The following recipe for Sauerkraut is from SurvivalBlog reader Mrs. Alaska. She writes:
“You can ferment any vegetables, but perhaps the best known is cabbage.
This is easy to do, and worthwhile. It will last for months in a refrigerator (or cool space).
Fermented vegetables of any kind (like kimchi) benefit our gut biome, digestion, and immune system.
Note 1: you will need more cabbage than you expect, because salting it will diminish the volume.
Note 2: Different types of cabbage will impact the final volume and crunchiness. So use what you have for a first batch, and then try some variations in the future.
Recipe for one mason jar
Clean two cabbages and then remove an outer leaf (as whole as possible) for use on the top of the sauerkraut in the mason jar to keep air out.
Finely chop about 1 +3/4 medium sized cabbages (put the core and any other veggies into a pot to make vegetable broth)
Dump cabbage into a big bowl.
Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of salt. (Many recipes suggest avoiding iodized salt, which can interfere with fermentation. Use what you have and see what transpires).
Massage cabbage vigorously to mix the salt into the leaves.
Leave the bowl alone for about 30 – 60 minutes. You will see that some brine has formed, leaching liquid from the leaves.
Massage again.
Fill a mason jar with the cabbage, pressing down firmly with each addition. Pour in the brine.
Leave an inch or more gap at the top.
For aging
It is important to keep oxygen from reaching the cabbage or it will mold. Use a double form of defense.
Lay the reserved cabbage leaf across the top of the “soon to be sauerkraut.” I generally need to cut out the stiff spine and trim the leaf to a smaller size. Alternatively, use parchment paper.
Place a weight of some kind on top of the leaf. A friend uses a washed rock. I use glass weights that fit inside mason jars. Others use narrow, one cup mason jars filled with water.
Cap the jar loosely. Set it where you can see it, but not in direct sun. More and more brine will form and the cabbage will diminish further, providing additional inches of protection for the leaves.
Taste it at 5, 7, 9 days until you get the flavor you like.
When you refrigerate it (or store it in a cool cellar), it will continue to ferment but slowly.
Options: You can add additional flavors, as you choose. Some people like to sweeten sauerkraut with some sugar or diced apples. I like to add diced onions and garlic, and caraway seeds.”
About Mrs. Alaska
“Mrs. Alaska” and her husband live at a very remote Alaska homestead. She blogs at Alaska Bush Life, Off-Road, Off-Grid [1], and she is the author of Log Cabin Reflections, available as an E-book on Kindle for just $5. She can be contacted at Alaskauu1@gmail.com [2]
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Do you have a well-tested recipe that would be of interest to SurvivalBlog readers? In this weekly recipe column, we place emphasis on recipes that use long-term storage foods, recipes for wild game, dutch oven recipes, slow cooker recipes, and any recipes that use home garden produce. If you have any favorite recipes, then please send them via e-mail [3]. Thanks!