HOW TO FERMENT CABBAGE AT HOME (CHUCRUT)
Fermenting cabbage and other vegetables at home is something that I wanted to do for many years, but for various reasons I was putting it off, a few months ago I used it thoroughly and the results have been so good that I can't stop sharing them.
In addition, since I started fermenting, I have not been able to stop and the food acquires such a special flavor and texture that you want to keep trying and making more complex variations.
Fermenting cabbage at home is the first step to start on this endless adventure.
What it means to ferment
First of all, we must bear in mind that in a generic sense, fermenting is preserving, it is a way of transforming a food so that it can be consumed for a much longer period of time.
Two types of fermentation can be distinguished, fermentation in the presence of oxygen (aerobic) or in the absence of oxygen (anaerobic).
Examples of aerobic fermentation are kombucha, yogurt or kefir.
In the case of fermented vegetables, the process is anaerobic, which leads to the formation of lactic acid and the growth of acidophilic bacteria such as lactobacillus, among others.
To make you understand it a little better, fermentation is a catabolic process in which lactic acid is produced.
The fermentation process of any vegetable when it is in a salty medium, consists of the degradation of glucose to obtain metabolic energy and the production of lactic acid, the bacteria involved in these processes are Lactobacillus, Lactococcus, Streptococcus, Pediococcus, among others .
Lactic fermentation occurs in an anaerobic environment, and lactic acid is formed.
Probiotics, prebiotics and symbiosis.
The probiotics They are foods that contain bacteria beneficial to our body, the best known example is yogurt and other fermented dairy products such as kefir.
Fermented vegetables are also probiotics, the fermentation process makes beneficial bacteria develop in these products and when they are consumed, they reach our intestine intact, where they enrich your microbiota.
In contrast, prebiotics They are foods that, when consumed, promote the growth of beneficial bacteria in the intestine. They are fermented fibers in the large intestine, and are not digestible in the small intestine.
The beneficial bacteria in our microbiota are in charge of fermenting them, therefore, they are a great food for them.
Our diet must be rich in both, it is the best way to create a symbiosis very favorable for our intestinal health, it is the way to enrich your microbiota.
Fermentation is an open process, in which you only have to follow some basic recommendations, the rest is up to you.
What's the point of doing it
Improve your diet, nourish yourself better and benefit from a set of living microorganisms that will become part of your intestinal microbiota, (flora) and enrich it.
Fermented foods are more nutritious and more digestible, they improve your diet and your health.
Do you need an advanced microbiology class to do it? Not!
Fermenting is very easy, and it gives you freedom, in the case of vegetables, you decide what you want to ferment and what combinations you want to make.
You can lengthen or shorten the fermentation, to taste flavors and textures, the process will be different if it is summer or if it is winter, there are many factors that influence it.
To the point, how to make sauerkraut?
Making sauerkraut is a very simple process, you only need a cabbage or cabbage, sea salt (without additives) and some glass jars with a lid, as well as some other glass object that serves as a weight to prevent the cabbage from floating in the liquid of fermentation and is exposed to oxygen in the air.
You may need to add water, remember that it must be filtered water, without chlorine.
There are containers created especially for the fermentation of cabbage, they are usually made of glass or ceramic and include a weight to ensure that the product is always submerged.
But it really is not necessary to have them, you can make sauerkraut or ferment other vegetables in any glass container, making sure, through a series of tricks that the liquid covers the entire contents of the pot.
As I have explained before, lactic fermentation occurs in an anaerobic environment (without oxygen), if there is contact with oxygen, there will be growth of microorganisms that we do not want (fungi and bacteria), so avoiding it is essential.
Fermentation from salt is called "wild fermentation" by Sandor E. Katz.
Step 1:
Buy a cabbage or cabbage, if you can get a better organic farming, it will have more bacteria and less chemicals.
Step 2:
Remove the outer leaves, if they are damaged, throw them away, if not, wash them well and reserve a few, (a pair).
Step 3:
Cut the cabbage into julienne strips, remove the thick and hard stems, save them to make a vegetable cream. For the sauerkraut use only the tender parts.
