We’ve been experimenting with pickling and fermenting over the last few years. This homemade purple sauerkraut is an good first step if you want to try fermenting.
Pickling is extremely popular now because it’s so easy and quick. Pickling can be done in a half hour combining vegetables with vinegar and a few other simple ingredients. Fermenting on the other hand takes about 2-3 weeks and uses salt instead of vinegar because you are building the fermentation from scratch. However, fermented vegetables are vastly more beneficial for gut health.
You may choose to invest in a fermentation jar or fermentation lid. You can also create a makeshift fermentation lid by filling a small jar with something heavy, placing it in a big ziplock bag, and using it to weigh down and semi seal the jar.
One note about submerging. You need to keep the shredded cabbage submerged under the brine. If any of the shreds float to the top and touch the oxygen, they may rot, in which case will notice an off smell and a orange or brown color. If this happens, discard the whole batch and sanitize the equipment. To be safe, this is why we use two whole cabbage leaves to blanket the shredded cabbage and prevent it from floating to the top. We also place fermentation weights on top of the cabbage leaves.
Favorite Uses for Sauerkraut
So once you make sauerkraut, what to do with it? We love to add it to tacos, avocado toast, sandwiches, salads, grain bowls, or taco salad for a burst of flavor and added nutrients. You can also stir a dollop into soup or other various dishes when you want a hit of flavor.
Homemade Purple Sauerkraut
Ingredients
- 1960 grams shredded red cabbage (1/8 – 1/4 inch shreds)
- 40 grams coarse unrefined sea salt
- 2 whole cabbage leaves
Instructions
- Sanitize the equipment.
- Shred the cabbage using a knife, mandolin, or the slicing function (not shredding function) on a food processor. If the slices are too small or short, they may float above the brine and become exposed to oxygen as they ferment, which can rot.
- Place the shredded cabbage in a large, wide bowl. Sprinkle salt all over the cabbage. Use your hands to massage and squeeze the salt into the cabbage until the cabbage releases liquid, about 5 minutes.
- Transfer the cabbage and brine to a 1/2 gallon or 2 liter jar. A canning funnel is useful. Tamp down down to submerge the cabbage under the brine and force out any air pockets. Continue until the jar is almost full, leaving 2 inches at the top.
- Take the two whole cabbage leaves, rinse, and use them to blanket the shredded cabbage. They should cover all of shredded cabbage below.
- If using a fermentation jar, place the fermentation weights on top of the whole cabbage leaves and seal the jar with a fermentation lid.
- If you are not using a fermentation jar, fill a smaller, narrow jar with something heavy and place it inside a large ziplock bag. Place the bagged small jar on top of the cabbage to weigh it down and semi-seal the jar. Make sure the weight keeps the cabbage submerged below the brine or it may rot.
- Place the jar on top of plate or pie plate to catch any potential liquid displaced during fermentation.
- Ferment in a cool place 2-3 weeks away from direct sunlight. Taste after 2 weeks and continue to ferment another week if you would like it more sour.
- Transfer the sauerkraut to another jar with a regular lid and store in the fridge for up to 10 months.