Posted in Traditional Nutrition

For the past four years I have been enjoying incredible homemade saurkraut.  As a child I would watch my grandmother make saurkraut with vinegar and salt, and then use high heat to can the pickled cabbage before storing it on her pantry shelf.  Then I learned a new way to make kraut, as well as other fermented vegetables.

Fermented foods were a staple of all traditional diets.  Cheese, sourdough bread, aged meats, and fermented drinks such as kvass and kombucha were tasty everyday dishes, a smart way to preserve an abundance of food, and finally a very beneficial part of the diet.

To begin learning the beautiful art of fermented foods, let's start with an easy recipe for fermented cabbage, or saurkraut.  Start by shredding your cabbage into thin strips, no bigger than 1/2 in. wide.  A food processor is a fast way to go, but I prefer the old wooden kraut shredders.  After shredding, take the cabbage and pound it!  In order to break down the cell walls of the cabbage you must pound the cabbage in a mortar and pestle.  Breaking down the cell walls better allows beneficial bacteria to begin the process of fermentation.

After pounding, mix the cabbage with unrefined sea salt, ginger, onions, or any spice that you like to eat.  I love dill in my kraut.  Take this mixture and tightly pack in a clean glass or crock container.  Then, fill to the top with pure water.  Place a whole cabbage leaf on top of the mixture to keep it fresh.  Finally, lightly seal the container, or use a rubberband and cloth on top, and put in a warm but shady spot with a plate underneath (on top of the refrigerator works great). 

Check this mixture in three days.  You will begin to smell the distinctive saurkraut smell.  Continue to allow the mixture to ferment as long as you'd like!  Sometimes I find that it takes more than three days to aquire the taste that I prefer, such as in the cold months of the year.  To stop the fermentation process, simply place in the refrigerator or a cold spot.

Introducing fermented cabbage and/or other vegetables in our diet greatly inhances our digestion.  The beneficial bacteria helps to break down the other food eaten at a meal and places many strains of body friendly bacteria into our digestive systems.  I especially love kraut with liver and onions!

       

I am a born and bread Kentucky woman who currently lives in Paducah, KY. I am a life student of 'the old fashioned ways' through nutrition, birthing (I am studying to become a doula and midwife), animal husbandry, and sustainable living. I have just opened my own business called Kentucky Roots Market! I focus on helping incorporate whole food nutrition into my client's busy lives, helping those who are struggling with fertility issues, and consulting on sustainable living solutions. If you'd like to contact me, email me at kentuckyrootsmarket@riseup.net.