Step 4:
Go putting the cabbage in a large bowl and adding salt while massaging it, it is about the cabbage releasing water, it is a process that will take you between 10 and 15 minutes.
As for the amount of salt, it depends on many things, the first if it is winter or if it is summer, the second if you want a sauerkraut or more salty.
Keep in mind that at higher temperatures, fermentation accelerates and you need more salt, at lower temperatures, the process slows down and you need less salt.
Massage the cabbage until you see that it "sweats" enough and is softened, you will be able to appreciate the water that is releasing at the bottom of the bowl.
To ferment cabbage you don't need to spend money on special jars, you can use recycled glass jars.
Step 5:
Prepare your glass jars, they must be very clean, but they do not need to be sterilized. Pack the cabbage in the cans pressing continuously with a wooden spoon so that there is no air in the bottom, try to crush the cabbage well, and you will see how it releases more water.
Do not fill the pot to the top, leave a gap to the mouth. Cover the top surface with a cabbage leaf that you had reserved at the beginning. The liquid should cover all the cabbage, if not, you should add a little salt water, put the weight on the cabbage leaf and close the pot.
If the lid of the pot is metallic, put a cloth or a film to prevent the metal from touching the salty liquid, it is very important to avoid it!
Step 6:
Write the packaging date on a label, it can be a piece of electrical tape, or a piece of paper, use a permanent marker to make sure it doesn't fade, it is vitally important. 🙂
In any fermentation process patience is essential, learn to know how to wait, you will value the result even more.
Step 7:
Wait patiently for your cabbage to ferment. After a day, check how everything is going, there should already be a little bubble rising from the bottom of the boat, especially if the temperature is high (summer).
Make sure the cabbage is still submerged.
The following days it is convenient to open the can so that the gas comes out, close it again and keep waiting.
After 10 days you can try it, smell it and observe it, unless you are in a hurry to consume it, I advise you to leave it longer. After 15 days, try it again and decide, it can be much longer.
If you decide to consume it, you can store the half-filled pot in the fridge, at low temperatures the fermentation slows down and there is no longer any danger of mold and bacteria.
Do not hesitate! Try making your own sauerkraut and learn to ferment at home from almost nothing, a cabbage, sea salt, you, your good work and your patience.
A little further down I leave you the recipe, with all the details, I hope you are encouraged to prepare it, it is very simple, you just need a little will. Health!
Related entries:
Bibliographic references that you cannot miss:
- Pure Fermentation (Wild Fermentation), Sandor E. Katz, Gaia Editions, 2012.
- The art of fertilization, (The Art of Fermentation), Sandor E. Katz, Gaia Editions, 2016.
About the microbiota:
HOW TO FERMENT CABBAGE AT HOME (CHUCRUT)
Ingredients
- 1250 g cabbage or smooth cabbage (1 large unit)
- 20 g coarse sea salt
- filtered water (may or may not be necessary)
Elaboration step by step
- Clean the outer leaves of the cabbage, save some whole ones for later. Cut the cabbage into julienne strips, remove the thick stems and save for a vegetable cream or bottom.
- In a large bowl, put the cabbage cut into strips and add salt, at the same time massage with your hands, you can use gloves so that it does not irritate your skin.
- Gently squeeze the cabbage for 10-15 minutes, it has to "sweat", when you see that it softens and has released water, you have it.
- Pack the cabbage in very clean glass jars, press towards the bottom with a wooden utensil, try to avoid air, and make sure that its own juice is covering it.
- Do not fill the pot to the top, leave enough room for the liquid to cover the cabbage.
- At the top, cover the cabbage with one of the leaves that you have saved at the beginning and put the weight on it, (it can be a glass cup filled with filtered water with salt, for example).
- Close the pot and let it sit, in a day or two you will see that there are already bubbles inside, the process has already begun! It is convenient that you open the cans once a day so that the gas generated by fermentation comes out.
- It must ferment for at least 15 days, from 10 days you can try it and see how it tastes, I advise you to leave it longer.
