Homemade Raw Fermented Sauerkraut

Do you like fermented food? Do you eat fermented food? If you said yes and yes - that is awesome! If not… there is no time like the present to give it a try!

Fermented foods are foods or beverages that are produced through controlled microbial growth. There are two main methods when food is fermented, it can either be done naturally where the microorganisms are present naturally in the raw food or the processing environment or where a starter culture is added to start the fermenting process. Examples of naturally occurring fermentation would be sauerkraut and kimchi. Products such as kefir, kombucha and natto have a culture added to start the fermentation process. The fermentation process is these small organisms like bacteria and yeast that consume the biodegradable material such as starches and sugars in the food and create by products such as alcohol, lactic acid and carbon dioxide that result in bubbles and added flavour to the food or beverage.

The process of fermenting food is not new, this process has been around for thousands of years, developed to preserve foods so they would last longer before spoiling. Today, fermented foods continue to rise in popularity because of the taste and health benefits.

One of the biggest benefits of these fermented foods are the probiotics they offer our gut biomes. Fermented foods contain good bacteria which helps the body and the immune system function better. Supporting one’s gut health is becoming more and more of a concern these days as our diets are impacted by the change in our diets with fast foods, prepared foods, antibiotics, and an increase in the number of additives in our foods as well as the environmental toxins. These factors can lead to an unhealthy mix of bacteria and can weaken the walls of the intestines and cause leakage of food particles and other toxins into the bloodstream. When these foreign particles enter the bloodstream, the body reacts by trying to protect and rid these particles which overworks the immune system and causes inflammation and allows room for infection and disease. For more info link to my blog on gut health here.

Some of the most common fermented foods on the market today are yogurt, kefir, kombucha, sauerkraut, pickles, miso, tempeh, kimchi, sourdough bread and some cheese. When buying these fermented foods, it is important to look for things like “contains probiotics”, “naturally fermented” or “contains live cultures” and make sure they are not pasteurised as this process destroys the probiotics. These foods are found in the refrigerated section of the grocery store.

It is a good idea whenever possible to start incorporating some of these fermented foods into your diet to help build healthy bacteria in your gut. In addition, in order to keep this nice healthy gut biome, you need to also eat a good source of prebiotics, so these bacteria have foods to feed on and maintain this balance. Examples of prebiotic foods are garlic, onions, apples, dandelion greens, ground flax seeds, oats, underripe bananas, asparagus, Jerusalem artichokes, and seaweed. Just a few simple adjustments to your diet by adding some fermented foods and foods containing prebiotics can go a long way to improving your gut health and, in the end, your overall health.

Check out this method for making raw fermented sauerkraut at home!

Homemade Raw Fermented Sauerkraut:

Equipment

• Knife

• Cutting board

• Large mixing bowl

• 1L jar

• Cloth (breathable clean cotton fabric) to cover jar, elastic band

• Weight (to fit inside of jar)

Ingredients:

• 1 small head of cabbage

• 1 tsp of natural salt (himalayan salt, redmond’s real salt, sea salt)

Optional additions:

• ¼ tsp fennel , cumin, mustard, or caraway seeds

• 2 tsbp finely chopped seasonal greens such as: parsley, dill, lemon balm, sorrel, dandelion, chives, etc

Method:

• Remove and set aside large outer leaf of the cabbage

• Shred the cabbage

• Place into large bowel and mix in the salt. Let sit for 30 minutes to an hour. During this time, the salt will start to draw the water out of the cabbage leaves, which will become the brine for fermenting the cabbage

• After the resting, squeeze and massage with your hands until sufficient juice if released. Note - you should be able to squeeze cabbage and have a stream of water pouring down

• Mix in other ingredients

• Pack into jar as tight as possible, leaving at least 2 inches of space on top for expansion

• Place the outer leaf of cabbage on top of the packed cabbage, and pack down to submerge the outer leaf also below the brine. Place weighting stone on top. You can also use a ziploc bag filled with smaller stones

• Place in a bowl to catch any liquid that bubbles over. Cover with cloth, and secure with elastic band. Place in a cupboard. Check daily to press the top down if needed, to keep everything submerged.

• Sauerkraut is usually fermented in 5-10 days depending on temperature of your home.

• When ready to harvest, remove the top cabbage leaf and any cabbage pieces that have turned colour / molded due to being exposed to air.

• Seal jar with lid, and store in fridge.