This recipe might as well be called “Leftover Kraut,” because it all started with a head of green cabbage leftover from a previous fermentation session… And a pocket of time. I rummaged through my fridge and found an old leek and a few carrots that were starting to soften at the tips. I added some red onion for good measure. Why not?
Needless to say, I did not have high expectations for this batch of kraut, more so given the smell that it gave off during the first week of fermentation. However, after three weeks on my counter, and a few more in my fridge, I gave it a taste and was pleasantly surprised. This stuff is GOOD, so good that I had to make a second batch.
A certain pickle-loving someone I know ate half a quart in one sitting. Apparently, moderating your salt intake doesn’t apply if you are Japanese.
I love adding leeks to my krauts not only because they taste great fermented, but also because raw leeks are an excellent source of inulin, a prebiotic fibre known to feed beneficial strains of gut bacteria. Unfortunately, inulin is destroyed by cooking, and raw leeks aren’t all that palatable, so fermenting them is a great way to get at those prebiotic fibres!
How to Make Kraut
If you’ve never made kraut or kimchi before, don’t feel intimidated (I know I did the first time!). It may take time to chop, grate, slice and pound your ingredients, but it’s very simple, and far safer than most people would assume. A resource I recommend to anyone who is interested in fermentation is Sandor Ellix Katz’ The Art of Fermentation. Katz provides an invaluable wealth of information on the benefits, methods and traditions surrounding fermenting worldwide, from sauerkraut to beer to tempeh. This book is a great resource and an endless source of inspiration! The following guidelines are adapted from his chapter on fermenting vegetables.
#1 Chopping
Although not necessary for fermentation per se, chopping your vegetables creates more surface area from which to draw out its juices. Since kraut usually relies on dry-salting rather than brining, the finer the chop, the easier it is to pack and submerge the vegetables in step 3.
#2 Salting
Salt is important for four reasons. 1) Through osmosis, it helps draw water out of your vegetables, to create an anaerobic (no oxygen) environment for lactic acid bacteria to grow. 2) Salt keeps your vegetables crispier by hardening pectin fibres and hampering their digestion by enzymes. 3) Salt creates an environment favourable to lactic acid bacteria (the good guys!) and less so to other, less desirable microorganisms, giving the former a competitive advantage. 4) Salt slows down the fermentation process, extending the potential for preservation. You can play around with the amount of salt, but I don’t recommend skipping it!
#3 Pounding and Packing
Bruising the vegetables further helps to draw out their juices. You can use your hands to massage the vegetables, or use a specialized pounding tool designed for this purpose. The next step is to pack the vegetable mixture inside a fermentation vessel such a mason jar or a crock.
#4 Submerging
In order to prevent undesirable molds from growing on your carefully prepared kraut, you want to maintain an anaerobic (no oxygen) environment for your vegetables, which requires keeping them submerged under their own juices. A few options include: 1) Using a fermentation weight (usually made of glass or safe ceramic). 2) Saving and washing the tough outer leaves of your cabbage, and using that to push down the vegetables. At the end of the fermentation period, discard these leaves. The kraut underneath should be free of mold.
#5 Covering
To limit oxygen exposure and prevent surface molds from developing, it is important to cover the opening of your vessel. At the same time, you don’t want to seal it completely because, especially during the first week, the lactic acid bacteria will be releasing carbon dioxide, which can build up in your vessel and cause an unwanted disaster. A few options include: 1) covering the opening of your jar with a coffee filter of a piece of cheesecloth, fastened with an elastic band. 2) Using a lid, but keeping it loosely fastened, or making sure to unfasten the lid every day to release the air buildup in your jar. 3) Using a specialized airlock system.
Joëlle
Yields 3 quarts
I call this my "Leftover Kraut" because the first time I made it, I used ingredients that I found rummaging through my fridge. The result was so tasty that I now buy these ingredients specifically to make this kraut. Uncooked leeks are a great source of the prebiotic fibre inulin.
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Ingredients
- 1 green cabbage, chopped and thinly sliced
- 1 sweet Asian carrot, grated
- 1-2 leeks, thinly sliced
- 1 red onion, thinly sliced
- 4 Tbsp Himalayan or sea salt
Instructions
- Wash your cabbage and remove the outer leaves. Set the leaves aside for later if you don't own fermentation weights, as they can be used to keep your ferment submerged. (see notes above)
- Start by slicing the cabbage very thinly. Transfer all the cabbage to a large glass or stainless steel bowl and mix in the 6 tablespoons of salt. While you prepare the rest of the ingredients, the salt can start to draw out the water from the cabbage, making it easier at the end to stuff the mixture into jars and to submerge it under its own juices.
- Prepare the rest of the ingredients, adding them to the large mixing bowl as you go.
- Mix all the ingredients together. At this point, the cabbage should be soft and you should have some liquid at the bottom of the bowl.
- Pack the mixture into mason jars, or your preferred fermentation vessel, making sure to eliminate any air bubbles and to submerge all of the vegetable pieces under their own liquid. I used two half-gallon jars, and it fit perfectly, but you can also use smaller jars.
- Place a fermentation weight on top of the vegetables. Alternatively, press down some cabbage leaves saved in step 1 to keep your vegetables submerged. You can discard these leaves at the end of the fermentation period.
- Cover the jar with a lid, an airlock or a coffee filter or cheesecloth fastened with an elastic band (see notes above)
- Leave the jars out at room temperature for two to three weeks, or until you are happy with the taste.
References
Katz, S. E. (2012). The art of fermentation an in-depth exploration of essential concepts and processes from around the world. White River Junction: Chelsea Green Publ.