Brittany
This recipe looks incredible! Would it work with other vegetables as well? Thank you for sharing!
missblasco
Hi Brittany, lactic acid fermentation is a preservative method suitable for vegetables and fruits, not only cabbage. Thank you for your comment! 😉
Laura
I loved it, thanks
missblasco
Hello Laura! Thank you for visiting my page. I'm glad that you liked it. Regards! 😉
Elizabeth
Fantastic!!! Thank you very much ♥️
missblasco
Thank you for reading Elizabeth! 😉
Ely
Thanks a lot!!! Excellent recipe and congratulations on your blog…. I've always read you!
missblasco
Hi Ely! Thank you very much to you! Thanks for your words. 😉
YANNETH VEGA
The canister should be hermetically sealed or left a little loose to ensure the CO2 escape
Or be covered with a sieve
How is this process. Since it is very important to avoid contamination.
missblasco
Hello, if the bottle you use is made of airtight glass, you must open it every day, at least for the first two weeks, so that the CO2 that is generated comes out. If you use a special pot to ferment, you should not worry because they are designed to allow the gas to escape. If the jar is made of glass with a metal lid, place a weight on the cabbage, so that it is always submerged, you can see it in the images, then cover the metal lid with plastic wrap or cloth, it is essential that the metal does not come into contact With the brine, you can cover the bottle, but since the closure is not hermetic, the CO2 will come out.
I hope I have clarified your doubts.
Regards!
Doris
Hello, thank you very much for your excellent explanation. A question is cabbage or cabbage that cuts into julienne not be lava? only the leaves that are placed on top or it is stripped and washed one by one.Thanks for your answer 🙏😊
missblasco
Hello Doris, vegetables should always be washed with water before using them. Cheers! 😉
mary
During the 10 to 15 days that fermentation lasts, should the container be kept refrigerated? After two days of fermentation, it must be uncovered to release gas and also to test it, but when testing it, the large leaf will move and the upper liquid will enter the rest of the cabbage, that does not affect the process since it also enters oxygen? .
missblasco
When the fermentation is to your liking, you store it in the refrigerator, to test it just lift the upper leaf, the one that acts as the lid takes out a little cabbage, if you want it to continue fermenting, put the leaf back as it was, make sure everything still well submerged. Do this with clean wooden utensils and very clean hands. Opening the pot has no effect as long as the cabbage is completely submerged.
Immaculate
Thank you for everything you explain and how well you do.
The cabbage gets into the pot with the water that has been released by massaging it?
missblasco
Hello Immaculate, indeed, the cabbage is packaged with the water that it releases when you massage it, if it is not completely covered, you have to add water with salt to cover it completely. Thanks to you for reading me and for commenting! Cheers! 😉
Immaculate
I forgot the stars !!!
missblasco
Many thanks! 😉
VIANEY MORENO
HI! HOW LONG CAN I KEEP IT IN THE REFRIGERATOR? IS ONLY THE COLOR OR THE LIQUID CONSUMED TOO? IS IT TO BE MADE IN SALADS? FORGIVENESS IS THE FIRST TIME I READ THIS ARTICLE 🙁
missblasco
Hello, once the cabbage is fermented, it can last a long time in the refrigerator, it is best that it continues to be submerged in the brine. For my taste the liquid is too salty, I only consume the cabbage, but I use the liquid to water plants since it contains many live beneficial bacteria.
It can be taken in salads or as an accompaniment to meat, fish, legumes, etc.
I hope I've cleared the doubts.
Thanks for commenting and greetings. 😉
Chemi
Good afternoon I have a question, can I make a combination of cabbage with carrot and ferment together? Or of several vegetables? Do the other vegetables also contain probiotics like fermented cabbage?
missblasco
Hello Chemi, yes, you can combine cabbage with carrot, you can make many combinations, what you have to keep in mind is not to mix two types of vegetables with very different fermentation times, for example, cucumber and carrot, it is not a good combination , the carrot lasts longer and the cucumber, on the other hand, ferments in a few days. An ideal combination is cabbage, carrot, onion and turnip.
