SALT-AND-PEPPER SAUERKRAUT
If this is your first time making fermented foods, start with this recipe. It’s a simple, straightforward one, with only three ingredients, so it’ll help you get the hang of the general fermentation process. Raw, unpasteurized sauerkrauts like this one have many health benefits to offer. They increase alkalinity in your body, add probiotics to your digestive tract, and aid in nutrient absorption.
- 2/3 Medium green cabbage
- 2 tsp Sea salt
- 1 tsp Freshly ground black pepper
In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, salt, and pepper. Using your hands, mix well, vigorously massaging the salt into the cabbage.Tightly pack the mixture into a widemouthed quart jar. Use your fist or a wooden tamper to press down on the cabbage, forcing out all air bubbles and causing a natural brine to rise up in the jar. Place a clean, small plate on top of the cabbage, and then set a clean weight (like a jar filled with water) on top to keep the cabbage packed down.Cover the opening of the jar with a piece of cheesecloth and secure it with a rubber band. Leave at room temperature (65° to 70°F) to ferment for 7 to 10 days. The fermentation process will occur more slowly if the ambient temperature is at the cooler end of room-temperature range, and more quickly if at the warmer end. During the first week of fermentation, push down on the weight to force the cabbage under the brine at least once a day. Sometimes it takes a day or two for enough brine to form and completely submerge the cabbage.Once the cabbage looks translucent, the kraut has finished fermenting. Remove the plate and weight, and then scrape off and discard the top layer, which may be covered in a harmless white mold. Cover the jar with a lid and transfer to the refrigerator, where the kraut can be stored for months.