into a container in layers about an inch deep. Sprinkle a generous amount of sea salt on top and repeat the process until all of the sauerkraut has been added.
Mix the processed carrots and red cabbage together and then combine them with the shredded white cabbage. Allow the mixture to rest for at least a few hours, preferably overnight, at room temperature. This will allow the salt to draw out some of the moisture and soften the ingredients as well.
Squeezing the Ingredients
After allowing the mixture to rest, you can start to squeeze all of the ingredients firmly and thoroughly. You don’t need to be gentle. You want to do this for at least 15-20 minutes in order to extract as much liquid from the cabbage and carrots as possible. This liquid will be used as the brine. Allow the liquid to settle into the same pan or bowl that contains the shredded ingredients. You will start to notice that the ingredients will start to soften a bit, and you want to be able to form it into a ball that retains its shape for a few seconds. This will indicate that the food is ready for canning.
Canning the Ingredients
Place the mixture into quart-sized mason jars, but give it a final squeeze to eek out as much moisture as possible. This will allow you to add as much brine as possible later. Fill the jars until there is about two inches of head space and then add the brine. Make sure that you cover the veggies completely, and leave about an inch to ½ inch of head space before covering. You can add some distilled or purified water and some more sea salt if there is not enough brine in each jar.
Finally, label each jar with the packaging or expiration date and allow it to sit in a cool, dark place such as a root cellar or refrigerator for at least a week, preferably longer before consuming. Properly canned sauerkraut can keep for up to two years, but its full nutritional value will start to deteriorate after a few months.