Regarding the last question, probiotics are generated thanks to the fermentation process, from the microorganisms present in the vegetables, combining different vegetables from different sources you will get a richer fermentation, with a greater variety of beneficial bacteria for your body. Greetings;)
Vicente
Very well explained. Greetings
missblasco
Thank you very much for your comment Vicente. Greetings. 😉
belen
Hello, I used a plastic lid and I opened it daily for 5 or 6 days to see if it has any mold, notice that it no longer has liquid that covers it completely, is that ok? should i add more brine? Did I do the process wrong? I'm not sure if I did it right and I'm afraid that opening it has generated harmful bacteria
missblasco
Hello, it is important that the cabbage is covered at all times, as I explained in the post, if its own juice is not enough, you can add brine to cover it. The danger is that if the cabbage comes into contact with the air, it is easy for it to form mold due to the action of oxygen, which is why it must always be covered. Greetings. 😉
Juanjo
Hello. Where are the nodules in the cabbage to prepare the water Kefir by mixing it with water and sugar and adding it periodically to take the liquid?
Thank you
missblasco
Hello Juanjo, in this post I explain how to ferment cabbage at home to obtain sauerkraut, I follow the basic technique, in which the vegetable is fermented with its own water or by adding 20% brine.
Here I am not talking about making water kefir, you can buy the nodules to make it or have someone pass it to you, but that is another different recipe.
Greetings.
Beatriz
Hello, first of all thank you very much.
I am writing to you because I started to make the sauerkraut following your explanations and well. Peero, I have a problem with the issue of weights. I use recycled cans, trying to move the vegetables every day to avoid mold (by trial and error I got there). I can't get it all submerged and I can't get weights. I have seen them but they are very expensive. Could you make a suggestion of what to use that we can have at home, or some inexpensive weight?
Thank you.
missblasco
Hello Beatriz, I suggest you use glass cups, the ones on the bottom, the ideal is to also fill them with brine (or the fermentation liquid if there is enough) and put them on top of the cabbage, submerged, and finish exerting pressure with the lid , every day open the lid so that the gas comes out and to make sure that the glass is still submerged. If the jar is recycled and the lid is metal, cover it with plastic wrap to ensure that the metal is not in contact with the brine. Look at the last photo of the entry, the top view, there you can see perfectly what kind of glass I mean. I hope I've helped.
Thank you for your comment and for the evaluation,
regards!! 😉
Melania
One question, before storing the water in the jar in the fridge, should it be emptied or is the cabbage kept in its own water?
missblasco
Hi Melania, already fermented cabbage (sauerkraut) should be preserved in its own juice. Greetings 😉
Tatiana
Hello, I did the process 2 days ago but when I opened the bottle on the second day, the brine came out under pressure. And it was kind of fizzy.. Wash a wooden spoon and press down on the cabbage. I don't know if it's normal for that to happen. Help. I!
missblasco
Hello, gases are produced during fermentation, when the process begins carbon dioxide is released, it is those little bubbles that rise to the surface, it is something normal, what you should keep in mind is that the vegetables will want to float, and you should avoid it , for a correct fermentation, the food must not be in contact with oxygen, it must always be submerged.
You have done well lowering the cabbage, it must remain submerged, put a weight on it, there are pieces designed for that, but you can also use a very clean glass beaker filled with brine for example.
I hope I've helped.
Regards!
Anna
Good evening,
I have done many Sauerkrauts but they usually don't last long. I gift them to friends and we eat what we have.
But I wanna store it longer and bigger amounts.
I tried to water bath them, and 3 jars out of 4 broke.
Then I read I have to make an extra brine, boil, pour over and close.
That doesn't seem right. Both don't seem right.
So how do I preserve it without having my refrigerator filled with 8 or 10 jars 😊
I appreciate any advice and tricks
missblasco
Hello Anna!
The only way I know to preserve sauerkraut for a long time is in the fridge, even so, check it out regularly, because mold could appear.
So yes, you need extra room in your fridge or a cold dry place to store the jars.
Adding brine or waterbath the jars is not right. The sauerkraut's nutritional benefits could be changed.
Regards,
Francesca 😉
Jesus
Thank you so much for the recipe.
I have tried it three times and I always get mold despite having a special jar with weights and keeping the liquid on top. Is there a trick or something to avoid the appearance of mold. I have seen the issue of airlock covers but I don't know if that is the solution.
