Purple Sauerkraut with Caraway
| Servings |
| 34people |
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Ingredients
- 1/2head organic purple cabbage, outer leaves peeled off, cored and sliced into ½–1-inch pieces
- 3teaspoons fine sea salt (Celtic or Himalayan noniodized salt), divided
- 1/2cup white or yellow onion, sliced
- Zestof 1 organic lemon
- 1tablespoon whole caraway seeds
- 2teaspoons whole black peppercorns (or ½ teaspoon ground)
Instructions
- Place the cabbage in a large bowl. Add 1 teaspoon salt, and use your hands to massage the cabbage until it begins to soften and release liquid, about 3 minutes. Add the remaining vegetables and spices and another 1 teaspoon salt to the cabbage. Wear gloves to prevent staining hands. Continue to massage the cabbage mixture, crunching and squeezing the vegetables and spices until well combined, about 3 minutes more. Taste the mixture and, if desired, add the final 1 teaspoon salt. (TIP: You want the mixture to be salty but not quite as salty as seawater.)
- When mixture is well combined, begin to spoon it into a 24-ounce glass mason jar or other sterilized glass fermentation vessel. After every couple spoonfuls, use a wooden tamper to pound the mixture tightly into the jar. (TIP: Tightly pack the kraut mixture to eliminate trapped air bubbles.)
- Continue to pack and fill the vessel until 1–1½ inches of headspace remain at top. Pour any liquid from the cabbage mixture bowl into the jar. You want a thin (about ½-inch) layer of liquid on top of the kraut. (TIP: Keep the kraut below the brine. If you don’t have enough liquid, simply add a little purified water. A glass weight can keep the kraut submerged.)
- Wipe the inside lip of the jar to remove any stray cabbage pieces or liquid. Then cover jar tightly with a regular or airlock lid. Set jar in a dark, cool place to ferment for 2–4 weeks. Taste each week to check on fermentation process. When fermented to desired taste, place a new lid on the jar, mark it with the date, and store in refrigerator up to 1 year.
- Makes 16–24 ounces (1–1.5 pints); Prep 30 minutes; Fermentation 2–4 weeks
Recipe Notes
Serving idea: Spoon kraut over grilled brats or sausages.