Apple & Cabbage Sauerkraut
Toss this kraut in a fall salad with dried cranberries and pumpkin seeds or enjoy as a garnish on soups and stews. It also makes for a tasty breakfast served alongside eggs.
Be sure to choose organic cabbage and apples for this recipe, as the surface of the produce will still have the beneficial bacteria intact – this good bacteria encourages proper fermentation. It takes about a week for the tangy flavor and deep color to develop, but you can let it ferment for a bit longer if you prefer a stronger taste. Toss this kraut in a fall salad with dried cranberries and pumpkin seeds or enjoy as a garnish on soups and stews. It also makes for a tasty breakfast served alongside eggs.
Ingredients
- 1 head organic purple cabbage
- 1 tbsp high-quality sea salt (such as Himalayan or Celtic salt)
- 2 organic apples (peel on), cored and grated or cut into matchsticks (TIP: McIntosh, Fuji, Honeycrisp and Gala varieties work well.)
Equipment:
- 1 1-qt wide-mouth glass jar with lid, sterilized
- 1 small glass jar with lid (4-oz or 8-oz), sterilized (NOTE: Jar should be narrow enough to fit inside rim of 1-qt jar.)
Preparation
- Remove 1 outer leaf from cabbage; set aside. Quarter and core remaining cabbage and thinly slice.
- In a large bowl, add sliced cabbage and salt. Using your hands, vigorously massage cabbage until softened, beginning to turn translucent and about 1/3 cup juices are released. (TIP: If 1/3 cup juices are not yet released, let cabbage mixture stand for 20 to 30 minutes.) Add apple and massage to combine.
- Transfer cabbage mixture and juices to a 1-qt wide-mouth glass jar. Using a spoon or your hand, press mixture down firmly to release liquid and remove any air pockets, pressing until cabbage mixture is completely submerged and leaving 2 to 3 inches headspace between cabbage mixture and rim of jar. (TIP: If you don’t have enough to fill the jar, you can still ferment in the 1-qt jar, but once it’s fermented, transfer into a smaller jar for long-term storage in the fridge. If you have extras, you can either ferment another jar or add the leftover cabbage and apple to a soup or salad.)
- Arrange reserved cabbage leaf in 1-qt jar directly over top of cabbage mixture. Fill a small glass jar with water and seal tightly with lid. Place in 1-qt jar over top of cabbage leaf to keep cabbage mixture submerged in liquid. Place in a shallow bowl to catch any overflow and cover jar with a clean tea towel. (NOTE: The smaller jar will stick out over the rim of the 1-qt jar; be sure that tea towel is large enough to cover both jars.)
- Let ferment in a cool place away from direct sunlight, pressing down on small jar as needed to keep cabbage mixture submerged in liquid and skimming off any scum that forms on top, for 7 to 14 days. Remove small jar, skim off any scum and discard whole cabbage leaf. Seal 1-qt jar tightly with lid and refrigerate for up to 12 months.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size 1 tbsp
- Calories 7
- Carbohydrate Content 2 g
- Cholesterol Content 0 mg
- Fat Content 0 g
- Fiber Content 0 g
- Protein Content 0 g
- Saturated Fat Content 0 g
- Sodium Content 40 mg
- Sugar Content 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat Content 0 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat Content 0 g