Thank you
missblasco
Hi Jesus, I can think of several things why this could be happening.
On the one hand, the temperature-time relationship, if the temperature in the place where you keep the cabbage jars is too high, it is possible that you are fermenting for too long, reduce it or make sure to store the jars in a cooler place. (Remember: The higher the ambient temperature, the shorter the fermentation time and vice versa).
Humidity also plays against fermentation, the ideal is to store the jars in a dry environment.
Another possible cause would be that the cabbage comes into contact with oxygen, but since you mention that you keep it submerged, I rule it out.
I also have to say that the appearance of a white layer on the surface of the fermentation liquid is usually yeast, they are like small white bubbles, which is not dangerous, but you have to know how to distinguish it from mold, if it is yeast you can remove it and continue fermenting, although it is likely that it will appear again, so you must be vigilant.
Molds are usually branching structures, initially white and then changing colour, becoming grey, greenish or darker. If mold appears, you have to throw it all away.
The smell is also a good guide, with mold it becomes unpleasant and is an unequivocal sign that the fermentation must be discarded.
I hope these comments help you.
cordial departures,
Francesca
Dora Mendez
I just made the recipe, my jar does not have a lid, I put a gauze with a rubber band on it and put it in a closed place like a wooden closet. Please I await your response. thank you
missblasco
For hygiene purposes, it should be covered, yes, with a lid that allows it to breathe or opening the lid every 24 hours to allow the gases generated by fermentation to escape.
Greetings and thanks for your comment and assessment. 😉
Pink
Hello! Helpeee; I did it and before 15 days, some white dots appeared; and I'm afraid to eat it. Thanks for your tips
missblasco
Hi Rosa, that may be perfectly normal, but the truth is that without seeing it I can't assure you what happened. Read in the comments because the same thing happened to many more people. A greeting and thanks for comment.
Adam
Hi, some experts say you should ferment the cabbage around 7 days, then put in the fridge and consume it as soon as possible because after 7 days the beneficial bacteria starts to die and increase the biogenic amines (which reacts to nitrites developing nitrosamines) . It is also a mistake to add saltwater. By the way, some people recommend to use a cloth or a fabric coffee filter with an elastic band instead of a lid and this way you don't have to open it to gas comes out. Others people recommend don't lock the lid the first 3 days because some liquid spills, after that you can lock the jar and open daily to gas comes out.
missblasco
Hi Adam, thanks for your comments. If you want to get reliable information about fermentation, I recommend the following book: “Wild Fermentation”, Sandor E. Katz.
Adam
Thank you!!! By the way, I found that Fido jars and Kilner jars are a great option for fermenting
ARMANDO
An excellent, very detailed explanation. I have started making sauerkraut and I think it turned out correctly with your comments. I have pressed it with my hands with 2% of the weight of the cabbage and the liquid from the cabbage has begun to come out, then I have placed it in a glass jar from a recycled container of pickles with MIX onions from Mercadona, previously passed through the dishwasher which was perfectly clean. A 1,0 kg CABBAGE has fit perfectly into two of those containers. I mention those containers because they are perfect with other RIOVERDE CHILI CHILLIES where both are practically cylindrical, fitting almost like a piston in its cylinder. I say this because with this system filling The jar of chillies with water can be weighed on the cabbage you want, it is very practical for those who want to make sauerkraut regularly. It is true that all the cabbage remains submerged although the MIX jar remains open. I don't know if that is convenient or not but it is true that I have not had problems with possible appearances of mold or improper fermentation. Apart from my explanation, I don't know if it is correct or not to have left those jars open for the correct formation of the fermentation or if I am wrong.
Thank you for your attention and very grateful for the enthusiasm and dedication you put into reporting a beneficial process for everyone.
missblasco
Hello Armando, I see that your technique is very refined, I would advise you to cover the jars, for example with plastic wrap in which you can make small holes to allow the gases generated during fermentation to escape, or with the lid itself. of the bottle lined with film, so that the metal surface does not come into contact with the fermentation liquid, and taking into account that they must be opened once a day. Covering it is important to avoid possible external contamination, or the entry of small insects.
Greetings and thank you very much for your comment.