Method and Use1. Remove outer cabbage leaves and rinse cabbage heads before cutting into quarters and removing the white core. Cut the cabbage into long thin shreds with a sharp knife.
2. Weigh the cabbage shreds. Add the first 5 pounds of cabbage to a large sterilised bowl and sprinkle with 3 tablespoons of non-iodized pickling salt before mixing well. Continue adding cabbage and salt and mixing. Leave for 10 minutes to stand and draw out juices.
3. Take a little cabbage and move into a large container, packing down until there is enough juice to cover the cabbage. Repeat until all cabbage is added with a couple of inches of juice covering and at least a few inches between the top of the juice and the top of the container.
4. To squash and cover the cabbage, use a food-grade plastic bag filled with salted water and place in the container. Alternatively, cover cabbage with a clean cloth or plastic film and place a weight on top, ensuring that all of the cabbage is covered and air is excluded. Place the container in a temperate, well ventilated place. It is better at about 20C to start fermentation.
5. Check daily to remove any mould or discolouration on the surface which should be skimmed off and the cloth or covering replaced. Time of fermentation depends on temperature, usually about 3 - 4 weeks.
6. Refrigerate when ready. For long term storage, the sauerkraut can be frozen. If preserving in jars, heat the sauerkraut thoroughly by simmering without boiling and pack into hot sterilised pickling jars ensuring that the cabbage is covered with liquid and that there is space before the top of the jars. Boil filled jars for about 15 minutes before cooling and storing.
Use
You can eat cool or heat. For more interest, add a little brown sugar, chopped apple and onion before simmering.
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