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HOW TO FERMENT CABBAGE AT HOME (SAUERKRAUT)

Written by missblasco on . Posted in BLOG, RECIPE.

 

Fermenting cabbage and other vegetables at home is something I’ve wanted to do for many years, but for various reasons I kept putting off. A few months ago I really got into it and the results have been so good that I can’t stop sharing them.

Also, since I started fermenting, I haven’t 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 begin this endless adventure.

 

What does ferment mean

First of all, keep in mind that in a generic sense, fermenting is preserve is a way of transforming a food so that it can be consumed over 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 it (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 help you understand it a little better, fermentation is a catabolic process in which lactic acid is produced.

 

how to ferment cabbage

 

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.

Probiotics are foods that contain bacteria that are beneficial for our body, the best-known example is yogurt and other fermented dairy products such as kefir.

Fermented vegetables are also probiotics. The fermentation process causes beneficial bacteria to develop in these products and when consumed, they reach our intestine intact, where they enrich your microbiota.

On the other hand, prebiotics are foods that, when consumed, promote the growth of beneficial bacteria in the intestine. They are fibers fermented in the large intestine, and are not digestible in the small intestine.

It is the beneficial bacteria in our microbiota that are responsible for fermenting them, therefore, they are a great food for them.

Our diet should be rich in both, it is the best way to create a symbiosis that is 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 is the point of doing it?

Improve your diet, nourish yourself better and benefit from a set of live microorganisms that will become part of your intestinal microbiota (flora) and will 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? No! Fermenting is very easy and 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 try different flavors and textures. The process will be different depending on whether it is summer or winter. Many factors influence it.

how to ferment cabbage

 

To the point, how do you 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 lids, as well as some other glass object that serves as a weight to prevent the cabbage from floating in the fermentation liquid and being exposed to the 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 faithrmentation of cabbage, are usually made of glass or ceramic and include a weight to ensure that the product is always submerged.

But it is not really necessary to have them, you can make sauerkraut or ferment other vegetables in any glass container, ensuring, through a series of tricks, that the liquid covers the entire contents of the jar.

As I have explained before, lactic fermentation occurs in an anaerobic environment (without oxygen), if there is contact with oxygen, the growth of microorganisms that we do not want will occur, (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 kale, if you can get one from organic farming better, 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 couple).

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:

Place the cabbage in a large bowl and add salt while massaging it. The goal is for the cabbage to release water. It is a process that will take between 10 and 15 minutes.

As for the amount of salt, it depends on many things, firstly if it is winter or summer, and secondly if you want a saltier or less salty sauerkraut.

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 see the water it releases at the bottom of the bowl. bol.

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 should be very clean, but they don’t need to be sterilized. Pack the cabbage into the jars, pressing continuously with a wooden spoon so that there is no air at the bottom. Try to crush the cabbage well, and you will observe how it releases more water.

Do not fill the jar to the top, leave a space up 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 salted water, put the weight on the cabbage leaf and close the jar.

If the lid of the jar is metallic, put a cloth or film to prevent the metal from touching the salty liquid, it is very important to avoid this!.

 

how to ferment cabbage

 

Step 6:

Write the packaging date on a label, it can be a piece of electrical tape, or a paper, use a permanent marker to make sure it doesn’t get erased, it’s vitally important. 🙂

 

In any fermentation process, patience is essential, learn to wait, you will appreciate the result even more.

 

Step 7:

Wait patiently for your cabbage to ferment. After a day, check how everything is going, there should be some bubbles rising from the bottom of the jar, especially if the temperature is high (summer).

Make sure the cabbage is still submerged.

The following days it is a good idea to open the jar to let the gas out, close it again and continue waiting.

After 10 days you can taste 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 left much longer.

If you decide to consume it, you can keep the half-full jar in the refrigerator, with the low temperatures the fermentation slows down and there is no longer any danger of mold and bacteria appearing.

 

Don’t hesitate! Try making your own sauerkraut and learn how to ferment at home from almost nothing: a cabbage, sea salt, you, your expertise, and your patience.

A little further down, I’ll leave you the recipe with all the details. I hope you’re encouraged to try it; it’s very simple and you just need a little willpower. Cheers!

 

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Bibliographic references that you can not miss:

  • Pura Fermentación (Wild Fermentation), Sandor E. Katz, Editions, Gations 2012. The Art of Fermentation, Sandor E. Katz, Gaia Ediciones, 2016. On the microbiota: href=”https://www.gutmicrobiotaforhealth.com/es/”>https://www.gutmicrobiotaforhealth.com/es/

 

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